Page 3 of An Honorable Arrangement
"Of course." She nodded and walked with him to the cart, where a boy of perhaps eight comforted his crying sister of six or less. Sarah knelt beside the children. "Are you hurt?"
At a narrow spot in the road, the farmer had been disciplining his children and had run a wheel into the ditch. In no time, the farmer, Ian, and Monty had all ten hay bales loaded on the cart.
By the time Sarah joined Monty for the walk back to his carriage, both children were laughing.
"I assume the children were unharmed." He liked the way she smiled when she thought of the boy and girl rather than whatever she'd thought when she'd first seen him and forced a grin.
"Just scared, but they were lucky they weren't all killed." She drew a long breath and accepted his hand into the carriage.
"All is well then?" Mrs. Pratt asked.
"Yes." Monty wanted to talk about the incident and find out more about Miss Sommers, but she was none of his business. "Ian will have us to a very nice inn just east of Oxford in a little over an hour."
"I hope this inn serves a good meal." Mrs. Pratt continued adding small blue stitches to the charging horse in the embroidery ring. "I'm famished."
"They have a decent cook," Monty said.
Sarah must have noticed him staring. "Mrs. Pratt has won awards for her needle skills."
It was extraordinary work. "I can see why."
The chaperon blushed. "This is just a pillow for a relative who is fond of horses."
"It is very fine, madam."
"Thank you, my lord."
The carriage rolled forward, passing the cart on the left, and the children waved.
Sarah waved back and then returned to her reticent staring out the window.
"Tell me, Miss Sommers, why did Sir Henry not take you with his family when he left England? You might have very much enjoyed Antigua. It is quite warm and has a much finer climate than our island." He tried to make light of the impertinence of his question.
Mrs. Pratt put her sewing in her lap and watched Sarah.
When Sarah turned from the window, anger simmered beneath the surface. "I didn’t wish to leave England. Sir Henry was kind enough to invite me to go with him and his family, but I have been enough of a burden on them and saw no reason to trouble them further. I'm nearly of an age where all of this passing me about can come to an end. Perhaps I shall become a governess or a companion and make my own way in the world. I'll surely have more opportunities in England than in Antigua."
"I suppose if that is your wish, you have made the right choice." He wondered if the little he'd seen of her inner ire was suited to such occupations, but kept the question to himself.
"One does not always get to choose one's path, my lord. I am the daughter of a gentleman, but because my mother died bringing me into the world, I am relegated to being a vexation. I don't imagine carrying me to my next residence was what you wished to do with your week prior to Michaelmas." The way her nose wrinkled and her eyes drew inward, it seemed like she dared him to deny the inconvenience.
He didn't like that she'd come so close to the heart of things. He'd been more than compensated for his time, but had he not gotten the carriage, he still would have done his uncle's bidding. "I am very fond of my uncle and aunt and would have difficulty denying them anything they ask of me. However, until a week ago, this journey had not been part of my plans."
Her head cocked. "Then allow me to apologize now for my part in it and assure you I will relieve you of your obligation at the earliest convenience."
This was the oddest woman he'd ever met. He couldn't determine if she was so much smarter than him or the opposite. In either case, he struggled to follow her logic. "I'm sure this will continue to be a delightful journey, and you will find a comfortable home with Lord and Lady Stapleton."
She studied him a long moment before returning her gaze to the passing scenery.
Mrs. Pratt shrugged and offered him a small smile.
There was no reason for Sarah Sommers to be angry with him, but it seemed as if he had offended her in some way. Perhaps it had nothing to do with him. Figuring out what was going on in her mind became a puzzle he longed to put together.
ChapterTwo
Sarah knew she should be more polite to poor Mr. Witman. He'd done nothing but what his uncle asked. It wasn't his fault that she had other plans for her life, which didn't include another stranger's home.
With his perfect blond hair and sincere dark eyes, he was just the sort of man Sarah despised. He smiled just so and said all the right things. He'd probably never been told no in his entire life.
