Page 18 of A Flaming Lady's Secret Valentine
“Grand! Now, we were speaking of London. How long do you intend to stay?”
Raphael glanced back at the empty gardens. “Not long, Your Grace. Just as much time as it takes for me to fall out of love with Norfolk.”
Chapter 7
“Trust you, Travers. The day sun returns to East Anglia is the day you choose to leave us. Anyone would think you did not like going riding with me.”
Raphael loaded his trunk in the carriage under the watchful eye of the driver. He shot him a sheepish smile and turned to face Edward, who was shielding his eyes from the sun.
“You will find someone to entertain you while I am gone, my lord.” He drew his snuffbox out of his pocket. “Someone you can better keep up with.”
“Oh, come now! I ride circles around you.” Edward knocked on the tin top of the box. “That is precisely why I enjoy riding in your company. You make me look good.” He looked over the carriage and whistled. “Father really chose to spoil you today. This is his favourite.”
Raphael circled around to the door. “I know, and his favourite horses.”
“Pincher will be sad to see the back of them.”
“Egad, say nothing more of him.” Raphael started as Edward reached over to shake his hand. “You can say you will miss me, my lord.”
“I will miss you,” Edward said through a laugh, shaking his hand warmly. “But I would not want to be you.”
Raphael disentangled his hand. “And why is that?”
“Travelling to London with my sister and Lady Daphne? I think I would rather die.”
He must have misheard.
“What did you say?” Raphael just about managed to ask before a gaggle of ladies and servants spilled from the doors of the house.
He quickly pocketed his snuffbox, watching as three separate footmen loaded the carriage with more trunks than he had ever seen. His gaze drifted from the luggage to Lady Cecilia and Lady Daphne, who were speaking with the duchess, dressed in pristine travelling coats.
Raphael stepped beside Lord Edward. “Do my eyes betray me or are Lady Cecilia and Lady Daphne hijacking my carriage?”
“Hijacking? No one told you?”
“No one told Mr Travers what?” Daphne asked, approaching them. She curtseyed, her eyes fixed on Raphael. “Good morning, sir.”
“And a jolly good morning to you too, Daphne,” Edward interjected. “Did neither of you have the forethought to ask Mr Travers whether he could stomach sharing a carriage with you for the better part of a day?”
“We thought he knew,” Daphne pouted. “Did you not know?”
Cecilia dashed to Daphne’s side, sighing. “Did who not know what?”
Raphael reeled at the sight of her, then once more at the prospect of spending the day in her company.Not the day,he realized.The week!
“Where is Papa?” Cecilia asked.
“Probably hiding to avoid this headache of a conversation.” Edward crossed his arms. “Whose idea was it for you to travel down to London today?”
Cecilia had not looked Raphael’s way since she had appeared, and he hated that it made him jealous. “Did you know I was travelling this morning?” he asked
“It was Papa’s idea. He came up with it last night,” Cecelia said first to Edward. “And yes, Mr Travers, we did.”
“But we did not know that we would be sharing a carriage.” Daphne beamed. “Fun, fun, fun! I know some fabulous games we can play to keep ourselves busy.”
“Throw yourself under the horses now and save yourself the trouble,” Edward whispered to Raphael.
There was no time to throw himself anywhere. Quicker than he could blink, the driver opened the doors for Lady Cecilia, Lady Daphne, and the maid who would be attending them while in London. Raphael clambered in the other side, relieved that he had not found himself sharing a bench with Cecilia but with the maid.
