Page 2 of No Ordinary Lady

It was Daniel’s time. Precious and not to be squandered by rushing anywhere. Shabby surroundings or not, he intended to enjoy his stay.

He smiled to himself as he removed his hat to enter the low-beamed establishment. But promptly smacked his head on the next beam, anyway. He let out a soft curse, shrank down a little more, and rubbed his poor head.

“Got to keep an eye on things in this place,” the balding innkeeper warned, rushing forward to welcome him. “Welcome, my lord. What can I get for you?”

“A pair of tankards to begin with,” he murmured, looking around the dim room. It seemed a cramped sort of place and hardly anyone obviously important or wealthy appeared to be present. That suited him just fine.

Daniel had no wish to meet anyone he knew too well from the area. He was here to have fun, not mind his manners and worry what gossip might spring from his stay and find its way back to Mother. There would be time enough for having his ears blistered for tardiness later.

Once Mother had exhausted herself of her complaints, Daniel would make haste to call upon his nearest widowed neighbor, and the man’s unmarried daughter, Amy. He would be the best version of himself from then on.

But not tonight.

He took a seat at a table by the small, dirty front window that looked out over the stable yard. He sat facing the room, a habit he’d picked up in London when drinking alone in low places, and hoped for some excitement to liven up the place.

Wraxall did seem rather ordinary on the surface but, in his experience, first impressions were often wholly inaccurate. He was constantly surprised by how flawed his own judgement could be about places, and especially people.

Men routinely lied, and betrayed even their best friends for money or to gain power over others. Women were not immune either. They always wanted to have what other man could give them. His own poor judgement where women were concerned seemed to be something he could never save himself from, either. He lived in hope of love, but Daniel had never had much luck with women so far.

His brief affairs of the heart had only ever led to disappointment for him. He’d made friends of many women, but nothing deeper seemed possible in London. Which was why he was going home at last.

Daniel was resigned to make a proper match with a woman who would meet his basic needs and please his mother. He would set aside his preference for more exciting women for the sake of immediate peace in his family.

That meant he would finally settle down and lead a dull and unexciting life, the same his own father had lived when he’d married Mama.

The prospect of such a fate almost had him turning tail for London again.

Yet, he could not shirk his duty forever. A marriage must be made soon, and an heir produced in short order after that to ensure the succession.

He was getting closer and closer in age to what his own father had been when Daniel was born. Father had only lasted ten years more, and he barely recalled his face now. Daniel was the last direct male descendant of his line, and he had a family of women to worry about, too. He could not have his estate and title revert to the crown or have some far-distant unknown relation come forward to inherit it all after he was gone. Mother would never forgive him if that came to pass.

He took a long swallow of his ale when it arrived and pondered where his valet had taken himself off to. Probably sulking up in the rented chamber because he couldn’t kiss his mama good night tonight. Daniel exhaled and shook his head. He had never done that. Hugged or kissed his mother good night. At least, not that he could ever remember. A head nod was their habit.

All the love and comfort Daniel had ever known had come from his Granny Nolan, a feisty old wench who seemed to embarrass her daughter with every breath and recounted her past deed with such glee. Granny had come to live with them when Papa had died and never left, or left for long. She had visited her old friends in Portishead a few times over the years—but not lately.

He had missed Granny a great deal. He was looking forward to seeing her and hearing her wild tales once more.

A figure ran past his window, catching Daniel’s attention. When two more followed, running too, he grinned. Finally. Something exciting must be going on.

He rose and put his face closer to the dirty windowpane.

There seemed to be some sort of commotion taking place just out of sight.

A cheer rang out, reaching even the occupants inside the inn, who were on their feet and headed for the door the next moment. Daniel hurried to follow, his curiosity piqued, and eager for any event to enliven his stay.

A wall of people blocked his view of the ruckus in the narrow alleyway beside the inn. But over the din of noise, he heard a woman shouting in outrage. His smiled slipped. The sound of distress drew him farther into the melee.

The woman was incensed about something serious.

Daniel attempted to push his way to the front, not an easy feat since everyone wanted a closer look at what was going on, too.

“You can’t do this!”

“Oh, yes, I can,” a man answered. “Come along, gentlemen, don’t be shy. Who here needs a woman? She’s strong, healthy and has all her own teeth. How much will you offer for her?”

There was a profound silence after that, and then the lady blistered the air with a round of remarkable set downs. Her inventiveness impressed the hell out of Daniel. Not even the worst of his friends could match this woman for creativity. He certainly couldn’t.

He ended up at the front of the crowd and got a better look at the woman.