Page 17 of No Duke of Mine

“A cottage. Nothing like Ravenswood. My parents had a nice home once, though, and Papa would return there between his teaching engagements for a little while. But then Mama died, and he sold it. I lost count of how many homes I stayed in after that. So when I was twenty, I announced that I would not continue with him anymore.”

“Oh? What led to your decision?”

“The usual problem,” she said.

Algernon frowned, unsure of what that meant, but by the look in her eyes, it was an unpleasant thing and probably involved some scoundrel disappointing her. Was that why she had not married?

“So you made your own life, friends, and neighbors six years ago?” he queried, deciding it prudent not to press her for details of whatever had happened to her just yet.

“I have few acquaintances, although they likely would have disapproved of my search for my father, had I told them of my intentions.”

“They must be worried about your absence?”

“I suppose they could be, in their own way. There’s no one else to read their correspondence for them with me gone. It’s really the only place I know now. Everywhere else I’ve lived is just a vague memory.”

“Even Ravenswood?” he asked.

“I remember some of it. The mahogany staircase and you screaming blue murder are clearest.”

“That’s probably because Stratford kept riding the banister down to the entrance hall. He was five. I was always running after him, trying to catch him before he broke his neck. I remember you there very well,” he admitted. “You had a small chamber of your own in the attic, and you were always sitting at the windows, reading instead of coming out to play.”

“Well, that is what young ladies of tutors are expected to do when there are no other girls to play with. Be quiet. Don’t draw attention to myself. Don’t forget my father’s position depends on making a good impression with everyone. My father expected me to behave,” she reminded him. “You’re a fine one to talk, though. You often sat out in the garden against a tree, your nose stuck in a book, too, ignoring your brothers pushing and shoving each other around.”

He grinned. “You eventually came out to sit beside me and learned to ignore my brothers as well.”

“I never really understood their games, to be honest. At that age, it all seemed so silly trying to wrestle each other to the ground.”

He laughed. “Yes, well, they had boundless energy. As the eldest, I was responsible for them. I had to invent excuses to make my brothers run around so that when it was time for their lessons or lectures, they would sit still for them.”

“You, however, did not need any urging to sit still for lessons or lectures?”

“I think I did, especially if the tutor was inferior to what I expected. I had one tutor who tried to assure me that it was possible to sail across the ocean and fall off the edge of the world.”

“Good grief,” she said. “Wasn’t that theory disproved long ago?”

“Well, clearly he missed that announcement.” He drew closer. “And what of you? Did you ever try your hand at teaching?”

“Goodness, no. My father would never have permitted me to have an occupation.”

Algernon studied her. “And even in his absence, you have not tried?”

“I have tried to help my neighbors when they get their letters, but that is the extent of my tutoring, if you could call it such.”

“Oh, that’s a shame. You would have made a great teacher, I think, had you been permitted. You were very patient with me.”

“I could have been a lot of great things, had I not been born a woman,” she grumbled. “Ah, here we are. This looks like a good-sized town ahead.”

The village was a thriving little market town. Algernon alighted from the carriage, leaving Maggie inside, and spoke to the valet, who’d been riding the back all afternoon. “Arrange for two rooms—adjoining, if you please, Sims. My cousin is weary.”

The valet, knowing Maggie was no relation of his at all, raised a brow in surprise at the request for adjoining rooms, but rushed off to do his bidding without asking questions. Algernon probably shouldn’t want an adjoining room, but he’d never enjoyed a conversation more than he had on his journey with Maggie so far. He sensed that there was a great deal Maggie had been denied in her life. It pained him to think of such great intelligence going to waste in a small village where her father had left her, forgotten and underappreciated.

The valet returned and assured him that adjoining rooms were possible. He opened the carriage door to help Maggie out.

The innkeeper rushed toward them. “Sir! A pleasure to see you again—and this time with a wife, no less. Congratulations.”

Algernon gaped at the man, while Maggie gasped in obvious shock. “Oh, yes. Um, what did you say?”

“I feared this day would never come,” the innkeeper confided, shaking Algernon’s hand while beaming at Maggie. “Welcome. I hope you and your husband enjoy your stay at our humble establishment.”