Georgie pressed her lips together, not appearing convinced. “What if I snore in my sleep?” she asked. “What will you think of me?”
William chuckled. “You do realize that we will be sharing a bed after we are wed.”
Georgie’s mouth dropped open. “I… uh… just assumed that we would be sleeping in different bedchambers.”
“I meant what I said about wanting to make this a real marriage,” William said, “but I see that maybe we should ease into it.”
“I think that would be wise.”
William resisted the urge to chuckle again at her expense. He didn’t want to embarrass her further, but he had no intention of always sleeping in separate bedchambers. He would need to strive to be patient with her, though. He didn’t want to rush her into anything she wasn’t ready for. That wouldn’t be fair to her, or him.
In time, he would win her over.
Hopefully.
Georgie felt the coach stop and glanced out the window. They were at a coaching inn. She turned her attention to Lord Grenton, who had just fallen asleep. His arms were crossed over his chest and his head was drooping.
“Lord Grenton,” she said.
When that failed to wake him, she leaned forward and touched his knee. “William,” she said, “the coach has stopped.”
His head flew up and his tired eyes met hers. “I apologize for falling asleep.”
“You have no reason to apologize,” she assured him.
William glanced down at her hand on his knee, and she quickly leaned back in her seat, hoping he didn’t consider her too brazen.
“Wait here,” he ordered as he reached for the handle. “I will see why we stopped.”
After he exited the coach, Georgie heard William shout up to the driver, but she didn’t hear his mumbled reply.
The door opened and William said, “The driver doesn’t believe it is safe to travel these roads at night. He says we should rest here until first light.”
“You want me to stay at a coaching inn?”
William gave her a bemused look. “Is that an issue?”
“I have never stayed in a coaching inn before,” she admitted.
“I can assure you that it is preferable to sleeping in the coach,” William said as he held his hand out to assist her. “It is only for one night.”
Georgie tentatively placed her gloved hand into his and exited the coach. She looked at the aged brick structure, which had a thatched roof and a crooked sign over the door: The Rotten Pig.
Lovely.
She stepped forward, only to sink into a patch of sticky mud. Gads, her boots were ruined. Could this night get any worse?
William leaned closer and asked, “Would you like me to carry you inside?”
“I can walk,” Georgie said firmly as she pulled her feet out of the mud. “I just need to be more careful where I step.”
William remained close. “It would be best if we pretended that we are already married.”
“For what purpose?”
“I have no intention of letting you out of my sight,” William replied. “It isn’t safe for an unaccompanied woman to rent a room in a coaching inn.”
Georgie reluctantly agreed that he had a point, and she had no desire to be left alone in this foreign place. “I suppose you are right; but I refuse to share a bed with you.”
