Page 8 of Her Runaway Duke
“You thought right,” he said grimly. “Good thing you had Lucky.”
“I am not sure I understand.”
“My horse,” he said, gesturing forward. “Name is Lucky.”
“Oh, I see,” she said, still not completely understanding. “Well, thank you, Lucky. And thank you—I am sorry, what is your name?”
“Don’t need to know it,” he said with a slight shake of his head. “Where are you going?”
“It is a very long story,” she said with a quivering breath. “I am lost, however. Do you know how far Crawley is?”
“Day or so,” he said. “Wouldn’t take long to return to London, though.”
“No,” she said quickly. “I cannot go back there.”
She waited for him to ask why, but he just sat there, still and silent, obviously not caring about her reasons.
“What happened to your companion?”
“My companion?”
“I assume you are not out here alone.”
“I am, actually,” she said, lifting her head, not appreciating that a stranger would feel the need to pass judgement on her actions, as right as he might be.
“Was stupid to be out here alone,” he said, and her mouth fell open in shock.
“Did you just call me stupid?”
“I said stupid to be here alone,” he said, his voice low and gravelly still. “What did you think was going to happen?”
“Well, I hadn’t planned for this,” she said, and he snorted, looking away from her. As he did, she caught a glimpse of the right side of his face, noting the beard that covered it as well as a handsome, princely profile.
“Why are you alone?” he finally asked, sighing as though he hadn’t wanted to know the answer, but realizing he had needed to know.
“I ran away from my wedding,” she said, and his head lifted as though he was going to look at her, but before the brim of his hat rose completely, he lowered it once more. She had to admit that she had liked what she had been able to see, from the prominent cheekbone, down the strong jawline to plush lips on the one side of his face.
“My parents were forcing me to marry a man who was over twice my age, you see,” she said. “Which was not so much the issue, but the fact that he was rather the lecherous type. There were stories and – well. My friend convinced me to escape, but now I think I would have been best to stay and take my chances. It would have been better than highwaymen.”
She took a breath, realizing that she had likely said far too much.
“Thank you for saving me,” she said, more quietly now. “Where is the closest place that I could go for shelter for the night?”
He didn’t say anything, just sitting there, and a chill began to creep down Siena’s spine. Somehow, she had this innate feeling that she could trust this man, but he was so quiet. Perhaps he had only gotten rid of the highwaymen so that he could have her for himself.
“Thank you again, sir,” she said. “I-I shall go now. I did not mean to cause you trouble.”
She turned her horse to walk away, but she hadn’t travelled more than a step or two when his voice called out.
“Stop.”
She paused, her horse following his command.
“You can come with me.”
“Thank you but I shall continue on,” she said. “I would not mean to cause you any more trouble than I already have?—”
“I have an estate nearby. When we arrive, my housekeeper will see to your needs.”
