Harlequin Historical June 2017--Box Set 1 of 2 by Annie Burrows

Author:Annie Burrows
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488021473
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Malvern Alton drew back the curtain of the coach and surveyed the view outside his window; Bucolic and neat. Two descriptions he despised, although the words described Little Westbury perfectly. There was a tidy row of half-timbered shop fronts mixed with an occasional red brick and, every so often, a white bow window jutting out on what passed as the town’s High Street. A white-steepled church rose at the end of the street, presiding over all of it. Spreading out from the main street were other businesses: the livery, the market, the butcher’s and the baker’s.

As country villages went, Little Westbury was all very standard. Not much had changed in the year since he’d been here. He didn’t expect it had. Small places never did. Small people never did either. For reasons that eluded him, country folk preferred to stay in the country. He was counting on that with Beatrice. It had taken him longer than expected to wrap up his loose ends in London and make this sacrificial pilgrimage to claim his future wife. He was flat broke and there’d been the enormous effort of scraping money together for the special licence, then the detour to pick up his grandmother’s ring. Too bad he couldn’t sell that.

Not that he was worried about what awaited him. Beatrice had been so eager, so passionate after that first kiss. He would court her, pick up where they’d left off, bring a few little gifts—ribbons and chocolates always softened up the ladies—and be married by June. She would be all too glad to see him. Not every man wanted to listen to herbology.

He felt for the ring in his pocket. Not that he’d use it today, he just didn’t like the idea of something so valuable lying in his luggage. He had it all planned out: he’d explain a family emergency had prevented him from returning last winter, that the family had thrown another girl at him when he was home in the hopes he’d marry. He could even pretend he’d written countless times, but that his father had intercepted those letters in the attempt to push this other girl at him. He would smile and be charming. They’d take long walks, he’d ask her about her stupid science and herbs. He’d listen to her prattle on about them until he couldn’t stand it and then he’d take her. At least courting a girl in the country was cheaper than in the city. Long walks didn’t cost nearly as much as seats at the theatre or sending bouquets of flowers.

Alton leaned his head out the window and gave directions to the inn. He’d clean up and change clothes before he headed out to Maidenstone and put his plan in motion. This was Beatrice Penrose’s lucky day whether she knew or not. Her lover had returned and was prepared to married her. He did not expect refusal. Country girls were much simpler to please than haughty London girls. But even if she did think to refuse, he was prepared to throw himself on the mercy of her parents.

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