Page 25 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

“Ah, but it is,” Sterling added. “The Port of London is large, and not always safe. I am not at all comfortable with you wandering around there looking for your sister. Damian knows the area, the different ships, crews, captains, and merchants. He would likely find out the information quicker than you.”

Again, Sterling was correct. The only thing worse than Georgie traveling on a mail coach alone was her wandering the docks alone, no matter how she was dressed

“Excuse me.” Damian pushed his chair back and went in search of the butler to send a footman into town. “We need schedules for mail coaches to London.”

“I can provide that for you, Mr. Wynd, if you will but excuse me.”

“Yes…of course.” He frowned while the butler walked away and then returned to the dining room. “George has one.”

Perhaps that was how servants traveled since they did not own carriages.

George returned a moment later. “The mail coach to London leaves at seven in the morning, tomorrow, from the Star Hotel. The next one will be in three days.”

“Please have a footman go there and purchase passage for me and Miss Georgiana.”

Had there not been a mail coach tomorrow, no doubt Georgie would have started walking to London. She did not seem to be a very patient person. However, at least the three days would have given him the opportunity to see that Trade Wynd was prepared for his absence.

Once dinner was concluded, Damian followed Sterling to his library for port, though he would not be surprised if Caroline joined them, as she had a habit of doing and Sterling never minded. Though she usually drank wine in the evening.

“If anyone recognizes you on the mail coach there will be rumors,” Sterling warned as he pressed a glass into Damian’s hand.

“You should have considered that before you insisted that I accompany her and denied me the carriage.” Even if it wasn’t on the coach, whispers would begin once he started to search the waterfront with Georgie.

“Just because others may be curious does not mean that I am obligated to answer any inquires,” he responded.

“What of you traveling alone with a woman?” Sterling asked. “Such could harm Georgie’s reputation.”

“Then allow me use of the carriage!” Damian returned. If his brother did not like the idea of him and Georgie on a mail coach, he should have never insisted in the first place. Then again, being alone in a carriage with Georgie for the hours it would take to travel to London might not be so wise either. She was a desirable, though irritating, woman. Though, while temptation may rise, he was also an honorable gentleman which meant the many hours between here and the Port of London might be the longest of his life.

“I have already explained that it is impossible,” Sterling returned.

“Then quit reminding me of the problems you see now when you are the one who suggested the mail coach in the first place.” Sterling was nearly as aggravating as Georgie at this point.

“I had not considered the damage to her reputation,” Sterling explained.

“As I have no intention of remaining in England after I have found my sister, that should not be a concern,” Georgie announced as she and Caroline entered the library.

He could just imagine the attention she would receive from any man, especially if they were bachelors, who shared the inside of the mail coach with them. It would not matter if he was seated beside her or not. They would lust after her. Of that, he had no doubt.

If others thought her to be his mistress, they would wonder why they were not traveling by private coach, which Damian always provided, then sold when the relationship came to an end because it was too costly to maintain not only the carriage, but the horses, and retain a driver if no one was ever going to make use of the conveyance.

Everyone knew that he did not have a sister, his female cousins were known, and there would be no purpose for him to accompany a servant…

Damian turned to his brother to note the humor in his blue eyes. No doubt Sterling understood the dilemma and difficulty of traveling with a fetching woman. Yet, he was the one who insisted that he go.

“Mr. Wynd,” the footman who he had sent into town addressed him from the entry. “I was able to purchase passage.” He held out documents.

Damian took them from the footman. “Did you need to provide a name?” He assumed that it was necessary but as he had never traveled by mail coach before, he was not certain of the protocol.

“I explained that Lord Wyndham needed them for a guest,” the footman responded. “There were several people near and I did not believe you would want others to know your plans.”

His family was private when it came to personal matters, which each servant knew.

“Thank you.” Damian dismissed the footman. “I suppose we must leave by five if we are to arrive at the Star Hotel in time.”

“Make use of the carriage,” Wyndham insisted.

“I thought I was not allowed,” Damian reminded him bitterly. A part of him suspected that Sterling was denying him the carriage for reasons other than stated, but he could think of no purpose for him to do so except to simply make Damian’s life difficult, which he had enjoyed doing when they were younger. Except, it wasn’t just Damian who would suffer by riding on a mail coach but Georgie as well.