“Yes. My last trip there was not particularly pleasant, though.” Seeing her rapt expression, he seemed to struggle to say something nice about the place and added. “The library is nice; I’ll give them that.”
She leaned forward and asked, “Why was your trip not pleasant?”
His eyes darkened and he was quiet for a moment. “Snowstorms,” he finally said, and she had the sense that he wasn't being entirely truthful with her.
He didn’t say anything further, so they drifted into a comfortable silence while she looked out the window. The landscape was nearly black under the night sky, with fields of large, white flowers that appeared almost blue in the moonlight. In the distance, the sea was dark, only made visible by the shine of the moonlight upon the waves. She listened to the soft sounds of the waves cresting against the shore and the rustling of the wind through the fields.
As time passed, she felt her eyes begin to close, and she struggled to stay awake.
She yawned and covered her mouth with her hand.
“I will leave you to get some rest,” the demon murmured.
“What do you mean? It’s your carriage,” she said, covering another yawn. “I’m not that tired.”
“There are blankets under the seat,” Caspian said bossily before rapping sharply on the door. The carriage slowed, and once it ground to a halt, he stepped outside. From the sound of footsteps, she assumed that he had gone to sit up front.
She was left alone, feeling somewhat vexed at his commanding tone. She did not appreciate being ordered about as though she were a servant. As another yawn escaped her lips, however, she had to concede her weariness.
Under the seats, she found a few blankets made of thick gray fur. She didn’t know what animal it had come from, but it was incredibly soft. Elizabeth nestled herself into the corner of the carriage and felt her eyes start to close.
For the first time that evening, she felt safe.
***
Elizabeth jolted awake with a gasp, and brought a hand to her chest to still her racing heart. The carriage’s unfamiliar surroundings did little to reassure her. Gradually, as she blinked sleep from her eyes, she realized where she was.
What she had done.
Chewing her lip, it all slowly came back to her. She had run off in the middle of the night, and cast aside the Ashcroft name, probably forever.
She screwed up her eyes, letting her head fall back against the cushioned velvet seat. How could she have been so reckless? So stupid?
Exhaling sharply, she tried to remind herself that the duke would have made a miserable husband. She had made the right choice. Hadn’t she?
Elizabeth tucked the fur blanket tighter around herself and peered out the window. The first rays of sunlight stretched over the grassy fields, bathing the morning in a soft golden glow. It was still early.
Soon, the carriage ground to a halt, and she heard heavy footsteps followed by a sharp knock.
“Yes?” she called, feeling a little self-conscious now that she had to confront the truth of what she had done in the light of morning.
Caspian opened the door. “Good. You’re awake. May I join you?”
“Ah—Yes.” Heat rose up her neck as she fumbled for words. “Sorry for making you sit at the front of the carriage all night. Did you sleep?”
He sat next to her. She edged a bit further away from him, suddenly self-conscious in the light of the morning.
“No, but I am not bothered.”
“Ah.” She smoothed the blanket awkwardly over her lap.
“We will arrive at an inn soon. You may freshen up there before we continue our journey.”
“Oh, good. Thank you.” Caspian had thought of everything, it seemed.
They sat in silence for a moment, soon interrupted by her stomach grumbling loudly.
Her gaze dropped to her lap, and she smiled abashedly. “Oh. Er. Sorry.”
