Page 26 of No Duke of Mine

“How will I ever repay you for all this?”

He shook his head as Maggie finally stopped touching his leg. “Your company has always been repayment enough.”

“Hardly, but we will talk about the debt I’ve run up later,” she warned, glancing out the carriage door as well. “When I’m reunited with my father, though, I might not move for weeks. I feel like I am constantly on a ship being tossed about at sea.”

He paused on the verge of getting out. “Have you ever been in a ship? I mean, actually onboard a vessel?”

“No, but I have read enough accounts of sailors returning to shore to know that it can take some time to find your land legs again. This is as close as I ever want to get to that.”

Maggie had about as much experience with travel as he did, but she was better read on the subject, and a source of endless conversation about the world beyond England’s shores. He deeply regretted that they would never travel to the places that fascinated them both, but he exited the carriage before he said anything that might embarrass her about her lack of funds and his endless responsibilities.

Sims rushed toward him, looking distinctly uncomfortable. “There is a slight complication,” he whispered.

Algernon groaned under his breath. “Please don’t tell me they have no rooms.”

“Oh, they have room. One room only,” Sims whispered again. “I took the liberty of claiming it.”

“Then I don’t see the problem,” he said. “She will have the room.”

“The proprietor of this establishment has exceptional eyesight, Your Grace. When he saw you and a woman alone in the carriage of the Duke of Ravenswood—her hand on your knee—he assumed she was your duchess.”

Algernon gaped, utterly shocked by this development.

“I didn’t know what else to say that wouldn’t make it worse, so I went along with it,” Sims whispered.

Algernon scowled at his valet with displeasure. “Why didn’t you say she was my sister-in-law or a cousin?”

“Her hand was rubbing your leg,” Sims said pointedly. Then he shrugged. “Besides, you are too fond of each other. I have sisters, cousins, and one sister-in-law who torment me. And I do not enjoy their touch at all. Should anyone else notice your fondness for each other, I feared they might assume she was not a proper lady.”

Algernon heard the emphasis on lady, and nearly growled at the idea of anyone slandering Maggie Black’s character.

“As a husband, you may speak with her, be yourself, and not worry about what other people think when you caress her hand.”

“I do not caress her hand,” he whispered heatedly through clenched teeth.

“I am sorry, but you both do without realizing you are,” Sims admitted with a wince. “Not that I blame you, of course. She is lovely, and fond of teasing you. But I know you will behave respectfully toward her tonight when you retire together,” Sims finished with absolute confidence. “The innkeeper will forget her face if you never stop here again.”

The valet backed away, leaving Algernon squirming and with the uncomfortable task of confiding in Maggie about the continuation of their fake marriage.

He strode to the carriage, and one of the grooms snapped open the door for him.

“There is room,” he told Maggie, extending his hand toward her to help her out.

She took it, clutching her travel case in her other hand as she stepped down.

Algernon quickly flipped her hood over her head to conceal her features. He took the case from her and thrust it at Sims to carry. “Follow us,” he barked at the man.

Maggie was wise enough not to ask questions about the hood or his irritation with the valet in the inn yard.

Algernon led her toward the inn, nodding to the proprietor, but he did not stop to make conversation, and followed a deferential servant upstairs to their appointed room for the night.

He allowed Maggie to enter first, and she quickly looked around, her expression one of approval.

Sims directed Algernon’s trunks to be set down in a corner, handed Maggie’s travel case over, tipped the servants for their trouble, and then hurried everyone out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind them.

Maggie turned, clearly surprised to see him still standing there. “It’s a lovely room, but why are you so upset with everyone?”

“I am tense because you’re going to be angry with me.” He went to one of his trunks and set his hat on top of it, trying to decide how to handle this situation. It was one thing to pretend Maggie was his wife under a false name, but quite another to have her addressed as his duchess.