Page 100 of Counting on a Countess
“Good morning, Josiah,” she called out to a middle-aged man handing a customer a spool of thread.
“Miss Tamsyn,” Josiah answered. His gaze flicked to Kit, then back to her, a question in his eyes.
“This is my husband, Lord Blakemere,” she announced to the people in the shop. She made introductions, and though Kit didn’t retain most of the customers’ names, he felt their unease as though he’d fallen into a puddle of oily water in the middle of the road and hadn’t cleaned his face.
“Pleasure meeting you,” Josiah said after a brief, awkward silence followed the introductions. “Are you planning on staying long, my lord?”
“The duration of my visit hasn’t been determined,” Kit replied neutrally. “I only arrived yesterday.”
“And you’re staying at Chei Owr, are you?” asked a woman carrying a basket.
“He is,” Tamsyn answered.
“It’s fallen on hard times—no offense, Miss Tamsyn,” she hastily added. “There are first-rate inns in Perranporth.”
“If it’s just the same,” Kit said drily, “I’d prefer to be closer to my wife.”
“Of course, of course.” The woman nodded, but she shot a glance at Tamsyn. “We’re, ah, fond of her, too, my lord.”
“Oh, aye,” the people in the shop chorused, and this, at least, was said with genuine feeling.
A faint blush stained Tamsyn’s cheeks. “Some cut quills please, Josiah,” she said to the shopkeeper.
He hurried to one drawer lining the walls and pulled out a long paper envelope, which he passed to Tamsyn. “Very fine prime quills. No seconds or pinions for you. Free of charge, Miss Tamsyn.”
“You persist in saying,” Tamsyn said wryly, “and I’ll persist in refusing.” She took a coin from her reticule, then gently pried open Josiah’s hand before pressing the coin into it and curling his fingers around the money.
Though it made sense for a shop to extend credit to local gentry, it was odd that Josiah Williams wanted to refuse payment. As though he owed Tamsyn something.
“What are ye plans for the day?” an elderly man in farmer’s clothing asked Kit. His accent was so thick it took Kit a moment to understand what he’d said.
“I plan on taking him on a tour,” Tamsyn replied. “See the local sights, et cetera.”
“Oh?” the older man asked with a pointed glance.
“The harbor and along the beach,” she said. “Someof the coves. A few aren’t precisely traversable, are they, Ben?”
“No, they aren’t,” the man agreed readily. “Best to stay away.”
Everyone in the shop nodded vigorously.
“Because pirates use them for hiding their booty,” Kit joked.
Tamsyn laughed rather loudly, and a few of the customers joined her.
“The day’s getting ahead of us,” she said brightly. “We’d best hurry along if we want to see everything. And there’s so much to see.”
“Planning on tiring me out?” he teased.
She pushed out another laugh. “It’s very different from London. Early rising and early to bed.”
When he lifted a brow at the wordbed, a carnal pink tinged her cheeks.
He fought a growl, wanting to see that pinkness all over her body.
She interrupted his erotic thoughts as she announced, “Time to move on.” She headed to the door and hurried outside as if sharks were intent on making her their supper.
“It was my pleasure to meet everyone.” Kit bowed before he also took his exit.
