Make-Believe Wife (4 page)

‘Yes, you did. I stayed with you all night. There was an attempt to gain access through the window, but it woke me and I faced the intruder down with the poker. He ran away, back to the stable.'

Luke's mouth thinned. ‘In league with the innkeeper I imagine? Some of these fellows are rogues. Not content with their pay, they will rob the unwary.'

‘He must have thought you were alone. I am afraid I have wasted two shillings of your money. I did not use the room I asked for at all.'

‘Well, you should go there now and rest. But first, give me my pistol—it's in my coat, the inside pocket—and then ask the landlord to bring food and drink, Roxanne. I doubt he will try anything in broad daylight, but if he does I shall show him I'm no fool. I shall enquire what kind of transport is for hire—but if there is none available here we shall go on together on my horse.'

Roxanne fetched the pistol from amongst his things and handed it to him. Had she known it was there, she might have used it to protect them instead of the poker the previous night.

‘Are you sure you can manage to move on so soon? The doctor said you should rest and he would come again today.'

‘My ankle feels sore at the moment and there is some pain in my calf, but the excruciating pain of yesterday has gone. I would rather leave if I can manage it.'

‘If we can hire a chaise of some sort, will you leave your horse here?'

‘I doubt I should see it again. I shall pay the man for the hire of his vehicle and change at the next posting house, but take my horse with us.'

‘I confess I cannot wait to see the back of this place. Had I not been with you, you would certainly have been robbed as you slept.'

‘I should not be the first vulnerable traveller to die in his bed at the hands of rogues calling themselves landlords.' Luke frowned. ‘I have much to thank you for, Roxanne. It seems as if you have saved me from my own folly more than once.'

‘I have done nothing any decent person would not,' she said, a faint flush in her cheeks. ‘Travelling with you will save my small store of money and I shall reach London sooner.'

‘I might not have reached it at all without you.'

Luke's gaze was so warm and so intent that her cheeks flamed and he laughed as he saw her discomfort. ‘Now I have embarrassed you. Forgive me, Miss Roxanne. I have not forgotten my promise. I shall not try to seduce you—at least until our bargain is at an end.'

‘You should not try it at all, sir. You will be disappointed. I have no intention of becoming your mistress—or any other man's.'

‘So you say.' Luke smiled lazily. ‘You are far too beautiful to remain untouched for the rest of your life, Roxanne. Someone will persuade you to part with your innocence—I should prefer that it was me.'

‘I think you must have a fever, sir. You hardly know me—and you should know better than to mock me.'

‘I was not mocking you, Roxanne. Believe me, there are not many women who make me feel the way you do—but I shall not tease you, because I might frighten you away. I may be able to leave this place soon, but that doesn't mean I am safe until I get to London.'

‘Are you thinking of your enemy?' Roxanne looked concerned. He might be arrogant and too sure of his power to charm, but she did not fear him, as she had Black Bob. ‘I thought it was one of the landlord's rogues trying to rob you last night, but your enemy may have followed you here to try to kill you.'

‘No, I do not think so.' Luke frowned and wished he had not spun her such a tale. ‘He might want to punish me, but he would not kill me.'

‘Oh—then I dare say it was not he.' Roxanne looked thoughtful and he wondered what was in her mind. ‘If you truly know a theatre manager who might give me a trial, I should be grateful.'

‘I shall help you, as you have helped me,' Luke promised. ‘Whatever else I may be, Miss Roxanne, I am not ungrateful. One day I may try to make you my mistress, a position you might find to your liking if you gave it a chance, but it shall not be while we journey together.'

 

Within two hours, they had left the inn. The groom who had first aided them the previous day was driving a chaise, which was in reasonable order, with Luke's horse tied and trotting behind. Roxanne sat beside Luke
on the seat facing forwards so that they could see the groom's back. He had told them his name was Harold and seemed likeable. Hopefully, he was honest, but they would only need his services until they reached a well-known posting inn a few miles further on the London road. Roxanne was not sure what Luke Clarendon had said to the innkeeper, but though he had looked at her in a surly way when they left, he had not spoken to her disrespectfully. She had previously returned Luke's gold to him and he had paid for their lodging and the doctor's fees.

Roxanne was certain their host had added extra to the bill for himself, because his charge of two guineas for the doctor's visit seemed extortionate to her, but Luke had paid it cheerfully.

‘It was worth treble for the relief he has afforded me,' Luke said. ‘I am still in pain, but it is bearable now.'

‘I am glad to hear it.' Roxanne was thoughtful. If Luke Clarendon was capable of travelling alone now, she ought to leave him and make her own way. He had offered her help, but she was uncertain of the price she might be asked to pay.

Sofia had so often warned her to be careful of gentlemen, especially those who smiled and promised her help or a fortune. This man was charming and handsome, but she did not quite trust him.

Well, he might attempt seduction, but she did not believe he would force her—the way Black Bob would have had she stayed with the travelling players. Luke Clarendon was a gentleman, after all.

Roxanne knew that his warnings were valid. If she
became an actress, she would be offered protection by various men—perhaps the manager of the theatre himself or gentlemen who came to watch her perform. If she gained admirers, she might follow in Sofia's footsteps and become the mistress of an aristocrat or even royalty. It was not what Sofia had wanted for her or what she planned for herself, but it might be impossible to avoid some such relationship.

Why not a man she had already begun to like?

The thought had wormed its way into her mind against her will. Roxanne did not wish to become any man's mistress, but if it was inevitable— Her thoughts were interrupted as Luke glanced at her.

‘You look pensive, tired. Why do you not lean your head back against the squabs and sleep for a while? I think we may trust Harold. Relax your guard and rest.'

‘Yes, perhaps I shall.'

Roxanne leaned her head back against the squabs, closing her eyes. When Luke Clarendon looked and spoke to her in that way her defences crumbled. He was such an attractive man and she was beginning to like him all too well.

 

When she woke an hour or so later, the chaise was drawing into the yard of what was clearly a prestigious inn. She discovered that she had been leaning against Luke's shoulder and apologised, her cheeks warm.

‘Forgive me, sir. I hope I have not made you uncomfortable. Does your leg pain you very much?'

‘It is sore and, yes, a little painful,' he said. ‘I shall
live, Miss Roxanne—and you did not make me uncomfortable at all.'

The groom had brought the chaise to a halt. One of the inn's employees had come to open the chaise door and let down the step. Seeing that Luke was carrying an injury, his breeches split and opened to allow for the bandages, the man offered his hand, helping him to descend. Luke did so slowly and carefully, his flinch of pain not going unnoticed by either the ostler or Roxanne.

‘I have suffered an accident, as you see, Johnston,' Luke said with a friendly smile at the man who clearly knew him. ‘If you would have someone care for my horse and ask someone to give this kind fellow something to eat before he goes on his way again. Please help me inside yourself.'

‘Yes, sir, of course,' Johnston replied and signalled to his minions, who came running and were given curt instructions to see to the horses.

Roxanne frowned as she thanked Harold for bringing them here safely and gave him a shilling of her own money for himself.

‘I'm sorry if you weren't treated right at the last place,' he said and pulled his cap. ‘I heard what happened, but I didn't know until I was told what you did, miss. You were right brave.'

‘I do not think you belong at a place like that, Harold.'

‘No, miss, nor don't I,' he agreed. ‘I stayed because it were better than being on the road, but when I take
this rig back I shall give me notice and look for work elsewhere.'

‘I am sure you will find it,' Roxanne said and inclined her head before following Luke into the inn.

When she entered she saw him in close conversation with a man who looked to be the landlord. He was a very different man from the last one they had met; portly and pleasant-faced, he smiled and nodded at her in a friendly way.

‘This gentleman has told me he owes his life to you, miss. I know there's more than one who should be grateful to you. My wife will take you up to a nice comfortable room and look after you. I dare say you are very tired.'

‘I slept a part of the way here,' Roxanne replied. She looked at Luke, her fine brows raised. ‘Have you asked our host to fetch a doctor, sir? I think your leg may need further attention—just to make certain it has been properly treated.'

‘Don't you worry, miss. His lor…his honour is in good hands now.'

Roxanne heard the change in the landlord's tone and his hasty correction. What had he been going to say? It was clear that Luke Clarendon was well known and respected here—but how was he normally addressed?

She frowned as the landlord's wife came to greet her, curtsying respectfully. ‘Come this way, miss. We are always glad to have his lordship come to stay—' She clapped her hand to her forehead. ‘There, if Sid didn't tell me I was to call Lord Clarendon his honour. My
tongue runs away with me, so it does—but everyone knows who he is so why not say it openly?'

‘Why not indeed?'

Roxanne felt her cheeks getting warmer. What a fool she was not to have made sure of her facts for a start. He had told her his name was Luke Clarendon and she had assumed his title was plain Mister. He must have been laughing at her behind his hand.

Luke Clarendon was an aristocrat and therefore not to be trusted. Sofia had told her that they were the worst of all and warned her never to lose her heart to a member of the upper classes. ‘
If you do, he will use you and then abandon you. Take notice, child, for I know of what I speak
.'

Roxanne felt her stomach knot with a mixture of anger and disappointment. For a short time she had begun to think that perhaps Luke really liked her—so why had he not told her he had a title from the start?

He had pretended to trust her, but he hadn't trusted her enough to tell her who he really was. She felt the sting of tears, but blocked them out. There was no sense in crying. She didn't know Lord Clarendon at all and, after listening to Sofia's opinion of the aristocracy for years, she was sure she did not wish to. Her friend had warned her that they were all the same: proud, arrogant and ruthless.

‘They know how to be charming and they will smile and tell you they adore you, but underneath they are cold and heartless. They will not marry out of their class—and they toss you to one side when they are finished with you. The English aristocracy are the worst.
Some foreign royalty are kinder and more generous. Never trust an English gentleman, Roxanne—particularly if he tells you he will always love you. Just take what you can from him and move on before he does.'

Roxanne kept her anger in check as she followed the innkeeper's wife along a hall and into a room. It was large and comfortable, well furnished and, with a fire burning in the grate, warm.

‘This is next to his lordship's chamber,' she said. ‘He always has the same one when he visits on his way to stay with the earl.'

‘Who is the earl?'

‘Why, his grandfather, of course.' The woman gave her an odd look. ‘I thought you would know that, miss, being a cousin of his lordship.'

‘Yes, of course. There is more than one earl in the family.'

Her quick answer banished the other woman's frown. ‘So there will be,' she replied and laughed, her large bosom shaking. ‘Silly me. Now, is there anything more you need, miss?'

‘May I have my supper here, please? Just something light—and I would love a cup of tea.'

‘Yes, of course you would. You ladies love your pot of tea and bread and butter—but I've a nice pie cooking and some chops for his lordship. His lordship is partial to a nice chop or two.'

Roxanne inclined her head. She was so angry that she barely knew how to answer. One part of her mind was telling her to walk out now and make her own way to London. If Harold had not left, he might have taken
her a bit further before returning the rig to its owner. Yet if she did that she would not have the chance to tell Lord Clarendon exactly what she thought of him and his lies.

The warmth of the fire was enticing and Roxanne's feeling of annoyance faded as she moved closer, holding her hands to the flames. There was nothing to stop her moving on alone, because
Lord
Clarendon was amongst friends and would be properly cared for. Her instincts told her that she might be laying up trouble for herself if she stayed here and yet she was seduced by the thought of a warm bed, the fire and some hot food.

What harm could it do to travel on with him, even if he had not been entirely honest with her?

It was good to be in a house again instead of the cramped conditions in the caravan… Now
where
had that thought come from?

Try as she might, Roxanne had never been able to remember anything about her previous life. Sofia was convinced she had run away from her home, that she was the child of gentry, but had been in some terrible danger.