The Countess Page 0,89

as wel as nose out any gossip we can about what George was up to this last year and with whom . . . and I need to make arrangements for the money." Richard paused and glanced around the shadowed faces in the carriage. "Can anyone think of anything else we might do to solve matters?"

Silence was his answer as everyone looked at each other and then Daniel said,

"I guess we shal have to start with that and hope we uncover some useful information."

Richard nodded, and then glanced to Christiana as she suddenly shifted on his lap. He thought she was trying to get off him and grabbed her hips to hold her in place, but found himself staring at her derriere as she leaned down to col ect something from under the seat. He quite enjoyed the view and was rather disappointed when she straightened, bringing a large basket with her.

"What's that?" Robert asked curiously from beside him as she began to dig through its contents.

"We had Cook pack some food for the journey while we waited for the carriage to be readied," Christiana answered.

"Food?" Richard asked hopeful y, his attention immediately shifting to the basket as his stomach growled hungrily. He hadn't eaten since the stop at Stevanage for lunch.

"Yes." She turned to peer down her nose at him. "Did you three not think to have a basket prepared before sneaking off like thieves?"

She was stil annoyed with him then, Richard acknowledged with a sigh as he shook his head. That being the case, he was sure the women would refuse to share with them as punishment.

He was proven wrong when Suzette suddenly leaned down and dragged out a second basket under the opposite bench seat as Christiana said, "Then

'tis fortunate we brought enough for everyone."

A kiss on her forehead and Richard's whispered, "Wake up, sleeping beauty.

We are almost home," are what woke Christiana. Blinking her eyes open, she peered about the dark interior of the carriage noting that Daniel was waking Suzette much the same way, while Robert had leaned forward to shake Lisa's leg to wake her. Forcing herself to straighten, she glanced out the window to see that while the sky was lightening, dawn was stil a good distance off. They'd made good time, she realized, her gaze moving over the dark buildings lining the road they were traversing. She's just recognized it as their street when the carriage stopped in front of the townhouse.

Robert was the first to alight. He then offered Lisa a hand to help her disembark.

After the long hours in the carriage, Christiana found her legs stiff and shaky under her when she moved to fol ow and was grateful for Robert's hand when he held it out. Even with it, she stumbled a bit, and then gasped with surprise as Richard stepped down and quickly swept her up in his arms.

"I can walk, husband," she whispered with embarrassment as he carried her up the path to the front door of the townhouse.

"But I like carrying you," Richard whispered back, amusement in his voice.

Christiana peered at his face in the darkness to see that he was smiling, and then glanced over his shoulder as Suzette stumbled sleepily out of the carriage next.

It made her feel better to know she wasn't the only one unsteady on her feet after a day and night of travel.

"Can you get the door?" Richard asked, drawing her attention again.

Christiana glanced to the door in front of them and reached down to open it for him, giving it a push to send it swinging open. Richard immediately carried her across the threshold. He didn't set her down then as she'd expected, but simply started up the stairs with her stil in his arms.

"Should we not wait for everyone else?" she asked, glancing back toward the stil open door.

"They wil be fine," Richard assured her. "We discussed it as you slept and rather than wake the servants to prepare another room, Daniel and Robert are going to share the guest room Grace made up for me the night before we left. We wil al get a couple of hours' sleep and then start into our investigations and plans for the day."

"Oh," Christiana murmured, hardly hearing the last part of what he'd said. She was contemplating that with Daniel and Robert sharing the guest room, Richard would be sharing her bed . . . which was perfectly appropriate now that they were married, of course, but Christiana found herself