She looked up. “Thank you.”
He did not immediately let her go, looking down into her face, still with the odd twist to his lips. Felicity was conscious of a thread of heat snaking through her veins. Her voice became trapped in her throat.
Lord Lynchmere spoke, a soft murmur. “I’m glad we dissuaded Angelica.”
Then his arm dropped and he moved away to address his groom, leaving Felicity breathless and utterly confused.
By the time she had relieved herself, removed her cloak and hat and been installed in a small coffee room, which was all the privacy the wayside inn boasted, Felicity had recovered sufficiently to be able to approve his lordship’s suggestions.
“There is not a deal of choice, but they can provide sliced beef with bread or a piece of egg and ham pie, if you prefer.”
Suddenly conscious of gnawing hunger, Felicity opted for the beef. “I was afraid to swallow too much at breakfast, for I have never been a good traveller. But your vehicle is well sprung.”
He nodded, as if this was a matter of course. “An open carriage is usually better for anyone who struggles with the motion.”
“True. My father was used to hire a gig for our wanderings to avoid having me sick on his hands.”
The twisted smile appeared. “Another very good reason we were not obliged to take my coach. Will you drink ale or lemonade?”
“Water, if you please. But coffee would be welcome too, if they have it hot.”
He relayed her request to the waiting servant and left the door partially open. Discarding his hat and coat, he threw both onto a convenient chair near the wall and came across to take a seat at the table, already laid with a white cloth and a little tray of condiments in silver dishes.
Felicity, reminded of her earlier discomfort by his words about the coach, hurried into speech. “How long do you think it will take us to reach Middenhall?”
“We are nearly halfway there. All being well, another three hours or so should do it, if you can last that long.”
“I? Why should I not? More to the point, can you endure the driving?”
“You said you don’t travel well.”
“True, but —” She broke off, staring at him across the table. “You knew all along we would have to stay on the road.”
His brows rose. “Of course. You need not look so accusing. It is upwards of sixty miles from London to our destination. We would undoubtedly break the journey if we were travelling by coach at this time of year. However, I am happy to make Middenhall today, if you are, but we will hardly have time to locate your Mrs Kimble.”
Recalling his placatory words to Angelica, Felicity was once more assailed with a sense of deep-seated suspicion. The fleeting thought passed through her mind that he meant after all to take advantage of her guardian’s machinations. She dismissed it at once. He had no need to take this elaborate route if he had that intention. Yet she could not account for his evident satisfaction in being unencumbered by a chaperon.
“Delving into deep waters again, Miss Temple?”
The amused look in his eye was not to be borne. “I am trying to fathom why you are so pleased to have dispensed with your cousin’s presence on the journey.”
An eyebrow quirked. “Are not you?”
“Well, yes.”
“Then what is the difficulty?”
“It is just…” She faded out, for once unwilling to spell out what was after all a nebulous apprehension.
His manner reverted to the habitual pose of boredom. “Try to use what common sense you possess, Miss Temple.” Quick annoyance flared but he went on before she could retort. “Figure to yourself the utter inconvenience of a third in these investigations, that third being my esteemed cousin Angelica, who may be relied upon to thrust her oar in at every opportunity. Could you seriously have endured to have your every move subjected to a dissertation upon the rights and wrongs of it? And don’t say she means well.”
“You know she does, but I was not going to say so.” Felicity could not but appreciate this point of view. However, she could not in conscience allow his words to pass. “But I will not sit here and have you abuse her to my face. She has been inordinately kind to me and I am wholly indebted to her.”
A wry look entered his features. “You are wholly indebted to me, but you don’t hesitate to abuse me to my face.”
“That is another matter.”
“It would be.”
