Chapter Four
Edward did his best to seem calm, but he was far from it.
How could he be when he and Penelope went somersaulting through the air as the horses rebelled and the carriage flipped over?
He could still see it happening in his mind.
Penelope’s frightened face as they were airborne, and him desperately trying to keep her safe.
He didn’t know if he would ever forget the soft mewl she let out when he went to pick her up, along with the bruise on her inner knee.
She would be in pain for days while it healed.
And on top of that, the carriage was damaged, leaving them stranded on the Scottish border.
“This is the very definition of adventure,” Penelope hummed with a smile on her face.
When she tilted her face toward his, he was struck by her absolute beauty.
She was relishing every moment of this. She was a marvel and hardly complained during the long days of their journey north.
If he were with any other woman, he had little doubt she would be bemoaning every second of the journey.
“Mr. Honeycutt, we’ll be in shortly. I must speak with Lady Pen—my wife privately for a moment.”
“I’ll meet you inside, sir.” The innkeeper nodded and proceeded to the entrance.
Edward drew Pen to a halt beside him, then turned to Joshua and William. “Once the carriage is brought into the inn’s mews, will you evaluate it and let me know your thoughts about the damage?”
“Yes, sir,” Joshua said while shaking his head. “It’s a deuced shame we broke down here. We were only half a day away from our destination.” He turned to William. “Come with me. Let’s see what kind of tools they have available here.”
“Perhaps they have a carriage to let?” Pen offered as the two men walked in the direction of the mews.
“Excellent idea.” Edward released a breath. “Now, let us come to an understanding before we go inside.”
“About my choice of hats?” When she giggled, his heart skipped a beat, and immediately, the situation didn’t seem as dire as it had five minutes ago.
“No, not that.” He grinned and stared at the ground for a moment trying to center his thoughts. “This marriage idea.”
“But don’t you see, it’s perfect.” She faced him, took his hands in hers, and squeezed. “We can pretend to be married here, and no one will think any differently. We’re safe from scandal.”
“It’s not that simple. You’re a duke’s daughter. Everyone knows who you are.”
“Not this far north, I assure you.” She peered down the front of her gown. “Unless they are familiar with the Harrington sisters and how well-endowed we are.” She frowned slightly.
“None of that.” He reached for her and smoothed his finger across the slight lines on her forehead. “You’re beautiful inside and out. And if people don’t see that, then they’re ignorant.”
“You’re very kind, but this will work.” She looked around the inn’s courtyard. “What other choice do we have? They only have one bedroom.”
A group of elderly men stood close by, leaning in their direction, intent on hearing every word they spoke.
Edward was about to shoo them away when a thin middle-aged man wearing round wire spectacles drew his attention.
As soon as Edward caught his gaze, the man turned and started a conversation with a bystander.
This wasn’t the first time Edward had seen the same man. At the last coaching inn they stayed at, someone who looked similar seemed to be following them. However, he left the inn on horseback before they did, so Edward didn’t give it another thought. But here he was again.
An icy shiver skated down Edward’s back as he recalled Lord Draven’s warning that he would obtain what he wanted, no matter what Edward did to thwart him. There was no sense in jumping to any rash conclusions, but he couldn’t deny that the man he’d seen was following them.
“Did you tell anyone in your family that you were traveling?” Perhaps her brother was having her watched. But that didn’t make sense either. He would have had them stopped as soon as they left the ducal estate.
Penelope shook her head, her blond curls glistening in the sunlight.
“No. My brother is still in Surrey. I don’t expect him in London until the end of the week.
He and Felicia will officially open the house for the upcoming Season and the new session of Parliament.
” She shrugged. “If I told him what I was planning, he wouldn’t have let me go.
He still thinks he can make decisions for me.
None of my sisters are aware of my task or what we’re undertaking. ”
That unsettling miasma settled around Edward again. Whenever that happened, it was always best to follow his intuition. It had never steered him wrong. Right now, his intuition screamed for him to stay close to Penelope and not let her out of his sight.
“Regarding our marriage, perhaps we should proceed.” He kept his voice low. When Pen’s gaze shot to his, he shook his head. “What I meant to say was pretend marriage. It will give you protection.”
“As well as you.” Penelope tilted her chin up an inch. “You have a reputation as well. I don’t want to be your downfall either.”
That was one of the reasons why they were best friends. She always had his best interests in mind, whether it was something as simple as a book or his reputation, even if they were a little misplaced. “Let me concentrate on you.”
Annoyingly, the elderly men who acted like a Greek chorus still stood close by.
Thankfully, their interest in his and Pen’s conversation seemed to have withered.
The daily mail coach had just entered the courtyard drive and captured their attention.
Which meant their secret was safe and only between them.
“Then we’re married?” Pen asked with a mischievous gleam in her eye.
“We’re married,” he agreed.
“We’re husband and wife,” Pen declared and stuck out her hand.
“We’re wife and husband,” Edward said with a chuckle and shook her hand. Then he brought it to his lips. “Newlyweds who are completely smitten with one another.”
Her breath caught in surprise. But it only lasted for a moment. “We’re utterly taken with one another.” She leaned close. “But you have it worse than I do. You’re madly in love with me.”
The ironic thing about Pen’s statement? He had a sneaking suspicion that it was entirely accurate.
He was utterly enchanted with her, and it wasn’t pretend either.
That’s what scared the living daylights out of him.
In a whirlwind of activity, they gave the necessary information to Mr. Honeycutt, and Edward paid the deposit with the coins he’d brought with him.
He could tell by the sudden flush on Pen’s cheeks that she didn’t like the fact that he was paying for their stay.
Edward had never hidden the fact that his financial status was way below Pen’s, and it had never bothered him until this trip.
He wanted to be the one to take care of her and ensure that her every need was met.
Any husband would relish such a responsibility.
Without fanfare, Mr. Honeycutt guided them to their room.
“Enjoy your stay.” He turned to leave, then paused and faced them again.
“I must say that I’m a tried and true romantic, and I don’t hide that fact.
It’s always special when newlyweds visit.
But it’s an especially joyous occasion when the couple is as much in love as you.
” He pointed to his eyes. “I can always tell. Couples can’t take their eyes off each other, and you two are in your own little world. Enjoy this exceptional bridal suite.”
As soon as the door closed, Pen glanced around the room. “Mr. Honeycutt should think about investing in new spectacles. The only thing I see is this unexceptional bridal suite.”
The inn’s “bridal suite chamber” turned out to be a cramped room with slanted water-stained ceilings and uneven floors from soaking rains, faded floral wallpaper, and one bed that sagged ominously in the middle.
Edward inhaled. At least it didn’t smell like mildew.
Penelope stood in the middle of the room and turned in circles as she evaluated it. When she came to a halt, her gaze landed on the bed. “That is not a bed or even a suggestion of a bed,” she declared. “It’s a carcass from centuries ago, a proverbial relic.”
“We will make do,” Edward said, brushing past her to test the mattress. It creaked under his weight. “Sturdy enough. Come try it.”
“Sturdy enough for you, perhaps.” She poked the mattress with a doubtful finger.
Slowly, she lifted her eyes to meet his as her voice softened.
“But add me, and we’ll sink straight through to the kitchens.
” She laughed without any real humor. “Since it’s an inn, that would undoubtedly be a catastrophe. How would they serve food?”
Edward smiled gently but didn’t comment on her attempt at humor. He knew precisely why she tried to change the subject with humor. “Penelope—”
“Oh, don’t look at me like that. I’m not blind. I know I am generous.” She waved vaguely at herself, from bosom to hips, as though they were troublesome parcels she carted around. “Beds tend to notice. As do chairs.”
For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then, very quietly, Edward cleared his throat. “There’s not a man alive who wouldn’t be grateful for every inch of that generosity.” Her eyes widened, emboldening him to continue. “But I’m the lucky fellow who is married to you.”
A blush stole across her cheeks. “You can’t say things like that.”
“Why not? It’s true.” Then he heard what he was actually saying. “I don’t mean that we’re actually married, mind you. But if we were, I’d be proud to call you my wife.” He turned back to the mattress before she could see how tightly his jaw clenched. God help him. He’d said too much.
She fluttered her hands, attempting to dismiss his words with false brightness. “Well. Regardless. I refuse to sleep here. You’ll have to take the bed, and I’ll…I’ll make do with a sturdy chair.”
“You’ll do no such thing.” Edward straightened, towering over her. He was so close that if he leaned an inch, he could kiss her lush, rosy lips that tortured his dreams every single night. Come morning, he would not be the only one rising. His cock would be rock hard, aching for her.
Egad, she was his best friend in the entire world.
God help him if his cock thought to misbehave at that moment. Penelope would run screaming from their room if she how much he was lusting after her. Because she was his best friend, and he valued her more than he wanted to consider, Edward took a step back, creating distance between them.
He cleared his throat. “If anyone’s taking the chair, it’s me.
“Absolutely not,” she sputtered. “You’re much too big for it. You would wake up twisted like a pretzel.
“And you would wake with a crick in your neck.” He smiled, hoping she would understand that he was determined to have his way. “Pen, listen to me. Your curves are not made for a hard chair.” His damnable tongue. The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Her mouth fell open. “Was that a compliment?”
“Yes,” he cut in grimly, tugging at his cravat that suddenly felt three sizes too small. “No need to worry. Forget what I said.”
Her eyes widened.
“I mean…I meant it…Just don’t remember it.”
She was grinning now, in that sly, wicked, mischievous way that meant he was in trouble. “Oh, husband,” she teased. “I won’t forget. Not ever.”
Edward groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face. This was going to be the longest night of his life.
And if he stayed in the room with Pen all night, it was possibly the best torture he would ever endure.