Page 62 of When the Duke Met His Match

After taking the long journey from Dover back to London, the wagon rolled through the streets. The trip had been uneventful for the most part, much to Odette’s relief.

They managed to hitch a ride with another merchant, carrying textiles and soft materials. After approaching him in Dover, he didn’t seem to recognize them, and he didn’t mind taking them there since they were headed in the same direction.

Odette was thankful the covered wagon was much more comfortable than the ride she and Theophilus endured surrounded by foul-smelling meat. She still couldn’t stomach the idea of eating it yet.

As the landscape changed while they traveled, she couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling in her gut, reminding her of what they were about to do and all the risks that came with it.

Despite the storm of worry in her chest, she did her best to remain as calm as she could.

Odette spent most of the trip looking up at the moving sky above, trying to catch a wink while Theophilus and Eric slept on and off.

The sun glared down at them as the driver announced they had arrived in London.

Odette had to force herself to breathe as she climbed out of the wagon, taking Theophilus’ hand. He gave her a reassuring smile, and she tried to take some sort of comfort from it. They thanked the driver and went on their way.

“Remember, don’t let anyone find out who you are,” he murmured to her, helping lift her hood to conceal her face. “There will be officers everywhere. Follow my lead; hopefully, we won’t need to do this much longer.”

She nodded and followed him while Eric stepped behind them, seeming like he was trying to regain his bearings. While he blended in with the more impoverished-looking folk, the mess of his clothes and face was sure to draw some attention to him. She only hoped it wouldn’t be enough to land them in trouble.

Odette kept her eyes low, forcing her heart to steady. They tried so hard to escape and make a new life for themselves, yet they were back in the place where they were wanted for treason. They were so close to rewriting their story.

“The ball is in two days,” he whispered to her as he guided her down the street. “We need to get in unnoticed, and that includes not being caught in the meantime.”

“And where are we going now?” she asked.

“I know of an inn nearby. It’s out of the way enough to hopefully buy us some anonymity.”

“Do we have enough money for that?”

He shrugged. “We have just enough to cover it. After that, we’ll have nothing left.”

Odette swallowed hard at that reality, wondering how he could possibly be so nonchalant about it.

“That doesn’t sound sustainable,” Eric grumbled from behind them.

“So long as the plan works, we won’t need to worry about that,” Theophilus quipped, motioning to the inn ahead of them. “Here we are.”

“That’s the optimism I recall,” Eric chuckled and followed inside.

The inn was somewhat nicer than the one in Dover, yet it was tucked away enough that it wasn’t overly busy with other patrons. None of them bothered to glance in their direction, thankfully.

“One room, please,” Theophilus asked the owner, who stood behind the polished counter.

The owner looked between the three of them oddly, hesitating before he spoke with a look that said he wasn’t interested in knowing the details. “The best I can give you is a double and a cot.”

“That would be more than suitable.”

“How long do you plan on staying?” he asked, inspecting them as if they were the strangest creatures he had ever laid his eyes on.

“Two days,” he murmured simply.

Odette swallowed hard, afraid the money wouldn’t be enough.

The owner requested the payment upfront, and Theophilus paused to count through the remaining money. He handed it to the owner with a small breath, who seemed satisfied.

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” he droned, finally letting his eyes fall on Eric. “Fetch water for a bath, perhaps?”

“That would be wonderful,” Theophilus commented, clearing his throat.