Susanna turned to stare out the window at the endless green grass that they passed. No, nothing was the same at all.
*
The inn inSalisbury was called the Red Lion. Much larger than the last, it boasted two stories with private rooms aplenty. She craned her neck to look out the carriage window at the mullioned windows and bright yellow walls. When the carriage door opened, Hawksridge stood there and handed all the women down. When he lifted his hand for hers, she froze, their eyes locked. For maybe the first time ever Susanna was at a loss for words. How was she to act now that she knew the taste of his lips?
Susanna tore her gaze from his searching one and stepped out. She missed the top step and stumbled. Hawksridge gripped her waist to steady her.
“Thank you,” she murmured.What a ninny, he probably thought you did that on purpose.
He did not let go of her hand but instead tucked it into the crook of his arm and led them into the front hall of the inn. Mr. and Mrs. Maddox stood in front of a gleaming wood counter chatting with the proprietor.
“Ah Lord Hawksridge, I see you have decided to join us after all,” Mr. Maddox said.
“I have reluctantly agreed to escort Lady Ashby to Weymouth Bay. We shall rent a post chaise tomorrow morning to go on her quest.”
Mrs. Maddox looked back and forth between Hawksridge and her. “Oh, but you must stay at least through tomorrow, enjoy the fair and see the show. We perform at fourP.M.”
“We are on a mission to find the author of the letters,” Susanna said. “I’m anxious to make the trip to Weymouth Bay and prove Lord Hawksridge wrong. He is certain that I am incorrect to assume the man is there.”
Hawksridge’s lips tightened into a thin line for a moment. He turned to the man behind the counter. “We will need two rooms for the night,” he sent her a sidelong glance, “for me and my sister.”
Sister?After that searing kiss earlier, posing as brother and sister felt very wrong. Susanna trembled thinking about how hot and needy the kiss made her feel. She had teased him about it being nice, a girl had her pride after all, but in truth it had left her desperately wanting more.
He stood next to her perfectly composed, not a hair out of place despite riding for the last few hours. Susanna wished to knock his hat off or tug his cravat loose, both childish impulses she was sure he would not appreciate. What was the matter with her? She sucked in a deep breath to reset her jumbled emotions. Miles glanced over at her with concern.
“Yes, my lord. We have two adjoining rooms on the third floor. Would that work for you and your sister?”
“That will do. We will need a private dinning suite for tonight as well.”
Susanna frowned. He was determined to be no fun. She turned to Mr. and Mrs. Maddox. “You must dine with us this evening. I will invite the colonel and his wife as well.”
“We’d be delighted. We missed your company last night.” Mr. Maddox lifted her hand and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “Please excuse us. We must get our ring set up and begin rehearsals.”
A few minutes later they were shown to their rooms. Susanna entered hers and let out a gasp of surprise. The theme of the room was wild geese and the decorator had not held back in their enthusiasm for the long-necked fowl. A row of brass geese waddled across the mantel; a large painting above depicted geese flying into a setting sun. She turned slowly in a circle to take it all in. The privacy screen featured two geese wearing pink bonnets walking through a bucolic scene, and the toile pattern of the curtains and matching counterpane all featured the bird. But the most disturbing piece was a large brass candelabra, each of the four arms that held the candles carved to look like the severed neck and head of a goose. Susanna shivered at the macabre piece.
When two servants arrived with her trunk, she immediately dove in to find her riding skirt that was especially tailored for tricks. She would go out and join the troupe, perhaps they would let her show them some of her tricks. Some exercise was just what she needed to clear her head. She pulled out items of clothing and threw them on the bed.Where was her skirt?Perhaps Jenni had packed it under the hats? She lifted out the wrapped hats and tossed them onto the settee. There were only shoes underneath. Hmmm, she lifted out two shifts and draped them over the top of the trunk’s lid.
Aha! There you are. Her special trick riding skirt was made from a lightweight muslin in a deep eggplant. The matching jacket was cut in same form-fitting style as her riding habit. The skirt though did not have the extra material that a regular riding habit did, it was not made for riding side saddle. Instead, it was actually a pair of trousers disguised as a skirt. When she walked it looked like a skirt but it was split in the middle, enabling her to ride astride and to be properly covered while upside down.
A knock at the adjoining door startled her. “Come in,” she called out.
Hawksridge came through the doorway and halted abruptly his eyes wide as he surveyed the room. She stood up with her change of clothes clutched in her arms. “I know, the geese are a bit much aren’t they?”
“No.” He shook his head. “It looks like a tornado came through here.”
Susanna glanced around the room and bit down on her lower lip. Clothes were strewn all about, hats scattered on the settee, and a small pile of shoes lay on the floor. She had made a mess searching for her skirt. “I was looking for something. I will get it all packed back up.” Somehow.
Hawksridge harrumphed. “Shall I order you a maid to help put things to rights?”
“No, I’m sure I can manage it. It’s not as bad as it looks.”
“How did you even get so many clothes in that small trunk?”
“Jenni is a gem. She keeps me organized.” Except Jenni wasn’t here. Susanna turned in a slow circle to view the mess. Oh dear, what had she done? She straightened her shoulders. She could get everything back into the trunk; she wasn’t some helpless nincompoop. “Did you need something?”
“No, I just wanted to say I was going to walk into the town to send my brother a missive. Let them all know you are not dead and that we are continuing on to Weymouth Bay together.”
“All right. I’ll see you for dinner?”
