Page 40 of The Marriage Debt
‘Do not blaspheme, Theo,’ Katherine said sternly. ‘Your brother is perfectly serious. ‘I am sure he would make an excellent clergyman. Now you are home safe, shouldn’t he speak to your father as soon as possible?’
The darkness had left Theo’s eyes as he regarded his brother with affectionate amusement. ‘Father should jump at the chance of elevating the moral tone of this family.’ Katherine sent him a reproving look and he added with the seriousness which always made her suspect he was teasing her, ‘However, he may not want you committed to this course of action until he sees me married and setting up my nursery.’
‘You are married,’ Robert pointed out.
‘And I have made it quite clear that is a temporary state of affairs,’ Katherine interjected hastily. Theowasteasing, the wretch. Katherine schooled her face and added, ‘But I am sure we can have everything tidied up before next Season and you can find yourself an eminently suitable bride.’ She turned to Robert, ‘I still think you should speak to his grace sooner rather than later.’
‘Did I mention that I have an exceedingly managing wife?’ Theo enquired.
‘Er, no.’ Robert was watching her face with some amusement and Katherine suspected that she was betraying rather more of her emotions than she was prepared to. She stood up and brushed down her skirt.
‘Delightful as the garden is, I think I should not disregard his grace’s wishes and must resume my tour of the house.’ She looked expectantly at Theo. The Long Gallery sounded an admirable place to have a private discussion and she very much wanted to speak to him alone.
‘I am so sorry, Kat,’ he replied with a charming smile. ‘But Father has asked that I speak to Witherspoon, our Estate Manager. I received a clear hint that I am expected to apply myself to learning all those things which I shirked in the past. I am sure Robert can continue to escort you – after all, I hardly feel it would be tactful to deliver a second shock to Father in one day.’
‘Grr.’ Katherine watched his retreating back, wishing that her attention was not drawn quite so forcibly to the breadth of his shoulders or the easy length of his stride.
‘I beg your pardon?’ Robert was also watching his brother. ‘Did you speak? I was just thinking that Theo really must get to a tailor before he goes out into Society. We are much of a height, but he is definitely wider in the shoulders. It will have to be Newcastle, I suppose. I wonder why he did not stop to order some clothes while he was in Town.’
‘Because he had no money and I had hardly any and we were outrunning the bailiffs.’ Katherine began to stroll with him across the grass back to the house. If she only looked at one wing at a time it was not too bad, it was when she looked at the entire extent of the place that she began to feel as though she had strayed into a fairy tale. ‘How much interest do moneylenders charge?’
‘I have no idea.’ Robert looked startled. ‘An extortionate amount I imagine. But you do not have to worry about that, Theo will pay off the debt. Here, we can go in through this door.’
‘That would stop the interest of course, but I am sure he will not let me repay him.’ Katherine allowed herself to be guided up a narrow staircase.
‘Why repay it at all? From what I understand it is your brother’s debt.’
‘I know, but I unwittingly signed the papers, so it is my responsibility. It will be a lesson to me to read everything first,’she added ruefully as they stepped out though a jib door into what must be the Long Gallery.
One wall appeared almost to be made of glass divided by slender mullions. The other wall was covered with crimson damask and on it were hung what seemed like hundreds of paintings, nearly all portraits.
‘Behold the family, rogues most of them.’ Robert waved a hand at the rows of gilded frames. ‘You will observe the Nose, and in a few unfortunate individuals, the Chin. Now this one is…What is it Jenkins?’
The footman bowed. ‘My lord, I am sorry to disturb you but Durren sent up from the stables to say the farrier is here and he was worried about the shoeing of his grace’s bay hunter. I cannot find his grace to ask.’
‘I had better have a word with the man myself. Tell Durren I will be down directly and the farrier is to do nothing until I get there. Katherine, will you excuse me for a little while? The bell pull is over there if you need anything.’ He grinned ruefully, suddenly so like his brother that Katherine’s heart flipped. ‘It is more than our lives are worth to risk anything going wrong with that animal.’
‘Of course, please go. I shall enjoy just strolling here.’
Katherine began to pace slowly down the room, standing back to admire some large groups and full length portraits of former dukes in ermine-trimmed robes, coming in close to peer at tiny dark paintings which seemed to her untutored eye to be Jacobean or Tudor.
Theo was unmistakeably a Lydgate, his face looked back at her from countless paintings: dark eyes, straight nose, sensual mouth. Some depictions gave their sitters a familiar haughty look, a few had the spark of mischief she had come to watch for. All had the expression of proud intelligence that she had come to expect of him. One or two had the Chin Robert had referred to,not such a handicap for the men but a definite disadvantage to the ladies on whom a square, determined jaw did not sit prettily.
I hope our daughters escape that,she thought, then caught herself with a horrified little gasp.What am I thinking of?Fantasising, that’s what you are doing, you foolish creature. Loving him is no excuse.
Shaken, Katherine continued her examination of the pictures, ignoring her aching neck as she tipped her head back to take them all in, the discomfort a penance for such undisciplined daydreaming. Then she came on a group of relatively recent paintings, judging by the hair and clothes. That must surely be the present duke with a small, fair lady in clothes very much out of date. His first wife? Yes, it must be, because there he was again standing behind a different lady with a baby on her lap and a small boy by her knee.
The child must be Theo. Smiling, she stepped closer to study it.
‘A pretty group that,’ a voice said dispassionately behind her. She jumped. ‘I am sorry, my dear, I had no intention of startling you.’
Katherine turned hastily. ‘Your Grace. I was quite absorbed by the portraits.’
‘Have both my sons abandoned you?’
‘Theo is with your estate manager. Lord Robert left a few minutes ago because of an urgent message from the stables. Something about the farrier and your bay hunter, Your Grace.’
‘Indeed? In my young day it would take rather more than a horse to distract me from a charming young lady.’
