Chapter 8
Max woke up the next morning with his arms around Allegra.
She was snoring slightly, and it was light enough for him to see her face and the slight bruise on her throat where he must have bitten her in his passion.
She smelled of him, and he was more content than he had ever been before in his life. …
Max fully opened his eyes. This would never do.
Today, they would part company, and he would endeavor to ensure that no one ever thought of them in the same breath.
She deserved to be shielded from Roberts’ malicious gossip, and he would do his utmost to repair her reputation, even if that meant he had to lie and destroy Roberts’ reputation in the process.
He got out of bed and went over to the table under the window, where a jug of water and a bowl stood ready for his ablutions.
A cloth had been neatly folded and left on the floor.
Max didn’t need to pick it up to see there were faint bloodstains on it.
His gut spasmed, and he quickly splashed cold water into the bowl and washed himself clean.
He’d never bedded a virgin before, and he hadn’t realized there would be … evidence.
He reminded himself that Allegra had asked him to bed her and that she’d been an enthusiastic participant in every aspect of their night together. He glanced back at the bed and found her watching him, her expression hard to read.
“Good morning,” Max said. “I thought I might bring you your breakfast in bed.”
“There is no need.” She sat up, her brown hair falling over her shoulder. “I am quite capable of getting up.”
“As you wish.” Max found his sadly crumpled shirt and put it on.
“I’d appreciate your help with my stays. It’s much easier when someone else does them.”
She sounded her usual self, and Max relaxed slightly until he noticed her wince as she got out of bed.
“Are you well?”
She looked at him. “I am a little sore, but that is to be expected. There is nothing for you to worry about.”
He moved over to allow her access to the water jug and bowl and concentrated on putting on his stockings, breeches, and waistcoat while she washed.
She’d already put her shift back on, so it was an easy matter for him to lace up her stays and help her step into her petticoats and gown.
She sat down to brush out her hair and pin it up while he tied his cravat and put on his coat.
“We both look quite respectable,” Allegra said. “Although I dread to think what the maid will make of our bedsheets after we’ve gone.”
“She’ll certainly worry about our relationship,” Max agreed, as he held the door open for her. “But as neither of us are ever likely to return to this spot, I doubt we should care.”
They went down to the kitchen, greeted an enthusiastic Pippin, and had an excellent breakfast. Max paid the bill, and Allegra went back upstairs to collect her reticule.
By the time she came down, Max had the horse within the shafts of the gig and was ready to go.
He picked her up and set her on the seat beside Pippin and went around the other side to take his own place.
After a nod to the ostler, he clicked to the horse, and they were off toward King’s Lynn and the last few miles of their journey to Musgrove Hall.
Having mutually decided not to stop anywhere Allegra might be recognized, they arrived at the wall surrounding the Musgrove estate in the early afternoon.
Allegra directed Max toward a secluded area away from the main gates, and he stopped the gig and came around to lift her down.
Instead of releasing her, he held on, and she looked up at him in surprise. His expression was grave.
“What is it?”
“Are you quite sure that you don’t want me to deliver you to your front door?”
“We’ve already talked about this,” Allegra said. “And I agreed not to mention you.”
“I am responsible for your predicament.”
“Yes, you are, but I have forgiven you,” Allegra reminded him. “Because you gave me something very valuable in return.” She paused. “A night with a rake.”
“You mean I ruined you.”
“I don’t see it like that.” Allegra eased out of his grasp. “You gave me what I asked for. I have no regrets for what passed between us. Do you?”
He didn’t reply, but his gaze was locked on hers, so she continued. “Are you still annoyed that I forced you into it? You could’ve refused.”
His mouth twisted. “If I’d been a better man, I should’ve done so.”
Allegra took a step back. “Then I am sorry that I coerced you into something that was distasteful for you.” She picked up her reticule. “The good news is that we never have to see each other again and that you’ll soon forget your temporary loss of judgment.”
She turned away, hoping he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. Surely, he didn’t wish to end their liaison like this. “Come along, Pippin. It’s time to go home.”
She’d gone several steps before he called out to her, and her heart skipped.
“Allegra.”
“Yes?” She didn’t turn her head.
“If you find yourself with child, you will contact me.”
“It seems unlikely, sir.”
“Promise you will tell me.”
She sighed. “Fine, I promise.”
She waited for more, but he didn’t speak, so she carried on walking, Pippin jumping at her heels until she found the gap in the wall where there had once been a stile.
Just before she stepped over it, she turned and looked back.
Max was still standing by the gig, his head bowed, but he wasn’t looking in her direction.
He never would again.
Allegra made her way through the familiar wood and walked up the drive to Musgrove Hall, which was a pleasant flint and stone manor house her father had significantly enlarged during his tenure.
Allegra reached the front of the house and turned left to go under the arch into the stable yard and the entrance to the kitchen.
Max would have gone by now. She could only hope he’d be able to mitigate some of the damage done by his friend Roberts in London.
Not that it was a terrible problem for her, because she probably wouldn’t be going there again.
“Lady Allegra!” There was a screech, and one of the maids dropped the tray she was carrying. “Where have you been?”
Allegra smiled at the aghast faces crowding around her. “I wonder if someone might feed my dog while I go and speak to my parents? I’m sure they’ll let you know what happened as soon as they can.”
“I’ll take the dog, my lady.” Frogmore the butler came forward, his dignity intact. “Does it have a name?”
“Pippin,” Allegra said. “He’s a very good boy, but quite excitable, so don’t let him outside unless he is supervised.”
“Very good, my lady. Your parents are in the drawing room with Lady Carenza and Mr. Laurent.” He paused. “It is very good to see you returned to us safe and sound.”
“Thank you.” Allegra set her bag down on the table. “Could someone take this up to my bedroom, please, and organize me a bath? I am rather tired.”
She walked along the flagstones to the green baize door, went through the hall, and into the drawing room, which was on the garden side of the house.
Her parents were seated together, and opposite them, looking extremely pleased with themselves, were Carenza and Julian Laurent.
“Good afternoon, everyone,” Allegra said.
“Allegra!” Her mother burst into tears and ran toward her. “I thought you were dead!”
“I am quite well.” Allegra patted her mother’s back while everyone else came rushing toward her. “I have had something of an adventure.”
“I’d say so.” Julian smiled at her. “Perhaps you’d care to enlighten us? Carenza has been very worried about you.”
Her father cleared his throat. “When our coachman returned and told us there was no sign of you, I immediately traveled up to London to raise the alarm.”
“Thank you for doing that, Father,” Allegra sat down and her mother immediately joined her.
“No one seemed to know where you’d gone.”
“It was all quite ridiculous, really.” Allegra, who was a terrible liar, had rehearsed her story several times in the past hours, and could only hope she sounded sincere.
“On that last evening in London, I heard a carriage stop outside the house and assumed it was ours. I hurried to get in because it was raining and didn’t think to look up and confirm it was our coachman.
I must have dozed off, because it wasn’t until quite a while later that I realized that we should have stopped for the night and that we appeared to be going in the wrong direction. ”
“At what time of day was this?” her father asked.
“It was very late,” Allegra said. “When I got in the carriage, the light had already begun to fade, and the weather was terrible. I know it was silly of me not to look up and check, but because I was expecting it to be Wilkins, I didn’t even bother.”
“What happened when you realized things weren’t right?” Carenza asked.
“I tried to make the coachman stop by banging on the roof, but he didn’t heed me.” Allegra took a deep breath. “I opened the window to shout at him, and just as I got his attention, the coach lurched to one side, and I ended up in a ditch.”
“Good lord,” her father said. “Do you think you distracted the driver?”
“I hadn’t considered that, Father, but you might be right,” Allegra said. “But what else was I supposed to do?”
“Were you injured?” Carenza asked.
“I was rather shaken. The wheel had come off the carriage, so I helped the coachman calm the horses and untangle the reins. While we accomplished this task, I was finally able to ask him where he was taking me. He said that he’d been ordered to pick up the Northrups’ governess from their London house and bring her down to their country abode. ”
“The Northrups live on the other side of the square,” her father said. “I suppose the coachman got the house number wrong and waited outside our door instead of theirs.”
“That’s what I assume, as well, Father. He did say it was his first time traveling to London. We decided to walk the horses to the nearest inn and ask for help there.”