Sweet Sacrifice by Bailey Elizabeth

Author:Bailey, Elizabeth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: adventure, historical romance, regency romance, romance novel, sweet romance, traditional romance, chick in pants
Publisher: Elizabeth Bailey

Chapter Seven

Jake grew steadily more impatient. There was a crisp wind blowing, and he feared it might come on to rain. Besides, he was anxious to get Clementina back under his grandmother’s roof, where Cullen could be sent for and arrangements could be made to remove all possibility of her succumbing to a scheme so disastrous to her happiness. Whether she could be persuaded to the alternative he proposed was another matter, and a wayside inn was no place to engage in the form of persuasion he had in mind.

But as the minutes passed and Clementina put in no appearance, anxiety began to gnaw at him. Uneasily recalling the end of their last conversation, he could not but wonder if his careless remark about matrimony had driven her into flight.

He went out into the yard just in case she should be waiting in the phaeton. She was not there, and the ostler who held his horses had not seen her. About to weave his way back through the several carriages thronging the yard, the earl heard a hail from behind.

‘Jake, old fellow! Just the man we’re looking for.’

Turning, Sothern saw his friend, Sir Harry Blaine, just dismounting, and Theo Farleigh, still on horseback and waving a whip. Both men were generously dust-spattered, their horses in a lather of sweat.

‘What in the world are you two doing here?’

‘Her ladyship sent us after you,’ Harry answered, giving his horse into the charge of a groom. ‘By God, what a chase! I could do with a gallon of ale.’

‘Do you mean my grandmother sent you?’

‘Well, it wasn’t Maud, old fellow, I can tell you that.’

‘But why?’ demanded Sothern, mystified.

‘All in good time, my friend, all in good time. Wet my whistle first, or I won’t get the words out.’

Sir Harry stomped off in the direction of the taproom, but Farleigh had come up with them by now, and he laid a hand on Sothern’s shoulder.

‘Your young lady’s guardian turned up, Jake. Lady Staplegrove sent us to tell you that the man and his son are on their way to Dunhythe. What’s more, they think you’re escorting Clementina. Have you found her, by the by?’

‘I had,’ Jake replied, ‘but I very much fear she may have given me the slip again.’

They pushed their way after Sir Harry into the busy inn, and over a jug or two of ale his friends told Sothern of Major Henlow’s visit to his grandmother. In return Jake explained how he had come to find Clementina, and the reason for his still being at this particular hostelry.

‘But if she meant to go to your man Cullen, why should she run off again?’ Blaine asked. ‘Ain’t as if you was any danger to her.’

Sothern refrained from telling his friends the one reason why he feared Clementina might wish to escape him.

‘And where would she go?’ added Theo. ‘She won’t see Cullen tonight, and she must sleep somewhere.’

Jake frowned. ‘You’re right, it doesn’t make sense. I had better see what I can find out.

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