The Reluctant Earl by Joan Wolf

Author:Joan Wolf [Wolf, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency, Romance
Publisher: Ten Talents Press
Published: 2016-04-04T18:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Simon and Claire reached the George several hours before the mail coach was due to arrive. Simon left his hired horse and gig at the inn, having previously made arrangements for the livery stable in Newmarket to retrieve their property.

Even at such an early hour, the George was busy. The two of them sat on a bench in the large waiting room, their bags at their feet. When the taproom opened at six, Simon went to purchase some food in case they didn’t have a chance to eat before they reached Carlisle. He put their bags on either side of Claire to make sure no one would sit too close to her while he was gone.

The waiting room had begun to fill up, and Claire was the only female. A tall, broadly built man with a large mustache and small black eyes sat on her bench, with only Simon’s bag between them, and tried to start a conversation. Claire, speaking politely, told him that his seat belonged to her escort. The man looked around ostentatiously and said, “I don’t see nobody.”

To her relief she saw Simon coming toward her. “Here he is now,” she said. “I see an empty seat over there. Perhaps you ought to take it before someone else does.”

The man swung around and saw Simon, who was carrying a paper sack in his left hand. Claire said, “This man was just leaving.”

The man’s quick glance took in Simon’s youth and he made a disparaging sound. “These seats is open to everyone,” he said.

Simon looked the intruder up and down with cold eyes. “This seat is taken,” he said in the cut glass accent of the true aristocracy. “I suggest you find another.”

The man hesitated, then stood up, mumbled something to Claire about ‘begging her pardon for the intrusion,’ and effaced himself. Simon moved his bag to the now-empty seat and sat down beside her, the sack on his lap. “I bought some bread and two pasties. They’ll have to do until we reach Carlisle.”

Claire, who was far too excited to be hungry, just nodded and said, “Good idea.”

They sat on the bench for two more hours before the blast of a horn announced the arrival of the mail coach. Simon picked up both cases, and they walked together toward the stable yard. The horses being taken out of harness were breathing hard, and grooms led them away toward the stable. The mail guard, whose job was to warn coaching inns of their approach by blowing the horn, stood watching as a team of fresh horses was hitched up. He was an impressively large man, splendidly dressed in a scarlet coat with blue lapels and gold trim. He was equipped with two pistols and a blunderbuss and would stay with the coach for the entire trip, riding on the back.

Once the new horses were in harness, the guard beckoned to the four waiting passengers. Accompanying Claire and Simon were two middle-aged men. They gallantly insisted that Claire must have the place facing forward, so she and Simon settled themselves on the thinly padded seat.

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