An odd lump formed in Sarah’s throat. It made her inexpressibly sad to think she would never see Mrs. Hamilton again. “Thank you for everything,” she replied, squeezing the woman’s hand.
The ride was bumpy, cold, and long. They stopped only to change horses, to eat, and to use the convenience. Lucy had stressed that the faster they could get Sarah back to London by way of Bath, the sooner the gossip about her would die down. Lucy and Cass wouldn’t be stopping at night either.
Christian sat across from Sarah, his beard growing longer each day. They slept fitfully off and on. She curled up on the forward-facing seat, tucked her legs beneath her, and attempted to rest despite the near constant jolting of the carriage. Christian must have been even more uncomfortable with his long legs squeezed into such a small space. He leaned against the wall of the coach and tried to doze that way, but she doubted he was able to, as evidenced by the increasingly dark shadows under his eyes.
The lump that had formed in Sarah’s throat when she’d been saying good-bye to Mrs. Hamilton remained throughout the journey. It was so kind of Lord Berkeley and his two friends, so very kind of them to help her, a woman they knew little of and had no reason to help. During the day while they were awake, Christian attempted to make her laugh and keep her entertained with stories about his trip to the Continent after he’d left university and the foibles of his friends in London.
“And then there was the time Garrett Upton and I were nearly expelled from Eton,” Christian said after they’d returned to the coach from eating a meal at an inn.
“I cannot possibly believe that,” she replied with a laugh. “You? Nearly expelled?”
“I haven’t always done the right thing,” Christian replied.
Sarah had to look away. She was thinking of how he’d done the right thing in the conservatory when he hadn’t kissed her. He had to be thinking about it, too.
She turned back to face him. There was something she had to say to him. “I can never repay you, you know—” Her voice caught at the end of the sentence.
His crystal-blue eyes held her gaze. “You don’t have to, you know.”
Tears stung her eyes. Bother. “I’ve never known anyone so kind.”
He rubbed his forehead. “Didn’t I mention my reputation as someone who helps damsels in distress?”
“I’m sorry, Lord Berkeley,” she whispered, fighting away the tears.
The hint of a smile touched his firm lips. “I thought we were long past the point where you call me Lord Berkeley.”
“Yes. Of course.” She needed to change the subject, to banish the unwanted tears. She alighted on the first thing that came to mind. “Speaking of titles, however, I still don’t understand why you didn’t see fit to tell me your friends Lucy and Cass were a duchess and a countess.”
“You didn’t know I was a viscount. I thought you might wonder why I was keeping such company.”
“I would have wondered, but that’s not the point. You should have told me you were a viscount as well.”
“I didn’t tell you because when I first met you, you were trying to convince me of how agentlemanwould behave in London.”
She winced. “I was quite awful, wasn’t I?”
“I don’t know. I have to admit I was a bit impressed with your fearlessness. I’ve never had a lady attempt to brandish a sword at me before.”
She laughed. “I wasn’t fearless at all. I was scared witless. I had no idea you were Master Christian. I actually told myself you were another person who’d happened on the house by accident.”
“Thought you might have to fight me for your claim, eh?”
She laughed again. “I thought perhaps you were a bandit.”
“I’m impressed with your bravery. You were ready to fiercely protect yourself. Another young lady might have been hiding or weeping.”
“I’m not much of a weeper, I suppose.”
He grinned at that. “Meanwhile, I had no idea who was sleeping in my bed.”
“I’m sorry if I frightened you, too.”
“Nothing to worry about. I was more annoyed, actually, that someone had made themselves at home in my house.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a viscount after that?”
He shrugged. “It didn’t seem relevant, really.”
