Page 60 of Snowbound Regency Christmas
The vixen had surprised him again. Not only did she know how to cook, she had made the effort to prepare all of the passengers a meal. Not just herself. Those were not the actions of a selfish person. Could he have been wrong about her personality? Perhaps she had been too young to understand the ramifications of her actions when she jilted Joshua?
‘Ah, Devin, you’re finally awake,’ she said with a sly smile that made his neck stiffen. ‘I thought that you were going to be snoring logs until the afternoon at least.’
Any kind thoughts he had entertained about this saucy woman fled his mind. ‘You can’t blame a man for sleeping in, when his wife mumbles and makes noises all night long.’
Devin saw red blotches form on her cheeks. Probably because Julia knew that he was not lying. The woman did talk in her sleep. She’d awoken Devin more than once. She hadn’t shut up, until he’d snuggled up beside her.
Mrs Mack gave a high nervous laugh. ‘Is there anything else that I can help you with, Mrs Ballantine?’
His body had a visceral reaction to Julia being called by his surname. His teeth clenched and his chest tightened, as did other unfortunate areas.
Julia turned away from him, which was a relief. ‘Yes, Mrs Mack. I am going to slice the bread. Can you check the jam and butter that Peebles found to make sure that they aren’t spoiled? The proprietor is as helpless as my husband when it comes to domestic matters.’
Devin grabbed the sides of his face but managed to keep his tongue between his teeth. He took a deep breath before asking, ‘And how may I assist you,dearest wife?’
‘By falling off the nearest cliff,’ Julia said without missing a beat. ‘But at the moment, glasses of milk would be much appreciated. Make sure that you use the cups that are still wet. I washed them thoroughly this morning with boiling water and soap—I would not trust the other tumblers.’
He tipped his head slightly to one side. ‘Youwashed the dishes with your hands?’
Laughing at his question, Julia wiggled her delicate hand that was not holding the tray. ‘It would have been much more difficult to wash them with my feet, and less clean too.’
Mrs Mack giggled again, a high and grating sound.
Raising her eyebrows, Julia walked past him and back into the kitchen. Mrs Mack followed her, still chortling.
Mr Mack snorted and patted his little daughter’s brown curls. ‘Never underestimate what a woman can do or the reasons for her actions.’
Devin’s temper boiled like a kettle of water. Who was this man to give him advice on treating a woman, when he was hardly a stellar husband himself? Not that Devin was a husband or that Julia was his wife. But the point remained the same. Mr Mack was hardly a deft hand with women either.
The man continued as if not noticing the freezing glare that Devin had directed at him. ‘I have found that a humble apology goes a long way. I gave one this morning after my irritable behaviour yesterday.’
Devin raised his eyebrows. ‘And she frankly forgave you?’
‘Instead of telling my wife what to do, I asked what she needed me to do and she told me.’ Mr Mack lifted his daughter onto his knee and bounced her. ‘My wife needs me to take care of Lizzy today because holding her is hurting her back… No marriage is perfect, Mr Ballantine, or family for that matter, but I wake up every day determined to do better and I think it does make a difference.’
‘Faster, horsey!’ Lizzy said in a loud voice.
Chuckling, Mr Mack jiggled his leg even quicker.
Stewing like the smelly soup from the night before, Devin entered the kitchen to see that Julia had transformed the dirty room into a clean space with wonderfully smelling fresh-baked bread on the counter. He located the wet glasses in the drying rack and carefully carried four of them to the table in the taproom, before returning for an additional five tumblers. He found fresh milk in a bucket by the door of the kitchen but assumed that Julia would not wish for him to pour a bucket at the table. He located a pitcher and dumped the milk into it, then returned to the taproom and carefully filled each cup.
The smell of good food must have awakened not only the pair of thieves but the driver as well. Everyone in the inn, save for Joe who was sick, sat down for breakfast together. Unbidden, Devin felt a bout of pride that Julia had prepared a meal with such meagre resources. His eggs were perfectly boiled and the bread was soft and delicious. Not a slice was left at the end of the meal.
‘What an excellent repast, Mrs Ballantine,’ Mr Mack said but pointedly looked at Devin as he spoke. Like the man expected Devin to compliment the woman he thought was his wife.
Julia smiled and Devin felt a flash of annoyance. ‘I couldn’t have done so without the help of your wife. Thank you, Mrs Mack.’
Devin was in no mood for niceties. ‘Mr Denard, do you need help freeing the carriage this morning? I should be happy to assist you, so that we might continue onto Pickwich as soon as possible.’ He glanced at the other passengers. ‘And the other destinations, in time for Christmas tomorrow.’
Mr Mack looked out the window. ‘The snowstorm has finally stopped. Do you have a sleigh, Mr Peebles?’
The mail coach driver spoke before the innkeeper could. ‘Can’t depart today. Joe is too sick to get out of his bed this morning. We can’t leave until tomorrow at the earliest and only then if every man here does his duty and helps clear the roads.’
Mr Peebles cleared his throat and tugged at his buttered beard. ‘I should like to help, Mr Denard, but I must spend the afternoon preparing supper.’
‘Nonsense, Mr Peebles,’ Julia chirped from Devin’s side. ‘Every woman in this room knows her duty too and will ensure that the meal is prepared and edible.’
Devin snorted but managed to keep in his guffaw. Mr Denard and Mr Mack made no such attempt. But it was truly Julia who got the last laugh, for she made all the men clear the breakfast table and scrub the dishes with hot water and soap as she watched them closely. And then she gave Mr Peebles a broom and instructed him to sweep out the taproom.
