Chapter Seven
Thaddeus and Perdie fell into an easy travel rhythm. As the next couple of days passed, increasingly, she would spend more time driving the carriage, which put her within easy speaking distance of him. They didn’t speak of anything that could be used to identify them, but simply to pass the time. Thaddeus pointed out the birds he saw, and she enlightened him by disclosing her thoughts on popular books.
He felt as if he was only beginning to peel away the armor she held so tightly and learn who she truly was. He liked every captivating minute of it.
Especially that day by the river. And yesterday, when she had chatted with him for several hours on their journey. Their topics had not been intimate, but how they had laughed and regaled each other with stories that only scratched the surface of who they were.
Her favorite flower was apparently the blue iris; Thaddeus admitted he did not notice much about flowers. He was fascinated to discover the books she loved and had read many times were Persuasion by Jane Austen and The Modish Husband by William Burnaby. She admitted to loving the theatre and particularly enjoying plays that were both dramatic and romantic. However, the romance in drama was important to her.
He realized Perdie was witty and intelligent when she challenged the themes of the last book he had read and thoroughly enjoyed, Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott. That hour had been engrossing and diverting. Her liveliness had captivated him, and Thaddeus admitted to himself that he had provoked her in some of his arguments merely to stir her passions and listen to her arguing against him.
She loved fruits and berries, especially strawberries. He told her he did not like sweets or cakes.
Perdie enthused that the best season of the year was summer, and she swore he only said winter to be contrary. He came to crave that look of wonder when he showed her a rare bird in the brush. The way she coiled herself in search of it, the way her lips parted when she found it. That look was gratification in itself.
But now, they had turned off the main road. At first, he’d thought she’d led them onto another of Kent’s rarely driven thoroughfares. The ruts in this road were almost grown over with grass, leaving only slight depressions to guide the way. But the line of trees that soon sprang up to cradle the road, carefully cultivated ornaments, spoke differently. The grassy stretch gave way to well-tended packed dirt, and soon silhouettes of buildings shadowed the horizon. The buildings grew larger and larger until Perdie pulled the horses to a neat stop before the drive widened into a courtyard. What she called a small cottage revealed itself to be a rather large and beautiful manor surrounded by a park wall and miles of rolling lawns and forestry. The family who owned this had some wealth, and some of the worry he’d felt the last couple of days eased. Perdie would be safe here and taken care of.
She turned in her seat, giving her profile to the three-story house and stables. Their eyes met, and something raw twisted in his chest. When she chewed at her lower lip, he knew she felt it too. This strange reticence to acknowledge the truth looming between the both of them.
They had reached her destination.
Perdie swallowed and said with a small smile, “This was my grandmother’s cottage. Thank you for your escort, Thaddeus. It was most kind of you to delay your own journey for us.”
He nodded but somehow couldn’t find the words to speak. From the corner of his eye, he noticed stable hands emerging to look strangely at them. He ought to urge her to hurry into the house, what with the frothing clouds overhead. Thaddeus cleared his throat to chase away the tight feeling. Blast, but he didn’t want to leave her.
He wanted…nay, he needed more time with the lass.
“We should get the carriage out front before the servants have an apoplexy.”
Perdie turned away, her fingers turning white-knuckled on the reins. “You’re right, of course.” When she tapped the reins to encourage the team to carry on, he dug his heels into Thunder’s flanks with equal reluctance. Did she expect him to turn around and gallop away to the nearest inn without her?
Most likely. He’d gone beyond mere polite conduct in seeing her directly to her door. She probably couldn’t wait to be rid of him. How could he feel so much for her in only a few days?
Still, when she drew the carriage to a stop at long last, Thaddeus kicked his feet free of the stirrups. When she tossed the ribbons to a hostler, an older man who appeared to recognize her, judging by the way he tugged at his forelock and wouldn’t meet her eyes, Thaddeus dismounted.
Before he thought better of it, he found himself blurting, “Perdie, will you be well?”
She paused with her foot halfway to the ground. Her hands clamped around the edge of the driver’s seat. She studied him, her wide eyes reflecting the color of the sky above. When he offered his hand, she accepted it without protest.
With both her feet planted on the dirt, he recalled how petite she was. He could draw her into his arms and rest his chin atop her head if he was so bold. He did neither of those things but slowly released her hand. His fingers tingled from the contact.
Perdie’s mouth trembled slightly before she bit into her lower lip. It was clear she had decided on something. This time, he hoped it was one in his favor.
“Thaddeus…I will miss our conversations and your company.” There was a finality in her tone, even as her eyes gleamed with regret and an indefinable expression.
Thaddeus’s heart squeezed painfully. “I will miss you as well, Perdie. It has been a pleasure knowing you.”
He touched his hat, whirled around, and mounted his horse. Then he rode off the way he came. Almost at the end of the driveway, he pulled on the reins and shifted in the saddle to look behind him.
Hell.
Perdie stood there, staring after his retreating back. That told Thaddeus that she cared or might miss him as he would miss her. The tightness inside easing somewhat, he urged his horse onward, galloping down the well-maintained country road, Lionel following on his horse.
Thaddeus needed to rest for a day before continuing to London. Dunston was a small, picturesque village nestled in the southern part of Kent. It seemed a very prosperous town, and the village should have a decent haberdashery to purchase a new set of clothes and a respectable inn where they could rest for the night.
The ride into the town took only about ten minutes. Soon after, Thaddeus was speedily checked into a smartly tended inn. He procured a room on the upper stairs for Lionel, who was absurdly pleased with that. After a bath and a delicious meal of thyme roasted mutton and baked potatoes, Thaddeus found himself taking a stroll in the village.
He needed to return to London and his aunt to assume his duties and responsibilities as the new Earl of Sherburn. He had already delayed his journey over a week to see that Perdie arrived at this cottage safely. Restless energy burned through him, and it was after several minutes he realized he walked in the direction of the cottage.