Page 36 of Snowed In with the Runaway Bride

She nodded stiffly before continuing down the stairs. He closed the door to begin getting cleaned up and dressed.

He knew he needed to speak to her, but he had not the least idea what to say. He only knew that when he had seen her standing in the doorway scowling at him, a weight had dropped away from him.

He had carried it for so long, he had almost forgotten it was there.

11

As she rattled down the stairs, Penny acknowledged to herself that she had no claim on Hugo. She was still incensed at his staying away all night. She had tossed and turned, half-hoping, half-fearing he would knock to be let in during the night.

But he never had.

She had no fear he had… had misbehaved. Mrs. Robson was the only other woman in the house, and Hugo showed no signs of sharing a sailor’s notorious proclivities towards other men. But he had returned stinking of rum and unsteady on his feet, which both angered and worried her. She had never seen Hugo overindulge in anything the entire time she had known him.

If she wanted, she would be able to avoid him today. There would be the hustle and bustle of Christmas Day to fill the time and prevent conversation.

If he chose to stay away tonight as well, she would know what to think.

She descended to the kitchen, still in her righteous rage, and opened the door. Mrs. Robson spotted her and clearly knew what to do for her at once. She beckoned Penny over and tied an apron around her waist.

“Come knead this dough, dearie, so we’ll have fresh bread.”

Penny stalked over to the table and regarded the pale lump lying on the table. “What do I do?”

“You punch it down and then fold it in on itself while you push as hard as you can.” The other woman smiled and nodded her encouragement.

Penny smiled back for the first time that morning. “Thank you, Mrs. Robson.”

Her movements were clumsy at first, but she soon got the rhythm of it, punching and pushing as Mrs. Robson came by from time to time to check on her progress. As one ball of dough had received enough punishment, the innkeeper’s wife handed Penny another that required the same treatment.

Her hands were sore and her elbows were aching by the time she was done, but Penny had to admit Mrs. Robson had been right. She did feel much better having worked out her rage on the dough and not another person.

Mrs. Robson wiped her hands on her voluminous apron before removing it. Beneath it, she wore what was clearly her best winter dress, a green velvet that was several years out of date but very becoming nonetheless. The children gathered behind her, giggling, as their mother made sure their faces were washed and hair neatly combed before she turned to Penny.

“Time to go up for the reading, Mrs. Dalston.”

“I’m sorry… what?”

Mrs. Robson said patiently, “We’re to read the Bible ourselves for Christmas this morning since we can’t get to the village church and the curate can’t get to us. Don’t worry, I’m sure Mr. Robson has been able to find someone to do the honors.”

“Very well.” Penny wiped her own hands on her borrowed apron and removed it to follow along behind Mrs. Robson and her children. Hugo was likely still upstairs sleeping off last night’s carouse, so she need not be concerned she would have to see him.

She was wrong. He stood at the front of the room with Mr. Robson as they consulted the innkeeper’s Book of Common Prayer. His hair was neatly combed and his cravat tied in a simple but elegant knot. Clearly, as the most educated man available, Hugo had been pressed into service to read the Christmas gospel in the absence of any actual clergymen.

Good. She hoped he would be struck down by lightning for it.

She knew the moment he saw her and ducked her head to listen to one of the younger Robson children, who was chattering about the new dolly she had received for Christmas.

“Good morning, Penny.”

She gathered herself together and raised her head to glare at him, though his contrite expression weakened her anger a little. “Good morning, Captain Dalston.”

He winced a little, but still lowered himself to one knee so his head was even with hers where she sat on the low stool. Out of the corner of her eye, Penny could see Mrs. Robson gather her children in and begin telling them a bright story to give her and Hugo a little privacy.

Penny was not certain she wanted that privacy, but she looked at him anyway.

“I apologize for last night,” Hugo said.

“There is no need, Captain Dalston. We both know you have no real responsibility towards me.”