He would undoubtedly be overanalyzing last night, but she would not let his regrets of ungentlemanly behavior ruin what could be the beginning to the rest of their lives. Her head had ceased its arguments with her heart. Miles Weston was the man she wanted to marry. No one had ever set her soul and body on fire like he could. She may not be his ideal candidate for a marchioness, but she now knew how much he desired her, she could persuade him to consider her as a wife, she knew she could.
The maid’s name was Lizzie, and she was very talkative as she worked to repack the mess Susanna had made with her trunk. Lizzie informed her that Lord Hawksridge had come down to request breakfast for his sister and that he had gone to rent the chaise. Susanna wrinkled her nose at being referred to as Miles’s sister. It felt wrong after last night. She would prefer if they just pretended to be husband and wife. Lizzie helped her to dress, buttoning up all the tiny pearl buttons that ran down the back of her blue dress. Susanna collected her reticule and bonnet and left the room to find Miles.
Downstairs raucous laughter filtered down the hall from the dining room so she changed direction and popped her head in cautiously to see if it was her friends. Indeed, most of the troupe sat around two long tables laden with bread rolls and jam and slices of ham and cheeses. Giorgio glanced up and noticed her first.
“Good morning, Lady Susanna.” A welcoming smile stretched across his face.
“Good morning, everyone. I’ve just come to say goodbye. We are off to Weymouth Bay today.”
Clara jumped up and hurried over to her. “You’re not going to stay for the performance today?”
“No, I have convinced Hawksridge to help me on my quest. We leave this morning. But I hope we will still be there when you all arrive next week. Then I promise to come watch the show.”
Clara hugged her tightly. “Be careful darling,” she murmured. “I know you think traveling with Lord Hawksridge is just a lark. But he could be very dangerous.”
Susanna snorted. “Dangerous? Hardly!”
Clara pulled back to look her in the eye. “Dangerous to your heart. Make sure you are certain about what you want. He doesn’t strike as the type of man to trifle with.”
Susanna nodded and leaned in to give her friend another swift hug. “Don’t worry about me. Take care of yourself and this baby.” She turned and dramatically blew a kiss to the room. “Have a good tour.”
She backtracked toward the front reception area surprised to see her trunk had already been fetched from upstairs. The front door opened and Hawksridge came inside, larger than life and so handsome with his hat in his hand and his hair tousled. Their gazes locked and a jolt of wanting hit her low in the belly. Lord, she wanted to make this man hers.
“Good morning.” Hawksridge approached. He lifted one of her hands and brushed his lip across her knuckles.
She sucked in a sharp breath at seeing the heat in his eyes. Perhaps he felt the same as her. Lowering her gaze, she executed a small curtsy. “Thank you, my lord for sending help up to the room this morning. Lizzie was a miracle worker.” She gestured to her packed trunk.
“You’re welcome. I also see you had help with your buttons.” Was that a mischievous glint in his eye?
Susanna remembered the brush of his fingers heating her skin as he had undone her buttons last night. Was Miles flirting with her? When she raised her gaze back up, she caught his lips twitch as though he tried to suppress a smile.
“Are you ready to leave?” he asked.
“Yes, I have even said goodbye to the troupe.”
“The post chaise is waiting outside.” He winged out an elbow.
Once they were settled inside the carriage the postilions loaded her trunk in front. The chaise was compact with two horses to pull the vehicle and just one postilion riding the horse on the right. The inside could be described as cozy but with the large front window it did not feel stifling. Next to her, Miles adjusted his long legs trying to find a comfortable position.
“You didn’t want to ride your horse?” Susanna asked.
“Valor has traveled a good bit this week. I didn’t want to wear him out so I left him to be boarded until I can come back through to retrieve him.”
“Valor, what an honorable name.” Susanna tried to hold back a smile.
“He is an honorable horse,” Miles chuckled. “Are you making fun of my horse’s name after you named your horse Rainbow Princess?”
“Princess deserves her moniker. She is royalty, or at least she thinks she is. And rainbows make me happy, besides I was fifteen when I named her, you can hardly blame a young girl for fanciful musings.”
Miles nodded. “My father gifted Daniel and me each a horse when we were thirteen. I named mine, Thunderhoof. I thought it sounded very intimidating.”
“What did Weston name his?”
“Thor. I didn’t even realize that Thor was the God of Thunder until several years later. Daniel has always been too clever.”
She chuckled. “And all this time I thought you were the smarter one.”
Miles sent her a wry half smile. The chaise moved along at a fast clip and they watched the scenery whiz by in comfortable silence for a while. Susanna had thought it comfortable until suddenly Hawksridge shifted in his seat to face her.
