Haunted by the Earl's Touch - By Ann Lethbridge Page 0,35

mouth, that drew her attention. It was too bad that such an attractive exterior hid a villainous heart. ‘Does the stage leave from here for London?’ she asked the clerk in a low voice.

‘Not London miss, Exeter, every day, at six in the morning. You can pick up the stage to London from there.’

‘But is there nothing that leaves later in the day? Say this afternoon?’

‘There’s a coach to Plymouth at two this afternoon. You’d have to stay overnight there and pick up the mail coach to London.’

Plymouth. ‘How much does it cost?’

‘One shilling and six pence.’

She had that much and a little more. And the earl would never think to look for her in Plymouth. She raked around in her reticule and put the required amount down on the counter. ‘One, please. For this afternoon.’

‘Planning a journey, Miss Wilding?’ The deep voice from behind her held amusement and an edge of steel.

She gasped.

‘The young lady bought a ticket to Plymouth,’ the clerk said.

‘No,’ the earl replied, scooping up her money. ‘She did not.’

The ticket man shook his head. ‘Young women today...’

The earl gave him a tight smile. ‘Precisely.’

Heat rushing to her face, Mary glared up at him. ‘You have no right to say where I may or may not go.’

The earl gave her a bored look. ‘I thought we had already discussed this,’ he drawled. He took her arm and gently and firmly drew her away from the wicket.

She pulled her arm free. ‘You cannot force me to stay. Please return my money.’ She held out her hand.

‘Until the matter of the will is settled,’ he said in a low murmur, ‘I require your presence here.’ He took her hand in his and his fingers closed around hers in an unbreakable grip. Not hard, or painful, but firm. ‘Now let us to our purpose for coming here today, shall we?’ He gave her a pleasant smile so that anyone watching would see a most kindly expression. Looking at him now, at his large frame blocking her way, his cold eyes making his point, she could not help but remember his words from the night before. Drastic action. A shiver ran down her spine.

And if she screamed? Called attention to her plight? What then? Would anyone come to her aid? The only person left in the yard was Mrs Hampton, who was looking at her impatiently. No, it would be better not to make a scene where the earl would have the upper hand. She would find a chance to slip away quietly.

She inhaled a deep breath. ‘Very well. Let us go shopping.’

If she hadn’t known better, she might have thought the earl gave a sigh of relief.

‘You do not seem like the sort of man who would enjoy a visit to a mantua-maker, my lord.’

‘Oh?’ He looked at her with one brow cocked in question. He gave her such a heart-stopping smile, her jaw dropped in wonder. ‘And what sort of man do I seem to be?’

A dangerous one, if the way her heart was beating in her chest was to be believed. And a scoundrel who kissed unsuspecting maidens, too. ‘I suspect you are interested in more manly pursuits. Shooting at things and riding roughshod over people.’

He laughed. In that moment his face changed and her heart tumbled over at how attractive he looked with those silver eyes alight and a genuine smile curving his lips. ‘I see you do not hold me in any high regard, Miss Wilding,’ he said.

Oh heavens, was that regret she heard in his tone? Or was it her own longing colouring her judgement? She could not afford to let him charm her. To weaken her resolve.

‘I just assume you are like most men, for whom a trip to the dressmaker would be torture.’

‘It seems you don’t know me at all, Miss Wilding.’

‘Are you ready, Miss Wilding?’ Mrs Hampton asked at their approach.

Mary nodded her assent.

‘Then let us be off.’ The widow strode briskly out of the courtyard with Mary and the earl following behind. The streets were so crowded, they were soon forced to go single file, like a crocodile of schoolchildren, Mary thought wryly, very aware of the earl hard on her heels. She also noticed that other pedestrians moved out of their way the moment they saw the three of them coming towards them. She suspected it was the earl’s looming presence behind them causing the wide berth given to their party.

Mrs Hampton stopped outside one of the shops lining