Free Malia Martin by Prideand Prudence Page A

halt, finally, and James opened the door and jumped to the ground without waiting for Tuck to pull down the stairs. He helped both the women alight, then stepped out of the way and just took in great gulps of fresh air.
    They would be away from Gravesly for two whole days at least, add to that the two days he had been incapacitated, the day he had spent handing baskets out to the poor, and he had nearly a week on his new assignment with not a thing to show for it. Or rather, he had himself been brought low to show for it.
    Loud voices brought James’s attention back to the people assembled at the side of the warm, dusty road.
    “Clifton, just do as Leslie wishes, and be done with it, man,” Lady Farnsworth was saying with a shake of her head.
    The butler looked as if he were about to tear the woman’s head right off her pretty little neck. He had never seen a servant level a more insolent stare at his employer. “Right, then, fine,” the man shouted, and a couple of grouse took flight from the field in front of them. “But I don’t like this one bit.”
    “Clifton Rhodes, is there anything that you do like?” Leslie Redding said as she went to the front of the carriage. Clifton followed her, grumbling, of course, then stood like a big dumb ox as the older woman obviously waited for assistance to mount the stairs to the top of the carriage.
    James kept a sigh behind his teeth as he stepped forward, but he stopped abruptly at the glare from Clifton. The butler then took Mrs. Redding’s arm in a rather painful-looking grip and nearly threw the woman up to her seat. The man followed her up as he muttered, of course, under his breath.
    With a frown, James glanced around and realized that Lady Farnsworth had already taken her seat back in the carriage and Tuck stood waiting for him to enter as well.
    He stood staring at the dark opening of the carriage as if someone had just asked him to walk the plank. Good God, he was now going to be alone with Lady Farnsworth in that small carriage for a good hour at least. Perhaps two if Mrs. Redding could stay atop the carriage that long.
    James had a small hope that Tuck would follow him up the stairs, but of course the boy merrily folded them back up and closed the door. A bounce at the back told James the footman had jumped on the tiger’s stand behind the carriage.
    Keeping his gaze from Lady Farnsworth, James sat across from her and tried to find a place for his legs. The carriage started off with a jerk that made James groan out loud.
    “Does your head pain you terribly, Captain?” she asked.
    “It is fine, really, Lady Farnsworth. I really do not see why we have to go all the way into Brighton for the doctor.”
    “I insist, Captain. It was horribly worrying when you slept so long. What if something is terribly wrong? What if you suffer a relapse?”
    James had heard it all at Chesley House, of course, and berated himself now for even starting up the argument once more. The woman had her mind set on taking him to the doctor. So he would go, and return as quickly as possible.
    He hadn’t expected to have to endure a cramped, jolting carriage ride with Mrs. Redding, Lady Farnsworth, and—worst of all—Clifton. But now that he was alone in the carriage with Lady Farnsworth, he even wished Clifton back.
    “Would you like me to rub your temples for you, Captain?”
    That sounded incredibly wonderful, actually, but he would not allow any more close contact with Lady Farnsworth. His body was obviously not going to help him stay away from her, so he must put his mind to it. “Thank you, no, my lady.” He folded his arms, slouched down against the squabs, and, leaning his head back, closed his eyes.
    He had thought that closing his eyes would effectively cut out the picture of Lady Farnsworth looking more than lovely in a chocolate brown traveling dress. He had already noticed how the dress fit rather snugly across her bosom and tapered just enough to show her slimness. And,