Read Online Desiring Lady Caro by Ella Quinn - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ella Quinn
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ordered a meal.”
She grinned. “It was actually Maufe that thought of it all?”
A smile played around his lips. “Under my direction, of course.”
Suddenly all the tension drained from her. Caro would have laughed, but she didn’t want to encourage him. “Naturally.”
He took her arm. “Would you like to take a stroll before we resume our journey?”
She glanced up. “Yes, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“Well,” he said confidingly, “since Maufe insisted on staying only a little ahead of us, I’m not as concerned we’ll be separated from the other carriage.” A rueful look came into his eyes. “I’ve also forgotten how hard it is to be cooped up for long stretches. I don’t think I could do the next leg without a good walk.”
Caro agreed wholeheartedly. The last four hours had passed pleasantly enough, but if she were to withstand another four, she’d need the exercise as well. Perhaps they could find some indication of Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet that had purportedly taken place in Verona. “We can take in a few of the sights. Not for long, but just to see them.”
He glanced briefly at her. “ Romeo and Juliet ?”
How did he guess? She tried to tamp down the blush that was rising. “I doubt there is any evidence they were real, though I understand the cathedral is beautiful.”
He’d escorted her through the entrance and they’d reached the top of the broad staircase. Nugent waited at a door down the corridor and Caro turned to Huntley. “I won’t be long.”
“Take as much time as you like.”
“Thank you.” She joined Nugent and rushed through her ablutions. If they were to eat and take in any of the sights, she’d need to hurry. Gentlemen were as fickle as spring weather. She had no dependence he wouldn’t change his mind and want to start again soon.
Huntley waited in the corridor for her and escorted her back down the stairs to a small parlor at the front of the inn.
Maufe bowed. “My lady, my lord, I shall have you served directly.”
Caro inclined her head. “Thank you, Maufe. I don’t know what we would do without you.”
He bowed again, with a pleased expression. “My lady, Miss Nugent asked that your jewel box remain in here. I will watch over it when you take your walk.”
Caro gave him a small smile. “You are worth your weight in gold.”
“He’ll be asking for a raise next.” Huntley’s brows drew together. “I already pay him more than I should.”
At first she thought he was serious, then his eyes twinkled. “You, my lord, are a fraud.”
“Yes.” His lips tilted up. “Don’t tell Maufe.”
After a large meal, Huntley and Caro spent an hour or so walking through the ancient city and touring the Basilica di San Zeno. As they were admiring the church’s ornate black ceiling, a familiar English voice intruded. Huntley turned and stifled a curse. The prelate, bear-leading a young man around the church, was his cousin.
Before he could find a place to hide, the prelate turned. “Huntley, is that you?”
He was in the process of drawing Caro back behind him when he realized how odd it would look. Instead he kept her close to his side. The closest she’d ever been to him. He held out his hand. “Everard, you’re the last person I expected to see here.”
His cousin glanced at Caro.
Huntley patted her hand, now clutched so tightly to his jacket sleeve that his valet would never get the wrinkles out. “Lady Caroline Martindale, may I present the Right Reverend Bishop Everard Wingate, my cousin?”
Caroline smiled politely and curtseyed.
Her grip, however, tightened even more.
He smiled at his cousin. “Everard, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in Canterbury or someplace?”
His inquisitive round face split into a broad smile. “I decided I needed to travel, and Jonathan, here . . . Oh, this is Lord Jonathan Bearing, the Duke of Northly’s second son. In any event, he needed someone to take him on a Grand Tour. The
She grinned. “It was actually Maufe that thought of it all?”
A smile played around his lips. “Under my direction, of course.”
Suddenly all the tension drained from her. Caro would have laughed, but she didn’t want to encourage him. “Naturally.”
He took her arm. “Would you like to take a stroll before we resume our journey?”
She glanced up. “Yes, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“Well,” he said confidingly, “since Maufe insisted on staying only a little ahead of us, I’m not as concerned we’ll be separated from the other carriage.” A rueful look came into his eyes. “I’ve also forgotten how hard it is to be cooped up for long stretches. I don’t think I could do the next leg without a good walk.”
Caro agreed wholeheartedly. The last four hours had passed pleasantly enough, but if she were to withstand another four, she’d need the exercise as well. Perhaps they could find some indication of Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet that had purportedly taken place in Verona. “We can take in a few of the sights. Not for long, but just to see them.”
He glanced briefly at her. “ Romeo and Juliet ?”
How did he guess? She tried to tamp down the blush that was rising. “I doubt there is any evidence they were real, though I understand the cathedral is beautiful.”
He’d escorted her through the entrance and they’d reached the top of the broad staircase. Nugent waited at a door down the corridor and Caro turned to Huntley. “I won’t be long.”
“Take as much time as you like.”
“Thank you.” She joined Nugent and rushed through her ablutions. If they were to eat and take in any of the sights, she’d need to hurry. Gentlemen were as fickle as spring weather. She had no dependence he wouldn’t change his mind and want to start again soon.
Huntley waited in the corridor for her and escorted her back down the stairs to a small parlor at the front of the inn.
Maufe bowed. “My lady, my lord, I shall have you served directly.”
Caro inclined her head. “Thank you, Maufe. I don’t know what we would do without you.”
He bowed again, with a pleased expression. “My lady, Miss Nugent asked that your jewel box remain in here. I will watch over it when you take your walk.”
Caro gave him a small smile. “You are worth your weight in gold.”
“He’ll be asking for a raise next.” Huntley’s brows drew together. “I already pay him more than I should.”
At first she thought he was serious, then his eyes twinkled. “You, my lord, are a fraud.”
“Yes.” His lips tilted up. “Don’t tell Maufe.”
After a large meal, Huntley and Caro spent an hour or so walking through the ancient city and touring the Basilica di San Zeno. As they were admiring the church’s ornate black ceiling, a familiar English voice intruded. Huntley turned and stifled a curse. The prelate, bear-leading a young man around the church, was his cousin.
Before he could find a place to hide, the prelate turned. “Huntley, is that you?”
He was in the process of drawing Caro back behind him when he realized how odd it would look. Instead he kept her close to his side. The closest she’d ever been to him. He held out his hand. “Everard, you’re the last person I expected to see here.”
His cousin glanced at Caro.
Huntley patted her hand, now clutched so tightly to his jacket sleeve that his valet would never get the wrinkles out. “Lady Caroline Martindale, may I present the Right Reverend Bishop Everard Wingate, my cousin?”
Caroline smiled politely and curtseyed.
Her grip, however, tightened even more.
He smiled at his cousin. “Everard, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in Canterbury or someplace?”
His inquisitive round face split into a broad smile. “I decided I needed to travel, and Jonathan, here . . . Oh, this is Lord Jonathan Bearing, the Duke of Northly’s second son. In any event, he needed someone to take him on a Grand Tour. The
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