Page 97 of Holding Onto Love

“Mercury was at Binnings? How did you get here from London?”

“By post chaise to Binnings. How did you think? Vanessa, it’s well over two hundred miles to London!” He shook his head at her, grinning in a mocking way. “Mercury is a horse, not a Pegasus.”

“Very well,” she said, embarrassed by the foolish image in her head of Crispin traveling day and night on a miraculous steed to come find her for Jasper. “I’ll come to Binnings. When?”

He counted fingers. “A week from Saturday. That will give a letter time to reach Jasper and Jasper time to reach Binnings.”

“Not much time.”

“He will sprout wings if he must. I’ll send a carriage for you on Friday.”

“No.” By this evening, Charlotte would have described Vanessa’s visitor in detail to Lydia, who would know it had been Lieutenant Taverston. If he were to sweep her off in a coach, they would all congratulate themselves. “I will go by stage on Saturday.”

“You won’t get there until late. It will be better if you are there—”

“So you can orchestrate the grand reunion? I think not. Crispin, I’m not staying alone with you overnight in your cottage.”

He blinked. “Is that a serious concern?” Before she could reply, he said, “If so, I will hire someone. A chaperone of some sort. I do know the rector’s wife rather well. But that won’t allow you and Jasper much privacy.”

“Perhaps that’s a good thing.” But perhaps not.

“I’d like you there before Jasper so that you won’t walk into a space he will already control.”

“You make it sound like a battlefield.”

“I hope it will not become one. But if it does, I’m offering you the high ground.”

“And where will you be?”

“On the property somewhere. But not orchestrating.”

“And servants?”

“A caretaker and his wife, who can cook if I ask. Reginald has brought a few gardeners in to spruce it up for me, but they’re not there all the time.”

That surprised her. “It’s quite small then? Your cottage?”

“Oh, no. It’s vast. A family retreat at one point. But it was sold, then repurchased so that I would have something to inherit. Reg says it’s in a bit of disrepair, but I haven’t been out to see it yet; I stayed overnight in town. I suppose I’ll have to hire staff and do something with the place.” He made a face. “Or deed it over to Reg when he has a brood.”

She refrained from saying that might be sooner than he anticipated.

“Fine.” If she was yielding to Crispin, she might as well surrender unconditionally. “I’ll be there Friday.”

“Chaperone?”

“No, I suppose not.”

“May I send a carriage?”

She thought a moment. It would be so much more comfortable than the stage.

“Send it to Paxton Downs. To the inn there.”

He nodded. “Good. This will be good. I’ll get a letter off to Jasper right away.”

“Send it from Binnings. Not here.”

“Certainly.”