Page 17 of The Duke of Ruin
Mrs. Ogden nodded toward the empty chairs at their table. “Please sit.”
Romsey held a chair for Diana. “I’m Byrd, and this is my wife.”
Ogden offered his hand to the duke. “Pleased to meet you.”
Diana didn’t really care to sit again so soon, but she was too eager to be near the fire to quibble. She turned her body toward the flames and briefly closed her eyes in ecstasy.
“It’s so cold today,” Mrs. Ogden said. “Much colder than yesterday.”
“Where are you headed?” Ogden asked Romsey.
“North. How about you?”
Ogden took a sip of ale—there were tankards in front of him and his wife. “Birmingham. We came from a visit to Mrs. Ogden’s family. Her sister just had a babe.” He smiled at his wife. “We’re hoping that will be us someday soon.”
She beamed back at him, and the love between them was palpable. At least Diana thought it was love. How would she even recognize that emotion? She swallowed and looked at the fire.
Romsey, who’d sat down beside Diana, put his arm around her. “Us too.”
What was he doing?
Playing a part.
Her pulse picked up speed at his touch and familiarity, but she didn’t say anything. She gave him a half smile, confident her eyes were probably communicating her alarm. Alarm? Was this alarming? No, it was just…different.
He patted her shoulder, then withdrew his arm. She was surprised to find that she was disappointed.
“Have you been upstairs?” Romsey asked. “Is this room truly large enough for all four of us, or will we be cramped?”
“It’s plenty big,” Ogden said. “Hope you don’t mind the pallet—you will be closer to the fire, so there’s that.”
“We don’t mind at all. We’re just glad to have a place to rest our weary selves.”
“There’s a screen too,” Mrs. Ogden put in. “So we can all have some privacy.” She tossed her husband a rather suggestive look and giggled softly.
Diana didn’t know whether to feel relieved or anxious. She could only imagine what the Ogdens might do with their privacy.
The conversation turned briefly to the weather, and then Mrs. Ogden told them all about her sister’s delivery and her new baby. It was far more information than Diana might have wanted. Childbirth seemed a frightening prospect, but also distant—as in very,veryfar in the future. Though she’d planned to marry the Duke of Kilve, they’d agreed there would be no children for a while. She was sure most men would not have consented to such a thing. And suddenly, she was annoyed all over again at her predicament. Why did it seem as if nothing was in her control?
Because it wasn’t.
Until this trip. For the first time in her life, she was making her own choices. Yes, she ought to focus on that. She took a deep breath.
“You need some ale or maybe a whiskey,” Ogden said, turning his head to look for the innkeeper.
Instead, a serving girl came toward them. When she was near the table, Ogden gestured to Romsey. “Bring the man a drink. Do you have whiskey?”
Before she could answer, Romsey gave her a charming smile. “I’d actually like tea, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“For me as well,” Diana said, prompting the duke to slide an inquisitive look her way.
When the girl had gone, Ogden blinked at Romsey. “You don’t drink spirits?”
Diana put her hand on Romsey’s arm. “I prefer tea, and he joins me. Isn’t that lovely?”
Romsey gave her a look that was nothing short of incredulous, but he masked it quickly. “Quite lovely,” he murmured.
“Well, if you change your mind, the ale is delicious,” Mrs. Ogden said.
