Page 21 of The Best-Kept Secrets
That was not the answer Duke had hoped for. “The bridge just up the road is not passable at the moment. I have three ladies in my carriage whom I need to get out of this weather. Could we sit inside while we sort out our options?”
“You’ll not have many options. Nearest inn is on the other side of that bridge. Second nearest is hours back on the road. You can stay here as long as you want, but there ain’t no one to cook or carry water. And the place needs airing.”
Grandmother would not be best pleased. But what choice did they have, really?
Duke dipped his head. “Thank you. I will see the ladies inside, and I will let you know what we decide to do.”
The man shrugged. “I’ll unlock the front door.” The man immediately closedhisdoor.
Duke looked back at the carriage, knowing his grandmother would be even more difficult than usual when she realized their situation. And no amount of praising her manners or civility would change that. Perhaps he could simply try swimming across the swollen river and walking the rest of the way to Surrey. Except, once he reached Fairfield, he had every intention of doing far more than inconveniencing his often-difficult family. If all went to plan, he might very well start a Seymour family war.
Chapter Nine
There was no doubt inEve’s mind that the inn they had just stepped into was abandoned. Heavy burlap hung over several of the windows. The tables and chairs that remained were draped with dust cloths, while the well-worn wooden floor was covered with dust.
The furniture covers would have been placed immediately upon shuttering the inn, making that an unreliable indicator of how long ago the doors were closed. And dust accumulated quickly—the floors and window frames at Tulleyloch grew dusty within days if the family wasn’t vigilant. It was difficult to say if the place had been empty for a month or year or even more.
Mrs. Seymour eyed their surroundings with a look of absolute horror. Nia’s expression was far more evaluatory.
“This inn’s not currently in use, is it?” Eve asked Duke.
“It is not. The man I suspect was once the innkeeper lives in the small cottage beside the inn. He is the one who allowed us in, but he is old and seems frail, which is likely why the inn is shuttered.”
“How are we to stay here?” Mrs. Seymour wrinkled her nose in distaste. “The beds, if there are any, aren’t likely to have linens. There is dust and dirt. The fireplaces, no doubt, smoke. And who will cook and tend to the beds and all the other things that must be done?”
Eve met Nia’s eye. Cooking and tending to beds and such was part of their life every day, though it was not an aptitude thetonfound acceptable. Revealing their extensive experience was risky. But spending the next couple of days in either an inn that was not functioning or a stationary carriage in a downpour were not acceptable options either.
Eve waved Nia aside. In a low voice, she said, “If you’ll go upstairs and assess the situation in the bedchambers, I’ll evaluate the state of the kitchen and larder.”
“And are we to pretend we are new to this sort of endeavor, or are we undertaking a confessional?” Nia asked.
“Looking for linens, dusting furniture, airing rooms... even those who haven’t that responsibility every day could likely sort out how to basically accomplish it. Mrs. Seymour won’t guess at your role at home simply because you’re doing that here.”
Nia set her hand on Eve’s arm. “But cooking and baking aren’t arts that can be acquired suddenly through guesswork. If we’ve edible food while we are here, Mrs. Seymour and Duke will gain some insights we likely don’t want them to have.”
Oh, why were Mother and Father requiring her to keep her lost future a secret from Nia? There would be no more Seasons nor true forays into thetonfor Eve. Should Mrs. Seymour whisper what she learned to others and those whispers somehow managed to reach London from Dublin,Eve’s chance of making a match wouldn’t be ruined; she already had no chance left. It wasNia’sthat needed protecting.
“We’ll tell Mrs. Seymour that someone was found to work in the kitchen,” Eve said. “She needn’t realizeIam the person ’twas found.”
“We can try that.” Nia didn’t look truly convinced, but she did make her way from the room and up the creaking stairs.
“Where is she going?” Mrs. Seymour asked in tones that indicated she intended to disapprove and only asked for further information in order to feel justified in doing so.
“Nia means to check the state of the bedchambers. It seems wise to know what our situation truly is.” Eve kept her expression and words light. “I will go see if there is any food in the larder.”
“The two of you intend to stay here?” Mrs. Seymour pressed a hand to her heart.
“As it is our only option beyond sitting in the unmoving carriage, waiting for days until the rain stops, or driving several hours back along the road we’ve already traversed, hoping to reach another inn before the state of the roads renders us impossibly stuck in mud, yes. We mean to make the best of our situation and be grateful for a roof over our heads.” Eve moved to the nearest interior door, unsure which of the exits from the public room would prove the threshold of the kitchen.
The first she tried was a coat closet.
She’d nearly reached the second door when Duke stepped up beside her. “I am sorry the accommodations aren’t ideal,” he said.
“Our current situation isn’t your fault, Duke. And I was in earnest when I said that I’m grateful to be out of the rain.”
Relief touched those startlingly blue eyes. So did an undeniable surge of kind concern. “I’ll do what I can to make this room usable.”
Good heavens, he had a knack for making her blush. She only hoped it wasn’t obvious.
