A Penny’s Worth Of Affection: A Novel (9 page)

"Where do you want it mi lady?" The maid asked quietly.

"Just leave it anywhere." Penny responded and rose, fumbling with the buttons on the back of her black gown. The girl hurried over to help, earning her a grateful smile.

Dressed in dry clothes, Penny sat and allowed the maid who'd given her name as Molly, to pour her a cup of tea. She accepted the cup and scones gratefully, and had just taken a sip of the steaming liquid when the innkeeper's wife bustled in beaming with yet another tray. She beamed at Penny and set the tray down.

"Ye husband ordered for lamb stew, your grace, will he be joining ye for supper?"

Startled, Penny downed the tea hurriedly, and it went down the wrong way.

CHAPTER 13 STRANGE EMOTIONS

Husband? Penny thought frantically even as she choked on her tea, the hot liquid burning a scalding path down her throat. Molly hurried to her side, rescuing the cup which was in danger of toppling to the floor.

"Are ye all right mi lady?" The inn keeper's wife exclaimed, her smile turning to one of the most extreme alarm as she noticed Penny's obvious distress.

Gasping for breath, Penny managed a reassuring nod, taking the cup of water Molly held out to her. The cool liquid soothed the burning and she mercifully felt fine. "Thank you Molly." She smiled at the girl gratefully, before turning to the inn keeper, "I am quite all right, thank you. The tea simply went down the wrong way."

The woman nodded, relief flooding her wrinkled face, "Aye, it be rather alarming when that happens. Molly, fetch some more cold water for her ladyship at once."

The maid curtsied and hurried out, while her mistress busied herself with laying out the delicious smelling stew. However, Penny's mind raced and she wished the duke were here so she could question him about this husband business. Had he gone mad? What would possess him to create the impression that they were man and wife?

"There, ye should eat something mi lady, it will help warm ye up nice." The woman's voice broke into her frantic musing. Penny looked at the steaming bowl but her appetite had fled. However, she took the bowl from her hostess and smiled.

"Thank you," She murmured, stirring the contents, the aroma wafting into her nostrils. "Do you know if the du...my..husband returned yet?"

The woman beamed at her,"Shall I find out for ye mi lady?"

"Yes please. Thank you..Mrs...?"

"Mrs Potter, at ye service mi lady," The woman dropped a brief curtsy and moved towards the door. "Molly will be back with some fresh water for ye mi lady. If ye need anything, just ask."

"I will, thank you."

The minute the door shut, Penny set the bowl on the table and rose, hastening to the window. Her heart sank at the sight of the rain still falling heavily. She worried about Phillip, he was sure to take ill if he remained outside in this terrible weather. She turned from the window and hurried to the door, yanking it open an moving quickly into the hallway and down the stairs.

The innkeeper was standing by the fire in the main room, but hurried over quickly as soon as he spotted her descent.

"My lady! Is everything not to your satisfaction?" he asked, a worried frown on his face as he watched her come down the flight of stairs. "Do you require something perhaps?"

"No, no..." Penny hastened to reassure the man with a smile. "I simply wondered if my...husband had returned yet." The word 'husband' seemed to stick in her throat and she prayed God to forgive her for the deception.

Mr. Potter shook his head and gestured outside. "No my lady, he has not."

"Oh." She turned to remount the stairs, but had to stand aside for a young woman with red hair who smiled at her pleasantly. She returned the smile and retreated back to her room, hearing the innkeeper address the woman as Miss Bingham.

Back in the room, she paced back and forth, hurrying to the window every few minutes to check of Phillip had returned. What could be keeping him? Was he hurt?

She became aware of the sound of boots coming up the stairs and she tensed, hoping it would be him. The door was flung open and Phillip stood there, his clothes dripping onto the wooden floor, dark hair plastered to his face. Yet he still managed to look as arresting as he always did. She gasped, hurrying to his side, taking his hand and leading him to the chair by the fire. He allowed himself to be led without a word or gesture of protest, taking the chair with a tired sigh.

"Are you alright?" Penny asked, busying herself trying to undo his sodden boots. "You must be terribly cold"

Her query was met with silence and she looked up to find him staring at her with a bemused expression on his face. Something flickered in his eyes, so quick she could hardly identify the expression. Her fingers stilled and she let them drop to her lap, lowering her gaze from his. She could feel a hot flush of colour steal across her cheeks, wondering what that look could possibly mean.

"Why do you suddenly take an interest in my well-being Miss Inglewood?" His voice broke the jumbled ramblings of her thoughts, and she looked up at him quickly. He was still staring at her, this time with a sardonic twist to his mouth. "Have I been elevated from the very devil incarnate to some sort of sainthood?"

She blushed once more and rose hastily, feeling the burn of humiliation. He mocked her! Mocked her for showing some measure of sensitivity for his health. Dear lord, the man was incorrigible. ."I simply wished to ensure you do not take ill your grace, that would be a dreadful hindrance and I would be loath to leave you behind while I continue the search." She said frostily, turning from him and striding to the bed to retrieve her box, stuffing the discarded contents back in hurriedly.

She heard him chuckle, much to her consternation, he was obviously enjoying her discomfort, the nasty man. Annoyed, she rounded on him, and treated him to a scorching glare. "And I certainly do not appreciate the deception. We are not husband and wife, thank heavens. There was no need to lie to those people. What would happen if some one who knows you happens by here?"

His eyes darkened and he leaned forward to glare at her. "Would you like to be branded a trollop Miss Inglewood? A light skirt, traveling, not only without a chaperone, but in the
company of a gentleman. In his arms no less. I lied to save your bloody reputation. Though it appears I should not have bothered."

Penny fell silent, hating that his words were true and now she would have to apologize to the blasted man. Having being used to acting as chaperone for Lucy, she'd hardly given thought to how her journey would look in the unmerciful eyes of society. Fiona had tried to warn her, but she had been too preoccupied with worry for Edward to pay much attention. She cast him a covert look from beneath her lashes. He was busy undoing the laces of his boots, looking thoroughly displeased at the entire situation.

"I am truly sorry." She whispered into the heavy silence that had fallen over them. He made no response, but his movements stilled for a moment before he seemed to cast away her apology with a shrug of his shoulders. She sighed, moving to perch on the other seat facing his own. "Do you need help with those? I used to help Papa remove his boots, so it should be easy to do yours."

He raised his eyes to cast a quick glance at her and chuckled. "I believe I can remove my own boots."

"There is no need to laugh at the offer." She snapped shooting him a baleful glare. "A simple no would suffice."

He sighed and tugged off one boot, letting it fall heedlessly to the floor. "I was not laughing at you. Can you please cease nagging for a while?"

Penny's mouth dropped open in astonishment. "I beg your pardon!" she huffed, "I never nag, how rude of you to say such."

The other boot slid off and he sighed in satisfaction, barely paying any attention to her words. He studied her for a few minutes, then rose abruptly and removed his sodden coat, tossing it to join the discarded boots. Penny's eyes widened in alarm when his hands moved to the buttons of his shirt.

"W-what do you think you are doing?" she cried in alarm, clamping a hand over her mouth in mortification. He simply raised an eyebrow at her apparent discomfort.

"I am removing my shirt Miss Inglewood. Does that offend you? I believe you have seen me without a shirt only this morning?"

"But you cannot...not here...oh lord..." The last part was said as the top buttons parted to reveal a firm muscular chest, lightly covered with dark strands of hair. Her face heated and though she tried to modestly avert her eyes, she found they had developed a will of their own and remained fixed on his bare flesh. Her breathing quickened, short quick breaths that came out as tiny gasps for air. Her fingers strangely itched to touch that expanse of male skin and her mouth went dry in desire.

He turned away, presenting her with his back as he faced the fire and removed the shirt completely, revealing surprisingly well toned bronzed skin as though he spent a lot of time in the sun. Penny had seen a fair amount of bare chested men...her papa and Edward, sometimes removed their shirts when doing heavy work on the farm...but nothing compared to this...this
sight before her. She gave herself a little shake, bringing herself back to firm reality. This was not the time to go into raptures over a man's nakedness, not while Edward and Jane could very well be in danger. Besides, if he wished to undress, he could find himself another room...

"Do you not think this is inappropriate?" She questioned him hating how breathless she sounded at that particular moment. "You should go to your rooms if you wish to divest yourself of your wet clothes. You can return for supper..I will order it to be heated again."

He burst into laughter, completely taking her by surprise. "My dear Miss Inglewood, I am afraid this is my room as well as yours. You see, another reason for our little deception was because the inn keeper informed me there was only one room available...Not to worry, I will not plague you with my presence for much longer. I will seek a bed elsewhere, your virtue will be intact."

She looked confused. "But you said there were no other accommodations? Where do you intend to go then?"

"Never mind that." Phillip waved away her concern and nodded towards the uneaten bowl of stew. "Why are you not eating? You need to keep up your strength."

She glanced at the food and her stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly. She blushed and hastily reached for the bowl, unwilling to look at him for fear of what she would find there. She took a bite, finding the stew to be quite good, and began to eat quickly, not caring what he thought of her eating habits.

"May I have some?" he asked in amusement, "Or do you intend to consume the entire thing by yourself?"

"Oh. I had no idea you wanted some." She set down her bowl and rose to dish a serving from the still warm pot. She held it out to him, careful to keep her eyes averted from the distracting form of his bare chest. He accepted the food with murmured thanks and resumed his seat. They ate in silence, neither speaking till each had finished the meal, each lost in thought. Penny certainly hoped the two lovers where dry and warm and well fed..she sighed and glanced out the window. It was still raining heavily.

"Has the road been cleared yet?" She asked him, setting down her empty bowl. "What about Colin? Is he here?"

"The blasted rain is not helping at all." He replied, "They will have to wait till the rain subsides before any clearing can be done. Your coachman chose to stay with the carriage, he will be all right, as long as he stays inside."

"Oh dear...do you suppose Edward will have sought shelter?"

"He will be a fool not to. Unless he wishes to put Jane's health in jeopardy, he will seek an inn and wait till the storm passes."

She studied him covertly from beneath her lashes, a question tugging at her lips, but she was not certain he would appreciate her poking her nose into his affairs. "May I ask a question?"

He studied her for a moment then nodded. "You may, but I do not guarantee I will supply an answer."

She bit her lip and thought for a while. "Why do you...I mean it is obvious the two of you do not...why?"

He frowned at her and set down his bowl sharply. "That is none of your concern Miss Inglewood." he rose, retrieving his shirt from where he'd hung it to dry above the fireplace and shrugged into it. "Go to bed immediately, I will come up for you as soon as it is dawn. Be ready."

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"The stables of course."

She gaped at him in disbelief. "But you cannot...that will be uncomfortable."

"Well I do not see any other alternative..unless you are offering me a place on your bed? I warn you though, the only women I share a bed with are those I intend to make love to. Do you want that?"

She blushed. Damn the man for always making her blush...in one evening she had blushed more than her entire lifetime. "Don't be absurd. I simply wish to suggest you sleep here- not on my bed of course- but we can create a makeshift bed of sorts on the floor...besides, we-we are supposed to be married, don't you think it will raise questions if you sleep in the stables?"

He grinned devilishly. "My my...how ingenious of you. Are you sure you want me in the same room? Not afraid I will take advantage of you?"

She lifted her chin and stared at him defiantly. "Unless you wish mortal injury, I would suggest you do not attempt it. Now are you going to stay or not?"

He burst into loud laughter and nodded, "Very well. I accept your generous offer...much preferable than sleeping out in the blasted cold anyway. Thank you."

"I will need some time alone to...get ready for bed."

"Of course. I will retire to the main room downstairs, will come up in an hour." He opened the door and left.

The minute he was gone, Penny wondered if she had lost her mind. What on earth was she thinking having him sleep in the same room? But oh, she could hardly let him sleep in the stables..after all he had paid for the room..and she was simply a straggler. She sighed and began to undress again, removing only the corset and stays, leaving on her shift beneath the gown. She rang for some extra bed sheets and blankets and when it arrived, proceeded to make a bed for him on the floor, situating it as far away from her bed as possible. She had just slipped under the covers, pulling them securely up to her neck when a knock sounded on the door and she heard him call her name softly.