“Cost isn’t a concern.”
“It’s not?”
“I thought we may need some funds.”
“You did? What else did you bring?”
“During the usual packing time before an abduction?”
“You do not need to tease me. They don’t teach young ladies the practices of abduction.”
“I would never be able to tell,” I said, a grin pulling at the corners of my lips. “I didn’t pack any fairy cakes, I must admit.”
“None at all?”
“No, just clothes, a few apples and some bread, coaching schedule, that sort of thing. I had little in the way of both information and time.”
“No whiskey?” I could hear the smile in her voice.
“Alas, I did not think that far ahead. But fortunately for us both, you did.”
“That I did. Gabriel taught me well—always bring your own dice, stab enemies with the sharp bit, and never begin a journey without sufficient drink for the return.”
“Of course he told you that. Taught you hazard, too, if I recall. Are there any vices he didn’t impart? Did he take you to that brothel of his as well?”
My stomach lurched when my head caught up with my mouth. Discussing brothels with a lady—Rosehill would have my head. Did she even know of her late brother’s habits? Bound for hell, I was.
“No,” she replied primly. “He thought to leave that particular vice for my future husband.” Tension left my gut at her teasing note. I hadn’t scandalized her—of course, I hadn’t.
“Good. I don’t even want to imagine the trouble you could get into over there.”
She waited until the precise second I took another sip before asking, “You spend a great deal of time imagining my comings and goings at brothels, do you?”
Naturally, I choked on the whiskey—hacking, racking, heaving coughs shook me to my soul as I tried to dislodge the liquor from my lungs while she giggled beside me.
In my struggle to breathe, I didn’t recognize that the carriage stopped until the door swung open beside me. “All right, Mr. Summers?” Rory asked.
“He’s fine, Rory. Merely scandalized.”
Rory shrugged, disinterested. “We’re at the Green Dragon. The road’s clear and dry, and the moon’s bright. We thought to change horses and carry on through the night. Ye all right with that?”
“That’s perfectly well.”
Finally, I managed to clear the whiskey from my chest and nodded, not trusting my voice.
“We’ll set off soon if ye want to stretch yer legs.”
Davina climbed over me, slipping from the carriage first again. I followed after her, still trying to catch my breath. I handed Rory a shilling, then watched as my traveling companion stretched her shoulders in the courtyard. The lamplight left her silhouetted, long elegant legs too apparent through the thin fabric of her dress. The curve of her neck sloped down in a tempting curve. And her other curves—no, I was a letch.
The reality of the next several hours washed over me. It was going to be a long, long night.
Nine
NORTH ROAD—APRIL 11, 1817
DAVINA
I was surprisinglycomfortable when I woke to the gentle chirping of nearby birds. Or I was comfortable until the moment I realized that my head was in Mr. Summers’ lap. Well, resting on the coat he had placed on his lap.
