I don’t.” She stumbled to an awkward silence before lifting her cup to her mouth.
Jacob averted his eyes lest he get distracted by her lips blowing on the liquid, on top of everything else vying for his attention.
“So you are just visiting then?” he prompted.
Honestly, who ran away in disguise without even a decent cover story? Jacob began to see why Prince Christopher was insistent on a minder for the girl.
“Yes. No,” she stuttered before heaving a big sigh. “I am visiting but not for long. So – so you wouldn’t be able to call on me or, or even see me really, since it is a very short visit.”
He almost felt sorry for her when he heard the desperation in her tone.
“Your family are not worried about you travelling alone then?” he asked softly, watching her reaction.
Her face blanched as her eyes widened.
“M-my family?”
“Yes, your family,” he repeated. “After all, it is obvious that you are gently bred Miss Royal, and I cannot imagine that your family would happily leave you unprotected.”
That mouth popped open and Jacob watched in amusement as her dark gaze darted around the small dining room, as though a suitable answer would be lurking in a corner somewhere.
“I don’t have a family. They’re dead.” She winced as she said it, and he could only imagine that she was suffering some sort of guilt for saying such a thing.
“You are alone in the world then.”
Her eyes shot back to his and narrowed slightly and she huffed out a breath, scowling with obvious irritation.
“I am not alone,” she said. “I – I am on my way to a governess post. For a very prominent family. A family who is expecting me and will send someone to look for me should I not arrive on time. My time in Gant is just a brief stop to – um – rest before continuing the journey,” she finished weakly.
Ah, so she’d suddenly decided to think of her safety then.
“And I wasn’t asked this many questions in my interview for the post,” she tacked on tartly.
“I’m glad to hear it.” He smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner, ignoring her pointed comment. “This world isn’t a safe one for a young woman alone.”
“The world doesn’t seem to be safe for anyone at the moment.” She spoke softly, but Jacob heard every word and for the first time, he allowed himself to think of how scared Princess Harriet must be. For herself and her family.
Why on earth then would she run away and endanger herself?
Before he got a chance to ask any more questions however, a rap on the door signalled the arrival of the landlord with the message that the coach outside the inn was ready to depart.
Standing, Jacob held out a hand to the princess.
“Shall we?”
She hesitated only a moment before she placed her gloved hand in his own.
Chapter Six
Harriet had never travelled by public coach before, and she hoped that she’d never have to again.
And she found herself more grateful than ever that she’d met Mr. Lauer. Even if he was a bit arrogant.
She didn’t know what would have happened if she were completely alone. The other occupants squeezed into the conveyance would have scared her witless; she knew that much.
Just as she knew that she wouldn’t have found the feel of their legs pressing against her own as exciting as she found Mr. Lauer’s.
Harriet couldn’t quite believe she was sitting here thinking of a stranger’s legs instead of thinking of what she would do when the coach arrived in Gant. Truth be told, much as she was glad of the company and safety of having Mr. Lauer as a companion, provided he didn’t turn out to be a murderer of course, she was worried about getting rid of him when their journey was at an end.
They wouldn’t arrive in Gant until very early tomorrow morning.
With only one stop scheduled to change horses and give the passengers and driver a chance to eat and stretch their legs, sleep was something they would all have to forgo. Or so Harriet had thought.
Now, as she sat here pressed against the wall of the coach on one side and Mr. Lauer on the other, she watched the other passengers begin to drop off, their heads nodding about as though bobbing on water.
Harriet was pleased for the reprieve from either lascivious or openly hostile glances from the occupants, and she thanked her lucky stars once more that she’d been befriended by