The proprietor greeted them, and Joseph attempted to look composed.
“My name is Lord Ellsworth, and I wish for two rooms for the evening, please.”
The man’s eyes shifted from him to Milly and back again. He then swallowed, looking nervous. Obviously Joseph looked as savage as he felt.
“We have one room I’m afraid, my lord.”
“Do you have any women lodging here, sir, that may share with me?”
Joseph bit back the instant denial as Milly spoke. Instead he collected his wits and used them.
“Come now, darling, we fought, I won, and you are still angry. Perhaps to ease this poor man’s attempts to accommodate us we can call a truce, wife.” Joseph slipped an arm around Milly’s waist and squeezed her hard. Perhaps too hard. But when she had asked in that calm voice if there were any women she could lodge with, he could not be certain, given her current mood, that she would not run away in the middle of the night.
“My countess is unhappy with me, sir. But in light of your lack of rooms, we shall make amends.”
“Well then…” The man was all smiles now. “I shall take you up at once.”
“Not one word,” he whispered in Milly’s ear, as she radiated indignation at his side. His surprise was that she did as he asked.
The room was not overly big, and looked over the courtyard, so it promised to be noisy. There would be very little sleep. Not that Joseph believed much sleep would be in his foreseeable future, as he would be slumbering on the floor this night. Looking at Milly, he knew it would not take her long to voice what she had held back downstairs.
“It is improper of me to be in this room with you for an entire night. Nor will I share a bed with you.”
“Now you are concerned with impropriety? Who will know? You have been gone from society for four years. No one even knows you have resurfaced. I think one night in a room with me will do you no harm.”
“You did this to stop me from leaving.”
Candlelight showed him her face was drawn and tired. Any words spoken between them now would be angry and bitter, so he said only, “I will take the floor.”
Her scoffing annoyed him more than it should.
“I will take the floor, I have slept on it often enough.”
Breathing in and out slowly, Joseph fought for control. How was it this woman wrested it from him constantly today?
“I am a gentleman, and as such will take the floor.” He sounded pompous, and cared not one bit. He was a bloody earl; he could be pompous if he wished!
