Slowly sitting up, he paused until his insides quit rolling about before saying dryly, “I suppose you are going to make me pay for last night.”
Mara turned back to him with a saucy wink. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
He merely snorted in reply, although he supposed hediddeserve her ire. “I guess I was a bit overbearing.”
She didn’t even bother to reply as she bit into a crispy piece of bacon, which told him that she was in complete agreement with his statement.
After a moment, she returned with a fresh cup of tea that looked entirely normal and Roarke inhaled the steaming liquid with gratitude. As she went back to sit down at the small table and help herself to some more items on the tray, all was silent.
He watched as she buttered a piece of bread before slathering it with what appeared to be blackberry jam. Whatever it was, Roarke thought it was revolting. With a shudder, he said, “I’m sorry, Mara. I know it wasn’t the wedding you’d probably always dreamed of.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she shrugged, licking her lips rather enticingly. It was likely to remove any stray crumbs, but the action shot straight to Roarke’s groin.
It was amazing how a bit of lust could cure a tortured soul.
“I think it does,” he murmured. “In fact, I do believe it is time I exercised my conjugal rights.” With a gentle pat on the bed beside him, he cocked his head to eye her more directly. She paused with the last bite of toast halfway to her mouth, although she swallowed visibly enough. It was enough to cause a grin to spread across Roarke’s face.
Revenge certainly was sweet.
“But…” She hesitated. “I thought you were sick.”
“I believe I’ve found my cure,” he purred, then, unable to resist the temptation, he winked.
Instantly, her expression changed from one of uncertainty to utter annoyance. “You’re a despicable cad.” She delicately wiped her hands and dabbed at her mouth with her napkin before adding, “There will be no ‘conjugal’ anything. There was no wedding.”
His grin slipped. “What do you mean? I distinctly recall rousing that particularly expensive bishop…”
“Then you just gave a generous donation to the church.”
“How is that possible?”
“You passed out before the service even started,” she reminded him. She rose to her feet and said, “If you change your mind and wish to have some breakfast, I ordered extra. Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to head down to the bathing room and clean up. I’ll see you downstairs.”
With that, she was gone.
* * *
By the time Mara was finished with her bath, she found Roarke waiting for her in the taproom. He’d changed into a pair of black breeches, polished Hessians, sapphire blue jacket and waistcoat, all topped with a snowy white cravat. He looked as crisp and refined as any gentleman could, even if his attire might be a bit wrinkled without the efforts of a valet.
Her steps reluctantly faltered when he turned and spied her. She nearly regretted the fact that this handsome manwasn’ther husband. But like she’d told herself many times, there was no point bemoaning what could never be.
She walked over to the bar where the innkeeper appeared much more accommodating to Roarke and sat down beside him. “Since the mail coach has already left, have you given any thought about how we might continue on our journey?”
Mara thought she might have put him on the spot, but he suddenly looked over her shoulder and called out cheerily, “Ah, perfect timing, Mr. Edwards.”
Upon hearing the old stable hand’s name from Eversleigh Hall, Mara turned and gasped. The man before her had practically been her second father, and she had missed him terribly through the years. A big smile split his wrinkled, weathered face and he took off his cap to reveal a shock of pure white hair that had been stone gray seven years ago. “’Ello, miss. It’s good to see ye.”
“It is Mara now as it’s always been,” she corrected gently, before accepting the warm hug he offered. She couldn’t keep a tear from seeping out of the corner of her lid, but she hastily wiped it away as she reluctantly pulled back. “What are you doing here?” she asked.
It was Roarke who answered. “I had the foresight to write to my staff at Eversleigh Hall before leaving London. While I wasn’t sure where it was you were going, a few discreet inquiries at the George Inn before we left told me that we would be heading this direction. I asked Mr. Edwards to meet us here in Salisbury so that we might enjoy a more comfortable ride for the rest of our journey, wherever it might take us.”
“You seemed rather confident to go through so much trouble,” Mara noted dryly.
“I thought by now the truth would be out.” After he gave Mara a look that spoke volumes, he added, “It seems I was right.”
Mara did her best not to fidget uncomfortably under that stare, for he only knew a portion of the past. She brought her attention around to the stable hand and threaded her arm through his. “Shall we be off then?”
* * *
