Free Desiring Lady Caro by Ella Quinn

family has him pegged for a job in the foreign office.”
    “Well, we’re glad to have run into you.” He took a breath. “Where are you staying?”
    Everard joined them as they continued their tour. “At the posting house near the old south gate. We only have a day here, after which we’ll to go Venice.” He turned to Caro. “Are you enjoying yourself, my dear?”
    Ever since Everard had greeted them, her face had been steadily losing color and she was leaning more heavily on his arm. This was disastrous. He should have known better than to walk with her around the town.
    Caro blinked. “Yes, indeed I am. Lord Huntley, we should probably be getting back.”
    He calculated the odds of his cousin allowing them to walk off without him. They weren’t good. “Everard, we’d love to stay and visit, but we are traveling north and must be going.”
    Everard beamed. “It has been a long time since we’ve had a chance to catch up. Lord Jonathan and I shall be happy to escort you back to your inn.”
    Huntley stifled a groan and smiled politely. “Thank you. We’d be pleased for your company.”
    Caro threw him an anguished look, but there was nothing they could do. The worst of it was that Everard would have to be told the reason for their flight. He kept his voice to a whisper. “Do you want to be there when I tell him?”
    She closed her eyes for a moment before answering. “Yes, I’m fine now. I’m not a coward.”
    “I never thought you were.” He was so close he could smell her hair. Sunlight and fresh air. Unhelpfully, his body hardened.
     
    Maufe was in the parlor with Nugent when the four of them entered the inn. Both servants turned startled faces toward Huntley. “Prepare to get under way. We’ll be ready to leave soon.”
    Everard patted Lord Jonathan on the back. “Why don’t you go into the tap for a bit? I’ll come to get you when we’re done.”
    The young man glanced at them curiously but bowed and did as he was told.
    Maufe halted for a second as he passed by Huntley. “We won’t be far, my lord. Everything else is arranged.”
    Nugent followed in his wake, closing the door behind her.
    Before turning to his cousin, Huntley led Caro to a chair and took up his place behind it. “Everard, I imagine you’d like to know just what is going on.”

CHAPTER 5
    E verard glanced at Caro, then back to Huntley. “I don’t wish to intrude, but there are several English visitors here at the moment. It would helpful if I were told the truth, or whatever story you’ve set about.”
    Huntley gritted his teeth. If that was the case, they needed to leave as soon as possible.
    Caro dropped her head into her hands. “I knew we’d never get away with it. My luck isn’t that good.”
    “No one has seen us yet.” Huntley placed a hand on her shoulder, hard as rock with the tension, and addressed his cousin. “What do you know about my trip here?”
    Frowning slightly, Everard dropped into a chair. “Just that you were to have visited Lady Horatia for a while before traveling on.”
    “Yes—well, my plans have undergone a slight change.” Huntley rubbed his cheek. When it came to the foibles of his fellow man, his cousin had always been the most understanding of his relatives. “Lady Caroline has been living with my aunt Horatia for several years. Lately, the grandson of Duca di Venier returned to Venice and has been trying to—” Huntley glanced down at her. “The marchese decided he wanted to marry her. Whether she wanted him or not.”
    As succinctly as possible, Huntley recounted the events that caused Caro and him to flee Venice. He’d never seen Everard’s eyes flash with anger as they did when Huntley told his cousin about the murder of the young novice. Caro sat quietly with her hands folded in her lap while Huntley recounted the duke’s offer of marriage to his grandson, and Horatia’s desperate attempt to keep Caro out of the marchese’s hands by declaring that Huntley and Caro