Free Supervising Sally by Marina Oliver Page A

she saw Sally, still in her breeches, sitting on a settle the far side of the fireplace. George Cowper was sitting beside her.

    Zachary almost laughed at the stupefied expression on Sally’s face when she saw him. Beside her, the youth he assumed to be George Cowper shrank back into the settle, looking horrified.
    â€˜At last, my dear Sally. You have given us a long journey.’
    â€˜What are you doing here?’ Sally croaked.
    â€˜I came to escort you back to London. And in the process, I will be preventing you from ruining your reputation and your life, my child.’ He glanced round, just as the innkeeper, wiping his hands on a rag, came through a door which led, he assumed, to the kitchen quarters.
    The innkeeper came forward, bowing obsequiously. ‘Sir, Madam, I regret my two rooms are both taken,’ he said, casting a jaundiced eye at Sally and George.
    Zachary assumed they had bargained a cheap rate for the rooms. ‘Oh, don’t be concerned, my good fellow. We will share with my young friends here.’
    â€˜I won’t go! And you can’t stay here,’ Sally protested.
    â€˜Why not, child?’
    Sally turned to George, who was still huddled on the settle. ‘George, tell him we won’t give up. He can’t force me to go back.’
    George swallowed hard. ‘She’s quite right sir. I don’t know who the devil you are—’

    â€˜Beelzebub, perhaps,’ Zachary put in softly.
    â€˜Who? Never heard of him. That’s not to the point. Sally, that is Miss Benton and I, are betrothed and on our way to Scotland. You’re not her brother or anything like that—’
    â€˜Certainly nothing like that, I’m thankful to say, but she is soon to be in my charge, and I do not wish to lose her!’
    â€˜You want to marry her for her dowry, I suppose!’
    â€˜I certainly do not wish to marry her, and I doubt if her dowry, however large, would make a great deal of difference to my own wealth. I am the Earl of Wrekin, since your betrothed does not see fit to introduce us.’
    Cowper paled and looked rather sick. ‘The Earl of Wrekin? Sir, I had no idea.’
    â€˜I thought you hadn’t.’
    Sally, seething with frustration, cut in.
    â€˜George, tell him he can’t do anything! And – and if he tries to take me back by force, say you’ll fight him!’
    â€˜â€™Ere, this is a respectable inn, this is, and I won’t ’ave no fisticuffs,’ the innkeeper, who had been standing by the door and staring at them, said, starting forward. Then he noticed that the boy by the fire had ceased turning the spit, and was staring open-mouthed at Sally. He turned his anger on him, bidding him watch what he was doing, or they’d have meat burnt to a cinder one side and raw the other.
    Behind him, Zachary heard a choke of laughter from Phoebe, and surveying the irate innkeeper, and George cowering on the settle he had difficulty in suppressing a smile.
    â€˜My apologies, Sally, but I neglected to bring my sword, or my duelling pistols. You can blame Miss Kingston for being in such a panic to follow you she gave me no time to pack essentials.’
    â€˜George, knock him down! You can do that, surely. You told me you were the champion pugilist at your school!’

    â€˜Sally, we can’t start a brawl here. We must appeal to his lordship to be reasonable.’
    â€˜I will be very reasonable. If Sally comes back without any more histrionics I will not prosecute you for abduction of an heiress.’
    â€˜You wouldn’t!’ Sally was appalled.
    â€˜I would, Sally. Make no mistake.’
    Sally gulped, and threw herself on to George’s lap, weeping hysterically and swearing she would not go back to London.
    To Zachary’s relief Phoebe stepped forward. ‘Leave her to me. Sally, let’s go up to your room and talk quietly, away from these men who are only interested in