Page 13 of An Innocent Bride for the Duke

Swallowing the unexpected and ridiculous sensation, Louisa made herself walk towards the bar instead, politely excusing herself through the gathered diners and drinkers. She was familiar with inns from traveling with her aunt and perfectly capable of fetching milk by herself.

Why on earth should I wish to follow the Duke of Northwick?!

Chapter Five

“All is in order for tomorrow,” Benedict reported to Lady Esher as he returned to the table and sat down in his place again, pleased to see a good serving of ham steaming before him and a full glass of wine too. “There was a message about some delay with horses for our next change, but we shall just stop for a longer luncheon tomorrow and rest these ones.”

The elderly lady nodded, looking a little distracted but still seemingly pleased to have someone else handle these minor niggles. Benedict supposed that Lady Esher must deal with all practical issues herself when she travelled, calling only on the assistance of her servants. Sweet though she was, he did not imagine that Lady Louisa could be of much help, with her head so firmly in the clouds.

Where was the dreamy Lady Louisa? Realizing her absence, he frowned slightly and looked about the room as though she might be under the table with Fanny and her dolls. The only sign of her was the faint scent of woodland violets in the air.

“Where is your niece, Lady Esher?” he inquired, refusing to let his mind dwell on the moment he had first registered that floral perfume, when he had briefly gathered Lady Louisa and Ezra into his arms as shelter from a coach crash.

It had been an emergency measure rather than any kind of embrace and there had been no coach crash in the end. There was no reason to think of it now.

“I would be grateful if you could find her, Your Grace,” admitted the elderly dowager. “Ezra wanted warm milk and there was no answer when we rang. Louisa went out to find milk five minutes ago and has not returned. I had no chance to stop her.”

Cursing under his breath, Benedict was instantly on his feet.

“I shall find her,” he told Lady Esher. “This inn is no place for a young lady to be wandering alone tonight. Yet another group of young gentlemen with too much drink taken were arriving as I walked through the bar. I doubt their conversation would be fit for your niece’s ears.”

Striding back into the public rooms, he looked about the tables and then pushed his way through to the busy bar.

“Have you seen the young lady from our party?” he called to the harassed-looking innkeeper, presently filling ale tankards as fast as he could.

“Over there, Your Grace,” the man answered, nodding his head towards a cluster of people at the end of the bar, including the tipsy youths he had noticed earlier.

A flash of honey-colored curls among the taller men and capped-heads of serving girls confirmed Lady Louisa’s presence. Was he going to find her trembling and desperate for rescue, cornered by the attentions some over-amorous university boy. Damned fool woman! What did she think she was doing? Lady Louisa Ascot seemed to have no more sense than Fanny sometimes.

As he elbowed his way into the group ready to retrieve her, however, Benedict received a beaming smile from Lady Louisa that threw him completely off his guard. He could not immediately tell what was happening but she was evidently in no danger.

“Your Grace, Mr. Elton here is just helping me to cool Ezra’s milk,” Lady Louisa told him, as though it was the most natural thing in the world to be standing at a tray while a slightly disheveled young man poured milk repeatedly between three mugs before holding it up to his cheek.

Those who were sober enough to understand her address to Benedict, bowed their heads respectfully.

“Perfect, Lady Louisa,” said the youth with the mugs after a few further sallies, looking very pleased with himself before his audience of his drunken friends, maids and Lady Louisa Ascot. “This is just how my old nurse used to cool my milk in the nursery when it was too hot.”

“I am so sorry for overheating it,” apologized one of the maids. “I didn’t realize it was for the little one. We have been run off our feet tonight, Lady Louisa. Forgive me, I must go…”

Beckoned by the innkeeper, the two maids departed to distribute the various tankards of ale and plates of food now sitting on the bar.

“Thank you, Mr. Elton,” Lady Louisa said with a nod of her head. “You have been most kind. Thank you to Lord Petchworth for the bird whistle too. Ezra will be very happy with his new toy.”

“You are more than welcome to it,” volunteered another of the merry young men. “It will save us all from Petchworth’s da⁠—“

To the Duke of Northwick’s surprise, the other young fellows hushed their friend who had almost uttered an oath and he looked down, immediately chastened.

“I mean, we have heard enough of Petchworth’s whistling today and can take no more on the road to his family’s estate tomorrow,” the youth explained more civilly.

“You all have my thanks,” Lady Louisa replied, smiling around the group. “Well, as I’ve lost the maid again, I suppose shall take this tray back to our dining room myself.”

Immediately, every young man tried to offer himself as assistant but Benedict himself stepped forward and took charge of the tray holding the milk and a wooden bird whistle.

“Lady Louisa is with my party and I shall escort her back to her aunt now,” Benedict told them in tones that were not to be challenged any more than his nod to the young woman that instructed her to follow him. “Goodnight gentlemen.”

“Your aunt was worried about you,” Benedict told Lady Louisa sternly as they walked back together. “She was right to be worried. Why on earth didn’t you wait?”

“Ezra needed his milk,” replied Lady Louisa looking surprised and confused by his reaction. “I saw no reason to wait…”