Surrender The Night (31 page)

“Blast it! Yes!” When she paled, he explained in a rational tone, “It hasn’t been a paying concern for months now. I’ve only kept it open as long as I have because so many are dependent on its income. But for those on the cost-book system, like John, since we haven’t been producing much, they won’t earn much. They’ll have to seek other work, anyway.”

Katrina swiveled on the settee to look him pleadingly in the eye. “But your practical miner believes there are rich ores present, deeper in the shafts. He says one of the new pumping systems would help you recover them.”

Carrington sighed impatiently and explained slowly, as he would to a half-wit, “So he’s told me. But the capital investment required is simply not justified when what we’re making now isn’t even paying expenses. No, my girl. I’ve little choice. I’ll wait until John is back on his feet, but then I’ll have to close it.” He patted her knee in a way that made her skin crawl, but she forced herself not to move away.

She could see he was growing impatient with the subject, but she had knowledge he lacked. “For your own safety you should know that the men are . . . restive.” Grim satisfaction shone in her eyes when he stiffened and snatched his hand away. “If you close the mine, I’m not sure what they’ll do.”

“Do you dare to threaten me?” Carrington snarled.

“Not I. In fact I have argued your side.” When he relaxed, she added, “But I’ve little influence over your men. John, of course, will do what he can, but since he’s hurt . . .” Katrina watched him absorb the significance of that. “If you’d share your grain with them, they’d look more kindly upon your, largesse.”

“I’ll not bribe them! Besides, I don’t have enough on hand to supply all my men.” Carrington patted her knee again, and this time his touch lingered. “Enough of this unpleasant subject. I’m sure whatever you heard was spoken in anger. Why, for three generations Carringtons have worked smoothly with good Cornish folk. If I’m forced to close-the mine. I’m certain my men will remember their loyalties.”

Loyalty is the luxury of a full belly, Katrina longed to say, but she knew when she was defeated. Sighing, she tried to rise, but Carrington’s fingers tightened about her knee.

“Don’t go. I have something I’d like to speak with you about.”

“Yes?” Katrina asked warily, shifting so Carrington’s fingers fell away.

“I’ve long thought you were too beautiful a woman to waste yourself here. But not until I realized you knew Devon, er, intimately, did I dare to hope you might accept an offer of protection from me.” Carrington’s eyes were appraising the trim figure even the ill-fitting dress couldn’t disguise, so he missed Katrina’s revolted look. “I’d be delighted to lease a house for you in Truro. We’ve assemblies, theaters, and gay life aplenty. Nothing to compare to London, of course, but we could even journey there together, when my business warrants it.”

When Katrina didn’t reply, he looked at her. He apparently took her white-faced disgust for coyness, for he took her shoulders in his hands and began to draw her to his chest. “I shall be generous, my dear.
...”

Katrina swatted his hands away and leaped up. “I’m not fool enough to believe that. If you show your loyalty to the men who have spilled blood for you by closing down their source of livelihood, what reason have I to believe you’d be generous to a kept woman?” She turned toward the door, but strong, angry hands caught her about the waist and whirled her back around.

“Your disdain sits ill upon you, wench. Common you may be, but your passion for life glows from you like a chandelier. Devon is not an easy man to please, yet he still wanted you even after you left him.” He moderated his tone. His hands gentled and began to stroke her back. “Come, let me take you away from this penury and give you the setting where you can shine like the jewel you are.”

“Release me,” Katrina said through her teeth.

Slowly his hands slid away. “I take it you’re refusing my offer.” Phillip’s gaze shifted behind her, to the opening door, but Katrina was too angry to notice.

“How astute of yo
u,” Katrina sneered. “Perhaps your men are right after all. You and your kind are parasites, each and every one. You feed on the misery and pain of others.” She gave him a curtsy that was rife with mockery despite its grace. “This commoner taikes great pleasure in tellin’ ’is nibs to take ’is h’offer and eat h’it. I ’opes ye chokes.” Soft applause behind her made her whirl.

“Marvelous acting, Kat. I’ve seldom heard a cockney accent done better.” Devon closed the drawing-room door and advanced silen
tly across the carpet. ‘ ‘I warned you, Phillip,’ ’ he said, his tone hardening, “that she’d not accept you even if you ignored my wishes and tendered her an offer.” He paused three feet away from Carrington.

His erstwhile school chum shifted under the brown glare. “You can’t blame a fellow for trying. She came to me. I didn’t seek her out.”

“Indeed?” That stare shifted to Katrina.

Icy blue eyes gave as good as they got. “Indeed. As to why, that’s none of your concern.” She marched out the door.

“We’ll discuss this later, Phillip.” Devon hurried after Katrina.

When he held the front door for her, she exited, her head held high. He said, “You should have known better than to come here alone. Billy was returning from town when he saw you arrive, so I came to aid you.”

“To guard what you consider your property, you mean.” Katrina shunned the arm that would have ushered her to his curricle and turned up the drive.

“Now, see here, you’ve no call to berate me for trying to protect you.” A stiff back was his only answer. He bit off a curse, caught her arm, and spun her to face him. ‘ ‘Why did you come? Surely you knew Phillip would take advantage of your visit.” Her hostile silence was matched by a glare. He shook her arm. “Answer me, damn you!”

“I owe you no explanation.” She wrenched her arm away.

“Please, Katrina.” The soft entreaty froze her in her tracks as the demand had not. “Something must be very wrong to bring you here alone. I only want to help.”

Katrina slowly swung about. The pain in her breast extended to her fingers and toes at the sight of him. He was so tall, so true, every line bespeaking grace and strength. She longed to lean her head against his shoulder and beg his aid. Maybe Phillip would listen to him. Yet Will’s revelation was a nettle, spurring her on to fight. With no future they had no choice but to forget the past and deny the present.

“Leave me be, Devon. For both our sakes.” Despite her best efforts, her voice quavered. For one instant longing was bare in her eyes, but then her gaze dropped. She resolutely turned away and began the walk home.

She didn’t see his own troubled look, or that he took a great stride after her before he caught himself. He looked between her, and Phillip’s house, then back at her retreating figure. ‘ ‘Go for now, little coward. Run to your bolt hole. But when I find out what the devil is going on, you’ll be seeing me again.” When she didn’t respond to his vow by so much as a turned head, he angrily stomped back to Carrington House and ascended the steps.

Chapter Ten

During the next
three days, Will showed Rachel how to bathe John and keep his wounds clean. Still, John grew delirious with infection. His fever rose along with Will’s concern. Will and Rachel rarely left the bedside, refusing Katrina’s and Ellie’s offers of help. Rachel’s usually merry blue eyes grew dull and red-rimmed from lack of sleep and the tears she tried to hide.

Finally
on the fourth day, John’s fever broke. They all had a brief prayer meeting that day to give thanks. Will left rather abruptly before the meeting, Katrina assumed to attend to other patients. He’d been preoccupied of late. Since she had more than her own share of worries, however, she dismissed his odd behavior.

Yet again she went to the larder to search every cranny, hoping they’d missed something. But no, they only had food enough for a few more meals, and those would be spare. Katrina closed her eyes and sagged against the wall, but when she heard steps, she pinned a smile on her face and exited.

She shook her head at Ellie’s hopeful glint. “No, Ellie, we’ve missed nothing.” Katrina couldn’t bear it when Ellie’s spine slumped. She braced Ellie’s shoulders with her arm. ‘ ‘With John sick and the crops still not ripe, it’s up to us to feed this household. And we shall, somehow. Perhaps we can find something to barter. Something of value that we could still do without.”

Ellie shrugged, but agreed. “Perhaps.” They searched the house for over an hour. Aside from their clothing and furniture the only things valuable enough to trade were a few dishes Rachel had inherited from her mother.

“Ma would rather starve than sell those,” Ellie said flatly. She set the delicate bowl carefully back in the parlor cupboard and closed the door. “I’ll start lunch,” she mumbled, and fled, but not before Katrina caught the shine of tears.

Katrina brought a fist to her mouth to smother a cry of despair. Oh God, and to think pride had made her dismiss the king’s ransom Devon had bestowed on her. Bestowed? She swallowed bitter gall. Paid for services rendered. Go to him, he owes you, part of her said. I’ll never be indebted to him again, the stronger part said.

I could go to Will, she thought, yet she dismissed the idea immediately. He’d already sneaked them food against John’s wishes. Katrina didn’t wish to upset John, but even more she felt a deep, driving need to be the bulwark of the family until John was better. She didn’t want to depend on anyone’s help outside the family. Not Will. Not Devon. Yet starvation made pride a luxury they could not afford. . . . Feeling as if contrary feelings would tear her apart, Katrina forced her heavy steps into the kitchen.

Together she and Ellie chopped the last of their salted fish, making a soup to stretch it as far as possible. She and Ellie ate sparingly, then Ellie prepared a tray for her parents. They gave Robert their last dried apples.

He gobbled them up in two bites and asked for another bowl of broth. Ellie hesitated, then filled his basin again. He drank it just as quickly. “Where’s the pasty, Ellie?” he asked his big sister.

“There’s naught, Robbie. Go on back to your chores now.” Robert looked at the sideboard bare of its customary summer fruit bowl. Young as he was, he understood. He nodded gravely and exited to collect more faggots for the hearth.

His bravery almost undid Katrina, but she choked back her tears and rose to help clear the table.

When they were finished, Ellie whispered, “Katrina, what are we to do?”

Katrina shook her head, afraid to trust her voice, but her eyes met Ellie’s. The fears there mirrored her own. Katrina snatched up her shawl and ran from the cottage, heedless of Ellie’s call to wait.

She paced up and down by the stream. She couldn’t be strong any longer. Sh
e was afraid, and not just for herself.  What would happen to these people she so loved if she didn’t quell her stubborn pride and go to Devon?

She closed her eyes and visualized his dear face. He’d help her in a minute, she knew, and probably ask for naught in return. But she remained sane only by holding him and the things he made her feel at bay; being indebted to him would not help her in either endeavor. Once he’d given her money for food, he’d surprise her with clothes. She was so weary of looking like a hag and she wanted so desperately to depend on him. Would she be able to resist his gifts? If not, she’d feel indebted, more prey than ever to the ravening love that would consume her in one bite—if she let it.

Whether God or the devil heard her, Katrina couldn’t say, but at that moment carriage wheels thumped on the uneven path. The sun broke through clouds to bathe the driver in light. He lifted a gloved hand and waved.

Katrina stood transfixed, afraid to retreat, more afraid to advance. Was Devon right? Were they linked in some peculiar way? Perhaps so, for never had she needed him more than now. Her emotions so overwhelmed her that she had to strain to listen as he drew closer.

“I heard about John,” Devon said, pulling to a stop beside her. “A servant told me today. I’ve brought blankets, brandy, and food.” He jumped down from the curricle and went to her. “Silly girl, what am I to do with you? You should have told me—’ ’

He broke off with an oof. Katrina’s heart had led her where her head would not—straight into Devon’s arms.

Burrowing her nose into his chest, she sobbed, “I’m so glad to see you. I’ve wanted to come to you, but I—I was afraid.”

“Afraid? Of me?” Incredulity warred with tenderness in his voice. His hand shook a bit as he stroked her hair. “Katrina mina. I’d never hurt you.
...”
He tried to lift her chin to make her look at him.

Now was not the time for more recriminations, so Katrina bit back a counter. She took a deep breath, wiped her eyes with her hand, and pulled back to give him a bright smile. “Thank you for coming. Let me help carry everything in.”

The carriage held a treasure trove to her starved eyes. It took them several trips to bring in the baskets of vegetables, grains and meats. Wonder of wonders, he’d even brought them a ham! Katrina’s mouth watered just from looking at it.

Ellie seemed stunned as they brought the goods into the kitchen. She peered from the basket in Devon’s hands to his face. Her mouth worked, then her face crumpled. She threw herself at him so quickly that his basket went flying. Squash, potatoes, and carrots rolled about the kitchen floor.