Katharine blinked as reflected moonlight fell on her face. Where was she? Wherever it was it was not very comfortable… She gasped as she tried to move. White hot pain lanced up her arm. She felt sick…dizzy…faint…
When she next noticed anything she saw that it was dark. The moonlight had gone. She must have been asleep, though how that was possible with a head like hers was difficult to see. It was pounding. What had woken her? Had she heard something? There it was again! ‘Kate!’ She tried to shout back, but the sound wouldn’t come. She couldn’t speak! She became agitated, tried to shift her arm, and this time the pain was even greater. Kate fainted again.
The next time she came to, she was shivering. It was cold and dark here…walls all around… She was down a hole! With her good hand she felt behind her. Stones. Metal. How was this possible? She was down the well at the castle! Frightened, she called as loudly as she could. ‘Adam! Help me!’ It came out as a mere whisper. Katharine slumped in despair. No one would ever hear that! She was chilled to the bone…she was going to die! She would never see Adam again, never be able to tell him that she loved him…never marry him…live with him…love him… But then she set her jaw and roused herself. She was not going to die! She must live, must get out of this dreadful prison! How on earth had she got here in the first place? She must concentrate, but it was difficult with this hammer beating in her head… Half-dozing, half-waking, she pieced together the events of the day before. Walter’s face swam before her eyes, contorted with rage, a red slash running diagonally across his mouth. She had hit him with her riding crop… Why? He had attacked her… Then what had happened? But memory wouldn’t come back… She gave a silent little whimper. She couldn’t remember…
When Katharine next opened her eyes she felt a little more wide awake. The piece of sky she could see was less dark. This was better! Daylight was coming again. Surely someone would come to look for her? She struggled to stand up, sweat pouring down her face as her head throbbed and her arm was a searing pain. But pain was forgotten as she heard Adam’s voice shouting.
‘Kate! Kate! Where are you?’
‘I’m here, Adam. I’m here! Help me! Oh, Adam, help me! I’m down the well!’
More voices. Adam talking again. ‘Be quiet! I thought I heard something, but it got lost in your talk. Listen!’
Katharine’s knees could hardly hold her. She clung on to an iron support with her good hand. ‘I’m here!’ she screamed. ‘Help me! Adam, help me!’
Chapter Fifteen
The patch of daylight disappeared as heads leant over the parapet of the well. A chorus of exclamations, ‘She’s there!’, ‘Look!’, ‘It’s Miss Kate!’, ‘She’s standing!’, ‘God be praised!’ and then Adam’s voice again.
‘Move away! Let’s have some daylight. Get the ropes!’ Then, leaning over, he called, ‘Kate, how badly are you hurt?’
Kate took a deep breath. It was really extraordinarily difficult to do the simplest things—to talk, for example. That scream had taken her last bit of strength.
‘Come on, Kate! I need to know, so that we can get you out safely.’
How practical he is, thought Katharine hazily. How very rational, not to waste time on exclamations of relief or gratitude. Even the men were more enthusiastic! Come on, Kate! Answer him! She took another breath. ‘I think…I must have broken…my arm. Nothing…else.’ She started to feel faint again, and held on fiercely to her support.
‘Good!’ Adam wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve. Without comment one of the men passed him a drink. He nodded his thanks, drank some of it and felt better. ‘I’ll go down,’ he said, taking his coat off. ‘Put the rope round me for a standby, but I think I can climb down.’
Jem Banks, looking at Adam’s pale face, said, ‘One of the others could—’
‘Save your breath! I’m fetching Miss Payne up. But—thank you. You’ll have plenty to do, Jem. Hard work. Do you know how it’s done—pulling two people up by rope? Or do you want me to demonstrate?’
‘I can do it, my lord. You leave that to me. Now, are you ready?’
‘I think so.’ He leant over the parapet. ‘Kate, listen to me!’
‘I’m…listening, Adam.’ Her voice seemed weaker.
He said urgently, ‘Hold on! One more minute and I’ll be with you. Just make sure you’re to one side. Can you do that? I don’t want to crash into you.’
‘I think so.’
‘Right!’
Adam nodded at the men who were now preparing the ropes, and climbed over the side. The well was not in fact very deep—it had been partially filled in—and the remnants of the iron ladder gave him a few footholds. He had done many a more difficult descent in his Army career. But never before in circumstances like these. Kate was weakening—he had heard it in her voice. She might well be more badly injured than she knew—or had admitted. Shock would have taken its toll, too… How could he manage to get her out without making things worse for her? If Kate was really badly injured…
Adam swore silently and told himself to concentrate. It wouldn’t do Kate any good if he gave way to his fears. He made his way down slowly, carefully, till, looking down, he could see her face just below his feet.
‘Now for the most difficult bit,’ he said. He edged his way past her, and with a sense of enormous relief felt his feet touch the base. ‘My good girl!’ he said approvingly as she held herself back to let him pass. But he was a long way from happy. Kate’s knuckles were white where she was clinging to the bar. Her other arm was hanging uselessly at her side. Her face was dirty, but underneath it was chalk white—except for a dark blue bruise on her temple. There was some dried blood on her cheek…
Adam took a deep breath. Now was not the time to hug Kate tightly, to give way to his overwhelming relief. First he had to check her for any other broken bones before he moved her, and then Kate had to be taken out of this hell-hole as quickly and as safely as possible. Gently he felt her all over. No other breaks as far as he could tell. He looked at her again. She was, if possible, even whiter. Her lips were trembling, and though she had winced as he had touched her, she hadn’t said anything. Kate was really at the end of her tether. Adam allowed himself the luxury of a short, swift, featherlight kiss.
‘You’ll soon be safe, Kate!’ he whispered. ‘I’ve got you now. And I shall never let you go again.’ He wasn’t sure that she had even heard him. Her head was falling forward, and the hand holding the bar was slipping… Adam worked as quickly as he could in the restricted space. He used a strap one of the men had given him to bind the broken arm close to her body, and at this point Kate passed out completely. He caught her as she fell and held her wrapped in his arms for a moment, consoling himself with the thought that it was just as well she was unconscious—she would not enjoy the next few minutes. Then he wound the ropes round the two of them and shouted to the men to pull them up. Slowly, painfully the double burden was raised to the surface. Willing hands, surprisingly gentle for such big men, lifted Kate over the parapet and put her down on the grass. Adam climbed out after her. He covered her carefully with his coat, then stood, breathing fast, waiting to get his strength back. The men were already replacing the cover on the well, and winding up the ropes. Then Adam lifted Kate into his arms and walked to where the horses were tethered. He asked one of the men to hold her for a moment, then mounted and took her back. Sholto moved restlessly, but calmed down again when Adam spoke. Kate’s eyelids fluttered open for a moment. A smile appeared on her worn face.
‘Adam!’ she said contentedly. ‘Adam!’
The little procession made its way slowly back to the village. Some of the men had ridden on ahead to warn Tilly and the surgeon of their arrival, and by the time they reached Tilly’s cottage, a bed had been prepared for Katharine, and Mr Cruikshank was waiting. The broken bone was soon set and the surgeon thought there was no reason for it not to heal perfectly well. He was more concerned about the bruise on her head, and the fact that she had spent the nig
ht in a state of shock in such uncomfortable circumstances.
After that moment of lucidity Kate had lapsed into semi-consciousness. As the day wore on she grew quieter and stiller. When Mrs Calthorpe arrived Adam was at Kate’s bedside, looking himself like death, but fiercely rejecting all offers of help.
‘Adam, be reasonable,’ his mother said. ‘Go and get some sleep. Kate doesn’t even know you’re here! I’ll look after her for the moment. Mr Cruikshank will find a nurse tomorrow if he thinks one is necessary.’
‘What are we going to do?’
‘Mr Cruikshank has offered us rooms in his house. If you will go and get some sleep now while I keep watch, then you can sit with Kate this evening. Miss Tillyard is not yet well enough to do much, but she will fill in. She can fetch one of us if there’s any change. Do as I say, my dear! You’ll do Kate no good at all if you collapse, too! Be reasonable.’
Adam reluctantly gave way. In his time he had given so much good advice to others to be reasonable, to be patient, not to worry… How totally worthless it all seemed now!
However, he did manage a couple of hours’ rest and returned to Kate’s room refreshed and ready to deal with whatever was necessary. His mother greeted him at the door with relief.
‘She’s very restless. I can’t keep her quiet, Adam. I’ve given her some drops, but they don’t seem to have done much good, and the surgeon says we mustn’t give her any more until he calls again. I’m so glad you’re back. She’s asking for you all the time, though I’m not sure she knows what she’s saying.’
Adam went to the bed.
Kate’s arm prevented her from moving a great deal, but she was twisting her head from side to side, murmuring impatiently, moaning, then calling out in a cracked voice, ‘Adam! Help me, Adam! You said you’d be there! Where are you?’
‘I’m here,’ said Adam calmly. He sat down close to the bed and took Kate’s good hand in his. ‘I’m here, Kate. You can rest now.’
The sound of his voice seemed to calm her for a moment. Then she began again, turning her head restlessly. ‘Adam, don’t go away from me! Don’t go!’
He reassured her once more, and she was quiet, but only briefly. The cracked voice soon began again.
‘You look at her so fondly, Adam. I’d like you to look at me like that… Why can’t you look at me like that? Such a loving smile… You don’t love me, that’s why, isn’t it? Adam! You like me, that’s all.’ The hand in his moved convulsively. ‘It will be enough, Adam, I’ll make sure it’s enough. But please, please don’t leave me! Please don’t go away!’
To hear strong, independent Katharine crying out such an urgent need of anyone almost overset both her watchers. Adam’s mother had tears in her eyes.
‘I knew she loved you. I didn’t realise how much. You mustn’t let her down, Adam.’
He shook his head. ‘I won’t let her down. You go and get some rest. I’ll stay here for now.’ He turned back to the figure in the bed, talking to her softly, reassuringly until she was quiet again.
The daylight slowly faded. Tilly came in with a lamp which she placed on a table shaded from the bed. She stayed for a short while, then went back to rest. Her maidservant came in with a tray for Adam and fresh barley water for Katharine. Later on Mrs Calthorpe came back and, after taking a look at Katharine, insisted that Adam go out for some air.
‘You say she’s been quiet for some time? I actually think she’s asleep. That’s a good sign. Come back in half an hour.’
As soon as Adam appeared outside in the street he was swamped with enquiries about Katharine. He said what he could to reassure them, and thanked them all once again for their help.
‘It was a bad day for us when Master Tom was killed, your lordship,’ said one grizzled farmer, heavily. ‘Herriards will never be the same without Miss Kate.’
Adam nodded. His world would never be the same without Miss Kate, either.
When he returned to the sick room his mother assured him that Katharine had not stirred. ‘Don’t look so worried, my dear! I truly think she is on the mend. The surgeon called in and gave her some more drops, so she is sleepy again, but he was very hopeful. We are to see that she drinks plenty of the barley water. You can sit with her here, if that is what you want. I’ll rest on the couch.’
Mrs Calthorpe made herself comfortable on the couch by the window, and Adam sat down by the bed again. Kate’s colour was better, and she was breathing more peacefully. The room was quiet, as the world settled down for the night. He sat lost in thought by Katharine’s bedside, thinking of Tom, of how the death of one young man could make such a difference to so many lives, wondering what would happen to Herriards and its people now that Henry Payne’s heir was dead, even feeling some pity for Walter’s family. But most of all he was content to sit by Katharine and feel profoundly grateful that she had survived.
Katharine’s hand stirred. Adam got up and bent over her. Her eyes opened.
‘Are you thirsty?’ he whispered. She nodded drowsily, and he took the glass of barley water and supported her while she sipped. When he started to withdraw his arm she gave a little moan of protest.
‘Don’t go!’ she whispered. ‘Stay with me. I need you here, Adam. I think I’ll always need you. I don’t think I can face life without you.’
He was deeply moved. ‘I’ve told you. I won’t go away,’ he said softly, putting the glass back on the table and settling her more comfortably on his arm. ‘But you mustn’t talk.’
She smiled at him sleepily. ‘I want to! I have to tell you. All I could think of during the night…was that…I wouldn’t be able to tell you if I…if I died down there…I love you, Adam. I was wrong to say I wouldn’t marry you. I love you so much that it doesn’t matter…’ Her voice faded away.
‘What doesn’t matter?’
‘That you don’t love me the way I wanted you to love me. The way you loved Julia.’
‘I do love you, Kate!’
‘I know you do, really. And it would be stupid of me to want more, wouldn’t it? I love you enough for both of us. It’s enough that we would be together. But…but don’t ever leave me—I couldn’t bear that. I couldn’t bear it, Adam…’ Tears rolled slowly down her cheeks and she moved restlessly.
‘Kate, you’re sick, you need to sleep. I shan’t leave you, I promise. I promise you, I’ll never leave you. But rest now. We’ll talk when you’re better. Go back to sleep, my darling.’ Adam settled her down on her pillows, wiped her tears and kissed her lingeringly on the cheek. She gave a little sigh of contentment and fell asleep again.
Adam got up and stretched himself. His arm was stiff, but that was of no importance. It really looked as if Kate was almost herself again. But what was Kate’s self? He felt as if he had never really known her. He studied the sleeping form in the bed. She had always been so careful to conceal the vulnerable, passionate woman that was the real Katharine Payne. Did she even know herself that such a Kate existed? His own discovery of how much, how comprehensively, he loved her, had been so recent, that he hadn’t had time to think about her feelings towards him. The last ten minutes had been a revelation. Detached, independent Kate had wept, had pleaded, had revealed her soul to him. Kate loved him almost as much as he loved her! He looked back at the bed. My darling, he thought, I will never feel prouder or more humble than I do at this moment. I adore you! And I will never, as long as I have breath in my body, knowingly hurt or disappoint you!
Mrs Calthorpe stirred. ‘I’m sorry, Adam. I must have fallen asleep. Has there been any change?’
‘A slight one, I think,’ he said, trying not to smile. ‘Kate seems much better, Mama. She’s sleeping very peacefully. I think we’re almost out of the wood.’
His mother regarded him closely. ‘Adam, I haven’t seen you look like this since you were a little boy, and your father gave you your first pony. Remember? You were ecstatic with delight.’ She came and kissed him. ‘I think something has changed. And I think you and Kate are going to be
very happy.’
Adam hugged her. ‘I think we shall be, Mama. You were right about Kate Payne, all the time. She is the one for me. The only one. But how did you know?’
‘I just did!’ said Mrs Calthorpe.
But the next day it looked as if all was not to be such plain sailing.
Katharine slept the night through and in the morning was, except for her arm and the bruise on the head, almost her old self. Mr Cruikshank said she could get up for a few hours, and sit in the garden. Adam came to see her as soon as she was dressed and proposed carrying her downstairs.
‘I’m sure that isn’t necessary,’ she said coolly. ‘I can walk perfectly well.’
He looked at her warily. This was the Kate he had known in the churchyard last year. Kate the shrew. A slow bubble of amusement grew inside him, till he thought it would burst out into delighted laughter. But he was careful to let no sign of this appear in his face. Kate was suffering from reaction. The emotional scenes of the day before had horrified her. He should have known this would happen!
He said calmly, ‘In that case, let me go ahead of you down the stairs. It would be a pity if you damaged the arm further. Come!’
She walked unsteadily across the room, stopped at the door and leaned against the post. Then she said, ‘I think I’ll stay here. It will be too hot in the garden.’
‘Kate, my darling shrew, my sweet virago, let me carry you downstairs! To please me. I badly want to talk to you, and I can’t here.’
‘You talked enough last night,’ she said.
‘I rather thought you did, too.’
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