“What are you doing here? Go away!”
“Now, that is not very friendly. I only want to talk to you. Look, I have brought wine.” And he smiled at her, as easy as if they were sitting in the drawing room, even though he appeared to be wearing nothing but a nightshirt — not even a nightcap, she thought distractedly, and there she was in her night gown, which covered her from neck to toe yet she still felt as if she were naked.
He stretched out an arm towards her, as if to touch her shoulder or perhaps her face, and she screamed again, and slithered out of the bed and under his arm to escape, ending up on the floor.
“Hoy, what are you doin’ in a lady’s bedroom?” That was Daisy, thoroughly awake and lurching upright. “Get out of here, youlecher, you!”
He uttered a most ungentlemanly curse, and began to back away. “I only came to talk to— Ow! Stop that!”
Daisy had grabbed the bolster and was laying into him with some force. Katherine scrabbled across to the fireplace on hands and knees, and took hold of the poker.
“Get out, Mr Ryker. If you want to talk to me, you can do it in daylight, properly dressed and with your aunt as chaperon. Now go away!”
“All right, all right! Ooof! Stop hitting me, you foolish girl.”
He ran for the door, wrenched it open and slammed it shut with some force. His own door banged, and then blessed silence fell, apart from the two women’s heavy breathing, which gradually stilled.
After a while, when it seemed likely there would be no repetition, Katherine deemed it safe to blow out the candle he had forgotten in his haste to take with him, and climb back into bed. Daisy slowly fell back into slumber, but Katherine lay curled up on her side, her pillow damp with tears, and wondered what she had done to deserve such an insult.
14: Another Unexpected Move
Assoonasitwas light, Katherine slipped out of bed and curled up in a chair beside the cold fire. On the small table, the wine bottle and two glasses still sat. After a while, Ellen crept in to relay the fire.
“Ooh, you’re up already, miss. Anything you want?”
“No, thank you.”
After a moment’s hesitation, the maid said, “You all right, miss? Heard the screams last night.”
“You did not think to investigate?”
“Orders, miss. From the mistress. We’re to keep well out of the way whenhe’shere and not interfere. He’s never done anything… well, you know, anything really bad, but if you ask me, she should stop him wandering at night. You’re the fourth companion she’s had since the young ladies married and went away, miss, and it’s no wonder, is it?”
Katherine could hardly believe it. So this was not merely an isolated incident, but a habit of Mr Ryker’s. When Daisy woke, Katherine dressed and then waited until she heard the sounds of Mrs Ryker leaving her own room on the floor below. Then she went downstairs to the little parlour where Mrs Ryker filled the time until breakfast.
He was there. She had half expected that, having heard his valet arrive and then the sound of both of them going downstairs, but she hoped Mr Ryker had gone out for his morning walk and she would not have to face him at all. He was sprawled at his ease in a chair by the fire with a newspaper, while Mrs Ryker was seated at the table, letters, pens, wafers and ink pots spread over its surface. As Katherine entered, the two of them were laughing together — laughing! As if nothing untoward had happened at all.
“Ah, Katherine, there you are,” Mrs Ryker said. “You have had something of an adventure in the night, I understand.” And they both laughed again.
An adventure!Was that how she saw it? What on earth had Mr Ryker told her of the night’s events?
“You must not mind William, you know,” she went on. “He means you no harm, quite the reverse. In fact, he has plans for you, don’t you? If things work out, that is, but he’ll need to get to know you a little better first. But you’ll get used to his ways soon enough, I’m sure.”
“I doubt I shall ever get used to a man entering my bedchamber uninvited at midnight,” Katherine said.
They both roared with laughter at that. “Uninvited!” Mr Ryker said. “Why, you have been encouraging me in that direction from the moment I arrived, Katherine.”
“I have done no such thing! And I have not given you permission to address me by my Christian name, sir. Mrs Ryker, I cannot accept a man wandering in and out of my room whenever he pleases. Either I must have a new lock fitted to my door, or Mr Ryker must leave at once.”
“Now, Katherine, dear, you mustn’t be so melodramatic. We’re just like family here, aren’t we, so my nephew may come and go as he pleases. He likes to talk over a glass of wine late at night, that’s all, and as my companion, I don’t expect you to make all this fuss. It would be well worth your while, I assure you, and you can keep your maid with you to maintain the proprieties until you’re married.”
“I see.”
Katherine spun on her heel, ran upstairs to her room and rang for Daisy, while donning her bonnet and pelisse.
“You wanted me, miss?”
“Yes, Daisy. Please pack all our things. We are leaving.”
