“Does a stage run from your village, my lord?”
“Yes.”
“If you will drop me there, then, I shall wait to catch the stage in the morning to Spindle.”
“Miss Higglesworth, it is due to snow. I am cold, and if you force me to drop you in Stonleigh, I will be colder, as I will have to wait with you until the stage comes, because I doubt anyone in the village will be awake to accommodate you at such an hour.”
“I wish you would simply just agree to my request,” she muttered.
“As my siblings will attest, I never simply agree.”
“But I am a servant.” Exasperation was evident in her tone.
“And therefore not worthy of my time or effort?”
He could almost hear her thinking as Monty walked slowly down the road for several steps.
“Yes. I doubt you involve yourself in each of your servants’ lives.”
“If I found them walking about in the early hours of the morning, I may.” Joseph heard the snap of her teeth as he finished talking.
“I will find lodgings for what is left of the night.”
“I doubt that very much, and have already explained why.”
“I will,” she vowed. “People come and go at all times of the night.”
“Very well, I will see you to Stonleigh, and there you may catch the stage.”
“I would rather you let me down now.”
“You, Miss Higglesworth, are ungrateful.”
The silence stretched.
“If you will drop me at Stonleigh, then I shall accept your offer, my lord. Although it does not sit well.”
“But I offer you my gratitude that I am not to spend several more hours on this cold road,” Joseph added.
Her spine stiffened, and then softened. “Forgive me for my rudeness. I am of course grateful, it is merely that I have no wish to inconvenience you further, and this is a highly irregular situation.”
“No inconvenience at all,” Joseph replied in the same polite tone. This woman was no servant, he’d stake Monty on that. He also believed she was not intimidated by his title, just nervous that he, of all people, had chanced upon her. He wondered again who she was.
“Perhaps you could stop, and I will climb on behind to offer you more comfort, my lord?”
“I am comfortable, but thank you for your consideration. However, as my horse has the added burden of carrying both you and your plump companion, Miss Higglesworth, he will need to take at least one brief stop before we complete our journey.”
“I’m not sure why you are intent on abusing poor, sweet little Daisy, when she is but a helpless animal who cannot defend herself.”
Joseph looked around Miss Higglesworth at her ugly pet.
“What possessed you to own such an unfortunate creature? Begging your pardon if my words upset you,” Joseph added.
“I... ah, well as to that, she actually found her way into following me when I left.”
Joseph laughed, the sound loud in the still night air. “You stole the ugliest dog in Christendom, when you could have had a silver tea service, or something of far more value?”
“I would never steal from a person!” She sounded genuinely outraged, which assured him his passenger had not established a career as a thief.
“Will you not give me your first name, Miss Higglesworth? Considering our circumstances and the fact that you are to ride between my thighs for the next hour, I am sure we can move past the usual restrictions?”
She stiffened and then wriggled, and Joseph bit back a moan as her bottom brushed his groin once more.
“But what’s in a name, my lord, when after this ride we shall never see each other again?”
“A great deal, I should imagine, considering the surname you were given. My hope is that your first name has a better ring to it.”
“You insult me, sir!”
