The Bargain Bride by Bárbara Metzger Page B

couple of books, some childhood treasures.”
    Which meant that, once again, West had trampled on her tender emotions. “Then of course you must take them. I will help you prepare for the move to London. It is the least I can do.”
    His offer of assistance surprised her. Her acceptance surprised him, until he realized she’d figured out a way to get rid of him, if not kill him outright.
    Before he had eaten his fill of breakfast, West found himself out inspecting the Littleton traveling coach and her grandfather’s cattle. The lumbering old coach was nearly as ancient as the driver, but both looked sturdy and reliable. Jem Coachman also looked after the horses, the pony cart, a gig, and Penny’s mare. His nephew, Harry, was groom, stableboy, and sometime footman. They might be adequate to convey Mr. Littleton and his niece to Bath once a year, but they were not up to the task of moving the entire household to London.
    So West rode to all three nearby villages in the pouring rain. Little Falls did not boast a coaching inn—it barely boasted a church and a general store—so he had to ride farther to find enough carriages and wagons and horses for hire, along with drivers, grooms, outriders, and guards. The additional conveyances were for the servants, the luggage, and the kitchen supplies Cook demanded be transported.
    Only she knew exactly how Mr. Littleton liked his eggs, Mrs. Bigglesworth declared, so she was going along. Besides, her sister lived in London, and so it would be like a holiday for the cook. Since Westmoreland House in Town had no resident chef, West was happy to agree. Mrs. Bigglesworth did not trust West to have the proper pots and pans, so she was taking everything.
    When he returned, Penny informed him that her grandfather did not trust him to have an adequate wine cellar, so another well-sprung coach was needed to carry Littleton’s best bottles. West rode back to Upper Falls, again in the pouring rain.
    Penny next assigned him the job of sending messengers ahead to reserve rooms at decent inns along the way south. Separate rooms, she insisted, not trusting him, either.
    â€œYou might have mentioned that before I rode out the first time,” he said, donning his damp greatcoat once more. “Or the second time. I’ll have to ride back to the inn where your father stayed to consult the innkeeper about the best accommodations, and to hire someone knowledgeable about the roads.” Her own footmen were too busy to go, she told him, and too seldom out of Little Falls to select routes and rooms for overnight.
    In the late afternoon, when he had changed into dry clothes, West considered his equerry duties ended. Littleton’s brandies had not been packed in straw yet, so he thought he’d sit by the fire with a glass or two, warming his toes.
    Penny thought otherwise.
    â€œYou did offer to help, didn’t you? The sooner we get packed, the sooner we can leave.”
    So she had him boxing up the few cherished belongings she could not part with, the couple of books Grandpapa liked her to read to him, some things it would be wasteful to leave behind. Hah! She might as well have put the whole house on a barge and towed it to London!
    They started in the library. Most of the Littleton servants, West learned, were too old for the backbreaking work of crating up her grandfather’s favorites. She swore she was not going to bring every single book, although it felt like it to West, after an hour of climbing up and down the ladder, filling boxes. He kept reminding her that although his collection was small, London was full of booksellers and lending libraries.
    â€œOf course it is, and I am quite looking forward to establishing an account or a subscription at each of them. I already have an extensive list of the books I wish to purchase, after I see your library, of course. But I do like to have my favorites with me, too.”
    He looked over at the section