Chapter 11
As soon as Edward had finished his breakfast, he went to speak to Jenkins to check that the carriage was ready to leave since he was eager to start the journey.
It would take them three days to reach Carlfield House, his country seat, and he was expecting to find it as tedious as usual.
With innumerable stops to change the horses, and at other times, overnight or for lunch at a coaching inn.
Nevertheless his carriage was more comfortable than most, with the family coat of arms on the doors.
Although this did make it a possible target for highwaymen, and the reason why the servants' carriages also travelled with them.
The coachman was also a man who reputedly had the strength of an ox which the Duke didn't doubt, and one of the grooms whom he knew wasn't averse to using his knuckles in a fight, sat on the seat at the back watching their progress from behind.
However Edward still felt uncomfortable about the safety of the Duchess and his servants when travelling with them, and he wished to get the whole thing over and done with as quickly as possible.
Also because he would need to ride to the coast shortly afterwards, to board a ship which would take him across the Channel to France, then travel on horseback again through the regions to Paris.
He groaned inwardly. Not always being the most patient of men, but which he always tried to hide especially from the Duchess.
They would be able to leave London as soon as she had completed her travel preparations, and Miss Barlow had arrived, which hopefully wouldn't be too long.
So his heart missed a beat when he noticed that she was already standing quietly by herself in the hallway.
Alerted to her arrival by the footman, Jenkins had invited her into the house where he said she would be able to wait more comfortably, and said that her bags would be taken to the carriage.
Sophia immediately dipped a curtsy in greeting the Duke who couldn’t help feeling captivated all over again by her presence.
Although he noted with concern that she seemed to have been crying, and certainly wasn't quite as composed as she ought to have been.
Then he reminded himself for the umpteenth time that Miss Sophia Barlow was his employee, and that it was very wrong for him to have any feelings of attraction for her.
As a result he felt greatly relieved when the Duchess began walking down the stairs towards them.
Cynthia was smiling profusely when she said good morning to Edward.
She was also clearly delighted to see Sophia, and greeted her warmly.
The two women exchanged a few pleasantries until they heard Jenkins informing the Duke that the carriage was ready, if his Lordship and the ladies wished to step outside.
Edward turned to his mother to seek her permission, and with a satisfied nod at him, she indicated to Sophia that she should take her arm along with the small bag she was holding which she duly did.
As they were leaving the house, Edward overheard Cynthia informing Sophia that she would be riding with them.
This came as a complete surprise to him, since for some reason he had been under the impression she would be travelling with the rest of the servants.
However, it wasn't long before he recalled that Ruth often used to travel with them, and he didn't know why he had thought it would be different for Sophia.
Especially since Mama might well need her help during the journey, and was likely to want to talk to her to pass the time.
Whilst Edward would have much preferred it if she had travelled with the other servants.
Her presence was simply too disturbing, and for his own comfort he wished to keep as much distance from her as possible.
However, good manners wouldn't allow him to object to his mother's wishes which weren't unreasonable.
Without thinking about what he was doing the Duke helped his mother get into the carriage, before he realised that politeness would demand that he also extend his hand to Sophia in the same way.
An intense awareness of her proximity coursed through his body as she moved closer to him, to place her hand trustingly inside his own.
He knew that he ought not feel the desire for her so deeply within himself, but couldn’t help it.
Even more so when she had withdrawn her hand from his, to take the seat alongside his mama, and he felt the loss of her.
Their eyes had met only briefly in a single intoxicating moment, before that was over too.
The Duke's heart sank when he knew it wasn't to be repeated.
He quickly took the seat opposite the Duchess, feeling highly disgruntled and ill at ease.
Until she asked him politely, in his opinion with a far from innocent look in her eyes, if he wouldn't mind moving to sit opposite Sophia.
As she needed more room to stretch her legs on the journey, to avoid the horror of suffering from cramp which she was certain Ned wouldn't willingly wish to inflict on her.
He was of course obliged to do so, and if that wasn't bad enough, the Duchess insisted then that he should desist from calling her companion Miss Barlow.
At least when there was no one else present.
Sophia was a delightful name, and she wished to hear him use it.
Placing Edward once again in a difficult position.
However the Duke of Carlfield was obliged to do as his mother had asked, since it was a simple enough request. Despite Sophia blushing profusely at the familiarity of it, and both of them feeling more than a little overwhelmed by Cynthia's interference.
At least she didn't give Sophia permission to call him Edward he thought, and which she had actually deemed to be a step too far, but did go on to ask Sophia to refer to her as Lady Cynthia in the future.
Since she would feel much more comfortable with this.
Quite satisfied with how much progress had already been made, Lady Cynthia went on to chatter non-stop about inconsequential things, feeling perfectly at ease.
Ignoring the obvious discomfort of her son and companion, whom she was certain would become accustomed to each other in time and her meddling.
As Cynthia's voice continued in the background and the carriage jolted uncomfortably over the ruts in the road on their way out of London, followed by the servants' carriages, neither of them knew what to do with their legs to avoid getting too close to the other.
Especially when they were almost thrown from their seats by the poor condition of the road.
Nevertheless, determined to maintain a sense of social propriety Edward and Sophia tried their best not to look directly at each other, despite being fully aware of their proximity.
Trying at first to busy themselves in their own pursuits, and ignore it.
Sophia listened politely to Lady Cynthia, and replied to her questions about the places they were passing.
Whilst Edward soon felt tired of his newspaper, and of how difficult he found it trying to pretend he wasn't in such an awkward predicament.
Wishing with all of his heart to take the most beautiful woman he had ever seen into his arms, and kiss her.
Something which he obviously couldn't do since this behaviour would be too shocking for words.
At the same time the incessant rocking of the carriage made it almost impossible for his leg not to collide with hers, from time to time.
On one occasion he felt his eyes soften, without him intending it to happen, and she also apparently hadn't been able to stop herself from mirroring his look. As if she knew and understood his thoughts, which she shared. However she had still wrenched her eyes away from him again, before very long.
The Duchess was also by now telling her in great detail about the Carlisle family, and their ancestors, which again made the Duke uncomfortable.
Eventually including some of her own reminiscences of his childhood, much to his great displeasure.
Feeling that like the tea party atmosphere she had tried to create yesterday at Sophia’s interview, all of this was a step too soon, and most likely too far.
When he tried to object to her recounting certain events which she had found charming, she attributed his embarrassment to false modesty, and chuckled.
She did however stop for a time to gaze out of the window, and talk about what she recalled of the places in London she had visited across the years.
Meanwhile Sophia had been intrigued by all of it.
Although Edward slept well the night before, and had only just left his bed, he decided that the safest option for him would be to feign sleep.
The less interaction he had with Miss Sophia Barlow, and his mother's chattering, the better. He couldn’t help feeling relieved that he would soon be away from all of this for several weeks, and if this morning was the measure of it, his mother would manage quite well without him.
Now that she had Sophia, as her new companion.
So after making his excuses to the Duchess, Ned closed his eyes. A part of him was sorry that he couldn't also block out their voices. In particular, Sophia’s, which was soft and gentle. Just like her, he couldn't help thinking.