CHAPTER 11
CLIFTON
I found it impossible not to stare at Diana. She was so different from the carefree youth I’d once known. So buttoned up and tightly in control of every expression.
Occasionally, when she spoke, I could see a hint of the happy girl and adolescent I’d met over the years when I was home from school and her mother was visiting mine, Diana in tow.
A tilt of the head, a fleeting expression.
And when Diana had agreed to come with me, the defiant thrust of her chin had been unmistakable.
But she was no longer a girl. She was a young woman now, one her aunt and uncle were clearly trying to crush.
They had done everything in their power to ensure she was invisible this season, and if Caroline hadn’t befriended her, they might have succeeded.
I couldn’t help but wonder why they’d allowed her to come to London.
Clearly, Tuttleford considered that decision a mistake.
But it was one I would exploit. I owed it to my mother to ensure her friend’s daughter was kept safe. I would do what her aunt and uncle clearly were not willing to do.
Diana’s breathing began to slow, and I could see she’d finally fallen asleep.
I hated that she’d had to do so in a carriage while being spirited away in the dark of night.
But it was necessary that we put as much distance as possible between Diana and her guardians before they discovered her absence.
They would go to Kendrick’s townhouse first. But my friend and his new bride would already be gone since they planned to leave London at daybreak.
How long would it take Tuttleford to figure out she was with me? And would he suspect we were headed to Gretna Green? I had no doubt he’d give chase. He wouldn’t want to lose control of Diana’s inheritance.
For what felt like the hundredth time, I searched within myself for the panic I expected to feel at the knowledge that before too much longer, I would be married.
I was still surprised to find no such emotion.
There was only the bone-deep certainty that I needed to do everything in my power to ensure Diana was safely married to me before her uncle caught up with us.
If my suspicions were true and he’d arranged for Lady Atherton’s death, then Tuttleford would have connections to the sorts of men who would help him find me. And if he did so before we were wed, he’d take her. I shuddered to think what he’d do to her if that came to pass.
I pulled aside the curtain and looked outside. We’d just left London, which meant the outriders I’d arranged to escort the carriage would be following. I wasn’t foolish enough to attempt such an escape through the night without additional security.
The carriage jolted then, and Diana cried out.
I turned to look at her but she was still asleep.
Her neck was at an awkward angle, though, and I knew she’d be in pain when she woke.
I moved closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
I was trying to work out how to transfer her head to my shoulder without waking her when she murmured something in her sleep.
I smiled when I realized it was my name. Given the current circumstances, it wasn’t surprising that she was dreaming about me. And then she solved my current dilemma by turning toward me and burrowing into my shoulder.
I stared down at her, wondering if her dream was a happy one.
I hadn’t wanted to frighten her, but I didn’t want her to suffer from any romantic notions.
Ours would be a real marriage, yes, but I wanted the practical young woman Kendrick had told me about.
The one who’d done everything in her power to keep Caroline safe from being ruined by a rake.
A corner of my mouth quirked upward. How ironic that she would find herself in this position with another rake.
I hadn’t expected to fall asleep, but the next thing I knew, I was jolting awake as the carriage came to a stop. I glanced down to see that Diana was still sleeping. She’d curled more fully into me, one hand resting on my thigh. I shifted as part of me came inconveniently awake at that realization.
I was already hard, a normal occurrence upon waking, and I didn’t want to shock Diana if her hand slipped a little closer. I gritted my teeth and willed my erection to subside.
“Diana,” I said softly.
Her small hum had me smiling.
“Diana, you need to wake up.”
Her brow furled. “Don’t want to wake up.”
I was grinning now. “The carriage has stopped.”
Her eyes sprung open, her head lifting to meet my gaze. And then she was pulling back, red flooding her cheeks. “My apologies. I don’t know what happened.”
I shushed her. “You were sleeping with your head at an awkward angle. I felt you would be more comfortable this way instead of having your head banging against the side of the carriage.”
Her eyes remained fixed on mine for a moment. And then she nodded. “How very sensible of you.”
There was an odd note in her voice, but I chose to disregard it.
I pulled aside the curtain and glanced outside to see we’d arrived at the first posting inn along our route. The sun hadn’t yet risen, but a quick glance at my pocket watch told me it would soon.
“Do you want to go inside? The horses need to be changed, but that shouldn’t take too long. I was thinking we would remain in the carriage for this first stop, but if you need to visit the retiring room…”
Her cheeks were now fully red. “No, I am fine, my lord. How far are we from London?”
“Not far enough for my liking.”
Her head tilted to one side as she examined me. “And how far is it to Scotland?”
“Three hundred miles,” I said.
She was silent for a moment. “How many days will that take?”
“Three days at most, but I’ll be doing everything in my power to ensure we have a quick journey.”
She nodded. “I am fine for now. We can stay here while the horses are changed.” She looked outside, and in that moment, the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon.
“My uncle is home now. But if he behaves true to form and no one has realized I’m gone, he will likely be leaving soon on whatever business he does when he is away from home all day.”
“And your aunt won’t rise until noon?”
Diana nodded. “As long as they haven’t discovered my absence.”
I thought it an unreasonable assumption, but Diana was clearly neglected. For now, that would work to our advantage. With each mile we placed between us and the Tuttlefords before they realized Diana was missing, the greater our chances of reaching Scotland without being accosted.
“Very well. Stay here while I speak to the grooms. I won’t stray far, but I’ll request that breakfast be brought to us.” I began to rise, but Diana placed a hand on my arm to stop me. “Is something the matter?”
She was biting her bottom lip. “Are you sure you want to do this? Burden yourself with my problems?”
I frowned, hating her phrasing. “You aren’t a burden.”
She shook her head. “You and I both know that isn’t true. And I was happy, for a time, to allow you to spirit me away. But it seems that my inconvenient conscience is insisting I ask whether you’ve changed your mind…”
I reached for her hand and held it. Her gaze moved to where our bare fingers were linked, and I couldn’t help but notice how cold her hand felt. I would need to arrange for a blanket for her. The night had been cool, but it hadn’t bothered me.
I should have thought of that already. She was so much smaller than me, and the cold would affect her more. It would only grow cooler at night the further north we traveled.
“Nothing is going to stop me from taking you to Gretna Green and marrying you. You are the only person who can do that.”
Her lower lip trembled and then she stiffened. “Very well, my lord.”
I waited a moment since I could tell she wanted to say something else. When it became clear she wasn’t going to reveal what she was thinking, I exited the carriage and closed the door behind me.
My driver was already speaking to the inn’s head groom, arranging for fresh horses. Around us, the four outriders were doing the same. We’d make our way to the next inn before stopping to sleep for a few hours. But a sense of urgency was riding me hard. We were still far too close to London.