“My left arm is fit as a fiddle. You lead the horses, and I will take your place carrying the trunk.”
Malcolm bent to murmur in her ear. “Adeline, let him switch with you.”
She nodded. Mr. Bosely did look so strong and capable, and her sodden skirts were heavy and dragging with every step. She would make it up to him. Somehow. Adeline walked over to the horses and took their leads. She petted down the forehead of one of them and let him nuzzle her shoulder. “I know it is miserable out today, but soon you’ll be in a warm barn with hay to eat and fresh water.”
They began walking again, and not for the first time was she happy she had chosen half-boots to travel in. Although looking down at the dirty hem of her dress, she worried that the calfskin boots were probably ruined by the mud. She was somewhat in a daze, but her legs kept walking as her mind wandered. How many inches of rain fell each autumn in southern Britain? What percentage of the roads were paved? The fall foliage really was quite pretty this time of year, even in the rain. She peered up at the colorful blur of leaves as they passed under a copse of trees.
Malcolm began to whistle a cheerful tune as they walked. Soon, Mr. Bosely began to sing along. She didn’t recognize it, but the rhythm and cadence of the song had her perking up. The song was about a sailor who was in love with a mermaid. Adeline laughed out loud at the verse that described the mermaid’s long hair and large breasts; of course, she had large breasts. Malcolm glared at Mr. Bosely, and the poor man turned beet red. After that, they switched songs to one that described the toil of working aboard a ship. Just as peppy, the tune kept her feet moving through her exhaustion.
A short time later, the clicking of the horse’s hooves on cobblestones shook her from her musings. They were entering a small town. She pulled her spectacles from her pocket and put them on to properly look around. They were finally in Andover. She recognized the haberdashery and Smith’s Bakery. “The next street down, to the left, is the inn,” she directed.
At the inn, Mr. Bosely took the reins from her, and Malcolm guided her inside. She stood beside him at the front desk, unable to stop her teeth from chattering. The warmth of the place seemed to amplify how very chilled she was. On the left of the main room, a fire burned in a large stone fireplace. She longed to sit by it.
“We need two rooms.” Malcolm said.
“Yes, sir. These are my last two. This week’s harvest festival has us full of travelers.”
Malcolm looked over at her with a grin. “Did you hear that? I love a festival.”
Of course he did. Did this man ever let anything curb his enthusiasm? A carriage wreck, torrential rain; no, he was already looking forward to the autumn festival. She tried to muster a smile, but she couldn’t stop shivering.
Malcolm’s grin faded. “You look positively blue from cold.” He turned. “Are the rooms ready? We will need a bath set up for my wife immediately.”
“Sir, we don’t have tubs available to bring to the rooms. But we do have a bathing room of which you can take advantage. I will have the hot water started immediately.”
“And make sure the tub is clean.” Malcolm scowled at the proprietor, who nodded profusely. “Show us to our rooms.”
“Right away.” The innkeeper turned to an adolescent boy lounging in the corner. “Henry, show Lord Kingsbury and his wife to rooms eleven and twelve.”
Malcolm put an arm around her waist. “Let’s get you warmed up.”
Adeline clutched her carpet bag and nodded automatically, still reeling from Malcolm’s scowl. He had looked so ferocious. She guessed this was the side of the man who commanded a naval ship and it was very attractive. His easygoing demeanor turned sharp and demanding, sending a shiver down Adeline’s spine that had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with how she wished to have him command her, instruct her. Like before, when he kissed her in the carriage, she craved his attention.
Malcolm guided her up the stairs after Henry. The room itself was clean, and the décor simple. It was a bit smaller than other rooms she had stayed in, but then again, her father always reserved the larger suites when they journeyed. The boy stoked the fire and added more wood. Another servant arrived with her trunk and their two bags. Adeline went to stand in front of the fire, letting the delicious warmth wash over her.
“This way, sir. Your other room is right across the hallway.”
Malcolm picked up his satchel. “You’ll be all right? I’ll change, and then I’ll escort you to the bathing chamber.”
She nodded. Staring into the fire, she tried to clear the sudden image of Malcolm standing over her while she bathed. Scowling and telling her where to wash next. Her cheeks flamed. What was wrong with her? “Yes, I’m fine,” she managed to croak.
The door closed. Adeline sat heavily on one of the wooden chairs by the fireplace. Good Lord. What had his kisses unlocked in her? She had never felt so wanton in her life. She had read books describing lovemaking, but the prose had always been flowery and romantic. Neither appealing to her. And nothing that had her feeling so overheated and achy as she did now.
She peeled off her gloves and removed her sodden bonnet, laying them both on the hearth to dry by the fire. Lifting her skirts, she peeked at her mud-covered half-boots, which were certainly ruined but still the most practical shoe she had brought. She unlaced them and set them to dry as well. Next, she peeled off her velvet jacket and hung it on the other chair. It hadn’t kept her from being soaked to the bone. Her wet dress clung to her hips and thighs instead of gracefully flowing to the ground. The poor hem was stained with dirt. Perhaps it could be cleaned?
Her carpet bag had fared better than her clothing. The outside was damp, but the contents were thankfully dry. She pulled out her novel and set it on the small side table next to her. Everything else was still wrapped neatly in her chemises. Adeline pulled out the wool knit shawl and wrapped herself in its familiar warmth. She had known it would come in handy.
A knock on the door was followed by Kingsbury entering. He looked handsome with his damp hair combed neatly back. He wore fresh trousers and shirt but no waistcoat or jacket. His sleeves were rolled up, showcasing his muscled forearms. Did he know how potent his half-dressed state was? She couldn’t stop staring at his tanned arms, lightly dusted with blond hair. There was not a part of him that wasn’t gorgeous.
He followed her gaze down and looked rather sheepish. “I didn’t want to keep you waiting, so I didn’t fully dress.”
Adeline snapped her gaze back up to his face. “Oh, it’s fine. I feel positively disheveled. I am glad that you requested a bath. Let me grab a fresh dress.”
She rushed over to her trunk and pulled a sunny yellow day dress from the top of the pile. She went fishing around carefully and found her slippers. “I am all set.”
“I was told the bathing room is at the end of this corridor. I hope it is as clean as the rooms. It seems like a good inn,” he said as they exited and headed down the hallway.
“We’ve stayed here before. It is nice. Although I have never bathed here. Normally one does not get this muddy on the trip.” She rolled her eyes.
