Sylvia Andrew

by Lord Calthorpes Promise

  ‘Well, there’s the music—you like music, I know you do. I’ve heard you play. Then there is pattern, design, not confusion. Each dance has its own pattern, and surely there is satisfaction in seeing the pattern worked out to its proper end? And there are the steps. There are really very few of them—you could learn them in an hour, if you wanted to. But…’

  He took her by the shoulders and turned her round to face him. ‘But that’s not where the difficulty lies, is it? You resist dancing because it means physical contact, and I think you’ve had very little experience of that. You’re afraid of it.’ He paused, but when she didn’t speak he went on, ‘There’s no need to be.’

  She kept her head down, refusing to meet his eyes, but slow colour covered her cheeks, as he slid his arms down to her elbows and pulled her closer.

  ‘Do you think I mean you harm?’ he asked.

  She looked up, startled. ‘Of course not!’

  ‘Then why are your fists clenched?’ He took one of her hands, uncurled the fingers and held it against his chest. ‘Trust me, Kate. I want nothing but your good, believe me.’

  ‘I do believe that. You’ve been very kind.’

  ‘Then don’t pull away. Let yourself lean against me. Relax.’ He put his free arm round her, so that she was loosely held against him.

  The scene in the churchyard at Herriard Stoke flashed into Katharine’s mind. Even before she had known who he was, she had felt the same strange desire to let herself be guided by this man, to let his arms enfold her…but she mustn’t…!

  ‘You’re tightening up again,’ Adam said. ‘Just when you were doing so well. What is it?’

  ‘I…I have never…I have learned never to depend on anyone.’

  ‘Now that I know more of your history I don’t find it surprising. But that doesn’t mean that you have to push people away.’

  Held by his arm, her hand resting on his chest, Katharine considered this. ‘You’re saying I can’t dance because I can’t relax? But I can’t think how to do that.’

  ‘Don’t try to think! Stay here like this, just for a moment.’ The room was silent, shadowed except for a strip of pale sunshine through one of the long windows. Beneath her hand Katharine could feel Adam’s heart beating steadily. Slowly the tension seeped away and, perhaps for the first time in her life, she felt at ease in close contact with someone else.

  After a moment Adam said softly, ‘You know, there’s a new dance now called the waltz. It’s danced all over Europe, and it’s even beginning to be seen in England. The couples stand almost as close as this to each other. Shall I teach it to you?’

  She stiffened again.

  ‘Don’t, Kate! There’s no need. Put your left hand on my shoulder. Good! Keep your head up! Now follow my steps. Count in threes. Very slowly. Like this. One, two-three, one, two-three…’

  He took her slowly round the room, his left hand still clasping her right, the other at her waist. His touch was light but firm and, after a stumble or two, she began to follow more easily. His pace gradually quickened, but she found that she could still follow, the hand at her waist always guiding, telling her which way to turn, when to slow down, when to move more quickly. The steady, rhythmical counting entered her bloodstream and she found herself swaying, dipping with the turns. It was like magic, like champagne, she was floating…

  They came to a stop. Adam said, ‘Kate…that was wonderful!’ He put both arms round her, then bent his head and kissed her. The kiss may not have been passionate, but it was none the less real. To Katharine who, with the exception of Walter’s onslaught, had never been kissed by any man other than her brother and grandfather, it was a revelation. That a kiss could be so warm, so comforting, and at the same time so spellbinding… She had difficulty in holding on to her reason, to stop herself from putting her arms round Adam’s neck, from holding on forever to a moment of such enchantment…

  Chapter Ten

  The kiss came to an end and Adam briefly hugged her, putting his cheek next to hers. ‘Dear Kate!’ he said, his voice full of affection and warmth.

  It was like a splash of cold water and it brought Katharine to her senses. ‘Dear Kate!’ No excitement, no desperately whispered ‘Darling Kate’, ‘Sweetheart Kate’, ‘Kate, the love of my life’! Just an affectionate ‘Dear Kate’—the sort of thing you called your mother, or your aunt, or your sister. That was how he regarded her, of course. A sister, as Tom had arranged. More than ever thankful that she had not succumbed to that mad moment of temptation, Katharine managed to smile as she released herself from his grasp.

  ‘That…that was like no dance I have ever attempted,’ she said shakily. ‘The ending was…was…quite unique!’

  Adam gave a shout of laughter. ‘Oh, please, Kate! You needn’t worry yourself. The waltz is daring enough, but a kiss normally plays no part in it! That was my own compliment to a wonderful dancer. Were you angry?’

  ‘Not at all. Why should I be?’

  ‘Good! Though I should really be scolding you, not paying compliments.’

  ‘Why?’ she asked in surprise.

  ‘You are a fraud!’

  ‘W…What?’

  ‘Pretending you are unteachable, can’t move, don’t know the steps. Poor Monsieur Edouard—you really had him fooled!’

  ‘What on earth are you talking about? I never pretended anything—I can’t dance!’

  Adam took her hand again and kissed it. ‘You are as natural a dancer as I have met! The sense of rhythm, the instinct for movement… What do you mean by deceiving us all?’

  Adam’s touch had sent a frisson up her spine. Removing her hand, she pulled herself together and said calmly, ‘I don’t know what you are talking about, Adam! Th…that wasn’t dancing! Not the sort I’ve come across, anyway.’

  ‘The waltz is very different from the old dances, I agree. But that isn’t what matters. Kate, the way you danced with me just now proves that you have the rhythm and grace to make you a first-class dancer! I cannot think why that fool of a dancing master couldn’t see that!’

  ‘I think you’re underestimating the part you played in my performance just then,’ she said. ‘What was it Lord Trenchard called you? “Twinkle—”’

  He put his hand over her mouth. ‘Don’t even think of saying it! And don’t believe for one moment that anyone ever called me that. Ivo Trenchard’s sense of humour got the better of him. He was making it up. But don’t lose sight of what I was trying to tell you, either. Edouard was the very worst sort of instructor for you. All you need to learn are a few special steps and four or five figures—there aren’t many of them. And that is all. Any country dance is made up of a selection of these put together. I can teach you myself in the week I have left.’

  ‘You’re…you’re going away?’

  ‘If I am to have eight or nine weeks during the season in London, I must spend some time on Calthorpe beforehand. The place is still in need of a lot of attention. But don’t look so worried—a week is more than enough to start you on the right track. The rest is merely practice. We’ll arrange for some visits to Guildford or Reigate, where they have some Public Assembly Rooms. You can try your wings in relative obscurity there.’

  Adam was as good as his word. He engaged a fiddler from one of the villages nearby and for an hour each afternoon he was a relentless taskmaster. Katharine learned to walk the patterns of the dances until she knew them by heart. He taught her to glide, to skip, to lift and fall to the music. When he found her dropping her head to watch her feet, he put a scarf round her eyes, and made her dance blindfold. The room resounded with cries of, ‘Head up, Kate! Up, I say!’ and ‘You can’t see your feet anyway, so don’t look!’ and ‘Dammit, lift your head, girl! That’s better! Beautiful!’

  It wasn’t all work. They rode every day, and Adam showed Kate the favourite places of his boyhood. She had never known such enjoyable companionship, not even with Tom. There was no sense of rivalry, no need to guard against any reckless tricks which would plu
nge them into danger. Adam was no coward, he rode right up to Sholto’s capabilities, which were considerable, but she felt safer with him than she ever had with Tom. The kiss was never repeated and, though Katharine felt a curious ache in her heart whenever she thought of it, she was glad. Adam was growing fond of her, she could tell that from his manner, but it was clear that he regarded her as a sort of sister. Nothing more. And so, though it had taken something of a struggle, she had her feelings firmly under control again. But another kiss, however harmless, could easily undermine all her efforts.

  At the end of the week Adam took his mother and Katharine to the Assembly Rooms in Guildford, where Katharine felt she acquitted herself reasonably well with a variety of partners. She found herself enjoying the occasion, and during the evening several young gentlemen reappeared to ask her to dance with them a second time. However, during the supper interval, Adam, who seemed to be slightly out of humour, disabused her of this conceit. He pointed out that her partners had not exactly been in a position to judge her, being so lacking in grace themselves, and added that she had looked down at her feet twice in the figure of eight, and missed two entries.

  ‘I still think that I acquitted myself quite creditably,’ said Katharine with a touch of her old belligerent tone.

  ‘Quite creditably! Is that what you want? In that case, accept my congratulations. But it wouldn’t be enough, for me!’

  ‘Adam!’ his mother protested. ‘You are too hard! This is Kate’s first venture into public. You mustn’t put her off at the start. Remember how nervous she was when we first arrived. It isn’t at all surprising that she forgot one or two details. She needs cherishing, not criticism. Why haven’t you danced with her yourself?’

  ‘He’s ashamed to be seen with me, ma’am,’ said Katharine with a malicious look at Adam. ‘He has his reputation to think of.’ She turned to Adam and asked innocently, ‘What was that you were called? “Tw—”’

  Adam pulled her to her feet. ‘The supper interval is over, I believe, Miss Payne!’ he said with a threatening smile. ‘May I have the honour of this dance? Excuse us, Mama.’

  He hauled her to the floor without waiting but, as he gazed at her laughing face while they waited to begin, his ill humour faded.

  ‘You are a minx, Kate,’ he said. ‘And one day you will get your desserts. But for now we shall converse in the manner expected at a ball. What do you think of the orchestra?’

  As they wound their way faultlessly up through the set and back again, Adam was surprised at Katharine’s vivacity and charm. He found himself thinking that, if only she had had Tom’s looks, she could have been a great success. But her colouring was against her. And, perhaps because of her height, she still had that irritating air of independence. Where were the dimples, the air of helpless femininity, the innocently coquettish glances which appealed to so many men, himself included? No, whatever Ivo and his mother thought, he himself could still not see how Katharine Payne could possibly be the success they predicted.

  But, when the music stopped, he found himself strangely reluctant to release her. The time had passed so quickly, he felt they had not finished what they had been saying, though he was not sure what that was. It was very odd! He had spent many a duller half-hour, even among the cream of European society. And, as they walked back to join his mother, the memory of the first time they had danced together in the saloon at Bridge House flashed unbidden into his mind. She had felt so right in his arms, so responsive. And that kiss at the end… It had been extraordinarily sweet! He looked down at the girl walking so calmly beside him and decided to ask her to dance with him again later on. The waltz, perhaps…

  In the event, he did not manage to engage Kate for the rest of the evening. She was never free. Katharine Payne seemed to be surprisingly popular with the young men of Guildford.

  The next day two things happened. Adam left for Calthorpe, and they finally had news of Miss Kendrick’s arrival. Katharine was glad of the second, for she had felt somewhat low ever since she had looked out of her bedroom window early in the morning and seen Adam setting off. Theirs had not been what you would call a friendly parting. Adam had been somewhat silent the night before, and, for someone who was leaving at the crack of dawn, remarkably reluctant to let the evening come to an end. When they got back to Bridge House he suggested that they should have a chat before retiring. He had one or two things to sort out with them, he said, before leaving the next day.

  But the chat turned out to reveal Adam at what Katharine considered to be his worst. He issued orders, thinly disguised as advice, to both of them. In essence, Katharine was to take care when riding the mare, she was always to have a groom with her, and she was to avoid one or two places, which he named, where the going was not always safe.

  ‘Would you prefer me to ride only in the paddock, sir?’ Katharine asked with suspicious meekness. ‘And perhaps it might be safer if the grooms used a leading rein on Cintra—though, even if I were to tolerate it, I doubt she would!’

  ‘It’s all very well to laugh, Kate, but—’

  ‘I assure you I am not laughing!’ said Katharine coldly. ‘I think I know enough to ride sensibly, however.’

  ‘That is arrant nonsense and you know it! You can be every bit as reckless as your brother when the mood takes you! And, as I think I said before, I didn’t rescue you from your uncle merely to have you break your neck while in our care!’

  Mrs Calthorpe decided to intervene. ‘Adam, I think you may trust Kate. She knows how it would worry me if she took risks while you are away. Isn’t that so, Kate, dear?’

  Katharine scowled at Adam, but nodded and Mrs Calthorpe relaxed.

  But then, when her son proceeded to give her suggestions for Katharine’s further progress, Mrs Calthorpe herself became irritated. ‘Really, Adam, you must think I am in my dotage! We shall go to as many Assemblies as I think fit, and as Kate wishes! And of course I shall chaperon Kate to them all—why on earth should you think I wouldn’t? Furthermore, you really have no need to ask me to keep a careful eye on her partners—any chaperon would do that quite as a matter of course. What has got into you?’

  Adam, realising that his two companions, far from being grateful for his advice, were both bridling, sought to make amends. ‘I’m sorry, Mama,’ he said. ‘I suppose I feel responsible for the success of our campaign. We have all worked so hard—I should hate to ruin it for want of a little foresight.’

  Katharine stood up. ‘Lord Calthorpe!’ she said. ‘Pray do not think me ungrateful for your help thus far. You have been…have been most…most…kind. But I am not a “campaign”! Nor am I one of the men in your command, to be told what to do and what not to do! Unlikely though it may seem to you, I think your mother and I will manage very well while you are away. May I suggest that you concentrate your mind on Calthorpe, and leave the success or otherwise of my début to such poor skills as your mother and I possess?’

  Adam did not take this with his customary even temper. He bowed coldly and said with a most unusual bite in his voice, ‘In that case, Miss Payne, I have no more to say. Except that my only wish has always been to see you launched into society as easily as possible. And that I hope to find you in a more amenable frame of mind when I see you next.’

  They wished each other a frosty goodnight, and Katharine went to her bedchamber. But she could not sleep. She was suffering from such a turmoil of feelings that sleep was impossible. She told herself that Adam Calthorpe was a domineering, insensitive block, and she was mad to feel as she did about him! But after a while memories of the times when he had shown a great deal of understanding began to haunt her, and she decided that she had been monstrously ungrateful. She was filled with remorse and wondered whether to go downstairs and apologise. She even reached the first landing, but then Mrs Calthorpe’s voice floated up to her.

  ‘I have to say that I have some sympathy with Kate,’ she said. ‘You can sound very arbitrary, Adam, and she is not a girl who reacts well to orders.
’

  ‘I don’t know why you always defend Madame Independence, ma’am! To my mind, Katharine Payne should learn to accept perfectly well-meant advice with more grace. The sooner the better! Her guardians were quite right! She has had her own way for far too long!’

  ‘Adam! You are not usually so unjust! What is the matter with you?’

  Katharine didn’t wait to hear any more. She went back towards her room, fuming. Madame Independence, indeed! Who did Adam Calthorpe think he was? What right had he to forbid her to ride any horse she chose? But he had forbidden her. Sholto first, and now Cintra! What a tyrant he was—telling her where to go for her rides, how often to go to the Assemblies, with whom to dance… If she gave in to him now she would be condemned to be a spineless puppet, she, Katharine Payne of Herriards, who had until recently managed her life quite successfully with very little help from anyone else. It was not to be thought of!

  She entered the room, undressed and went to bed. Eventually she slept, but her last illogical thought was a wish, quite a desperate one, that Adam Calthorpe could see her more as a desirable woman, and less as one of his many responsibilities.

  Miss Kendrick arrived two days later, and before the week was out had established herself as a force in the household. When asked what she wished to be called, Miss Kendrick said, ‘Her ladyship always called me “Kendrick”, miss.’ After a pause she added, ‘Below stairs I shall, of course, be known as “Miss Kendrick”.’

  She seldom smiled and a mere look from Miss Kendrick could strike fear into the hearts of the other maids. Even Wigborough, Mrs Calthorpe’s long-established butler, addressed her with more deference than was his wont with the rest of the female servants, and she had a way of saying, ‘Certainly, ma’am!’ which frequently caused Mrs Calthorpe to re-examine her orders feverishly for unnoticed errors. But she was outstandingly good at her job. Fortunately for Katharine, it had been many years since Miss Kendrick had prepared a young lady for her début, and she rather liked the idea. She made no bones about the fact that she regarded Katharine a challenge, but nor did she expect to fail.