cowardice to me.”
Lord Esher’s hand flew back to the hilt of his sword. “You go too far, Warren.”
Tom’s glib manner incensed Lord Esher so much, that it was all he could do to stop himself running the man through where he stood. Still, he was in another man’s house and there were rules about such things. Instead his lips closed tight together, he nodded quickly to Ashworth, and left the room as fast as he could.
A PROPOSAL
In her pride Chastity had left her husband’s jewels with her father. Her world had been upturned again when rumors hit their doorstep the girl was a thief. She would not bring any more shame to her father’s name, so in the dead of night she had packed her things in her trunk, and had slipped away on the evening post unseen. She regretted the decision to leave the jewels behind now, for the money she had from Lord Esher was running low, and he could hardly send her more if he didn’t know where she was. Still, she was adamant about that. Whatever she did he must not find her. She could not bear the thought of knowing the man she loved was nearby, and yet be unable to have him.
To this end, Chastity had left all her fine clothes behind as well. Silks and satins were the garb of a lady, and such finery would betray her in an instant. Instead, she packed her clothes from before her marriage, which were few enough, and had fled to the south, where she hoped to find gainful employment.
It took three days to complete her journey to Hastings. A broken spoke delayed the coach while a wheelwright was sought to make the repair. It rained throughout the whole trip, and Chastity was forced to seek shelter in a small inn while the damage was set right. Though she ate light and took the smallest room available, the rates were exorbitant, and she finished the night all the poorer.
Just before the last stop on the coach, a young gentleman joined the traveling party. He dressed well, perhaps not in the finery of Lord Esher, but his clothes were well-made and respectable enough. There were two other travelers in the coach, and both seemed to be sleeping. Chastity thought the new passenger was about her own age, perhaps a little older, but the difference could not be much. He had a ready smile and an open forehead, and she thought his a handsome face, as yet untarnished by the cruelty of the world.
Though she was not inclined to talk, the young man, bored by the tedium of the journey, had other ideas. For a while he fiddled with his gloves, and then when he could sit in silence no longer, turned his full attention on Chastity.
“Do you travel far?”
Chastity cleared her throat. She had not spoken to a soul since she left the inn and her voice was rusty. “I am come out of Surrey.”
“Visiting family?”
“No, looking for work.”
“Oh.” The young man looked her over curiously. His eye rested on her hand, and then he examined the rest of her. His gaze was curious, if a little impertinent.
“You are not married?”
“I am married.”
“But you wear no ring on your wedding finger.”
“That is no concern of yours,” she answered.
The man smiled, and once again turned to look out of the window. She thought that might be the end of the conversation but after a few moments, he looked back in and carried on as before.
“Forgive me, I’m afraid I can be a bit of a booby at times, but I meant well. My name is William Speares, and I’m off to Hastings to visit my mother and to get a bit of sea air. She owns a boarding house there, down near the beaches. It’s a lovely place! I grew up there, but had to leave to find work as soon as I came of age.”
William’s ease and natural manner got the better of Chastity, and when he finished speaking she smiled. Evidently encouraged by this shift in her attitude toward him, William pressed on with his story. “My mother had a fall, so she wrote to me and asked if I could help her with the management of the place. I’ve taken a
Lord Esher’s hand flew back to the hilt of his sword. “You go too far, Warren.”
Tom’s glib manner incensed Lord Esher so much, that it was all he could do to stop himself running the man through where he stood. Still, he was in another man’s house and there were rules about such things. Instead his lips closed tight together, he nodded quickly to Ashworth, and left the room as fast as he could.
A PROPOSAL
In her pride Chastity had left her husband’s jewels with her father. Her world had been upturned again when rumors hit their doorstep the girl was a thief. She would not bring any more shame to her father’s name, so in the dead of night she had packed her things in her trunk, and had slipped away on the evening post unseen. She regretted the decision to leave the jewels behind now, for the money she had from Lord Esher was running low, and he could hardly send her more if he didn’t know where she was. Still, she was adamant about that. Whatever she did he must not find her. She could not bear the thought of knowing the man she loved was nearby, and yet be unable to have him.
To this end, Chastity had left all her fine clothes behind as well. Silks and satins were the garb of a lady, and such finery would betray her in an instant. Instead, she packed her clothes from before her marriage, which were few enough, and had fled to the south, where she hoped to find gainful employment.
It took three days to complete her journey to Hastings. A broken spoke delayed the coach while a wheelwright was sought to make the repair. It rained throughout the whole trip, and Chastity was forced to seek shelter in a small inn while the damage was set right. Though she ate light and took the smallest room available, the rates were exorbitant, and she finished the night all the poorer.
Just before the last stop on the coach, a young gentleman joined the traveling party. He dressed well, perhaps not in the finery of Lord Esher, but his clothes were well-made and respectable enough. There were two other travelers in the coach, and both seemed to be sleeping. Chastity thought the new passenger was about her own age, perhaps a little older, but the difference could not be much. He had a ready smile and an open forehead, and she thought his a handsome face, as yet untarnished by the cruelty of the world.
Though she was not inclined to talk, the young man, bored by the tedium of the journey, had other ideas. For a while he fiddled with his gloves, and then when he could sit in silence no longer, turned his full attention on Chastity.
“Do you travel far?”
Chastity cleared her throat. She had not spoken to a soul since she left the inn and her voice was rusty. “I am come out of Surrey.”
“Visiting family?”
“No, looking for work.”
“Oh.” The young man looked her over curiously. His eye rested on her hand, and then he examined the rest of her. His gaze was curious, if a little impertinent.
“You are not married?”
“I am married.”
“But you wear no ring on your wedding finger.”
“That is no concern of yours,” she answered.
The man smiled, and once again turned to look out of the window. She thought that might be the end of the conversation but after a few moments, he looked back in and carried on as before.
“Forgive me, I’m afraid I can be a bit of a booby at times, but I meant well. My name is William Speares, and I’m off to Hastings to visit my mother and to get a bit of sea air. She owns a boarding house there, down near the beaches. It’s a lovely place! I grew up there, but had to leave to find work as soon as I came of age.”
William’s ease and natural manner got the better of Chastity, and when he finished speaking she smiled. Evidently encouraged by this shift in her attitude toward him, William pressed on with his story. “My mother had a fall, so she wrote to me and asked if I could help her with the management of the place. I’ve taken a
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