might well result in him losing the chance to wed his beloved Kitty.
The drive curved round a dense growth of rhododendron and there stood Pakenham Hall: an elegant country house with fine views over its landscaped surroundings. Arthur knew that he would never be able to afford the comfort of such a home. He halted his horse for a moment and stared at the Hall. Then he drew a deep breath of the fresh spring air and with a gentle prod from his spurs he urged his horse up the drive towards the main entrance.
Kitty must have seen him approach for he was still some distance off when she came trotting out of the porch, wrapped in a dark cape, and ran towards Arthur. He slid from the saddle, landing with a crunch of gravel, and leading the horse by the reins he strode towards her. As she drew close Kitty looked up and gave him a brilliant smile. For an instant all the doubts and fears of the young officer dissolved in a burst of pure affection and pleasure. Kitty grabbed his arm and pressed herself against his shoulder.
'Arthur! I thought you'd never come!'
He made a show of being disappointed in her lack of faith.'I'm on time, dearest. Punctual almost to the minute.'
'Oh, you!' She punched him lightly on the arm. 'I just meant that I've been waiting in the porch for hours.'
'Hours?'
'Well, it seemed like hours. Anyway,' her tone became more serious, 'you're here now.'
'Yes… Where's Tom?'
'In his study. He's got a few arrears summons to deal with before he'll see you.'
Arthur frowned. This was typical of her brother. Giving priority to some petty difficulties with his tenants over the suitor of his sister was a crude attempt to put his visitor in his place.This latest affront did not bode well. Arthur squeezed her hand under his arm.
'What do you think he will say?'
Kitty shrugged. 'I don't know. Honestly I don't. He's changed so much this last year.'
'Inheriting a fortune has that effect on some men,' Arthur said bitterly, and Kitty gave him a quick glance as he continued, 'He'll refuse me. I feel sure of it. Because I have no money.'
'Not at the moment,' Kitty replied. 'But I know you, Arthur Wesley. I know how much potential you have. One day you'll win your fortune… Not that wealth is important to us,' she added quickly.
Arthur smiled. 'I doubt Tom will be prepared to accept potential as a deposit. To be perfectly honest with you, Kitty, all I can offer you is my love.There is nothing else. Even if I were the heir to my family's name, Dangan Castle is mortgaged, and my mother has had to sell most of her six per cents just to live. All I have is the income from my captaincy and a small allowance from Richard. That's it.'
'That's enough,' Kitty smiled, and kissed him quickly. 'Come on,' she said, tugging his arm. 'It's cold. Let's go inside and sit by the fire.'
As they approached the entrance to the Hall, a groom scurried out from a side entrance and took the reins from Arthur, leading the horse away towards the stables. With Kitty still clutching the sleeve of his bright red uniform coat, they climbed the weathered steps to the main door. Beyond the threshold the familiar smell of polish and a faint dampness wrapped itself round Arthur like an old friend. Kitty released her grip and he followed her across the hall and down the dim corridor towards the library. On the way they passed the closed door to Tom's study and the muffled voice of Kitty's brother could be heard in conversation with his agent. Arthur was tempted to tarry a moment and listen, but quickly dismissed the thought; he was here to make an honest and open appeal for Kitty's hand, not to skulk about like a spy on the scrounge for intelligence.
A log fire glowed in the large iron grate and Kitty led him over to a long couch that faced the fireplace and took full benefit from its heat. A book lay open on the arm of the couch and Arthur recognised it as the copy of Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding he had given Kitty for Christmas. He nodded towards the book.
'Waiting for me all morning, eh?'
'Most of it,' Kitty answered, then blushed. 'Well, it certainly felt like it.There's not many girls I know who'd sit in a freezing porch waiting for their beau to arrive.'
'How many girls do you know?'
'Enough to make such a judgement,' Kitty replied.
'I'm overcome by gratitude.'
'Don't try to be sarcastic, Arthur. It doesn't suit you.' Kitty pouted, then rang a small bell. 'You'll have some tea?'
'Tea? I think I need something a little stronger to calm my nerves.'
'Nerves?' Kitty raised her eyebrows. 'You? I'd never have believed it. Sensitive, yes – but nervous… Arthur Wesley, you are something of a dark horse, I do declare.'
He leaned closer to her and stared frankly into her eyes. 'Please, Kitty, don't tease me so. I've never been more serious, nor had so much at stake, in my entire life.'
She stared back at him in silence for a moment and then reached a hand up and stroked his cheek.'Bless you, my dear, dear Arthur.You really do love me, don't you?'
He nodded, and said softly, 'And you? Tell me it's true, what I hope you feel. Tell me.'
She smiled and her lips parted. 'I-'
The door to the library creaked open and the two of them quickly moved apart. A maid entered and stood waiting for instruction.
'I'll have some tea, Mary.'
'Yes, Miss Pakenham.'
'And a brandy for the captain.'
'Yes, Miss Pakenham.'
As soon as the maid had left the room Arthur leaned back towards Kitty, but the spell had been broken and she looked embarrassed, her eyes darting round the library, lighting upon an ivory chess set on a card table.
'Chess! Let's have a game of chess while you wait for Tom.'
'Chess?' Arthur repeated weakly. 'Must we?'
'Yes, we must. Come.'
And so they sat down to a game, in the winter sunshine that slanted in through the library window. Arthur's troubled mind could not focus on the game and he was in a hopeless position in fairly short order.
'I thought soldiers were supposed to be good at tactics,' Kitty grinned, over the top of a fine china cup. 'God help us if you are representative of the men who will lead our armies if there is a war.'
Kitty took another sip and set the cup down delicately. 'Do you think there will be a war, Arthur?'
'There will be a war, Kitty. We cannot avoid it any longer. Those French radicals must be stopped. Otherwise England will endure the same bloodshed. Not now, perhaps, but some day soon.'
'Tom says that if it comes to war, it will be the longest and bloodiest that England has ever fought.'
'He's probably right,' Arthur replied.'He generally thinks he is, even when he's mistaken.'
'Careful, Arthur, we are talking about my brother, after all.'
'Sorry.' Arthur quickly returned the conversation to safer ground. 'If there is a war, then the French must lose. France is like any other country. It cannot endure without a king, and the nobility. Who else could lead them? It is not in the nature of the common folk to rule themselves. They need us more than we need them.We are what gives structure and security to their lives.'
'You seem very sure of it,' Kitty frowned.
Arthur picked up his queen and advanced it. 'Check.'
Kitty's eyes dropped to the chessboard. She thought a moment and shook her head.
'Poor Arthur… There.' Her hand shifted a bishop in between her king and the queen. 'Your queen's pinned. You'll have to sacrifice her, and then it's mate in… two.'
'What?' Arthur frowned at the pieces and he was about to protest when the door opened again. A footman entered.
'Captain Wesley, sir.'
'Yes.'
'The master will see you now, sir. If you'll follow me.'
Arthur rose from the table and before he moved away, Kitty grasped his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. 'Good luck.'
