Page 34 of Watch For Me By Candlelight

‘Google is a wonderful thing,’ Theo said, quite evasively. ‘The Country House Party weekend fell at a very convenient time for me.’ This little red-head didn’t need to know how well-planned this whole thing had been; how he’d basically pimped out himself and his services to Alex Aldrich for a smidgeon of the fee he’d usually charge. Theo called it an investment in his future; and a good reason to escape from things he had no control over again. ‘Anyway, I’m pleased I saw you. I was wondering if my late ticket was still good for the Folk Museum?’

‘Maybe.’ She smiled suddenly. ‘Cassie shouldn’t be long if you want to wait for her. You can pop over later on. After Jenna’s gone. I’ll give you a guided tour.’

‘Sounds great.’

‘It does, doesn’t it? Not many people get that privilege. You’re lucky.’ Kate sat back down in the window seat. ‘But you need to see Cassie and you’re best off waiting here, especially as you haven’t paid.’ She cast a quick glance up and her expression showed him she was teasing.

‘You haven’t paid either,’ he replied with a grin. He stood next to her, looking out into the ballroom. ‘Imagine what this place would have been like when they hosted balls.’ He stared around. ‘I can’t dance for toffee. I’d be no good in a situation like that.’ He slanted a glance down at her. She was staring out at the space as well, the smile slipping off her face; her mind and her memories seemed very far away.

‘I can imagine it very well.’ She looked up at him again. ‘It can’t have been much fun if you couldn’t dance, though — for whatever reason.’ She looked down at her feet and gave them a little wiggle, as if she was testing them out.

‘I suspect I wouldn’t even have got as far as an invitation. My reputation would have preceded me. Oh — is this Cassie?’

Kate followed his glance and nodded. ‘That’s her. And that, I believe is my costume. Dear Lord.’ Kate stood up again as the tall, dark-haired young woman Theo had spotted hurried over to them, slightly breathless. She was clutching a pile of striped fabric and grinning. One trouser leg dropped down from the pile and more or less swamped her.

‘Here it is! The legs are really wide, aren’t they? I didn’t properly notice until now. Sorry again.’ Cassie came to a halt in front of them and directed a professional smile at Theo. ‘Hello, is Kate looking after you? If there are any questions she can’t answer, I’d be happy to help.’

‘Yes, actually there is something she can’t help with.’ He smiled at Cassie. ‘I’m Theo Kent, the farrier. I’ve been speaking to you about working over Bank Holiday weekend? Kate says she can’t show me to the stables if she’s busy in here, so I was wondering whether you could release her from her duty to do that for me?’

‘Theo!’ Kate looked shocked. She looked at Cassie. ‘Sorry, Cassie. I said nothing like that at all. I haven’t volunteered to take him anywhere. Except maybe to my museum.’

Cassie looked from one of them to the other and he caught a hint of mischief in her eyes. ‘Now, now Kate. No need to try and cover for yourself. I know you love the stables and I’m going to be stuck here for a while now.’ She looked at her watch. ‘My break is over and Laura couldn’t come in, so I’ll be here until five. Mr Kent—’

‘—please, call me Theo.’

‘Theo,’ amended Cassie. She nodded. ‘Okay, I’ll just have a quick word with you over here about the work, and then I’ll take over from Kate. She can walk you up to the stables. Jenna will manage, won’t she, until you get back?’

That last comment was directed at Kate. Theo lowered his head so she couldn’t see him smiling.

‘Jenna can not manage,’ said Kate. ‘She won’t even have fed my ducks and—’

‘Oh, those bloody ducks!’ interrupted Cassie with a dismissive wave of her hand. ‘They can look after themselves. They’re all but vampiric anyway. They’ll survive on small children until you get back. Come on, Theo.’ She looked around and took his arm. ‘Over here. You just stay there Kate; we won’t be a minute.’

And with that, she moved them smoothly into the far corner of the ballroom, beneath a portrait of a stern Tudor matron which, Theo guessed, was stuck in the darkest corner because she appeared to be so disapproving of anybody having fun.

Chapter Twelve

Cassie had that look in her eye that meant she was up to something. They had moved over to the corner, next to the portrait of Countess Elizabeth, a harridan from the fifteen-hundreds who could scare an army off.

‘Go get them, Lizzy,’ Kate muttered, hoping that she would step down from the portrait and smack Cassie with her fan for being so obvious — but of course she didn’t. No, this place had its ghosts, but Elizabeth wasn’t one of them.

Cassie said something to Theo and laughed, then they came back over to her. ‘Kate — can you take Theo up to the stables now, if you don’t mind? It won’t take you too long.’ Cassie was ditzy and thoughtless at times, but she was also a force to be reckoned with when she put her mind to it. Kate caught sight of Lizzy again on the wall and it was almost as if the woman was smirking at her. Yes — she has my genes, she seemed to be saying. She’ll have it her way, my dear.

Kate sighed and thrust the clipboard back at Cassie.

‘Okay. I’ll take him.’ But a little part of her fizzed with excitement at the thought of officially spending some time with Theo.

‘And don’t forget your trouser suit!’

‘Oh, I won’t forget that. How can I cycle around the estate without it?’

Kate left the room, clutching the voluminous trouser suit and Theo tagged along, walking beside her with his hands in his pockets.

‘Thank you for volunteering to take me. And I’m looking forward to my guided tour as well.’

Kate opened her mouth to respond, then saw that he was teasing her and trying not to grin. Her own mouth curved into a smile. What was the point in trying to sound as if she didn’t want to be with him?

‘You’re welcome,’ she said, instead.