“I can’t dispute that.”
“You could try.”
“I can dispute the first part. Some may remember me, but he didn’t name you. They’ll not know who he is or who his niece is.”
“He could be telling them all now.”
“They’re too busy eating, but... ah, innkeeper!”
The sinewy man was hurrying out of the public room, perhaps fearing they’d leave without paying. “My deepest apologies, my lord! Here’s your accounting.”
Kynaston glanced at the paper and paid, adding extra. “The man now drinking the last of our punch—give him as much brandy as he wants.”
The innkeeper hesitated. “Beggin’ your pardon, my lord, but he has the look of one who shouldn’t drink any more.”
“All the same.”
“As you say, my lord.”
He hurried back into the public room, leaving them again alone in the hall. Ariana said, “I suspect Uncle Paul can drink a great deal and still spew vileness.”
“We do what we can. Let’s be on our way. At the least we can prove later that we haven’t spent the night here.”
Except that they weren’t going to be able to be ontheir way. Again she’d created a problem. Would they end up compromised into marriage after all?
But then Norris and Phyllis entered the hall from the back. They stopped to stare, and Ariana became newly aware of Kynaston’s arm around her. She pulled free.
“What the devil...?” Kynaston demanded.
“Private parlor,” Norris said tersely with a gesture to Kynaston to lower his voice. He was right. Kynaston’s loud exclamation could have been heard by the interested crowd in the public room.
The innkeeper dashed out again, clearly worried about new trouble. Norris repeated his words, this time as a command. The innkeeper flung open a door to a large room across the hall, which already had a fire in the hearth, ready for anyone wealthy enough to want a private parlor. Or even a bedroom. A large oak bed took up half the room, but it left space for a dining table against a window, with four chairs attending. Two oaken settles bracketed the large fireplace.
“Refreshments, ladies and gentlemen?” the innkeeper asked.
“No,” Kynaston said. “Leave us.”
Reluctantly, the man obeyed, closing the door as he went. Kynaston and Norris were already facing off like two fighting dogs.
“I’ll have your guts,” Kynaston growled.
“It’s you who deserves to be gutted.”
“...never see her again.”
“...see reason!”
Phyllis sat on one settle, close to the fire, and observed them as at a play.
Ariana sat opposite her. “What are you doing here?”
“Trying to be sensible.” The girl rolled her eyes at the men.
Ariana focused on them.“Stop!”
They both looked at her in shock.
She didn’t feel quite able to command Kynaston, so she pointed at the opposite settle and said, “Sit down, Norris, and let’s all talk.”
