Page 27 of The Duke and the Spinster

Chapter Ten

They were on the road just before first light. Garrett was filled with a sense of unreality. The dinner the previous evening had been ordinary, as if there was nothing unusual about it, yet everything had changed. Lady Bellinghaugh’s words had left his mind in turmoil, had forced him to consider how he felt about Lady Juliana, in far more depth than he had contemplated before.

Lady Bellinghaugh was right. He would not find marrying Lady Juliana a hardship. Which fact was remarkable, and turned his world upside down. Here he was, a man who had, for the last few years, been actively avoiding the idea of marriage, now looking at it as a thing that he could consider. It was obvious that Lady Juliana had no idea of what Lady Bellinghaugh had said to him – for which he was grateful. But he found his interaction with her suddenly more constrained, as the word ‘marriage’ echoed in his mind at every moment.

As a consequence, he had not slept well. Neither, it seemed, had Lady Juliana, for tiredness showed in her face.

He had planned to spend the time in the carriage discussing exactly how they might do things upon reaching Upper Nettlefold, but, within a short time of them setting out, her tiredness overcame her. She drifted into sleep, sliding sideways on the carriage seat until her head rested against his shoulder. Gently, he lifted his arm and slipped it around her, cradling her to him. She murmured in her sleep, then settled.

That she trusted him so left him full of warmth, and the scent of her hair, some unique mixture which he suspected she had created herself, surrounded him. He could not help himself – he lifted his other hand and slid it through the fallen tendrils of gold, where they lay across her shoulder. It felt as silkily beautiful as he had imagined it to.

Easing himself to lean against the corner of the seat, with her weight resting against him, he watched the countryside roll by. Soon, he was close to sleep as well. As he slipped beyond true wakefulness, a thought drifted through his mind – it would, indeed, be pleasant to hold her, every day.

~~~~~

Juliana woke slowly, uncertain of where she was. Something warm and solid lay beneath her. The steady beat of a heart against her ear made her realise that she was leaning against someone, cradled by an arm. That recognition brought her to full awareness, and she felt a flush spread on her cheeks, and heat rushing through her body. The Duke. She was in his carriage, going back… and it seemed that she had fallen asleep. In his arms! She shifted carefully, attempting to move without waking him.

But, when she lifted herself up to sit properly again, she found his deep dark brown eyes regarding her. There was something in his expression, something she did not understand, some odd combination of pleasure and uncertainty. She looked away, embarrassed.

“I apologise Your Grace. I should not have…”

“There is nothing to apologise for, Lady Juliana. It seems that neither of us slept well last night.”

“You are right, I did not sleep well at all. Still, that is no reason for me to be so rude as to fall asleep, and to… impose upon your person…”

She could not go on; the blush had coloured her cheeks again.

He reached out slowly, and his finger traced the curve of her cheek where the colour rose. Heat followed that touch, even more so, and her breath came short. He allowed his hand to fall away, and shifted his position on the seat.

“I do not feel at all imposed upon, I assure you, my Lady. But, now that we are both awake, I think it best that we turn our thoughts to how we may best manage your successful return to Upper Nettlefold.”

She had not wanted his hand to leave her, she realised, and felt the loss of it acutely. But he was right. They needed to concentrate on planning.

“I confess that I have not the slightest idea of how that may be managed, without destroying my reputation. For we cannot simply drive into the town – if anyone sees me descend from your carriage, it has all been for nought.”

“That is very true, but I am certain that we can find a way to avoid that.”

They spoke as the countryside passed, and the day wore on, the heat of the summer sun filling the carriage, and the scent of flowers coming to them on the breeze. At first, neither could imagine an effective way to avoid discovery. But, after some time, the Duke grinned.

“I have an idea. I think that this will work, if we are careful.”

“Oh? Please tell me, for I will continue to worry terribly until we have a plan – and we are getting steadily closer to the town.”

Juliana was amazed at how comfortable their conversation had become – somehow, it felt the most natural thing in the world to spend hours talking with this man. He had, she realised, been easy to converse with, from the first moment that she had met him. He was, in that instant, filled with the joyful enthusiasm of a man who had finally solved a complex problem. Looking at him, she wondered how she could ever have thought his manner severe.

“As we will arrive at Upper Nettlefold in the afternoon, we cannot sneak you in under cover of darkness. So we need a way for you to appear, as if you have been there the whole time. Close to the town, the road crosses the Nettlerush River. From there, if you walk along the riverside, you come to the gardens that run down from Hardcastle House. So, if I let you down from the carriage before the bridge, you will only need to walk a short way on the road, then take the riverside path to Hardcastle House – as if you had, feeling better, gone for a walk in the gardens. Your valise can stay in the carriage, and I will ensure that it gets back to you later.”

Juliana considered the idea. She could see no fault in it. For, if she was let down from the carriage out of sight of the town, and stayed down near the river, avoiding anyone else out walking, surely, she could reach Hardcastle House undetected. Relief rushed through her and, for the first time, she had some confidence that all could yet be saved – well, at least as far as getting her back to her family. Beyond that, there was still much to deal with.

The Duke watched her, awaiting her opinion.

“I… I believe that will work, Your Grace. Although my valise?”

“My staff will be seen delivering a large box to Hardcastle House. No one will question a delivery, for many things are delivered there each day.”

“Then… yes, let us do as you suggest.”

The remaining distance seemed somehow shorter, for the fact that there was a plan, and soon the carriage was drawing to a halt on the side of the dusty road. Silence surrounded them, broken only by the song of birds in the nearby trees, and the murmur of the river. Juliana slipped down from the carriage, glad of the wide brimmed bonnet shading her face from the afternoon sun. The Duke lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to it, slowly and deliberately. His eyes regarded her with such warmth that she suddenly felt overheated.