to search for any remaining correspondence.”
“Yes, my lord.” That was interesting; what had been in that trunk?
“I have another question for you.”
“Yes, my lord?”
“What did Mrs. Valera want from you today? I know it wasn’t just an invitation to her party she came to deliver, was it?”
“I don’t know, sir. She was still working up to asking me for a favor—as she termed it—when you entered the library.”
“I see,” he said, sounding abstracted.
They rode without speaking for a while.
“Tell me more about your time as a postilion, Ben,” he suddenly asked.
“What do you wish to know, my lord?”
“Many people see them as romantic figures—was it a romantic life?”
“I thought only tavern wenches viewed them as such.”
He smiled. “It sounds like there’s a story behind that observation.”
“Not an interesting one.”
“You have extensive knowledge of tavern wenches?”
“Not by choice, but they seemed to be drawn to me.
“You do have a mysterious and brooding air about you,” he teased.
She scoffed. “As far as I could tell my attraction sprang from the fact that I actively avoided socializing and scarcely opened my mouth when I couldn’t escape it. Who would have guessed such traits were attractive?”
“You came across a tortured, poetic soul. I believe that is how Catherine views you.”
Benna couldn’t help smiling. “Yes, well, her interest in me has greatly diminished now that she has the appeal of a London Season ahead of her.”
“Tell me about a day in the life of a post boy. It only seems fair since you know what a day in the life of an impoverished peer is like.”
Benna spoke before she could stop herself, “I’d like to hear about a day in the life of a country doctor.”
He gave her an unreadable look. “Very well,” he finally said. “We shall trade stories; ladies first.”
Benna felt like she’d just won at cards. “Seniority plays a big part in what stages a boy gets, as do good relations with the owner of the posting house. There’s no pay for sitting around waiting at inns so competition is often fierce to pick up jobs.”
Benna decided not to tell him that more than once she’d had to back down from physical confrontations with other postilions who’d wanted to fight her.
“And did you find the work itself difficult?”
“It was far easier on the road than at the inns.”
“Really? I would have thought it would be the opposite.”
“It’s physically more demanding on the road, but it’s not a difficult job when it comes down to it. Especially not if you are the lead-boy, which is what I always was.” She hesitated, and then added, “Except for one time, when the wheel-boy I was paired with got cup-shot and was unfit to ride.”
“What happened?” he asked.
“I was the only post boy they had, so I rode wheel on a four-horse team. I made it to the next inn without running the bounder into a ditch, but I did so at a less than courageous pace.”
The earl laughed. “Sometimes caution is wise.”
“Not that time. The worst part of that job was the gentleman in the chaise, who raged at me every ten minutes to step up the pace. He was positively irate that I wouldn’t give the horses their heads.” She could laugh now, but it had been terrifying at the time. Before that journey she’d only ever ridden lead-boy. Riding wheel meant making all the decisions.
“Did you never have trouble with highwaymen?”
“I was robbed twice.” The words were out of Benna mouth before she could stop them. Ah well, she’d just have to tweak her story a bit.
“Good God!” He turned his body toward her. “What happened?”
“The first time was actually during my very first post boy job—not as a postilion but delivering the mail—an express.”
“Ah, I’ve heard that can be dangerous.”
“I was petrified at the time,” she admitted. “But the two robbers had no interest in violence, all they wanted was the mail bag. I gave it to them without a struggle.”
“A wise move. But I daresay your postmaster wasn’t happy.”
“No, he was furious and also suspicious. Anyhow, that was my first and last express.”
“And the second time you were robbed?”
“Er, well, I was actually bringing a horse back to the inn where I was working. I was by myself.” That much was true. “Anyhow, I was in a hurry and out after dusk.” Again, the truth. “There were three of them and they took the horse, my boots, my coat, my hat, watch, and all the money in my pockets.” Benna had