Abandoned to the Prodigal - Mary Lancaster Page 0,6

turned out to be a large hunk of bread and cheese. He tore it in two and offered one piece to Juliet.

Her mouth watered. “I couldn’t eat your breakfast.”

“It will cheer you up. Everything looks better when you’re not hungry.”

Stupidly, his casual kindness brought a lump to her throat. She swallowed hard. “Thank you,” she muttered and took the ungainly chunk. It tasted better than the finest morsels she could remember.

*

Daniel Stewart hadn’t expected the girl to be quite so fascinating. Dazzled by her beauty and the spirited way she had defended Gun, he had allowed her vulnerability to arouse his erratic chivalry. He had decided to look after her as best he could on the journey north, but he hadn’t supposed he would enjoy her company as much as her appearance. Or become quite so intrigued by what had brought her to this point in her clearly privileged life.

She took off one glove, then the other, and pulled a dainty morsel off the ungainly chunk of bread and cheese he had handed her. She put the piece in her mouth somewhat gingerly. But when she had chewed and swallowed, she had the next piece ready and shoved it in with rather more enthusiasm.

“What?” she demanded when she could speak. “This is delicious.” Another less dainty chunk vanished behind her charming lips.

“When did you last eat?”

She swallowed. “Tea,” she admitted. “Yesterday. I didn’t even realize I was hungry. When will we reach Kidfield?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, dear, and I’m eating half of your luncheon! Will we be able to get more with my last two guineas?”

“Of course. The secret of coaching stops is not to shovel your meal in, but to carry away as much as you can.” From the satchel, he took out his well-traveled tin bowl with the lid.

She laughed. “But we won’t be able to share if you’re on the roof. Perhaps I could swap my ticket for an outside one, too?”

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” he said hastily. “But we’ll find a way.”

The time until the mail coach began loading up passed quickly in the kind of lighthearted conversation he most enjoyed. She betrayed nothing further about her life or her reasons for this clearly unfamiliar mode of transport. But she did seem cheered, losing a certain tightness around the eyes that had spoken of worry as well as tiredness.

Escorting her across to the coach, he found himself scanning her fellow inside passengers. A respectable couple with a young daughter, a plump, scowling woman, and an oily young merchant he didn’t like the look of at all.

Juliet climbed in without fuss, but he soon saw her head peering out the window, watching as he climbed onto the roof, pushing Gun in front of him. She smiled and waved, and then her head ducked in again.

Dan made himself as comfortable as possible, with his satchel over his shoulder and his traveling cloak at the ready to keep himself and Gun dry and warm. And then they were off. He felt the usual surge of exhilaration at the prospect of speed, fine views, and pastures new. Except, of course, the pastures weren’t really new, and there really wasn’t likely to be anything different at his grandfather’s. A fresh load of insults and scolds about his way of life and threats to leave his money to Colin or Hugh instead.

Dan wished he would—almost. But now his mother seemed likely to marry that imbecile Pilney, just for financial security. And Dan was forced to consider someone other than himself. His mother should have enough to live on, enough for comfort in her old age. And it was up to him, not Pilney, to provide it. If that meant groveling to his grandfather, well, it was a small price to pay.

Really, it was.

When they changed horses at Waltham Cross, Dan climbed down to stretch his legs and let Gun do the same. Most of the travelers stayed where they were, although “Miss Smith”—if that was her real name, he’d eat his hat—stepped outside to join them. Gun welcomed her in his usual boisterous manner. Dan only just managed to prevent him from jumping on her, but fortunately, she took it all in good part.

“Don’t wander off,” Dan warned her. “They’re only changing the horses, and we’ll be gone again in five minutes. The coach won’t wait for you.”

Hastily, she climbed back in and Dan, once they started harnessing the new team, climbed back up to the roof, shooing the