Page 20 of If the Duke Dares
She giggled before taking herself off.
Acton surveyed the common room. With its low ceiling and blackened hearth, the space felt rather close. It was tidy, however, which filled him with relief. He could only hope his chamber would be the same. At least he traveled with his own bedcoverings, even if he had left his valet at home, as he did from time to time. He’d need to fetch his horse and valise from the New Inn. Pity, for it really was much nicer. In fact, he would leave his horse stabled there.
When he returned, he’d ask Becky or Moll to make up his bed. Damn, he wished he had spare bedding for Miss Barclay.
Mrs. Birdwhistle.Who traveled with no luggage. What was that about?
He had so many questions and so far, very few answers. Miss Barclay was not enthusiastic about his presence. He would need to work harder to gain her trust. She couldn’t keep on with whatever she was doing.
A thought occurred to him, and he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it before. Perhaps she wasn’t running away from her parents or from him. What if she was runningtosomeone?
It wasn’t outrageous to think she might wish to marry someone else. Someone of whom her parents didn’t approve.
But if that were true, where was this gentleman? Had he been caught up somewhere, and she was now alone, fending for herself? If so, he didn’t seem good enough for her. If Miss Barclay had consented to meet Acton for an assignation or any other reason, he would bloody well show up.
He needed to get to the bottom of her situation. Hopefully, without irritating her further. An idea came to him, one that he thought could improve her disposition.
But would she accept anything? Only if she didn’t know it had come from him.
Chapter6
After leaving the duke in the common room, Persephone had shut herself in her bedchamber and seethed. She didn’t know what was worse, that her parents had gone and attempted to settle the marriage without her or that the would-be groom had come after her.
At least he hadn’t told her parents that he’d seen her. It was…odd. Especially given his ongoing prattle about her safety and how she needed his help. If he were that concerned, shouldn’t he just have informed her parents that he’d encountered her in Gloucester?
Still, she was glad he had not. She wasn’t eager to face her parents after running away from them.
She was still mulling the duke’s arrival and the news he’d shared when the innkeeper’s son arrived with a tub.
“I didn’t ask for a bath.” Persephone couldn’t afford that. But oh, how wonderful it sounded!
“I was told to bring it up,” he said, pushing into the room and depositing the metal tub in front of the fire. “I’ll be right back with the water.”
“But I can’t pay for this,” she called after him as he stepped over the threshold.
“Already paid for,” he called back before disappearing down the stairs.
Persephone frowned even as her insides cartwheeled with joy at the prospect of washing all the travel and frustration away. The tub wasn’t large, but it would do nicely.
A short while later, as she lounged in the cooling water after scrubbing herself clean—soap had also been provided, which she also couldn’t pay for. It occurred to her that Wellesbourne had to be behind this. Apparently, he couldn’t stomach her bedraggled appearance.
It grated to accept this gift, but she reminded herself that she didn’t need to see him again. Presumably, he’d arranged for her bath then returned to hisnicerlodgings at the New Inn.
A knock on the door made her sink deeper into the tub. “I’m busy!” she called.
“It’s Moll,” came the feminine voice in response. “I’ve packages for ye. I know ye’re in the bath. I won’t peek. I’ll just drop them on the bed and be on my way.”
Packages?
“All right,” Persephone responded.
Moll slipped into the chamber and, true to her word, didn’t look in Persephone’s direction as she deposited two paper-wrapped packages on the bed. Persephone stayed submerged, which meant folding herself up, until the maid left.
Curiosity drove Persephone from the tub earlier than she would have left it. Grabbing the toweling that the innkeeper’s son had brought, she ignored the frayed edges and rough texture. She dried herself enough to keep from dripping, then wrapped the towel around herself before making her way to the bed—it wasn’t far since the room was so small.
She untied the string on the first package and folded back the paper. It looked to be bedclothes. Made from a soft, smooth cotton, they were covers for a pillow and the mattress. There was also a blanket of fine gray wool. Persephone finished drying and dropped the toweling to the floor in favor of bundling herself in the blanket.
Sighing as the soft wool caressed her freshly cleaned skin, she turned her attention to the other package. Inside was a traveling gown made of light wool dyed a vibrant blue. It reminded Persephone of the miniature iris that bloomed at Radstock Hall in the spring.
