Page 27 of Miss Wylde and the Wynd

“I would like to leave now to make certain that is the case.” She turned to march out of the dining room. “You may come with me or you may remain here.”

“We do have time.”

“You clearly do not understand the urgency of the situation.”

“Nor will it hurry the mail coach. It will leave at the time scheduled and not before.”

“Well, I am leaving now.”

“No, you are not.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Are you always so bloody stubborn?” he nearly yelled.

“Are you always so argumentative?” she returned.

“I sympathize with the passengers who will be sharing a mail coach with those two,” Sterling whispered to Lady Wyndham, who had just come down the stairs, but not so quiet that she hadn’t heard.

“You are the ones who insist Damian accompany me,” Georgie reminded them, her irritation growing. This really was their fault. If they had simply let her be on her way, they’d not be having this argument.

Why was she still here?

With that thought, she turned and once again marched for the door.

“Have my valise retrieved from above so that we might leave,” Damian barked to the footman, though it was clear his irritation was at her, but Georgie didn’t care. She was on edge. She was worried, and she still had twelve hours before she found her sister, if she managed to find her so quickly.

Georgie didn’t bother to hide her impatience and stood in the entry with her arms crossed over her breasts and tapped her toe as she waited for the footman to return with Damian’s valise. She could almost hear the seconds tick by, even though she knew that it was impossible, yet that hardly settled her agitation.

“Your valise, sir,” the footman said after he returned downstairs and handed it to Damian.

Georgie did not wait for another excuse and made certain that her satchel was secure over her shoulder, picked up her valise, left the manor, and marched to the waiting carriage. She did not bother to look back to make certain that Damian followed. She simply entered and if he did not join her quickly enough, she would order the driver to leave.

He entered not long after her and pulled the door closed. A moment later, the carriage jerked and then drove down the drive.

While Damian glared at her, Georgie ran her hand across the plush seat. The carriage was certainly fine and spoke to their wealth. She also knew that traveling in a mail coach would likely not be nearly as comfortable. However, it was still better than walking.

“What is your middle name?”

She blinked in confusion at Damian’s random question.

“Why?”

“I would like to know.”

“It is Lucia,” she answered to which he nodded before he looked out the window to the passing scenery.

“What is yours?”

“Robert,” he answered without looking at her.

Why did it even matter?

Georgie blew out a sigh and gazed out the opposite window, noting that they were entering the town as buildings began to appear.

Damian knocked on the roof of the carriage and the driver pulled off the road. Georgie strained to determine which of the buildings was the Star Hotel after he had assisted her from the carriage as the driver placed the valises and her satchel beside them.

“We will walk the rest of the way”