Free To Wed a Scandalous Spy by Celeste Bradley

aware of her halting breath and shuffling feet. He heard her go back to her horse and the squeak of leather as she struggled back into the saddle. She gave an offended sniff. Then, when he didn't respond, a louder, more emphatic, furious sniff.
    Still he didn't turn. He had to think.
    The last thing his convoluted life needed was the further complication of a wife and family. He still wasn't quite sure how the wife had happened, but if he kept on the way he was headed, there would be family indeed.
    It was only the intimacy of traveling together, surely. Only his solitude weighing heavily on his desires. Once in London, he could put her in the farthest chamber of Reardon House and keep his distance until the time came to send her off.
    Until then, for the good of both of them, he had to stay well away from the diabolical little minx who would be his wife.
    Thinking back on his overwhelming response to her untutored kiss, Nathaniel had to admit that might be easier said than done.
    As he mounted Blunt once more, Nathaniel hoped that at least his instant of madness had made her angry enough to keep her own distance.
6
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    Unfortunately, her resentment didn't seem to last, and Willa was back to her normal chatterbox self by noon. However, it didn't bother Nathaniel so much today. With her forthright manner and her odd Willa-esque insights into life, she was actually rather refreshing company.
    "Are there many bookshops in London?" she asked at one of their infrequent rests.
    "A few," Nathaniel said drily. He had avoided most of her questions again today, but what could be the harm of answering this one?
    "I've read every book in Derryton many times, except for Dulcie Mason's copy of
The Housekeeper's Exploration of the Uses of Vinegar
. I could only read through it twice."
    "All of two times?" Nathaniel was impressed. He couldn't imagine reading the title twice without falling asleep.
    "Whenever someone from Derryton traveled, they would always bring back a book for me," she said, her fondness for her far-reaching family evident in her tone. "Of course, since some of them don't read themselves, this did make for rather unpredictable variety. Of all, my favorites were my parents' collection. Have you read Linnaeus?" she asked eagerly.
    "A bit," Nathaniel replied, startled. Carolus Linnaeus was a bit deep for a country miss, for the naturalist's works had yet to be translated from Latin into English as far as Nathaniel knew. It seemed she was indeed a well-educated country miss!
    "My mother did so love Linnaeus," Willa commented. "
    "The flower's leaves… serve as bridal beds'," she quoted rapturously. "Really, I find it so much more satisfying than mere romantic poetry, don't you? All that 'heavenly bosoms kissed by moonlight and dew' rot simply leaves me cold," she said matter-of-factly.
    Nathaniel nearly choked. What the devil had she been reading? "Well…"
    Thankfully, she didn't wait for him to reply.
    "I'm glad I'm not angry anymore," she said cheerfully. "It's a lovely diversion once in a while, but so tiring."
    Nathaniel looked away. He'd made a right fool of himself . "About that—"
    She nodded. "Yes, well, you can see why I was too busy hating you to talk."
    "You hate me?" Nathaniel couldn't believe it bothered him, but it did.
    "Oh, not anymore! After all, none of this is your fault, is it?"
    "It isn't your fault, either," he said.
    "Well—" Abruptly she turned from him and pushed the mare into a fast trot. "Aren't we making wonderful time today?" she called back over her shoulder.
    Nathaniel knew guilt when he saw it. Blunt caught up easily at a nudge from Nathaniel's heels. "Willa? What really happened that evening in the lane?"
    She edged away, still chattering. "Such good weather for traveling—"
    Nathaniel reached for the mare's rein and pulled both horses to a stop. "I'd like for you to stand still and answer my question this time."
    "Oh, I'd really rather not."
    "Willa!"
    "Don't puff up at me. I am