Page 18 of The Duke of Ruin
A few minutes later, the serving girl brought tea and said their dinner would be out shortly. Then Tinley came over to tell them their things had been delivered to their room and that he’d see them in the morning.
Over dinner, Mr. Ogden asked Romsey about his occupation. Diana realized they’d come this far without discussing that. She was quite curious to hear what he’d say.
“I’m fortunate to have inherited a small estate,” Romsey said easily. “Nothing terribly fancy.”
“I wondered,” Mrs. Ogden said, her gaze narrowing on Diana’s traveling costume. “In fact, I wondered if you might be peerage, judging from your clothing.” She exhaled, smiling. “I’m glad you’re not. I’ve never met a peer, and I’m not sure what I’d say!”
Diana stifled a smile. If Mrs. Ogden only knew…
“Still, they’re gentry, my dear,” Mr. Ogden said, flicking a glance toward the duke that indicated he was perhaps not quite as comfortable as he’d been a few minutes before.
“Barely, really,” Romsey assured him.
“Perhaps you should have the bed,” Mrs. Ogden offered.
Her husband shot her a wide-eyed glance, and she blushed slightly.
Romsey was quick to say, “Heavens, no. We insist you take the bed—you were here first. The pallet will suit us just fine.”
Mr. Ogden looked relieved. “You are very kind.”
“We already established that you are the kind ones—offering up your extra space.”
A yawn suddenly escaped Diana’s mouth. She brought her hand up and tried to hide it, but everyone at the table noticed. She knew this because now they were all doing it.
Mrs. Ogden laughed. “I guess we should think about turning in!” She exchanged a warm look with her husband, and he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
“Pardon us,” he murmured.
Diana averted her gaze to her unfinished dessert—a wonderful bread and butter pudding with succulent currants. It was, she reflected, her favorite part of the meal. But perhaps that was because she wasn’t often allowed sweets.
Romsey helped her up from the table as Mr. Ogden performed the same service for his wife. They went toward the stairs, and Romsey gestured for the other couple to precede them. “You first since we’ve no idea where we’re going.”
Ogden nodded. “Right.” He guided his wife up and around the sharp corner to a large landing before leading them to the left to a room at the end of the corridor. “This is it.” He opened the door and moved inside, quickly stepping aside to allow Romsey and Diana to come in.
It was the largest room they’d stayed in thus far, with a bed against the left side, a fireplace opposite the door, and a table and chairs in front of a window on the right side. The pallet looked like a nest of blankets situated on the floor in front of the right side of the hearth. There was also, as Mrs. Ogden had stated, a screen standing in the corner near the table.
“We’ll just move this,” Ogden said, going to the screen.
Romsey rushed to help him, and each man picked up one side before carrying it to the other side of the fireplace, where they placed it near the hearth on the left side between the pallet and the bed. This allowed privacy but didn’t completely cut the Ogdens off from the heat source.
Mrs. Ogden stood near the center of the room and surveyed the placement of the screen. “Perhaps Mrs. Byrd and I can prepare for bed, while you two excuse yourselves.”
While Diana wasn’t terribly enthused about undressing with a stranger, it was perhaps better than being undressed by Romsey. Except, truth be told, she didn’t mind being undressed by him. He was gentle, careful, and surprisingly adept.
“An excellent notion,” Ogden said, turning toward the door. “Come, Byrd, let us have a nightcap.” He glanced over at Romsey, his brow furrowing. “Or something.”
When they were gone, Mrs. Ogden came bustling over. “Now we can gossip about them!”
Diana fought to keep from showing her distaste. She didn’t like to gossip, but it was hard to avoid in London’s social whirl. She could tell Mrs. Ogden things that would likely make her eyes the size of the ocean. “I’m sure I have nothing of interest to say about Mr. Byrd.” But about the Duke of Ruin? She quickly put that from her mind.
“I doubt that.” Mrs. Ogden’s eyes twinkled as she walked to a narrow bench at the end of the bed and sat down to remove her shoes. “Mr. Ogden and I have been married eight months. In truth, I suspect I may be carrying a babe, but I haven’t told him yet. What about you?”
Self-conscious but not knowing what else to do, Diana sat in one of the chairs at the table and took off her half boots. “We were married just last week. I amnotcarrying a child.”
“Yet,” Mrs. Ogden said with a wink. “That Mr. Byrd is as handsome as they come. Why, if Peter looked like that, I’d never let him out of bed!” She laughed as she stood and unbuttoned the drop front of her gown.
Diana averted her eyes and pulled the pins from her hair, setting them in a neat little pile on the table.
