Chapter 3 #2
“Thank the Lord,” Allegra said. “I feel as if we’ve been traveling for days.”
Max’s assumption proved to be correct. There was no one around at the derelict mill, but the rushing water was a welcome sight. Allegra went to dismount, but Max held her still.
“Let me get down first.”
“I’m quite capable …”
Even as she was speaking, he was on the ground and lifting her down to stand beside him. He waited a moment to see that she was steady on her legs and then let her go.
“I’ll go and see if I can find something to put the water in. If not, we’re going to have to take our chances with the stream.” He looked briefly over his shoulder as he walked away. “Try not to fall in or get carried away by fairies before I come back.”
“I’d like to remind you that all of this is your fault.” Allegra raised her voice so that he could hear her over the roar of the water.
He didn’t reply, and taking advantage of being alone, Allegra hurried to find a secluded spot where she could relieve herself. When she emerged, there was no sign of Max, and a surge of pure terror enveloped her.
“I’m over here,” he shouted. He stood by the stream, where he was allowing the horse to drink.
With a mental note to herself not to be such a scaredy cat, Allegra marched down the slope toward him.
“I couldn’t find anything decent to put water into, so you’ll have to use your hands,” Max said. “There’s a relatively safe platform here near where the mill wheel used to be.”
“Thank you,” Allegra said. She walked as far away from the horse as possible and, using the mill’s stone wall to hold onto, she leaned in, cupped her hand, and brought the water to her lips. She gasped. “It’s freezing!”
She scooped up as much as she could, realizing she was very thirsty.
By the time she’d finished, both Max and the horse had disappeared again.
She walked up the slope to find him sitting on one of the walls, delving into what appeared to be a recently acquired saddlebag.
He brought out half a loaf of bread, and an involuntary moan broke through Allegra’s lips.
He looked over at her. “Hungry? I stole this through the kitchen window last night.”
She took a seat beside him. “I must admit that this is most welcome.”
“I’m glad I’ve done something right for once.” He tore a piece of the floury cottage loaf and handed it to her. “Bon appetit.”
She ate the bread as slowly as she could, savoring every mouthful while Max did the same.
“I wish I’d been able to reach the cheese,” Max said as he finished his piece and dusted off his fingers. “But this was better than nothing.”
“It certainly was.” Allegra smiled at him. “Thank you.”
He cocked his head to one side. “You look completely different when you smile. You should do it more often.”
“You have given me very little to smile about, my lord.” Allegra raised her chin. “And to be honest, the moment a man suggests I should smile more, I want to do the complete opposite.”
“Have you ever wondered if it is your contrary nature that has prevented you from acquiring a husband, rather than your family’s reputation?”
“Have you?”
His brow creased. “Have I what?”
“Ever wondered if your appalling reputation will prevent any decent woman’s family from wanting an alliance with you?”
He smiled. “No. I’m the eldest son of a duke. All women want to marry me, regardless.”
“Not this one.” Allegra stared pointedly at him.
“And after I went to all that effort to feed you.” He mock-frowned. “The ingratitude.”
Allegra took a deep breath. “Perhaps we should stop squabbling and consider our current situation.”
“Why? I enjoy squabbling with you. It takes my mind off our ‘current situation.’”
Allegra opened her reticule and took out her purse.
“As I didn’t have to pay for our lodgings last night, we aren’t completely out of money.
” Max grimaced. “And I have my pearl necklace and earrings to barter with if necessary. As we have no idea where we are, I suggest that we keep going until we find an inn or a village where we can get our bearings.”
“An excellent plan,” Max said.
Allegra gave him a sideways look. It was highly irritating that even after two nights out in the open, he still looked remarkably fresh and handsome, whereas she was certain she looked like a drab.
He raised his eyebrows. “What?”
“I was waiting for you to disagree with me,” Allegra said. “Or repeat what I said and claim it as your own idea.”
“Good lord, you do have a low opinion of men, my lady,” Max said. “Your plan is sound, your reasoning impeccable, and I am more than happy to be on our way. Does that suffice?”
“Yes.” Allegra put her purse back in her reticule, and Max strapped it to the saddle. “Perhaps we should be on our way.”
This time, Lady Allegra insisted on mounting the horse without his assistance, which led to her hopping up and down in a most ungainly manner while she cursed under her breath—all of which Max found highly entertaining.
She finally sat in front of him, her nice round arse pressed firmly between his thighs, and he gathered the reins around her.
“At some point we’ll run out of land,” Max commented, as the horse plodded onward along the deserted country lane surrounded by fields and the occasional tree. “They’ll have to be some fishing ports or villages on the coast.”
“I’m sure there will be,” Lady Allegra said, her gaze fixed firmly forward, the ribbons of her bonnet taking flight in the gusty wind.
“Shall we stick to our tale of a carriage accident?” Max asked. “And that we are brother and sister?”
“As we will be arriving with no obvious conveyance, we can hardly present ourselves otherwise,” Lady Allegra said. “And I suspect that the idea that we might be married would seem even more ridiculous than us being brother and sister.”
“Why would you think that?”
“You’re far too pretty to choose a plain wife, sir.”
“I seem to remember you saying that beauty is only skin deep,” Max replied. “And, let’s be clear, my father will choose my bride for her family alliances rather than her prettiness.”
“You shouldn’t let him force a bride on you.”
“I hardly have a choice,” Max said. “He controls everything in the family.”
“You could still defy him.”
Max snorted. “I’ve tried that. It never ends well.”
“I suppose that explains why you are considered a rake,” Lady Allegra said slowly. “Does he dislike your behavior?”
“Very much so, but trust me, if I am a rake, it’s entirely because I wish to be one, and it has nothing to do with my father.”
There was quite a long pause before she replied, “If you say so.”
Eager to change the subject, Max pointed at the horizon. “I see a church spire.”
“Thank goodness,” Lady Allegra said. “Perhaps there is a vicarage attached to it where we can seek help.”
When they reached the church, they found the house next to it empty and boarded up, but there was a lane leading down to a cluster of cottages and a large tithe barn.
“Shall we chance it?” Max asked.
“I don’t think we have much choice.”
“I doubt we’ll meet two publicans who wish to murder us in one day, my lady. That would be the stuff of legends.”
At the end of the lane of terraced, flint stone cottages, there was an inn called The Golden Fleece. Max dismounted and lifted Lady Allegra down.
“Wait here with the horse. I’ll go and find the landlord.”
He was slightly surprised that she didn’t argue. He stepped into the cool, dark hallway of the inn and was struck dumb by a blond young woman with the figure of a goddess coming toward him.
“Good morning, sir. How may I help you?”
Max gave her his most charming smile. “Good morning. My sister and I were traveling overnight, and our gig met with a terrible accident.”
“Mercy.” The woman put her hand to her cheek. “Were you injured?”
“Luckily, we escaped without any harm, but we have our horse and very little else.”
“I’ll fetch Mr. Gunner,” the woman said. “He’ll know what to do.”
She hurried off, shouting what Max assumed was the landlord’s name, and within a few minutes, a tall, middle-aged man appeared.
“Good morning.” Max inclined his head. “I’m Mr. Foster.”
“Mr. Gunner, sir. Daisy says you’ve been in an accident.”
“Yes, our gig lost a wheel several miles back, and we were forced to walk and ride the rest of the way on our carriage horse. My sister is quite exhausted,” Max said. “Would it be possible for us to stable our horse and perhaps rent a gig from you?”
“I don’t have vehicles to rent out, sir, but you could borrow our gig tomorrow after my missus returns from the county market. Were you heading for Great Yarmouth?”
“Yes, indeed.” Max grasped gratefully at the name.
“Well, we can certainly take you to Southwold and set you on your way. They have coaching inns there aplenty.”
“Thank you, sir,” Max said. “I’ll take the horse around to the stables and bring my sister in directly.”
He went outside to Lady Allegra, who appeared to be nodding off against the horse’s side. She looked rather bedraggled, her gown creased, her bonnet crooked, and her hair half-falling down at the back.