Miss Hastings' Excellent London Adventure (Brazen Brides Book 4)(60)

 

Adam cursed. "Now we'll never know for sure who the cur was working for, though God knows, he deserved to die."

 

Her insides sank. She hadn't thought of that.

 

"I don't know what you fellows plan to do now," Adam said, "but I need to get my wife somewhere warm. Are we not almost back at Wickley Glen?"

 

Will nodded. "We can't be more than two miles from it."

 

"Here, let me help you mount," Nick said.

 

Adam returned to his horse and handed her to Nick while he mounted, then Nick hoisted her onto the saddle. "She certainly is light!"

 

Emma wished she weren't so small. Men had a tendency to treat her like a child, and she wanted to be treated like a woman. A married woman.

 

"I'll need one of you to come with me," Adam said. "I can't very well carry her in like this. Someone will have to bespeak our room."

 

"I'll come," Nick said. "William will instruct his man on the disposition of this blackguard's body."

 

The three of them rode no more than ten minutes when they saw the clusters of houses signifying a town.

 

Nick had to awaken the innkeeper when they reached the King's Arms but he made it well worth the man's inconvenience. He requested the best available accommodations and asked that hot chocolate be brought up to the chamber for his wife immediately.

 

He came back outside to give Adam the key. "Everyone thinks we're twins anyway, so I said I was you. You're in Room 1, the first one at the top of the stairs. They're building a fire as we speak, and I've requested a pot of hot chocolate."

 

"You have paid?" Adam asked.

 

"Handsomely. You'll be treated like royalty."

 

That would be nothing new, Emma thought. The Birminghams were always treated like royalty.

 

Adam handed her to Nick, then dismounted and once more drew her into his arms. At least, she thought, there was one consolation for possessing very cold feet on a very cold night—and a very good consolation it was.

 

"I suppose we'll miss your electioneering," Adam said.

 

"Yes, but you won't miss seeing Verity's babe—and Mama won't let you get away without allowing her to meet your wife." Nick smiled at Emma. "I'll send William's coach back for you—with all your clothing. You ought to make Stenson Keyes by late afternoon."

 

"Why don't you go back with your brother?" she said to Adam. "I'll be fine."

 

Adam regarded her through narrowed eyes. "Right now, I don't know how I can ever again leave you."

 

His words were more welcome than an eiderdown quilt.

 

"I would feel the same if it were Fiona," Nick added, flicking his glance to the inn's door. "When you enter, you can go either left or right. If you go right, you'll find the staircase. It's pretty dark, so be careful carrying her up the stairs."

 

"Once I'm inside," Emma said, "I can walk."

 

Nick gave her a pitying gaze. "I wish I could have ordered you some woolen socks."

 

Adam glared. "Are you not the one who always says anything can be had if one's pockets are deep enough?"

 

Nick shrugged and began to mount his horse.

 

After entering the inn, Adam did set her down, then led the way upstairs, holding her hand as they climbed. The door to their chamber was open, and a youthful charwoman was completing her task. She looked at them. "Yer chambers will be warm as toast in no time."

 

Adam pulled a guinea from his pocket. "There's a guinea for you if you can find a pair of woolen socks for my wife."

 

"I'll be right back up, sir. Me mum knits them for everybody in our family. We got our own sheep, you see."

 

After she left, Adam pulled the parlor's settee in front of the fire, then from the adjacent bedchamber brought a heavy quilt. "Sit here in front of the fire. I'll help wrap this around you." After he covered her, he removed his own gloves and placed them on her icy hands. "I know they're so big you could put both your hands in one."

 

She giggled. Funny, an hour ago she thought she would never giggle again.

 

Though the chamber was still not warm, it was a thousand times better than what she'd experienced throughout the night.

 

Adam came to sit near her on the settee. "I'm so very sorry for what you've had to endure tonight. Other than his complete disregard for your comfort, did that man hurt you?"

 

She shook her head. "I thought he must mean to ravish me, but apparently that was not his intent."

 

"Good. Did he say anything, anything at all that gave a clue about what his intentions were? Did he say he was taking you to someone?"