Page 35 of A Match Made On Duchess Square

“There’s rain in the offing for certain,” Milbury observed. “Let’s hope it passes overnight. We’ll just be dealing with mud then. However, a few hours of sunlight will dry the roads.”

She could not imagine his sons being permitted to run amok in the rain and mud. Since wet weather was a constant occurrence in England, she knew Milbury would also have a plan for that situation. He seemed to be quite thorough and well organized.

They arrived at an elegant coaching inn called the Cobbler’s Shoe for their first overnight stay by early evening. Milbury and his sons were to share one room while she and Agatha were to share another. Arrangements had also been made for his driver and the few members of his staff that he’d brought along.

Gwendolyn was surprised by the cleanliness and airiness of the chamber she and Agatha were given.

While Agatha set about unpacking their necessaries for this overnight stay, Gwendolyn followed the innkeeper, a jovial, portly fellow by the name of Mr. Buttle, to the accommodations reserved for the men.

To her surprise, their room was smaller than hers but otherwise quite pleasant and clean.

“I sleep on the trundle bed,” Jordan said, pointing to the small bed one of the innkeeper’s staff was rolling in. “Rob sleeps with Papa in the larger bed.”

Milbury turned to her, apparently reading her thoughts. “We do not require the larger room, Gwen. This one is more than adequate for our needs.”

“All right.” But it seemed unnecessary to make the sacrifice when she and Agatha would have been perfectly comfortable in here.

He cast her an apish look, as though to say, You are mine to protect and care for. But did he really need to treat her like a queen?

The butterflies in her stomach once again began their fluttering dance. She could not recall Andrew ever looking at her in quite this protective way, but she would have to think back over ten years ago, and those memories were not as vivid as they had once been.

“How about we meet in the dining room in half an hour?” Milbury said, and then turned to the innkeeper. “Mr. Buttle, we shall be five for supper.”

Gwendolyn was pleasantly surprised he meant to include Agatha. Then again, Agatha was to act as Gwendolyn’s companion even though she would also attend to her maid duties.

In truth, she thought it was kind of Milbury to accept Agatha so readily. Most marquesses would not be so tolerant of a staff member seated at their table, not even one doubling as a companion. Of course, few marquesses would also have children at their table.

But Milbury was all about family bonds. For this reason, she knew it was important for her to seek out prospective brides who placed family high on their list of priorities. As careful as she had been in making her list of prospects, several had fooled her.

Gwendolyn returned to her chamber. “You’re to join us for supper, Agatha.”

“Me?” The maid inhaled sharply. “Oh, m’lady. I ought to dine with Lord Milbury’s staff. Or take supper here in our quarters. I cannot—”

“You are my companion now, and we must be seen together or else everyone will believe I am traveling with Milbury without a chaperone. They’ll leap to the conclusion that he is sharing my quarters.”

“Oh dear. But I wouldn’t know which fork to use, and what am I to do if Lord Milbury speaks to me?”

“I’ll instruct you on the proper silverware to use,” Gwendolyn said gently, “although I doubt it will be a problem. This is a coaching inn, not the court at St. James’s. I can assure you that his boys will prove more of an embarrassment than anything you do. As for speaking to him, Lord Milbury is a gentleman through and through. He will be polite and engaging no matter your response.”

“He is a very good man,” Agatha agreed, and let out a breath. “Shall I change out of my travel gown?”

“I don’t think it is necessary for either of us to do so. But I would love to freshen up and wash some of the dirt off my face and hands.”

“Then I’ll attend to our gowns after supper. They’ll need refreshing.”

Milbury and his sons were already in the inn’s common room when Gwendolyn and Agatha arrived. “Mr. Buttle has set us up in one of the private dining rooms,” he said, motioning toward one of the small rooms away from the tables that were already filled with well-heeled travelers.

Gwendolyn observed Agatha as she looked around in awe. No doubt the few times the maid had traveled with her family, they had not lodged at one of these elegant coaching inns that would have been too expensive. There were many other inns along the route that took in ordinary travelers. “It is easy to get used to such finery,” Agatha whispered to Gwendolyn as they all followed the innkeeper to the private dining room arranged for them.

Jordan behaved like a gentleman and held out a chair for Agatha while Milbury attended to Gwendolyn. The three Milbury males then waited for her and Agatha to be seated before taking their seats.

But the boys could not maintain their gentlemanly behavior once the food arrived, because they were ravenous and pounced on the tempting fare as though they had been starved for days. Gwendolyn had never seen creamed potatoes sucked down anyone’s windpipe so speedily before.

Laughing softly, she leaned over to Agatha and whispered, “And you were worried about your table manners?”

Milbury merely rolled his eyes.

The dinner conversation was relaxed and lively as they ate.