Page 16 of Under the Seductive Ladys Charm
The innkeeper’s wife came bustling over. “Good morning, Your Lordship. Did you sleep well?”
“Very well, thank you,” he replied. “Would you mind setting up breakfast for my companions here and some for the carriage crews?”
The woman assured him, “We have already delivered warm meals to your boys in the carriage house as we anticipated you would be in a rush. Most travellers are who take this road.”
“Splendid,” Graham said with a pleased smile. “Then please bring me some coffee and you shall be praised from my lips to all of London.”
The woman seemed to like the idea of that very much. She bobbed her head and was off to get his requests ready. Graham looked up as Miss Browne made her way down the stairs. Graham stood up as she came over to where he was seated.
“Please take a seat,” he said as he pulled a chair out for her.
Miss Browne’s cheeks coloured such a fetching shade that Graham could not help but smile, even if the woman did not see it as she was staunchly looking at her lap. “The others should be along soon. Katrina was just finishing Amanda’s hair.”
“We are in no rush. The food is on its way as well as coffee. Would you rather have tea?” Graham asked the latter question at the look that crossed Miss Browne’s face at the mention of coffee.
Miss Browne laughed. “I can drink coffee, I just need a good deal of sugar.
“I am sure they have plenty, but tea would likely be no trouble.” Graham motioned to the innkeeper and the man came over swiftly from behind the counter. “Would you make sure that there is tea as well as coffee for the ladies? I am afraid that I failed to mention tea to your wife.”
The innkeeper laughed. “I assure you that she will put tea on the tray. She does not much like coffee herself and I think she just assumes most women are like herself.”
“That is fine,” Graham said with a smile. The innkeeper went swiftly to see to another traveller.
The tray containing the tea and coffee was delivered a little before the meal and they sat in companionable silence. The silence swiftly evaporated as soon as Amanda came down for breakfast, with Katrina right behind her. She swept through the main room as if she were making a grand entrance.
“Are you practising for your debut at the balls?” Graham teased his sister, which earned a glare from her. He sipped his coffee to show her how much he cared for her glare.
Amanda looked over the meal. “I suppose an egg will be a good breakfast. What shall you have, Katrina?”
“I do not know, Miss,” Katrina said. “It is a good deal nicer than the breakfasts we get in the kitchen.”
Miss Browne sipped her tea and ate a slice of peach, watching but not participating in the breakfast discussion. “Eat up,” Graham encouraged. “It is a long ride to London yet, but we should be there today.”
“I have missed the noise of London,” Amanda said with a wistful tone. “Do you ever miss that, Graham?”
He gave that some thought. “No. I cannot say that I miss that about London. I miss some of the people at times, or some of the places.”
“What places do you miss?” Miss Browne asked him as she cradled her teacup.
Graham was surprised by the question but glad to see the girl opening up a bit more. He thought he had better tell her something, and not any of the taverns that he and his gentleman friends ventured to at times. “I like the docks,” he said after a moment.
“I think I would too,” Miss Browne replied. “I have never been to the ocean and it might be a wonder to see it.”
Amanda assured her, “You have missed nothing. The docks smell of fish and men stuck for too long on ships.”
“Well, acquainted with it?” Graham gave his sister a wink.
Amanda shook her spoon at him. “Yes. That is where I go to get sailors, Brother.”
“Miss, someone might hear you,” Katrina said, her voice a scandalised whisper.
Amanda giggled at her maid. “I doubt anyone here cares.”
“They might,” Graham said as he looked over at the innkeeper. “I have heard innkeepers like to gossip.”
With a sigh, Amanda gave up trying to talk and ate her breakfast. Graham considered that a small victory. He was thankful that he would have a carriage to himself other than Victor. Speaking of the valet, Graham looked around. He assumed that Victor had decided to go out and eat with the menfolk. That seemed like a lovely idea in hindsight, but he had to be here to escort the ladies.
As soon as they had eaten, Graham ushered them all outside where the carriages were waiting. “Ready to go, Richard?”
