Page 19 of Papa's Captive
“That is acceptable to me, Papa,” she said, though she doubted she would be asking to venture off anywhere, particularly while they were in London. Even if she wished to visit with Daisy or Cammie or Cynny, she would not dare set foot in the streets of her own free will. What if someone recognized her?“Where is his daughter? She is as guilty as he.”
“As for the rest of my rules for you, my dear Rosie, I simply expect you to be polite, respectful, and obedient. You are already all those things.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Well, most of the time. Lord Kensington and I will have to endeavor to keep an extra close eye on both you and Daisy when the two of you get together,” he said with a chuckle.
“This all sounds acceptable, as well, Papa.”
A rooster crowed and the scent of frying bacon drifted upstairs. Papa checked the time on his pocket watch and frowned. “We’d best get on the road.” He reached for her and drew her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her and giving her an affectionate smile.
“Will we reach Gretna Green today, Papa?”
“As long as the weather holds out. Then I think we shall keep traveling through the night after we say our marriage vows until we reach Craigmul Castle. You can sleep in my arms.”
* * *
Was thereanything sweeter than having his darling girl asleep in his arms? William had spent the better part of the afternoon simply gazing down at Rosie’s angelic face while she slept nestled in his lap.
Initially she had looked out the windows at the passing countryside with eagerness. She had never ventured so far north and her wonder at the sights allowed him to see them again as though for the first time and he had one more reason to be grateful for her unjaded appreciation for even the smallest pleasures in life. So completely unlike the worldly young ladies of theton, she made everything better and brighter.
However, within a few hours, the gentle rocking of the carriage caused her eyelids to droop and after she suppressed a second yawn, he patted his lap and opened his arms. She happily complied and snuggled against him, right where she belonged.
And that was how they remained until a sudden jolt sent the carriage listing hard to one side before righting itself. The movement caused them to slide to the end of the seat. William hunched over his sweet Rosie, shielding her body from any harm with his.
The jerking motion woke Rosie with a start. She shrieked and clasped the collar of his coat, staring wildly into his eyes. “What was that? We must hurry. They will catch us.” She pushed herself away from him and crawled under the other seat, hiding, her large eyes staring out at him in terror.
Stunned by her reaction, he held his hand out to her. “Come, Rosie dear. There is nothing to concern yourself over. Merely another reckless driver rushing to get to Gretna Green before some angry relatives catch up to them.”
Rosie stared at his hand and then up into his face, her eyes were wild but as he watched, she regained her composure, a charming flush covering her cheeks. “My apologies, Papa,” she said, sliding out from under the seat. “I do not know what came over me.” She brushed a few strands of errant hair back into place and William noticed a tremble in her fingers as she did so.
It seemed to him quite an overreaction, but she had been woken from a deep sleep and so he attributed her extreme behavior to that and settled her into his lap once again. The crazed look slowly receded from her eyes and after a few deep breaths, she relaxed into his chest.
“I am sorry, Papa, for the way I reacted. I am sure I seemed completely bird-witted.” Though she no longer had a fearful look about her, William noticed a tiny quiver in Rosie’s voice as she spoke. Perhaps she had not had much opportunity to ride in a carriage—she had already disclosed her lack of experience as a traveler—during her time at Talcott House, he told himself as a means to explain her odd behavior.
Still, he could not help but wonder about his little Rosie’s mysterious past.
The panic and terror he had seen in her face clutched at his heart. There was something at the root of it and if he ever found out who had caused her to feel that way, he would take out his revolver and...No, he was soon to be a married man and he needed to think more carefully before behaving in a rash manner. As Rosie’s husband, he had a duty to consider her needs ahead of his own.
He felt he had made a good step in that direction already. The story was rather funny so he decided to distract her with it.
“I had a brief visit with your friend Daisy recently.”
Rosie’s eyebrows arched and she sat up straighter in his lap. “Really? How is she? What did she have to say? Why were you visiting with Daisy?”
“All in good time, you are asking questions with the same rapid fire pace as Daisy,” he chuckled. “I know how very important your friendship with Daisy is to you, but when I learned she had married Lord Kensington, I feared my behavior at our first and only meeting might put a damper on your continued contact with Daisy.”
“Do you mean the way you waved a gun in Lord Kensington’s face when he arrived at Talcott House to marry Cynny and demanded that her hand be given to your besotted friend, Lord Grayson, instead?” Rosie said with a teasing tone to her voice, which heartened William, knowing he had distracted her from her earlier fears.
“Well, that would be one way of putting it, sassy girl.” He tweaked her nose. “I called upon Lord Kensington and expressed my remorse, in fact, Lord Grayson came along with me and the three of us came to a right understanding. Lord Kensington, as it happens, is a gentleman I would not mind knowing better.”
“And what of Lord Cavendish, Cammie’s husband?”
“I have not made his acquaintance, but I understand Lord Grayson had reason to call upon Lord Cavendish shortly after his marriage to Cynny. Lord Grayson described their meeting as quite cordial.”
“Oh, I am glad to hear it.”
“Yes, I believe we may look forward to many pleasant occasions where we will gather with your friends and their husbands, but not until we return to London. As I have said, I plan to keep you to myself for at least a month.”
A blush stole up her slender throat and enveloped her face. “Yes, Papa.”
The carriage came to a stop and a footman opened the door. William assisted Rosie down the steps. “Welcome to Scotland.”
