had folded neatly, hoping he had not noticed it on her dressing table the night before. She did not care to make it known—especially to Leticia—that she had completed the task herself. What would her mother-in-law say to that?
Captain Briggs took the garment from her, not once taking his eyes from hers. “My thanks, Lady Fairhaven. It would have been an inconvenience to do without it.”
He slipped his shirt into the satchel behind his saddle, then took the reins from a waiting groom. Christina stepped back, but found herself entirely too distracted by the sight of his powerful thighs flexing as he mounted his horse. She took in a deep breath as he rode up to speak quietly to Hancock, the driver of her carriage.
She wasn’t quite sure how to interpret his visit to her bedchamber the night before. At times, his glance had smoldered with sensual promise. But then his expression changed, and held such disdain, she had to wonder if she’d said or done something—besides shooting him, of course—to earn his scorn.
In the end, it was clear she was mistaken about the smolder. He had barely looked at her after taking a seat beside her bed, and she realized he had not found her particularly appealing.
She blushed at the thought of standing so brazenly before him in her bedroom, pulling on her banyan so very casually, as though fascinating gentlemen regularly visited her bedchamber.
What could she have been thinking? She should have turned him out of her room immediately.
He was far too rough and dangerous for her, and too gruff by half. But something about him touched a deep, completely inappropriate craving inside her.
Such foolishness. Christina intended to spend her remaining months of mourning in respectable widowhood, and then perhaps look for a suitable husband of her own choosing. He would be someone who would do more than provide her a home and security, as Edward had done. She wanted children, and most of all, she wanted a spouse who would share his affections with her.
With only her.
She left a note for Edward’s mother—being far more gracious and grateful than was really necessary. Or deserved.
In truth, Christina was even more grateful to be leaving, which, of course, she had not added. She had not forgotten how tiresome it was to live under Leticia’s disapproving eye, and would not have come to Holywell if she’d known her mother-in-law would be there.
That was another requirement of her next husband. In future, she would have no unpleasant mother-in-law to deal with.
Trevor, her footman, handed her into the carriage and she caught sight of Captain Briggs circling around to ride ahead. Her driver, Hancock, carried a rifle on the seat beside him, and Trevor was armed as well. “Trevor, didn’t Alfred return from Sweethope last night?”
“Aye, but Captain Briggs said he was not to come, my lady.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Just saying what the captain told—”
Christina stepped down from the carriage. “Captain Briggs—”
He turned and caught her gaze with his piercing blue eyes. “A problem already, my lady?” His manner was too condescending by half.
She could play at the same game. “Why did you dismiss my footman?”
“We need to be as inconspicuous as possible. An extra footman will only raise questions about your person. And the goods you carry.”
She did not like to admit that he was right. Even though the jewels were locked inside a strongbox and stored beneath the cushioned bench inside the carriage, it was best if they did not call attention to themselves in any way.
She gave him a slight nod and returned to the carriage, with Jenny right behind her.
Their destination was the small town of Middleton, where Captain Briggs would secure overnight lodgings for them. Christina spent the day’s ride deliberately thinking of everything but him.
She turned her thoughts to her sister— Lily . Christina had no real memories of anything before the birth of her brother,
Captain Briggs took the garment from her, not once taking his eyes from hers. “My thanks, Lady Fairhaven. It would have been an inconvenience to do without it.”
He slipped his shirt into the satchel behind his saddle, then took the reins from a waiting groom. Christina stepped back, but found herself entirely too distracted by the sight of his powerful thighs flexing as he mounted his horse. She took in a deep breath as he rode up to speak quietly to Hancock, the driver of her carriage.
She wasn’t quite sure how to interpret his visit to her bedchamber the night before. At times, his glance had smoldered with sensual promise. But then his expression changed, and held such disdain, she had to wonder if she’d said or done something—besides shooting him, of course—to earn his scorn.
In the end, it was clear she was mistaken about the smolder. He had barely looked at her after taking a seat beside her bed, and she realized he had not found her particularly appealing.
She blushed at the thought of standing so brazenly before him in her bedroom, pulling on her banyan so very casually, as though fascinating gentlemen regularly visited her bedchamber.
What could she have been thinking? She should have turned him out of her room immediately.
He was far too rough and dangerous for her, and too gruff by half. But something about him touched a deep, completely inappropriate craving inside her.
Such foolishness. Christina intended to spend her remaining months of mourning in respectable widowhood, and then perhaps look for a suitable husband of her own choosing. He would be someone who would do more than provide her a home and security, as Edward had done. She wanted children, and most of all, she wanted a spouse who would share his affections with her.
With only her.
She left a note for Edward’s mother—being far more gracious and grateful than was really necessary. Or deserved.
In truth, Christina was even more grateful to be leaving, which, of course, she had not added. She had not forgotten how tiresome it was to live under Leticia’s disapproving eye, and would not have come to Holywell if she’d known her mother-in-law would be there.
That was another requirement of her next husband. In future, she would have no unpleasant mother-in-law to deal with.
Trevor, her footman, handed her into the carriage and she caught sight of Captain Briggs circling around to ride ahead. Her driver, Hancock, carried a rifle on the seat beside him, and Trevor was armed as well. “Trevor, didn’t Alfred return from Sweethope last night?”
“Aye, but Captain Briggs said he was not to come, my lady.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Just saying what the captain told—”
Christina stepped down from the carriage. “Captain Briggs—”
He turned and caught her gaze with his piercing blue eyes. “A problem already, my lady?” His manner was too condescending by half.
She could play at the same game. “Why did you dismiss my footman?”
“We need to be as inconspicuous as possible. An extra footman will only raise questions about your person. And the goods you carry.”
She did not like to admit that he was right. Even though the jewels were locked inside a strongbox and stored beneath the cushioned bench inside the carriage, it was best if they did not call attention to themselves in any way.
She gave him a slight nod and returned to the carriage, with Jenny right behind her.
Their destination was the small town of Middleton, where Captain Briggs would secure overnight lodgings for them. Christina spent the day’s ride deliberately thinking of everything but him.
She turned her thoughts to her sister— Lily . Christina had no real memories of anything before the birth of her brother,
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