Regency HIGH–SOCIETY AFFAIRS
Beloved Virago Anne Ashley
Lord Trenchard’s Choice Sylvia Andrew
The Unruly Chaperon Elizabeth Rolls
Colonel Ancroft’s Love Sylvia Andrew
MILLS & BOON
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Beloved Virago
Anne Ashley
About the Author
ANNE ASHLEY was born and educated in Leicester. She lived for a time in Scotland, but now makes her home in the West Country, with two cats, her two sons, and a husband who has a wonderful and very necessary sense of humour. When not pounding away at the keys of her word processor, she likes to relax in her garden, which she has opened to the public on more than one occasion in aid of the village church funds.
Chapter One
January 1815
Despite the vast improvements to many of the roads, the majority of those who could well afford to journey about the land remained unwilling to suffer the discomforts of winter travel unless the trip was totally unavoidable. Consequently Miss Katherine O’Malley had found no difficulty in attaining rooms for herself and her maid the previous afternoon, when a strengthening wind and the threat of snow had persuaded her to veer on the side of caution and seek refuge in a superior posting-house. Fortunately at some point during the night the wind, having changed direction, had eased considerably, and Katherine had woken to discover a landscape prettily laced with only the finest covering of snow and bathed in watery winter sunshine.
After glancing out of the window to view the highly encouraging sight of a carriage bowling along the road, Katherine returned her attention to her companion in time to see a freshly baked roll, liberally covered with jam, being consumed with relish, and succumbed to an imp of pure mischief.
‘Most people might be forgiven for supposing that the substantial amount of strawberry preserve with which you manage to coat your bread would succeed in sweetening your disposition, Bridie. But I have known you far too long, and therefore do not hold out much hope.’
The instant she had swallowed the last mouthful, Bridie showed no reluctance in responding in kind. ‘And to be sure ‘tis a mystery to me how anyone with a tongue sharper than a barber’s razor could have the brass-faced nerve to criticise an easygoing soul like myself.’
Reaching for her coffee cup, Katherine silently acknowledged the truth of what her lifelong companion and self-appointed protector had said. Ashamed though she was over this undeniable flaw in her character, the fact of the matter was that she had never been afraid to speak her mind, not even as a child.
Regardless of the fact that in recent years she had attempted to control her occasionally ungovernable temper, she was still sadly inclined on occasions to wound with a cutting barb, and remained impatient of folly. This did not mean, she sincerely hoped, that she had become so intolerant, so self-willed, that she wasn’t prepared to listen to the views of others. At least, she amended silently, she would always try to take account of the feelings of that plump and loving female who had taken care of her with such touching devotion for a score of years and more.
‘We should be with your aunt and uncle by early afternoon, providing we suffer no further mishap.’ Bridie tutted. ‘But I’ll say it again, Miss Katherine, ‘tis plain daft to be gadding about the country at this time of year.’
A tender smile went some way to dimming the teasing gleam in Katherine’s strikingly coloured blue-green eyes. ‘You know full well why I was determined to make the trip.’ She paused to sample the contents of her cup. ‘You didn’t truly expect me to forgo the pleasure of celebrating my cousin’s engagement, and enjoying the company for a week or so of the only family I have left in the world, simply because of the few discomforts I must be prepared to suffer in travelling at this season of the year?’
‘I know you well enough, Miss Kate, to be certain sure that when your mind is set on something there’s no reasoning with you, and that you had every intention of attending the party. Though why in the world your cousin couldn’t have arranged to become betrothed in the spring, like any sensible girl, when the weather is warmer and law-abiding souls can journey about the land without fear of becoming stranded, I’ll never know!’
‘It wasn’t through choice, as you’re very well aware,’ Katherine reminded her. ‘Caroline’s future husband is a soldier. Captain Charlesworth wouldn’t be able to obtain leave at the drop of a hat. He still has duties to perform, even though the war with France is now, hopefully, at an end.’
‘To be sure, that’s true enough,’ Bridie acknowledged, before transferring her gaze to the clock in the corner of the private parlour, and rising to her feet. ‘And I suppose we ought to be thinking of making a move, if you wish to arrive in plenty of time to have a wee rest before the party. The weather’s fine at the moment, but there’s no saying it’ll remain so. I’ll away now to check our overnight bags have been returned to the carriage, and arrange for the postboys to have the vehicle waiting at the door.’
After nodding assent, Katherine remained for the time it took to put on her bonnet and collect her reticule and gloves from a side table, and then followed her Irish maid’s example by going out into the coffee-room, where she discovered only the landlord lurking in the shadows.
Eager to recommence the journey, she wasted no time in settling her bill, and then made her way towards the front entrance, slipping her purse safely back inside her reticule as she did so. Consequently she didn’t observe the tall gentleman, swathed in a voluminous grey cloak, entering the inn, and promptly collided with what felt like a solid wall of bone and muscle. Air left her lungs in a rush, and it was only the two long-fingered hands which immediately clasped her upper arms which saved her from reeling from the impact.
‘I’m so very sorry, ma’am. I trust you are unhurt?’
The deep voice clearly betrayed concern, and Katherine didn’t hesitate to assure him, the instant she had regained her breath, that she had suffered no real harm. ‘And it was as much my fault as yours, sir,’ she added, graciously accepting her share of the blame, ‘for I wasn’t attending where I was going.’
The continued clasp of strong hands was oddly reassuring, and strangely reminiscent of a certain someone’s touch in the dim and distant past. Katherine raised her head, only to find the breath leaving her body in a faint gasp for a second time as she gazed at the swarthy, wholly masculine features looming above.
For a moment it was as much as she could do to stare into thickly lashed, dark eyes, as she tried ineffectually to capture an elusive memory. She saw them widen fractionally, clearly revealing a hint of appreciation in their warm brown depths, as they calmly began to scan every contour of her face. Although