Page 36 of When the Duke Met His Match

“You can’t leave us in the middle of nowhere,” Odette shrieked, trying to appeal to the stubborn man. “Please, we don’t know where we are.”

“That is not my problem,” he muttered in return, stepping back toward the coach. “You should’ve thought about that before you jumped in my wagon. Figure it out yourselves.”

There was a moment of silence between them that quickly filled with desperation. Theophilus could feel the surge of alarm that went through Odette, and she hurried around the side of the carriage, to which Theophilus followed, reaching for her arm. They found the man with one leg up already.

“Wait! Please, help us,” Odette pleaded even as he tried to pull her back. “We eloped to be together. We have nothing and nowhere to go.”

To his surprise, the coachman paused and glanced in their direction. At the very least, his gun was placed on the bench and served as less of a threat. It seemed to have tugged on his heartstrings.

“Have you ever had someone you loved so dearly you would fight the whole world to be with them?” Odette asked, hands brought to her chest in silent hope.

His brows lifted somewhat while he watched the scene unfold, interest piqued. The sincerity in her voice made Theophilus pause and wonder if she had truly felt that way about him or if it was an exaggeration to soften the stranger.

Either way, it seemed to work.

The man’s face relaxed as he gazed upon Odette, dropping his leg to stand with them on the path. Tears gathered in his eyes, and for a moment, he only stared between them.

He pulled the cap from his head and pressed it against his chest. It was clearly a sensitive nerve she had triggered.

Silence lingered between them before the man sighed and scratched his head absently. “You look exactly like her.” The cap returned to its place, and he sniffled. “The same blues eyes and golden hair—you look like my sweet Maria.”

Theophilus wondered what stroke of luck they possessed then and watched how Odette approached the man with a gentle smile on her face.

“It seems you know precisely what I mean,” she murmured to him, voice gentle and soothing.

“I lost her last year. She was my moon and stars, but she was taken from me far too soon. She took a part of me with her,” the man admitted with more tears in his eyes. He tried to wipe them away. “She could bring out the finest parts in anyone. I miss her every day.”

Odette carefully reached out to him and took one of his worn hands in between hers. She offered him as much warmth as she could. “I am sorry to hear that, sir. I’m sure she loved you very much.”

The coachman’s expression was softer and kinder than it had been before, and he managed to pull a smile for her, his mustache moving with it. “Thank you, miss.” He turned to face Theophilus with a gleam of pride in his eyes. “You take good care of this one.”

Noticing the red blossoming in Odette’s cheeks, he couldn’t help but believe what she had said before about being in love. The way she smiled lightly at him seemed to confirm it.

He returned the man’s pleased look and nodded. “I plan to.”

A mutual understanding lingered between them, no longer hostile or fearful. To his relief, the man didn’t seem hell-bent on leaving them behind or labeling them as criminals. Instead, he released a calming breath, wiped his tears, and gently clapped the back of Odette’s hand.

“Now then. Climb back up, you two, and we’ll get you on your way. We wasted enough time already,” the coachman said, gesturing to the carriage with a smile. “I’m Lewis Saw.”

Able to breathe easier then, both Theophilus and Odette smiled and thanked him. He wondered if giving him their names in return would be more polite, but since he didn’t ask, they carried on as normal.

“Thank you, Mr. Saw. You don’t know what this means to us,” he said to him, pleased they didn’t have to resort to violence.

With quick bows of their heads, they moved toward the back of the carriage while Mr. Saw got back onto the bench and soothed his team of horses.

Theophilus helped Odette into the back, stealing glances with one another all the while.

“That was far too close,” he murmured low enough for only her to hear as he navigated through the boxes behind her.

“Perhaps it was what we needed,” she returned, giving him a small smile. “An understanding.”

He sensed a secondary meaning in her words but had no mind to press. Being near her after she had blatantly confessed her feelings made his body ease into a more comfortable position against the boxes. He no longer felt the slight aches in his limbs from the ride.

Seeing that small smile on her face was enough to make his heart quicken, surer than ever, with his decision to help her escape London. It had been a snap judgment at the time, but he couldn’t imagine his life without her in it.

She had stolen his heart by being her genuine, unshakeable self, even if she was his prisoner. Seeing how kind she had been to Mr. Saw showed him the care and kindness she possessed. It made him content with his choice.

His gaze was torn from her when the horses were pushed on, and the carriage began rolling again. He returned his eyes to Odette and smiled.