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her when Jasper mentioned it.
    He waved a hand. “Yes, if you like that sort.” He leaned in. “My point is, the arrival of a pretty young girl in town might have passed someone’s notice.”
    Did he not like that sort of thing? Emma was too young to be a beauty but she would be one day. At six and ten she had a few years to grow into a perfectly proportioned face and willowy figure. With her golden hair and pale skin tone, Emma was guaranteed attention, even if her family were hardly high-society.
    Nevertheless, she hoped Jasper had never paid her attention. She was too young for one, and for two...Hettie almost shook her head to herself. Was she really jealous?
    “We may have to do some footwork.”
    “We?”
    “Yes.”
    “My lord—”
    “Edinburgh is hardly small. Have you been there before?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “It may take some time to track her down but never—”
    “Jasper!” she declared, exasperated.
    “Yes?”
    “I can do this alone. I do not need your assistance.”
    The cups on the tables rattled against their saucers suddenly. Hettie grabbed the edge of the table as wheels screeched against metal tracks. The train came to a shuddering halt and Jasper gripped her arm as if to stop her from falling from her seat. Not that the train had come to that sharp a stop, but Hettie couldn’t stop herself from liking the protective movement.
    “Stay here,” he commanded. “I’ll find out what is happening.”
    Before she could declare she would come with him or show some annoyance at being told what to do, he was gone, along with several other passengers, in the direction of the guard train.
    Hettie peered out of the window but could see nothing amiss. A waiter came to clear their empty plates so she snagged his attention. “What has happened?”
    “Likely something on the track, ma’am. It happens. They’ll have to clear it before we are on our way. Never fear, the delay won’t be long.”
    “Thank you.”
    She turned her attention back to her tea, taking a long sip of the now luke-warm liquid. Perhaps she should accept his help. This was for her sister after all. But a man like Jasper...he was a scoundrel. Who knew what he would do? He’d already stolen a kiss off her. He had to have been teasing, though. She highly doubted he would want anything more.
    She wanted more, a tiny whisper told her.
    Preposterous. She had every intention of remaining respectable, and a man like Jasper would not change that. After all, she was made of sterner stuff. Everyone said as much. No one was as principled and as reliable as Miss Henrietta Foster.
    After a while Jasper returned behind the gentleman who had also gone in search of answers. She heard their disgruntled murmurs of annoyance before Jasper sat.
    “Is all well?”
    He shook his head grimly. “A mechanical problem of some sort. It looks as though there could be some delay and even then, they may have to have the train hauled back to London.”
    “They can send another train surely?”
    He lifted a shoulder. “I highly doubt they have hundreds of spare trains waiting around for moments like this, Hettie.”
    “Oh dear.”
    “The guardsman tells me there is a village only three miles from here. We could hire a carriage if you wish. Our journey will take longer than intended, but at least we shall be moving in the right direction.”
    Our journey . She sighed. She supposed it would have to be their journey. She did not much fancy trying to find this village alone and she’d have to find a driver too. She’d never driven a carriage before. It was hardly the sort of thing a respectable young woman needed to do.
    “Yes. I think that is what we should do,” she said decidedly.
    “Excellent. Go pack up your belongings and we shall disembark this wounded beast. I shall go ask the guardsman for directions to this village.”
    Hettie did as she was told, wondering quite when it was she had begun to allow him to take charge. But she