Her eyes adjusted to the gloom and she spied the hens happily picking stray kernels out of the horse dung. The horse stood calmly nibbling on the wild grass that Katherine had cut and put up over the summer to have bedding for her chickens. He nickered at her, cocking his ears forward curiously, then continued to munch.
“Hello, ladies. Hello, Horse. I apologize for the poor fare, but at least you have something to eat.” Unlike the rest of us.
She mucked out the small building, gathering the leavings in a pile to be removed later, then went about searching the nests for eggs. It was a faint hope as the hens’ laying had slowed over the winter. Poor things were only barely scratching out an existence. It was too much to expect many eggs from them.
And yet, as she gently raked her fingers through the dried grass in each box, she found one, two, three eggs. It was a miracle! One egg for her, one for Foxleigh and one for Dog. Now if only they laid golden eggs, she would have something to pay the agent when he came for the rent.
The agent’s voice sounded from the doorway behind her. “Good day, Mrs. Sheldon. I hope I do not disturb your solitude.”
Apparently for someone with her infernal luck, even thinking of the devil was enough to summon him. She sighed, tucked her eggs into her apron and turned to face the hateful man.
“Good day, Mr. Atherton. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?” It was bad form to sound so sarcastic, but she didn’t care.
He chuckled in an insinuating way that made Katherine wish to slap him. “Well, I know you are all alone out here, and I like to check in now and again to be sure you are well.”
This bit of fiction did not merit a reply, and wishing to shorten the unwanted visit, she decided to bring him to the point. “I am well and hail as you see. I suppose you are also come early to see if I have your rent money for you.”
He tilted his head and smiled, then took a step closer. “I did not bring my bookkeeping with me, but I shall write you a receipt if you have something for me.”
“I do not.” It was best to be direct with the weasel.
“Well, you know, I am not here to press you in the least, Mrs. Sheldon.” He tilted his head with an insincere smile that made him look sickly, and took another step toward her. “And if you find yourself in straitened circumstances, I am sure we can come to some other arrangement.”
The slimy bounder had always made Katherine’s skin crawl, but he had never propositioned her before. And yet, she was not shocked. This was the lot of women without protection or money. Every smoky piece of filth in the kingdom gravitated toward a scene of exploitable desperation. No, she was not even a little surprised: it was precisely what she expected from someone like Atherton. But she was angry.
“Mr. Atherton,” she spoke through her teeth, “you must be aware of what a profound insult you have given me.”
He opened his mouth to object and strode forward, but she held up her hand, signaling him to stop.
“Not a step further, sir. I may be a poor widow, but I am not interested in any other arrangement. If I cannot pay next quarter’s rent, I shall leave.”
“And where shall you go?” His ingratiating smile twisted into a sneer.
“That is none of your affair. But until the rent is due, you are the person who should leave.”
“And are you going to make me?” His voice was a growl.
Luckily the shovel she had used to muck the henhouse was within reach. She grabbed it and prepared to swing. “I am. And I am reasonably adept with a shovel, so you will come away with more than wounded pride and the indignity of chicken filth on your clothing.”
He raised his hands and backed away. “Only a misunderstanding, Mrs. Sheldon. No need for shovels.” He smirked as he made his way to the doorway, calling out, “But I will be back in a week’s time. We shall see how amenable you are to other arrangements then.”
Or how amenable you are to a loaded pistol. Katherine resolved to start arming herself.
She listened to the sound of his footfall crunching through the snow and fading into silence before she lowered the shovel and let out the breath she had been holding. “This is my life now, my sweet hens. I do not know how I shall find another place to put you up, with no money.”
It gnawed at her heart to realize that there was no point in leaving them there to starve, but though she was hungry, she had broken the first rule of farming and gotten attached. Making them into chicken dinners seemed like a cruel reward after they had delivered her these precious eggs.
“Thank you for the eggs, ladies. At least starvation will be held at bay for one more day, even if I will soon have no roof over my head. Perhaps the duke will be gone by then, so I will not have the added humiliation of having him witness my eviction.”
The chickens clucked quietly, but gave no reply. The horse snorted and shook his head.
Chapter 8
Offers and Refusals
Foxleigh followed the trail of footsteps in the snow, rounding the bend in the tree-enclosed path as a small outbuilding came into view. Not entirely steady on his feet, he walked slowly toward it, hearing muffled voices. Then he was forced to rest a moment, leaning against a tree and listening.
A man emerged from the outbuilding and called back through the door, “But I will be back in a week’s time. We shall see how amenable you are to other arrangements then.”
The threat in the man’s voice roused Foxleigh immediately, and his first instinct was to rush over and confront him. But realizing, after a few steps, that he was in no condition for a duel, he let the man escape down another path. Foxleigh hastened toward the doorway. He was sure Katherine was within, and he needed to know she was safe. The stink of chicken manure greeted his nostrils, and he recoiled slightly at the threshold, hearing her speaking within.
“Thank you for the eggs, ladies. At least starvation will be held at bay for one more day, even if I will soon have no roof over my head. Perhaps the duke will be gone by then, so I will not have the added humiliation of having him witness my eviction.”
He fell back from the entrance, cruel clarity descending upon him. His beloved Katherine had been living on this tiny rundown property, not to hide from him, but out of necessity. She was destitute. How could he not have realized what was so plainly evident? What an idiot he had been—so foolish and self-centered. All he could think of was his joy at finding her, and all this time she was struggling just to give him food.
He recalled with guilt the gruel he had given to the dog. It was probably all she had to eat, if she was so thankful for a few eggs. And then there was her lodging—more a hovel than a cottage. And even that she was on the verge of losing. He had to fix this.
She emerged from the barn and started at the sight of him. “Fox.”
His mood immediately lifted, and he beamed at her. She had not called him by that old, familiar name this entire time, though he had so much wished she would. He could not keep the love from his voice as he replied, “Kat.”
She immediately recollected herself. “I am sorry. I suppose I should address his grace properly.”
“There is nothing so proper for you to call me as Fox. I wish you would always use that name. May I call you Kat? It rolls off the tongue so perfectly.”
She gave him an unhappy look.
“Very well, I shall call you Mrs. Sheldon, if I must. Only, call me Fox, I beg of you. It pleases me so much to hear that name from your lips.”
She sighed. “I shall call you Foxleigh, then. I spoke in haste because I was surprised to see you. That is all.”
“Thank you. In the very least, that is better than your grace.” He smiled at her, but her mood seemed as stormy as her grey eyes.
“What are you doing out here, anyway? You should be resting inside. We ought not risk a relapse. In fact, I have been meaning to ask you about taking your horse into town to fetch a doctor to you. Only…” She sighed and looked uncomfortable, casting her gaze downward. “Only, I do not have the money to
pay a physician, at the moment, so I hope the highwaymen did not make off with all your pence.”
He was so grateful to have her bring up the very topic he would speak to her about. “Indeed, I still have some notes about me. They must have made off with the strongbox, but I escaped without having my pockets cut. However, I do not think a doctor is necessary. I am getting sturdier every day.”
“Let us get you back to the cottage.”
He knew it was small of him, but he cherished the look of concern upon her features. She must still care for him, a little. But what he really ought to do was stop thinking about his needs and start taking care of her. At least he could alleviate her immediate financial problems. But how to broach the subject?
He stewed this over as they walked along the path. He was certain she was as aware as he of how close their hands were to touching. The intensity of the mood was lightened as they arrived at the cottage, and the dog, who had apparently been left to his own devices, came wandering up and presented himself to each of them for pets. “Well, hello again!” Foxleigh scratched his head with both hands. “What is his name?”
“Dog.”
He peered up at her face to detect if she was having him on. Her lips curled into a faint smile. He gave her a skeptical look. “You are not in earnest, I see.”
Katherine shook her head. “You mistake me. Dog is truly his name.” In affirmation of this, the hound looked up at her each time she spoke the word Dog. “He wandered up to the cottage one day and stayed. I did not name him at first, because I thought his owner would eventually come to claim him, or he would find his way home. I called him Dog because I did not know what to call him.” She shrugged. “By the time I realized he was not going anywhere, the name had been established.”
Foxleigh laughed. “So you are a Kat living with a Dog, then.”
She turned her face away, but he knew she was laughing along with him. He could hear the chuckle in her voice as she replied, “With a Fox for a houseguest. It is good that I managed to steer you away from the henhouse.”
He laughed harder and fought down the urge to take her hand and press it to his lips. Who was he kidding? He wanted to pull her to him and join his mouth to hers in a kiss that proclaimed all his feelings, all the time he had spent longing for her. Instead, he took a deep breath and held the cottage door open for her.
As she busied herself with washing her hands and putting away her store of eggs, he mulled over what he should say and how he should start.
She finally relieved him of his problem by handing him a clay mug of chamomile tea and saying, “You have been huffing and sighing and shaking your head for long enough. What is it?”
“I did not know that you were so attentive.”
Her left brow went up. “It is not attentiveness that alerts the passerby to the grunting of a wild boar.”
“Flattering comparison. However, as you have so prettily offered a penny for my thoughts, I will see your bid and raise you a gold coin.” He pulled out a guinea and extended it to her. “This is much less than I owe you for your kindness and hospitality—as for your rescuing me, that is a debt I can never repay.” It sounded good. Perhaps she would accept this small amount of money and go buy food.
She looked at the coin, and then at him. He held his breath as the grey of her eyes swirled around her pupils in an ambiguous flow of mercury. The warning flash within them made him brace himself when she finally spoke. “You offer me money as though I were one of your whores.”
The logical problem with this accusation was patently obvious to him. They had, unfortunately, never engaged in the transaction that would lead to such a payment. But this was beside the point, and he knew very well that saying anything of the sort would get him slapped.
“That is not what I intended. Not at all. Of course you are not—that. Only I can see how things are for you. Katherine—Kat, it gnaws at my very soul to see you in such circumstances. Mucking your own henhouse and practically starving. Can you not imagine how this breaks my heart? I would give you anything! I only wish you had come to me when things went badly. What happened? Your parents were such fashionable people, surely they left you something. Is there some business matter with the estate that I can assist you with?”
Katherine looked away and shook her head. “My parents were fashionable people. Very fashionable. And they borrowed a lot of money in order to remain that way. I was such a young fool. I had no idea how things really were until they died and the estate was seized upon by their creditors. The people who were once our friends abandoned me. I was left with a hundred pounds and no experience at all with surviving in the world.”
“Good heavens! They should all be flogged for leaving you in the lurch. But I would have done anything for you. I wish you had come to me.”
“I certainly could not have gone to you, as you must know. I knew very well how that would look, and how the ton would interpret anything of the sort. And anyway, from what I heard, your own estate was not quite what you had thought it would be. The last thing you needed was another encumbrance.”
“But you would never be a burden! I was not as rich as I had thought, but I had enough for both of us. I searched for you everywhere as soon as I heard you had left town. There was no reason for you to starve in this way. And since then, one among my father’s myriad idiotic investments actually turned out to be a valid enterprise and highly profitable—a diamond mine, of all things. I have more money than I know what to do with. This meagre coin is but a paltry token—enough for immediate necessities. I have not access to my full means right at the moment, but I—”
Her jawline grew squarer, and never before had he been so aware of how pitiably thin she had grown, but pride still radiated from every pore. “You mistake me, Foxleigh. It is not the amount of the offer that affronts me.”
“Then what, my d—” he stopped himself. He was making a real hash of things, adding endearments to his address would only make her more suspicious of his motives. “Please, be practical. I am only trying to spare you from starvation. Let me do at least this much for you, until I can do more.”
She levelled an icy stare at him. Perhaps he should not have added that last bit. “You have done quite enough. There is no sum on earth that would tempt me. I am not Marie Dubois.”
Foxleigh grimaced. Marie again, haunting his happiness, rising up like a spectral cloud of poison between them. “I know very well that you are not her. You are in every way as superior to her as—” He could not think of an appropriate analogy. “There is no comparison to be made. I am sorry that you ever heard about her. She was a mistake and in my past.”
Katherine issued a snort of contempt. “I can well imagine that you wish I had never heard of your affair, but did you really think the ton would keep quiet about such a thing? Did you spare a single thought for my feelings when you took up with her while you courted me?”
Foxleigh’s jaw dropped. This was what she thought? He imagined she might have heard of the affair, especially when Marie came back to town and was being so indiscreet. But whatever could have given her the idea that they were still involved after he met Katherine? “Who told you such a thing? Marie was nothing but a past acquaintance by the time I met you.”
“So you did not meet with her again when she came back and revealed she was carrying your child?” Her voice was cold. He would almost prefer her tears to this icy placidity.
“It is not my child.” He was furious—not with Katherine, but he could not keep the anger out of his voice.
“But you cannot deny it. You met with her, apparently on the very day that she paid a call to me to let me know how things were between you, and to reveal the presence of your sideslip growing in her. The affair was not over.”
“It was—wait a moment! She had the audacity to speak to you?” Ah yes, she had mentioned something like this before, right before he passed out. His memory was not at its best, and he really needed to stop losing consciousness. It was not very
manly.
“I do not pretend to like your taste in mistresses, and when she said, in a nauseatingly saccharine tone, that she hoped in time I could come to see that we were just two women who both took care of you, I almost struck her. But however self-righteous her manner, I received the message very clearly: she was not going anywhere, and if I married you, she and her child would be permanent fixtures in my life. Whatever her motives, at least she did me the favour of being tactlessly truthful.”
God smite Marie with the pox! She had actually said such a thing to Katherine, lied about their relationship and claimed the child was his! How could he ever make Kat believe him? “Do not fool yourself! That woman only uses ‘truth’ as a pretty, thin tissue in which she wraps her deceptions. She treated you to the same tricks she plays on everyone!”
“She told me of your affair, which is more honesty than I received from you.”
“Because it was over before I met you. Why ever would I throw it in your face?” He grasped his hair in frustration, then winced as his bruised head pained him. “I am not a perfect man, Katherine. I do not claim to be a saint, but my love for you has always been true and faithful.” He could see from the anger and misery on her face that she did not believe him, that his professions rang false in her ear and only added an insult to the injury. Blast Marie to hell for breaking Katherine’s heart! No wonder Kat ended the engagement.
Katherine huffed finally and put her hands on her hips. “I have to make us something to eat. I am sorry you will only have a single egg. As you have noted, I am poor.”
He was on the verge of begging her to take his money, but he knew there was no point. Until he could prove his love to her, prove that what she believed of him was false, she would never accept anything from him. But he would not watch her starve and be evicted, simply because of her pride and Marie’s malicious half-truths and lies.
He swallowed and gave Katherine a look that he hoped conveyed how deeply he cared. “I am not hungry. I have business to attend to in town.”
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