CHAPTER 7
It wasunfortunate that Miss Shroud’s first experience with him would include a visit to the Johnsons’ farm. Coming here was almost like attending a ball. Mr. Johnson’s fair-haired daughters neither dressed in ball gowns nor sipped ratafia, but their excitement at seeing anyone come to visit rivaled the excitement of many a young lady as she prepared for an evening of dancing.
It was downright disconcerting.
And he could never remember all of their names. Miss Johnson had the darkest hair, and her sister just younger was Miss Harriet. After that, he was fairly certain there was a Mary or a Marion, and a Miss Penelope, who went by Penny. But there were five daughters here, and that was only four names, so he was missing one completely.
He came often enough that heshouldremember, but when he came, they fluttered about, always wearing similar light-colored dresses. He never quite learned to differentiate them. Would Miss Shroud expect him to introduce her to all of them? He would fail miserably, and as much as he didn’t want Miss Shroud going with him on his deliveries, he also didn’t want to disappoint her. The last thing he needed was to lose a client ofMr. Bennion’s. Especially the Johnson family, as they usually had a few deliveries every week.
He and the vicar climbed out of the cart and were immediately swarmed with cotton in blues, yellows, and pinks of the softest hues. He gave each of the young ladies a nod, then turned to help Miss Shroud out of the cart. However, Mr. Victor stepped in front of him and held his hand out to her instead. Had that been a look of warning in Mr. Victor’s eye?
True, he had been tangled in her skirts?—
He gritted his teeth.Thatwas not at all how he should think of what had happened on the cart.
He and Miss Shroud had been caught in a compromising position?—
Blast, he couldnotthink of it that way either.
Matthew stepped aside and let the vicar help her. Matthew had helped Miss Shroud enough for one day.
He dragged his eyes away from the sight of their entwined hands. If Mr. Victor wanted to assist Miss Shroud, it was none of his business. In fact, the vicarshouldbe the one to help her. Matthew was a lowly cart driver, not much better than her servant. After one quick glance at the smile Miss Shroud gave Mr. Victor, he turned back to the Johnson sisters.
The sheer force of them all made him take a step back.
He allowed his face to go flat before turning to Mr. Johnson. “Which goose would you like delivered to your daughter?” If Miss Shroud wanted an introduction, Mr. Victor would be more than capable of doing the honors. They’d already had more conversation between them than he and Miss Shroud had.
Mr. Johnson beamed back at him. “Oh, any of them will do.”
The sound of crunching boots behind him meant Miss Shroud and Mr. Victor had joined him. “Any of them?” Her voice held hints of disbelief.
“Yes, any of them would make a fine dinner,” Mr. Johnson said.
“Mr. Victor,” Miss Johnson said, with a smile, as he came up beside Miss Shroud. “Who is this young lady you’ve brought with you?”
“Oh, I haven’t,” he explained. “She came with Mr. Scarper.”
Five pairs of brown eyes in varying hues turned to Matthew. Blast. Would he have to spend the next three weeks introducing her to every person in town? He was the wrong man for it. He made a point of not developing close relationships with anyone in town. He would surely bungle more than a few introductions, starting with this one.
He turned to Miss Shroud. He might as well get it over with. “Mr. Johnson, this is Miss Shroud. Her father is looking for ideas on how to improve his delivery service, so she is…” What was she doing, again? It made a lot more sense when Mr. Bennion had explained her intent. Mr. Victor’s questions about her father’s willingness to send his daughter to an unknown town, to follow about a man who might be a blackguard, for all she knew, was quite unfathomable. “Observing me as I work.”
All eyes turned to Miss Shroud.
“Father,” Mary or Marion or perhaps neither of those piped up. “I would be interested in observing how Mr. Scarper works. Do you think…”
“No,” both the vicar and Mr. Johnson said at the same time. Matthew had almost joined them, so he shouldn’t feel so put out by their lack of trust in him, but still, it stung. It was a good reminder that he should not, under any circumstances, parade about town with Miss Shroud on his arm. If rumors got back to her hometown, it would undoubtedly affect her reputation.
Not that he was planning on parading her about town.
But again, he was stuck with the same dilemma. It wasn’t a cart driver’s responsibility to protect an upper-class lady likeMiss Shroud. That was her family's responsibility. Why weren’t they doing it?
Mr. Johnson introduced his daughters, proving that Matthew had been mostly right about their names. Besides Miss Johnson, there was a Miss Harriet, Miss Penelope and a Miss Mary. The youngest was Bertha. He should be able to remember that for next time. Despite what Miss Shroud had heard, he didn’t believe he was a particularly superb delivery driver. But he did make an effort to remember the names of those to whom he delivered.
Miss Shroud’s eyes took in the chaos around them. “Did I hear ye right earlier, Mr. Johnson? We are to bring one ofthesegeese to yer daughter?”
“Yes.”
Her eyebrow rose. “One of the geese runnin’ about in yer garden right now?”
