Page 57 of A Tenuous Betrothal
“The stakes have risen considerably. I will lose an obscene amount of money.”
She pressed her lips together. “You will see no sympathy from me. In fact, I’m leaving. You’ve just convinced me. Please, show Lord Carmine out.” She rushed upstairs, grabbed a reticule with what little money she had, and hurried out the back door.
Sophie and Bartholomew lived not far from the shopping area, where many hacks hovered, waiting for passengers. She waved for the first one and hopped in. “I need to take a coach to Wales.”
If the driver seemed taken aback by her statement, he did not react. Instead, he nodded, and they started moving toward what she hoped was a stableyard with coaches used for long-distance travel. She didn’t know quite how it worked. But she did know it was possible.
Soon, without much trouble, she was in a carriage with four other people, all traveling north.
She drummed her fingers, fidgeted with her feet, and looked out the window more than she thought sanely possible. But the journey did not speed, and Marc did not show up at their side on his horse, ready to rescue her again.
But no matter. She would do what she could and pray he and his brothers would come.
Uncle had to open those mines. There was no time to delay. Deadly gases were surely spreading throughout the enclosed spaces. Every day decreased the chance her dear friends would live.
Rhi prayed silently that each person would be protected, calmed, and reassured. “I’m coming,” she whispered to the universe.
What she could possibly do she didn’t know, besides try to exert influence. And that she would do. If she had to order the digging herself, she would. If she had to start with her own shovel, she would.
After hours of fretting, her mind finally ceased thinking as she fell asleep in exhaustion.
Chapter Twenty
Marc hurried to Wales, pushinghis horse, Kristoff and Henri riding hard at his side. Why did he have to be almost betrothed to a woman who couldn’t wait two seconds for help to arrive? Why was she his responsibility at all? Curse his father. Curse his brothers. Curse his own heart.
This precise problem was why he had hidden himself in the ship, why he was hoping to ease himself out of her life—situations just like this one and many more he knew awaited him in his own country.
Miss Davies had taken off in a hired hack, by herself, with no luggage. To Wales. She likely had no money for sustenance on the way either. Or to pay for an inn.
He and Miss Davies were a couple made for disaster.
Before he found himself too critically analyzing her actions, though, he knew he should remind himself that of all the women he’d known, besides his mother, she was indeed the most able to care for herself. She would be all right.
Until she arrived in Wales.
And then what would she do?
He wouldn’t put it past her to start a revolution.
Hopefully, she wouldn’t break into any blocked mines and get herself blown up.
He wouldn’t put that past her either.
He just needed to arrive in Wales before she acted on her own.
And he’d brought a Davy lamp.
They could show her uncle they could save the mine, save the workers. That the insufferable man could use these new lanterns and reduce explosion risks. All was not lost.
He and his brothers and Bartholomew had also alerted those in the government—the House of Lords and even the prince regent—about her uncle’s behavior. If the man could not see reason, he would be removed from his land. And Miss Davies would be placed there in his stead.
Which would mean she was lost to Marc forever.
But wasn’t that what he wanted anyway? And she probably most desired the same—a return of her estate and mine to her own hands. If anyone could manage all of it, she could.
His thoughts raced along with the horses, not knowing how far behind Miss Davies they were. He and his brothers would trade out for fresh mounts before nightfall. Bartholomew kept fresh horses on his way back to his country estate, which thankfully used the same roads for a large portion of the journey, at least to the North Road.
Bartholomew would follow in a carriage, and Sophie had insisted on coming.
