That was a foolish question indeed, but Wyndham was acting rather strangely this morning. “For one, you are the Earl of Wyndham, therefore you should not be forced to ride in the back of a wagon. Second, it will be more comfortable for you.”
“I shall ride back here, with you, and Kaya can sit beside Malik,”Wyndham announced.
“No, no, Lord Wyndham,” Caroline insisted. She could not spend an entire day alone with him. It did not matter that Malik and Kaya would be on the bench, driving the wagon and not far away.
Wyndham glanced at Caroline, Kaya, and then Malik. “Do I not have a say? I am the Earl of Wyndham and employ each of you.”
Except, Caroline wasn’t one of his servants, not that she reminded him of that since he had threatened to pay her wages.
“It is not right, Lord Wyndham,” Kaya whispered.
“No, it is not,” Caroline agreed as she arranged the blankets and pillows for comfort to keep from bruising her bottom and back during their travels. She had accompanied Lady Wyndham five times previously and knew that she would be stiff and sore once they arrived.
“Nor am I the pampered gentleman you believe me to be. I shall ride in the back of the wagon as you do, and as has my mother.”
Kaya’s eyes widened as she glanced over at Malik as if he could force the Lord of Wyndham from the wagon.
“Would you prefer to drive?” Malik quickly suggested.
“Is it more difficult than a phaeton or barouche?” Wyndham asked.
“What are those?” Malik questioned.
“Open carriages,” Caroline answered. “You would do well driving a wagon, Lord Wyndham.” Maybe he would change his mind about riding with her and take his place on the bench.
He stared at the trio, hands on hips, lips tilted in irritation, and then shook his head. “Perhaps later, if Malik does tired of driving.” He stepped up and into the wagon.
Why would he, the Earl of Wyndham, want to ride in the back of a wagon?
It made no sense to her.
“You should ride next to Malik,” Wyndham said to Kaya. “I am certain that he would enjoy your company.”
“Yes…um…of course, Lord Wyndham but do let me know if you want to ride on the bench.”
Malik held his hand up to Kaya then assisted her from the back of the wagon before escorting her to the front to be seated next to him.
Wyndam gathered the extra blankets, the ones that Kaya had planned to sit upon, offered one to the servant so that her bottom was cushioned against the hard bench then made himself comfortable with pillows to support his back and layers beneath his bum.
He had done this before. Perhaps Wyndham wasn’t so pampered after all.
He grinned at her. “It is a fine day for a drive, is it not?”
Why was he so damned happy?
Except, he wasn’t, not in the sense she originally believed. She had challenged him, and now Wyndham was going to prove that not only would he not suffer hardship but he was determined to be pleasant and enjoy himself even if he hid his misery from everyone else.
Well, she would see just how long that lasted, then smiled as she looked over his shoulder at the passing scenery.
Chapter Twenty
When Caroline becamecomfortable in the back of the wagon, Sterling did the same. He was not a weak and pampered gentleman and for some reason, it was necessary to prove that to her.
Maybe it was his pride, but the need was strong.
“Why are we acting as chaperones? I understand that Kaya is a miss, but the two are also servants and not subject to the same rules as a miss in Society.” Or at least that is what he believed since he had often seen servants of separate sexes alone and nobody thought anything untoward was happening. He glanced over at the couple.
“Why did you say that this trip was more for them than us?”
