“We were attacked. The ladies are fine,” he quickly added as John’s face grew dark with concern. “When ye return to town, ye will need to alert your authorities,” he said to the men there to help.
Two hours later, the carriage bounced along the rocky road, good as new. The men John had found were all farmers, used to tilling the land, hence their strength. They had made quick work of lifting the carriage out of the ditch and assisting with getting the wheel changed.
Before they left to return home, they gathered the attackers, securing them to their horses to bring them to town to face their punishment.
John explained the town was quite nice. The people kind. There was an inn that they could rest for the night. It wasn’t where they had originally planned to stop, but this delay had put them way behind schedule.
The women were quiet as they rode along. He thought Lizzie may have fallen asleep until he caught her eyes watching him.
Something had changed between them. He couldn’t explain it.
The carriage slowed before rocking to a halt and John swung open the door, announcing their arrival.
He looked out the door. They were stopped in front of a whitewashed stone building. Atop the door, a wrought iron sign with the lettersINNswung to and fro in the wind.
Inside, Lizzie and Mary hung back as he spoke with the innkeeper, who, unfortunately, informed them he had only one room available.
Gazing out the window at the dark sky, he nodded, accepting the key. It was too late to push on, and the women had been through enough for one day.
And the horses needed rest.
Up the stairs, he pushed open the door, waiting for Lizzie and Mary to walk through before following them inside.
Lizzie cocked her head to the side, confused.
“There is only one room available.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but he held his hand up.
“Dinna fash. I will sleep in the hall, ’tis no’ an issue. But I would like to clean up first. After ye both have had the chance to do so, of course.”
“Of course, my lord.”
“I’ll have hot water brought up. I’ll return after ye’ve had time to tend to your needs.”
With a bow, he backed out of the room, leaning on the door after he closed it. Thoughts of the lass bathing flooded his mind and he pushed off the door. Shaking his head to rid it of his errant thoughts.
As he tracked down a maid to request a tub of water, he still couldn’t rid his mind of the images running rampant through his head.
*
Lizzie groaned asshe eased into the tub of hot water. The day had been filled with stress and as she soaked she felt her limbs loosen.
They’d been so taut. But that was no surprise considering all that had happened.
“How much longer do ye think we have until we arrive in Stonehaven?” she asked Mary as she passed Lizzie a soapy washcloth.
“I’ve no idea, Miss. I am certain Lord Kennedy can tell ye.”
“I fear he finds me naught but trouble, Mary. First, he thinks me a thief, then he has to save me from an actual thief.”
Mary giggled. “Och, I am no’ so sure he minds.”
Water sloshed over the edge as she sat up abruptly. “Whate’er do ye mean?”
Mary shrugged. “’Tis no’ my place to say, miss.”
“’Tis when I ask ye, Mary.”
