Page 2 of Much Ado about a Widow

And the rake who had ruined her reputation was the gentleman Georgie was supposed to marry.

“I had not realized Lord Travers was such a . . . a disreputable man.” Clara bowed her head. “I wonder that you have decided to go through with the marriage, my lady.”

Georgie peered at her maid, her spirits plummeting. “Are you beginning to think differently about accompanying me to his household when I marry him, Clara? I would not think less of you if you did. Living with him will be quite a change in circumstances.” For both of them.

“Oh, no, my lady.” Clara straightened and looked Georgie in the eyes defiantly. “I could never abandon you to go to him alone. Not and call myself a Christian woman.” A grim smile crossed her face. “I’ll be right there by your side when you go to his household. I suspect you’ll have need for a loyal servant then.” The maid bit her lips. “No, my lady, I simply wondered why you decided to marry him if he has such a scandalous reputation.”

That had been the question Georgie had been asked constantly for the past two weeks at Hunter’s Cross. “Because my father has commanded it, and if I do not accede to his wishes he will disown me once more, and forever, he assures me.” As untenable a position as a ship sailing between Scylla and Charybdis. “As I have no means to support myself if he does, I will be truly destitute. Neither is my late husband’s family able to support me at this time.” Inquiries to her father-in-law had yielded this information shortly after her father had informed her of his choice for her second marriage. “And although my brother and his wife would surely welcome me, they are currently dependent on our father’s good will as well.”

Her other friends had offered her assistance, but she could not countenance being the burden on them she must be for the six years before she received her mother’s inheritance. Georgie straightened her shoulders and raised her chin. “So I am resolved to marry Lord Travers and try to make the best life possible with him.” She smiled at her maid, whose eyes glistened with tears. “So thank you very much for coming with me, Clara. I value your loyalty to me above all. You and Lulu will be the only friendly faces I will have. At least until I get my bearings and begin to know my neighbors.” Surely the people in Essex wouldn’t be very different from those she knew already. “And as I will be scarcely half a day’s ride from Lord and Lady Wrotham, perhaps they will visit me once their baby arrives.”

“Your brother too, my lady. He and his wife won’t abandon you, I’m certain.”

“Of course.” Georgie smiled at the prospect of Jemmy and Elizabeth settled in London with her family until their child would be born. They would be close enough for her to visit. If Travers allowed it. “I shall not be completely bereft of company. Indeed, I shall get along quite well in my new life.”

If only she believed it.

The pitching of the carriage lessened as the team veered into the yard of a coaching inn called The Running Horse. Glancing out the window, Georgie discovered a bustling scene with grooms hustling to and fro leading horses here and there, all types of people disembarking from a mail coach, children crying, hostlers shouting, bridles clinking. The panorama teeming with life chased away her somber mood.

“Let us stretch our legs, Clara, and get something hot to drink. Come, Lulu.” Georgie held the lead in one hand and gathered the little dog under her other arm.

Lulu yipped and struggled to get down.

“You know you cannot leap down from the carriage, so I do not know why you put up such a fuss each time I carry you.” Sighing, she took the coachman’s hand. “Thank you, Folger. We will require hot tea and a moment’s rest.”

“Very good, my lady.” He turned to a groom who was already unharnessing the team.

Putting Lulu on the ground, Georgie gave her a pat and tried to untangle the leash. Lulu shook herself, sniffed the air, growled, then bolted toward the center of the inn yard.

“Lulu!” The leather lead slipped through her fingers and Georgie stopped, paralyzed. A party of riders thundered into the yard, their horses’ hooves slashing the frozen mud mere feet away from the little dog. Lulu backed up, barking as though she would attack the giants.

Heart beating almost out of her chest, Georgie raced forward and grabbed the lead. She pulled with all her might, and Lulu slid back toward her, out of danger. Gathering the dog into her arms and thanking heaven for her salvation, Georgie glanced up at the riders who had just missed her pet. The party of four rather rugged-looking men was dismounting. Grooms bespeaking lodging for their master, perhaps, for she could see their mounts were costly. One fellow with a round, jowly face and a flattened nose glanced at her and nodded.

Too distraught to even acknowledge him, she turned away, holding Lulu tight against her chest.

“My lady, are you all right?” Face pale as snow, Clara ran up to her.

“Perfectly fine.” Georgie’s shaken voice belied her words, but she couldn’t help it. Trying to breathe normally, she headed for the inn, relieved the incident had ended with no harm to her save some mud on the hem of her pelisse. Once they were free of the inn yard, she put Lulu down again, and the dog trotted happily in front of her, tail waving like a fringed white flag.

The innkeeper was a pleasant red-faced man who took them to a private parlor where they enjoyed hot tea and biscuits, while Lulu relished a bowl of chopped chicken. When they were through, Georgie handed the leash to Clara. “Will you take Lulu into the yard? I must use the necessary, and then I’ll join you in the carriage.”

Some little time later, Georgie emerged from the inn then stood in the doorway, looking for Clara and Lulu. The yard hummed with activity, but her maid was nowhere to be seen. A glance told her they were not in the carriage. Had Clara gone around to the stable to let Lulu relieve herself? Surely any patch of ground would do. She started toward the stable when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the man with the jowly face who had almost trampled Lulu; he was watching as she strode across the yard. Normally, she would have paid him no mind, but something about his intent gaze, turning his head to follow her as she crossed the yard, made the hair on the nape of her neck prickle. What had sparked such interest in her? The fellow had almost killed Lulu, so she certainly wanted nothing else to do with him.

Suddenly Clara appeared, Lulu at her heels, tail still proudly wagging.

Thank goodness. Georgie hurried toward her maid, who smiled and handed over the leash.

“Here you go, my lady.” She nodded toward Lulu. “She needed a bit of encouragement as she couldn’t decide just where she wanted to squat.” Clara stopped and frowned. “What’s wrong? Your face is all in a knot.”

“It’s nothing, I suppose. That man over there—” Georgie pointed surreptitiously toward the place where the man was sitting. Had been sitting, for now he had vanished. “He’s gone.”

“Who’s gone?” Face puckered, Clara looked around the inn yard.

“The man who almost rode over Lulu.” Georgie shook her head. Had she imagined the man’s interest? “I could swear he was watching me when I was searching for you.”

“I’m sure most gentlemen do.”

Heat rose in Georgie’s cheeks. “He wasn’t a gentleman. I think he’s a groom. And it wasn’t that kind of watching.” Although perhaps that’s all it was. An insolent servant ogling a lady and nothing more. She shrugged it off and put Lulu in the carriage then clambered in after her. Clara followed, and a groom shut the door. The carriage started with a jerk, and they were off on the next part of the journey. In several hours they would stop at Horley for luncheon.