He leaned back, his arms folded, his gaze unrelenting.
“Once we reach the house, you shall start packing, Lady Inverhall. We leave within the next couple of days.”
Chapter Three
“One room, Sir,” the innkeeper sighed, his voice hardly audible over the din in the adjoining pub. “And only one bed is available, I am afraid. A rare occurrence, I assure ye. I am sorry we cannae meet yer request tonight, Sir.”
The Duke’s gaze flickered to Elspeth, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. It unnerved her.
“No matter,” he declared, pulling a few coins from his purse and placing them on the counter with a loud clink. “My wife and I will be fine to share.”
Wife?! As if we could ever stand to be with each other.
Her eyes widened at the notion. Still, she had to admit that he was being smart. A man traveling with a woman who was not his wife would surely draw unwanted attention. And that was surely not something she could stand.
She could only sigh then.
“Can I fetch any refreshments for ye? Some bread, perhaps?”
“We supped at a small tavern down the road at the beginning of the village—we will be fine. However, hot water to bathe with would be most welcome,” the Duke said, dropping more coins on the counter.
“I will see it is done, Sir,” the innkeeper assured as he motioned for a young boy to gather their meager luggage for a night’s stay and take them to their room.
Elspeth followed closely behindher husbandas they were guided upstairs to a tiny door at the end of a narrow hall.
“Well, this is it,” the young boy said with a tip of his hat, before scurrying off down the hall like a little mouse.
Elspeth’s eyes widened, then narrowed into slits as they entered the cramped room. It had only been three days since they left Inverhall, but she was already close to losing her mind. She had her suspicions about the lodgings when they rolled to a halt outside the unassuming inn. She could not even recall which village they had arrived in; everything had blurred together into one exquisite mess.
And what a mess… How has so much happened in so short a period of time?
Elspeth could hardly wrap her head around everything that had transpired within the last several days. From the Duke storming into her house like he owned it—which he did—to dragging her with him to London. She could hardly keep her head straight.
She decided it was best to focus on the present.
While the room is small… aye, it is clean. At least that is a comfort. The journey has been long and arduous, and this will have to do.
But as her eyes darted around, she noted how it was dominated by a single, large bed. She had hoped for a small settee, a chair, anything she could prevail upon the Duke to sleep on.
Her eyes drifted to the far corner, where a copper bathtub stood.
Almost immediately, a maid bustled in, carrying buckets of steaming water.
The Duke nodded, a silent command, and tipped the girl generously as she poured the hot water into the tub before discreetly retreating.
“Surely you would like to bathe first, Lady Inverhall?” the Duke asked, gesturing to the steaming tub. “We’ve been traveling for three long days, after all.”
Elspeth’s gaze darted from the tub to the Duke, then back again. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. The idea of undressing in such close quarters, with him present, was unsettling.
She hesitated, her fingers plucking at the fabric of her travel dress.
He isnae wrong, but I cannae let him see me in such a manner…
“Come now.” He arched an eyebrow. “Surely a woman who was married is not quite so shy?”
“I dinnae trust ye,” she shot back as she turned her back to him. “If ye would like me to bathe, ye can go downstairs to the pub and give me some privacy.”
“This is not a pristine inn with the sort of company I’d leave you alone with, My Lady. Even in a locked room. If you would like to bathe, you will need me to remain. Besides, I am your husband, for all intents and purposes.”
