Page 16 of The Duke of Ruin
“You said you like it,” she said, watching him stretch his legs and arms. “Where have you been?”
He relaxed his limbs as the coach came to a stop. “All over England, Wales, and Scotland. I’m planning to spend the summer in Ireland.”
“I’ve never been there. Maybe that’s where I should go and disappear.”
He arched a brow at her in the gray afternoon light spilling in through the window just before Tinley opened the door. “Is that what you’ve decided to do?”
She shook her head as she pulled the wool blanket off her legs. “No. I’m still mulling.”
“And you still have time,” he said pleasantly before turning and stepping down from the coach.
He reached up and offered her his hand. She slipped her gloved fingers into his and tried not to think of how much time they were spending together or what would happen if anyone knew of their scandalous journey.
By now, her father would be well on his way to King’s Grange. Once he learned she wasn’t there, what would he do? More importantly, what was Diana going to do?
She’d meant what she’d told Romsey—she was still mulling. For now, she had to admit she was enjoying this reprieve. Never had she been able to go about her day without asking for permission foreverythingor having her every choice and movement thoroughly scrutinized. And often criticized. It was, in a word, heaven. She wasn’t sure she could go back to her life, not after this. Yet the idea of leaving it—and everyone she’d ever known—behind forever was rather daunting.
As she stepped onto the hard earth, Romsey frowned. But he wasn’t looking at her. He was looking at the inn and the other vehicles in the yard. “It looks crowded.”
“Should we go somewhere else?” she asked.
The duke looked at his coachman, who shook his head. “I didn’t see anything else for the last mile, and it’s getting dark quickly. I think this is our best bet.”
“I agree,” Romsey said. He cast Diana a hopeful look. “We’ll be fine. Let’s get inside.” As if to hurry them along, a brisk wind blew against them, icing Diana’s spine.
He clasped her elbow and guided her quickly into the inn, where they were summarily greeted by a rather grouchy innkeeper.
“We’re full,” he said, clearly harassed. His dark, bushy brows nearly met across his forehead. He barely spared them a glance but said, “I’ve a larger room you can share with another couple, provided they don’t mind. I’ll go and speak to them.”
While he lumbered his rather large frame across the common room, Diana turned to Romsey. “Share a room?”
“It’s not uncommon. I’ve done it,” he said with a shrug.
She pursed her lips. “Well, I haven’t.” Then again, she hadn’t doneanything.
“Let’s just wait and see what happens. There’s no sense getting upset until we know what we’re dealing with.”
The innkeeper caught their eye and waved for them to come over to the table where he stood. The occupants of said table were a young couple—an apple-cheeked blonde beauty and her dark-haired, blue-eyed husband who wore a wide grin. Or maybe it wasn’t her husband. Maybe they were on a scandalous journey like Diana and the duke.
Diana and the duke. That sounded like the name of a horrid novel. And perhaps one Diana would like to read. If she were allowed to read them.
The innkeeper nodded at Diana and Romsey. “These are them.” He turned his attention to the duke. “Mr. and Mrs. Ogden said you can have the pallet in front of the fire and pay a third of the fee.”
A third! For a pallet while they had the bed? What would they offer if they knew Romsey was a duke? Of course, she couldn’t tell them.
“That would be excellent,” Romsey said. He inclined his head toward the Ogdens. “Thank you kindly.”
“They’ve already paid,” the innkeeper continued. “So go ahead and pay them, plus I’ll need an extra charge for having additional people.”
“Of course.” Romsey didn’t bat an eye as he paid what the innkeeper demanded and then paid the Ogdens.
“Dinner’s in about an hour,” the innkeeper said gruffly before bustling off.
“Charming fellow,” Diana muttered.
“What’s that?” Mr. Ogden asked, leaning forward.
Diana smiled. “Nothing at all. Thank you for sharing your room with us.”
