Page 51 of The Baroness of Sin
“I was just thinking the same thing,” he told her with a smile and planted a kiss on her forehead.
* * *
There were only two things that differentiated the couple’s honeymoon from a jaunty weekend country ride. The first was a definite feeling in the air of how long the Earl would be away. As joyous as the reason was, his presence was always valued on his lands and in his home, and he would be missed.
So too, in fact, would his new lady, as she had proven to host all the qualities they had come to value from their Lord, and thus felt doubly blessed.
The other, and slightly more unorthodox reasoning, was the arrival and preparations of Mr. Page to accompany them on the trip.
“Unfortunate as it is, my dear, it is the small price we pay for the conveniences of the trip. He is a respected liaison of Killian and Company and often acts as the eyes of the other investors. He will only share the carriage with us for a short time and has assured me he will give us our distance on the ship,” James explained to her when she expressed her slight disappointment at the man’s presence.
The morning they left was a foggy one. The carriage had been arranged in front of the house, and everything loaded up. The Lord and Lady, their daughter, Emma, and Vickers stood outside, breathing in the dense warm air as they said their goodbyes.
“I trust that I leave Barristen in good hands, Vickers. My business affairs are in order for the month. You simply need to make sure the house doesn’t descend into utter chaos,” James joked.
“Something that would be much harder to guarantee if My Lord was staying in the manor, I can assure you,” Vickers remarked dryly before they both laughed.
“Good man,” the Earl told him, and they shook hands.
“I will make sure to bring you back something especially nice,” Martha told Emma as she hugged her dear sister tightly.
“Well just make sure to bring Harriet back something almost as nice. Just enough so that she doesn’t get jealous,” Emma cautioned.
“But you do want her to be a little bit jealous, don’t you?” Martha said with a smile.
“Maybe just a little. Envious up to the gills and no higher.” Emma and Martha laughed while they said their goodbyes.
Both of her parents stooped slightly before little Amanda, so they could hug her tightly at the same time. She acted like she still hadn’t forgiven them for leaving her behind, but her anger held only a fraction of its former self. She would clearly miss them, and they would miss her.
“Now remember, little Amanda, that we both love you very much,” James told her.
“And that as the Lady of the house you have to fill my important roles when I am gone, in case you are called upon,” Martha said astutely.
Amanda nodded, very serious about these new duties that were sure to come up. “And you promise to bring me back sweets from Paris?”
“Darling, I keep telling you that we are going to France but not Paris.” James laughed and rubbed the top of her head.
“French sweets will suffice then,” his daughter assured him before giving his hand one final squeeze and dashing off inside, her patience for the farewell reaching its end.
“Now if only that Mr. Page would hurry along,” Martha sighed, “then we could be on our way.”
“The fog must be givin’ you a hard time, I’ve been right here all along, M’Lady,” the familiar voice called from the carriage. The driver pulled back his collar and revealed a cheerful Mr. Page.
“Mr. Page? What the blazes are you doing up there?” James asked, baffled at this odd circumstance.
“Well, your driver was lamenting the difficulties of the ride back and all, and I told him that, with a former employer, I drove a carriage, and I knew of a stable that could tend to the horses. I am coming this way all the same. So, I figured, or he and I figured, that is, that I could drive you. With the added benefit, I might add, of giving the newlyweds the privacy of the carriage to themselves.”
“You're joking. You sorted that all out with the driver?” James asked, completely baffled.
“Well, the conversation was a little more complicated than I am making it out to be, but that would be the roundabout of it, M’Lord,” Mr. Page said with a shrug. “Will you in the Lady be boarding now? I think it's best that we be moving on.”
James turned to look at Martha who mounted the carriage steps and turned back to him. “I believe he is right, My Lord, are you coming?”
James could only sigh and shake his head as he followed after his wife.
* * *
The ride to the coast would eventually turn from foggy and dew ladened lawns to the rolling countryside, dotted with copses and warrens. The couple traced each other’s hands with their fingertips, enjoying each other's company in the serene silence. There are few moments that could be said to demonstrate true and unfettered happiness, and this was without a doubt one of them. They talked causally, trading lighthearted comments and sweet nothings, their hands grasped in loving affection.
