“Of course,” she said as the maid held up a robe to cover her.
Mrs. Ruffalo scurried out of bed.
Wolfolk, holding Nelly, filled up the door frame of their room. Nelly lay crumpled in his arms as he set her on the bed.
“Will she be all right?”Mrs. Ruffalo asked.
“I think so,” Caroline set a damp cloth on her forehead.
A knock on the door made them all look up.
Wolfolk answered the door. It was a young rider, out of breath and carrying a letter.
“Looking for Miss Holland.”
“It has the Stanwyck crest,” he said and handed it to Caroline. “It’s from Howsham.” He knew the handwriting well.
Caroline stood up and opened the letter, walking away from the bed and scanning it quickly
She glanced at Nelly and sighed.
“Nelly’s mama is arriving at Howsham to see how her daughter is enjoying her holiday. She will be there in three days.”
Nelly cried harder.
Wolfolk opened his eyes and waited for the dread that descended upon each morning when he awoke. It took a moment, but when he remembered where he was, and—more importantly—who he was, it inevitably fell over him like a black veil.
He glanced around the room. He was in a shabby inn in Darwin in Yorkshire.
And he was Alexander Montgomery, Earl of Wolfolk. Widow.
Alone. Deservedly.
He remembered he was escorting Miss Featherton and Miss Holland back to Howsham.
He waited. Held his breath even.
The dread didn’t come.
Instead, something very odd sparked in him. Something he barely recognized.
Somewhere in his chest, warmth curled through him. It flickered on when he thought of Miss Holland.
Remarkably, he was looking forward to the day. Yes, he was exhausted, his head throbbed, and he badly needed a bath and breakfast, but he also felt useful and, for the first time in a long time, excited.
Wolfolk rose, went to the washstand, and splashed his face with it. He had a list of things to do and felt eager to face the day.
He looked at himself in the small vanity mirror, watching water drip down his face.
He wondered who he was becoming these days.
In the very morning, as pink streaks slowly appeared in the dark sky through the window, Caroline felt relieved that Mrs. Ruffalo understood the situation so well.
“If anyone finds out Nelly traveled with Sutherland, her reputation will be in tatters,” Caroline said to Mrs. Ruffalo as her lady’s maid set the last of her items in the trunk and snapped it closed.
Mrs. Ruffalo’s lips pressed together in a thin line of worry. “Yes, of course. You both need to get Miss Featherton back to Howsham. I completely understand that you cannot accompany me to Scotland.” She sipped her tea. “Though I thought you said he claims he slept in another room?”
Caroline nodded. “That’s what she said. But that won’t matter if others find out.”
“Of course.” Mrs. Ruffalo shook her head.
Relief washed through Caroline. She worried the woman might not understand the urgency—or worse yet—disapprove of Nelly’s actions, but she understood perfectly. However, for the moment, she regretted that Mrs. Ruffalo would be traveling north without them. She felt a rush of affection for the old woman and knew she would miss her company.
It was still early and Caroline stifled a yawn—she had not slept well on the cramped davenport in the sitting room while Nelly slept in her bed, and she was eager to begin their journey back.
Although she had not seen him this morning, Caroline knew Wolfolk was already awake. She received a note from him that he hired a local woman to accompany Mrs. Ruffalo to Dumfries and back along with a footman and driver. He also found a new coach with fresh horses to take Caroline and Nelly back to Howsham and told her he would ride along. He was remarkably productive when he wanted to be. She wondered how much sleep he’d actually gotten last night.
Caroline appreciated that Wolfolk handled the necessary transportation details and understood the urgency their journey needed. She was grateful for his discretion and the fact that he would accompany them back. Hopefully, things would not go terribly wrong when they arrived.
They had three days to make a trip that usually took two-and-a-half days to arrive at Howsham before Nelly’s mama did.
Caroline wouldn’t relax until they were there.
For perhaps the seventh time since getting in the carriage, Nelly sniffled loudly and blew her nose in the handkerchief Wolfolk had given her at the start of the journey. Caroline put her hand on Nelly’s and tried to soothe her.
“Nelly, I know it seems difficult now, but any man who would treat you thus is not worthy of you.”
“I told you he slept in the other bed,” Nelly said, pressing the cloth to her pink nose.
Not knowing what else to do, Caroline patted her hand.
“Yes, but some people may not believe that. You know how gossip works.”
Nelly began crying when she had woken up, and except for a few moments to sip tea, she hadn’t stopped the entire morning as they packed and started the journey back to Howsham.
Nelly turned out the window to view Wolfolk trotting alongside the carriage. He looked tall and elegant in his coat, even though Caroline noticed the bags of fatigue under his eyes. He tipped his hat to Nelly suavely, which made the girl smile briefly.
She knew this was hard on Nelly, and she felt sympathy for her pain. But they needed to beat Nelly’s mama to Howsham and devise a logical explanation for Nelly’s behavior. In the meantime, she couldn’t bother to admire Wolfolk.
Both their futures depended upon it.
Wolfolk was burning up.
The morning sun warmed his dark coat, and he greatly regretted the many brandies he’d had the night before. His mouth tasted like sand, and his intestines felt like a dried riverbed. He’d had tea and some ham before leaving the inn, but his insides grumbled and threatened general chaos. He was reasonably certain he was going to die, even if he’d never heard of anyone dying of a hangover.
He slowed his horse to a walk and let the carriage carrying Miss Featherton and Miss Holland rumble ahead of him in hopes he’d feel better at a slower pace. He inhaled slowly, trying to distract himself, and watched birds in a tree nearby flit from one branch to another and chirp annoyingly.
It didn’t help.
He felt as though an ice pick was repeatedly thrust through his eye socket. Each moment that went by increased his agony. He wanted to die. Or at least, lie down and let death take him.
After a few minutes bumping along, the carriage stopped, and Caroline stuck her head out of the window. Wolfolk closed his eyes to calm the storm that raged in his guts.
“Are you all right?”
He opened his eyes again when he heard her voice.
“Yes, yes. Go ahead. I’ll catch up.” He took his hat off and eyed the long grass under a tree nearby. Perhaps he could lie down for a moment in the shade.
But she hadn’t heard him. She had the carriage stop, and she jumped out and marched over to his horse.
“What’s the matter?” She looked concerned.
He pushed his hair off his forehead and cursed to himself. She was always inserting herself into things that weren’t her business.
“A bit cropsick is all.”
Her brows furrowed. Couldn’t she leave him the dignity to die of bottle ache privately? She glanced back at the carriage.
“I’m sorry you don’t feel well, but we have just enough time to get back to Howsham. We can’t really afford to slow down.”
He nodded. “Of cours-”
Then his stomach lurched, and he knew he would be sick.
He scrambled off his horse, thrust his hat to Caroline and rushed to the nearest set of bushes, where he began to retch.
Perfect. Now he was losing his breakfast in front of her. Thankfully, the bushes were close.
> Caroline came around the bushes looking for him. Did she not realize when a man needed privacy? After a moment staring at the ground, his stomach settled, and nausea passed.
“Are you ill?”
He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and stood up. She’d won the prize for the most obvious question of the day. He was deeply embarrassed to be seen like this.
“Good Lord, woman, do you ever mind your own business?”
She rolled her eyes and planted her arms on her hips. The breeze pushed strands of her hair off her face.
“My lord, if you think I haven’t seen illness before, you are mistaken. I have a younger brother, you know.”
He spat on the ground and grabbed his hat from her. He had no dignity at all when he was around her.
“Yes, that’s right,” Wolfolk bristled at her more sharply than he meant to. “And where is your brother now, eh? He’s old enough to have been a soldier, yet he takes no interest in the life of his unmarried sister?’
Caroline’s face changed.
Her grey eyes flashed with anger and then went cold. All expression drained from her face as though she were a doll.
“My family is none of your concern.” She stepped back.
He knew he had said the wrong thing. But blast it, he was tired of being polite. He was exhausted, ill, and humiliated. She had just watched him being sick.
“Like your family, my health is none of your concern,” he said.
She looked at him with a steely gaze.
“Miss Featherton is my business. Getting her back to Howsham before her mother returns and saving her reputation from utter ruin is my priority. And right now, you are keeping us from doing so.”
She had a point there.
Wolfolk said nothing. But he kicked a rock with his boot.
She turned back to the carriage like she was going to walk away and then wheeled back to him. She took several quick steps toward him.
“I realize you’re not used to looking past your own interests, my lord, but there is more at stake here than your comfort. The rest of Nelly’s life will be decided in the next few days. Getting her back and concocting a believable story—-not to mention convincing Lord and Lady Stanwyck help us—are the only way to salvage her reputation.” Her voice hitched on the last words. “The rest of our lives depend on it.”
He turned to walk away and then stopped.
“Hang on. Why does your life depend on it?”
Her face turned blank again.
“Nelly’s life hangs in the balance.”
“Yes, but you said your lives depend on it.”
Fear shown in Caroline’s eyes. Then she schooled her expression.
“Her life affects my employment as a chaperone.”
He squinted and glanced down at this ground, trying to understand.
“But you’ve fulfilled your employment as chaperone. You’ll be compensated.”
Caroline said nothing but her posture stiffened in a way that made him think she would not.
She turned away, but he grasped her arm to stop her.
“Hang on. I realize her mama will not be pleased her daughter ran away, but she will pay you.” He knew it was crass to speak of money, but he glimpsed how important it was to her.
Caroline looked at him. Her look said it all.
“Dammit. I will talk to Stanwyck about this. They will certainly compensate you…”
“No, that would just make it worse.”
“Or I can. How much are you supposed to earn?”
“I don’t need you or your friends compensating me. I just need to get Nelly back to Howsham in time...”
He saw the fear in her eyes again. He needed to know more, but this was not the way.
Finally, Wolfolk simply nodded.
16
At first, Caroline found ill Wolfolk amusing.
She knew it wasn’t admirable of her, but he looked so green around the gills, it was a bit funny. Or would have been if they weren’t in such a hurry.
But he needed to stop talking about money.
Why was it the less men knew about a subject, the more likely they were to discuss it at length? For God’s sake, he was an earl. What did he know about employment or needing money? Even if he was as land poor as gossip suggested, he still didn’t have to worry about where he’d live and how he’d get food to eat. He knew nothing about what it was like to be her. It was his comment about her brother that did her in. For a few moments this morning, she felt like they were working towards a common goal. But she realized that wasn’t really true. He would always be an earl. His life would not change if they didn’t get Nelly back in time. She couldn’t say the same for hers or Nelly’s.
She had been ready to offer him space inside the carriage and their cool supply of water. He could stand out here and retch his lungs out for she cared.
An hour or so later, Caroline first noticed the raindrops hit the glass of the carriage window. Nelly was asleep again, her wan face turned away from her. Caroline counted the drops and felt a twinge of guilt for each one that landed. Wolfolk would be getting wet.
Perhaps it was a sudden summer shower that would pass momentarily.
The drops fell harder and faster. Soon the view through the window was obscured by the smear of wet drops.
She should invite Wolfolk into the carriage. She didn’t want to have him that close. She didn’t want to have to make conversation with him. She decided she would invite him in if the rain hadn’t ceased in several minutes.
But it didn’t stop.
The rain came down thick and steady. She looked out the back window and saw Wolfolk’s pathetic figure on horseback walking behind them. After another moment, she tapped the roof of the carriage to indicate to the driver to stop. Dammit, she whispered to herself, not even caring that she was cursing out loud.
Nelly’s eyes opened, and she looked around.
“What is it? Why are we stopping?”
“It’s raining, Nelly. I think we should offer the earl a seat inside the carriage.”
Nelly frowned. “He’ll soak the seats and get us all wet.”
Caroline nodded. “Perhaps, but it’s the right thing to do. I hoped the rain would pass, but it hasn’t.”
“I don’t know how making all three of us wet and uncomfortable is better than having one be so,” Nelly grumbled but set her bonnet on her head just the same.
“Do you really want him to sit in the rain and catch ill?”
Nelly paused as though she were considering the question.
“He will smell like a wet animal.”
Caroline’s fists balled with impatience for Nelly.
“He is doing us a great favor accompanying us back. Pray, consider that we are in his debt.”
Nelly rolled her eyes but nodded.
Wolfolk’s horse came to her side of the stopped carriage.
Caroline opened the door to speak. When she saw him, Wolfolk was soaked to the bone. Even his beaver hat looked waterlogged. She tried to smile pleasantly.
“My lord, the rain is increasing. Why don’t you tie your horse to the back and join us inside to dry?”
He shook his head and water dripped from the hat brim into his face.
“No, I am fine. I will dry as soon as the sun returns.”
It was pathetic.
Caroline exhaled in frustration. She had enough of male pride for one week.
She pressed the book she was reading to her chest.
Caroline called out again.“My lord. I insist. I am not being magnanimous. If you catch your death, we will not return to Howsham on time. And that will hurt all of us.”
He smiled grimly and considered this.
“Yes, I suppose that’s true. Very well. Miss Featherton, I apologize for any discomfort my intrusion will cause.”
Wolfolk tied his horse, stood under a tree and removed his damp cravat. He wiped his face and neck dry with a handkerchief, then peeled off his wet coat and attempted to
mop his chest with the cloth. Without his coat, his white shirt clung to his body as though it might dissolve on his skin. He pulled it away, but it sprang back and sculpted to his bare torso and shoulders. Caroline saw Nelly’s eyes widen as he reached for something and his back muscles and biceps flared. Then he came to the carriage and bent himself into it.
Suddenly, it seemed very small now that a man was in it. Caroline moved next to Nelly on one side and allowed Wolfolk the other side of the cabin. Still, it was an effort not to brush feet with him. Or worse—accidentally touch one of his knees. Caroline could make out an outline of his nipple through his shirt. It was highly distracting.
Wolfolk apologized and said he would return outside as soon as the rain lessened. His eyes were unreadably dark, and he didn’t hold her gaze for long. Caroline thought he must be as embarrassed as they were by the close confines.
After the coach started moving again, the three sat silently staring out to the passing landscape’s hills and trees. Caroline pulled out a book and nodded at Nelly to do the same. Nelly pursed her lips and made a half-hearted attempt not to yawn before she opened the book of poems and looked down at it for a while. But she soon fidgeted and pulled loose a string from her sleeve. Then she stared out the window for the next half hour.
“How long have you known Mr. Sutherland, my lord?” Nelly broke the silence in the carriage and startled Wolfolk from his newspaper.
He wasn’t sure how to answer, and he reflexively looked to Caroline. She seemed to be avoiding his gaze.
“About a half dozen years. We were in the army together in France,” he said, clearing his throat.
“And how did you meet?”
Nelly’s looked sad. Her blue eyes were wide and she looked like she might cry.
“Nelly,” Caroline warned. But Wolfolk smiled.
“It’s all right,” he replied at them both.
See, I can be polite too.
“I met him when we enlisted in the army. We were younger, obviously. We both had more hair, I daresay.”
Lord to Love Again: A Sweet and Clean Regency Romance Page 15