“Then you may continue with your conversation,” Kate said lightly, “while I commune with my own thoughts.”
In truth, she wanted nothing better. Her thoughts were buzzing with such excitement that she thought she would probably give herself a headache. She did think fleetingly of telling Jim to turn the gig back to the house so that she could rush to her room and be alone with her new discovery. But now, of course, it was even more imperative that she make that visit to the Evanses’ cottage.
“Now, that is definitely not fair,” Sir Harry said, wondering where on earth they were going when the gig turned away from the direction of the village. “I voluntarily left a whole inch of excellent ale on the table at the lodge so that I might offer you the pleasure of my superior conversation, ma’am, and you quite blatantly declare that you find your own thoughts more stimulating. Was ever man more openly insulted, Audrey?”
The maid giggled and blushed.
It was really most awkward that he had insisted on coming along, Kate thought. How was she to explain the visit she was about to make? But she mentally shrugged off the problem. She did not have to offer any explanation at all. It was none of his business whom she visited. She also forced the new excitement to the back of her mind. She would wait until she returned home. She resigned herself to an exchange of light banter with Sir Harry. She must consciously enjoy it too. There would be only a few days more and then she would never see him again.
What the devil? Nicholas thought as the gig drew to a halt outside Evans’ cottage. Jim half-turned in his seat and gave him a conscious glance, as did Audrey from the seat opposite. But he showed no reaction beyond raising his quizzing glass to his eye and surveying the cottage languidly through it.
“Quite a pleasant retreat,” he commented. “Are you thinking of buying it, Mrs. Mannering?”
“Not by any means,” she said. “I must pay a call inside, that is all. I shall be no longer than a few minutes. I hope you do not mind waiting, sir.”
Sir Harry sighed. “I suppose waiting is preferable to walking back home,” he said. “I imagine the distance must be all of three miles, if not more. Well, Jim, we must have your contribution to the conversation this time or Audrey and I will suffer the severe embarrassment of having to stare dumbly at each other, our jaws hanging. Ma’am?” This last was said to Kate as he offered his hand to help her descend from the gig.
“Now, does either of you know,” Nicholas Seyton asked a couple of minutes later, after Kate had disappeared inside the cottage, “why Mrs. Mannering has seen fit to pay a call on Russ Evans this afternoon?”
“Not I, Master Nick,” Jim said fervently, “I am just driving where I am told to go.”
“No, sir,” Audrey said.
“Hm,” Nicholas commented, giving his quizzing glass one energetic twirl on its ribbon before letting it drop from his hand, “perhaps she is considering applying for the position of apprentice smuggler.”
Jim guffawed and Audrey giggled. Nicholas lapsed into silence. But search his mind as he would, he could not fathom the mystery. He would have to satisfy his curiosity by coming back and interrogating Evans later, he supposed.
Meanwhile Kate was experiencing one more frustration. Mrs. Evans had answered the door and peered out curiously at the gentleman and maid waiting in the gig at the gate. She had invited Kate inside, where her husband immediately scrambled to his feet from his chair at the kitchen table. When Kate asked them if they knew how to reach Nicholas Seyton, they stared at her with gaping mouths as if she had two heads, she thought. Persistence drew no better answer. No, he had not left any address with them. And no, he had not told them how they might contact him if the need arose. And no again, they did not know who might know Mr. Seyton’s direction.
Sir Harry was standing beside the gig when Russ Evans showed Kate to the door and accompanied her across the cobbled yard to the gate. Sir Harry nodded. “Good day,” he said. “You are situated in a fine spot here.”
“Yes indeed, sir,” Evans said, bobbing his head and looking somewhat uncomfortable.
“Did I not encounter you on another occasion?” Sir Harry asked. “One evening when I had been led to believe that Mr. Nicholas Seyton was residing here?”
“Ah, yes, sir,” Evans said. “I thought I knew you, sir.”
“And do you know Jim and Audrey?” Sir Harry continued. “I am sure they would not refuse a cup of tea, or perhaps something stronger for Jim, while Mrs. Mannering and I stretch our legs in a turn along the clifftop.”
It had really been very nicely done, Kate thought a few minutes later when she was being led away on Sir Harry’s arm, Jim and Audrey having disappeared inside the cottage. It was a blessing that she did not have anything to fear from this particular man. As it was, she was quite delighted to spend an unexpected few minutes alone with him.
“Do you have any fear of heights, Mrs. Mannering?” he asked. “If so, a cliff walk will not be the most comfortable of experiences for you. Just say the word and we shall find a cliff path to take us down to one of the beaches.”
“I love it up here,” Kate said, turning her face into the brisk sea breeze. “I do believe I would have been a sailor if I had been a man. And do look at the sun sparkling on the water.”
“And do look at the height of the breakers down there,” he said, taking her close to the edge of the grass, close to the sheer drop to rocks below. “I fear you would have no energy to watch sparkling water if you were a sailor today, ma’am. You would be too busy being seasick over the side of the boat.”
Kate laughed.
“What?” he said, turning to look down at her. “No sharp retort to that, Mrs. Mannering? I must be losing my touch. How are your hands today? I notice that you have them safely hidden inside gloves.”
“Thank you,” she said, embarrassed, “better.”
“You did not speak to Lord Barton?” he asked.
“No,” Kate said. “I think it better to let the matter drop.”
“Did you know that the Pickerings have been ordered to leave?” he asked.
