Free Runaway Miss by Mary Nichols Page B

If Mrs Summers rejected her, refused to harbour her, what would she do? Rose would leave her soon to go back to her own mother and she would be without any kind of support. What use determination and independence then? ‘We shall have to wait and see,’ she said.
    ‘And if you do not suit?’
    ‘Then I shall have to find something else.’
    ‘Do you know the Lake District, Miss Draper?’
    ‘No, I have never visited it.’
    ‘If you need assistance, I shall be happy to provide it.’
    She laughed, slightly bitterly. ‘I thought you said you had no use for a lady’s companion.’
    ‘So I did, but perhaps I can help in other ways.’
    ‘And I say again: I cannot be bought.’
    It was the most dreadful put-down and she was sorry for it almost immediately, but he had leaned back in his seat and tipped his hat over his eyes, effectively ending the conversation. She looked across at his servant, who was grinning with unconcealed amusement. ‘I’d call that a draw,’ he murmured.
    She gave him one of her Lady Emma looks of disapproval and he hastily turned his attention to the scene outside his side of the coach.
    She sat back, turning to look out of the window to hide her tears. She was such a noddicock, quarrelling with his lordship when perhaps he was only trying to be helpful. She could not afford to make enemies. Oh, how she wished she was more conversant with the ways of the world. She wanted to apologise, but his demeanour told her clearly enough he had done with her. And who could blame him?
    He was not so much done with her as battling with his inner self. Why was he putting himself out for a chit who seemed to enjoy arguing with him? He was not used to being argued with. Just because he had offered her and her companion their inside seats did not mean he had to look after them thence forward, did it? He was becoming soft. But he had done no more than courtesy demanded, he answered himself, and he would make sure she knew that was all it was. On the other hand, he could see any number of hazardous situations that might befall a couple of unaccompanied women and he did not think they would know how to deal with them. Only a rakeshame would leave them to their own devices.
    They were out in the country now and making a good speed between farmland, meadow and the occasional stand of trees. Good hunting country, Emma knew. Her stepfather came up for two weeks every year. Thinking of him inevitably turned her thoughts to her mother. How was she managing? Had Sir George bullied her into revealing where she had gone? If so, how far behind her was he?
    They stopped for the first change of horses, but no one left their seats. On they went and without conversation she was left to meditate and that did not help her at all. She worried about her mother, she worried that her stepfather and that odious Lord Bentwater were hot on their heels, she worried about her reception when they reached Mrs Summers, she worried about Rose making the return journey all on her own. Had she done the right thing? If she had stayed in London, could she have found another way out of her predicament? Had she jumped from the frying pan into the fire? Her thoughts went round and round and led her nowhere. They were pulling into the inn at Loughborough before she realised how far they had come.
    Pulling herself together with an effort, she allowed Lord Malvers to hand her down and then went ahead of him into the inn, where she escaped to the ladies’ room until it was time to return to the coach.
    Kegworth, Derby, Ashbourne and Macclesfield went past in a similar manner and because he was not going to risk another put-down, she learned nothing of the history of these places. The silence would have been unbearable if his lordship’s servant and Rose had not been carrying on a lively conversation to which Lord Malvers contributed now and again. He was not angry with Rose, and yet it was Rose’s advice which had prompted her to speak so sharply.