AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Soon autumn will be here. It will be too cold for such things.’
‘Are you really planning on travelling to the Continent so soon, then?’ she asked quickly. ‘I thought you might like to see Northumberland in the autumn. Stay a bit longer and stretch the summer out. Summer can sometimes last.’
He sighed and put his hands behind his head, staring up into the clear blue sky, rather than looking at her. Staying here with Harriet had its merits, but all it would do was to prolong the inevitable and increase the likelihood of discovery. Misery for all if he allowed it to continue.
‘After Rupert gives his lecture, I have to go to London. It can no longer be avoided. I do have business interests that I have to look after. I’ve neglected them for far too long. Like you, I have responsibilities and people depending on me to make the right choices.’
The words caused his insides to twist. Normally when the time came for a parting, he looked forward to it. This time, he hated it. It was better now, though, while they remained friends. Rules were made to be kept.
Hattie smoothed her skirt down and hugged her knees to her chest. The silence grew deafening. He willed her to ask to come with him and give him some sign that she wanted to be with him.
‘So soon?’ she whispered. ‘His lecture is tomorrow. Everyone is sure to want to fête him afterwards. He will be the toast of the Tyne for weeks to come. Surely you can stay to see your protégé shine?’
He stood absolutely still with a soft breeze blowing in his hair. Behind him, the swifts circled on the wind, getting ready to depart from Northumberland to go on their long journey back to Africa. Summer was drawing to a close as much as he might wish it to be otherwise. He’d ignored it for far too long.
‘I have stayed longer than I intended.’ His words sounded harsh, even to his own ears. ‘I’d planned to ask you to come to London with me, but you are busy. You have made that abundantly clear today.’
Hattie bit her lip. ‘But you will be back. The Lodge needs lots of work. Someone will have to supervise.’
He concentrated on doing up the buttons of his trousers and shrugging into his jacket. She wasn’t even willing to make the smallest concession. It was the right thing to end it swiftly. He had lingered far too long as it was. He did have another life, even if it was less than appealing at the moment. ‘Some day. It will depend on how my business goes, but we must stay in contact, Hattie.’
She picked a piece of grass from her skirt. ‘You always call me Harriet.’
‘Hattie, Harriet, does it really matter?’ Kit slapped his hand against his forehead. She was splitting hairs. He’d offered to take her away and she’d refused. What did she expect?
‘Yes, it does. It did.’ Her chin was tilted upwards, not giving an inch. ‘I will look forward to your return then, Sir Christopher.’
‘As you wish, Mrs Wilkinson.’ Kit mounted his horse and did not look back. It was always best in these circumstances not to. However, he could not stop a hollow opening up inside him.
* * *
Hattie made it to her drawing room without crying. The ride back, alone, was one that she wanted to forget. Each time Strawberry’s hooves pounded the ground, she wanted to ask how long—how long had he planned this? He knew what her answer had to be.
* * *
‘Hattie, what happened to your dress?’ Stephanie’s voice pierced through her misery. ‘You look like you have gone through a hedge backwards. Hopefully no one saw you like that! People will talk, you know and it will reflect on the family. Everyone knows you are my sister.’
Hattie fumbled with the sleeve. Talk about bad luck. Why did Stephanie have to choose today to come over? And to be in such a terrible mood! Why didn’t Mrs Hampstead warn her when she came through the kitchen? ‘I tore it riding.’
‘Riding? You tore it riding?’ Stephanie came over and inspected the sleeve with a frown. ‘It is the first time I have heard of riding causing such a thing.’
‘I moved my arm far too quickly. The thread wasn’t very stout.’ Hattie shifted uneasily as Stephanie’s gaze grew more piercing. ‘It is the truth, Stephanie.’
‘And with whom were you riding?’
‘Sir Christopher,’ Hattie said without thinking. ‘We had a laugh about my ineptness.’
‘Since when have you been riding with Sir Christopher?’ Stephanie’s voice rose an octave.
‘We met accidentally.’ Hattie kept her voice even. There was no need to panic. She’d had a slight slip of the tongue. It was not as if she’d actually confessed to the affair.
