An Arrangement of Sorts (16 page)

The innkeeper smiled kindly and waved them over to a table. “I shall check the books for you, ma’am.”

“I am so sorry to trouble you,” Moira said as they followed. “I can see how very busy you are and I hate to be an inconvenience.”

He waved a beefy hand in the air. “No trouble, no trouble at all. I only hope we can accommodate you.” He pulled out a ledger and brought it over to them and scanned the page. “I have one room left, but ‘tis a very small room with only bed for one.” He looked up at Nathan finally, and his eyes widened slightly as he took in his size. “I am afraid, sir, that it will not do for the both of you.”

Moira turned to him with luminous eyes that held him captive in spite of his knowledge of her act. “Oh, George, what will we do?” she asked in a would-be tear-filled voice, placing a hand on his chest.

It took Nathan a moment to think of something to say, but he covered her hand with his and smiled. “It will be fine, Hannah. I have spent many nights in the stables before when I was in the army. A bit of straw will not bother me a bit. It is better that you are warm and comfortable and safe in here.”

Her mouth twitched and her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but she sniffled and nodded, then buried her head against him. “Only if you are sure, George. You know I hate to be parted from you, even for one night.”

Nathan had to fight hard to refrain from bursting out laughing. He wrapped his arms around Moira, whom he could feel shaking with her own laughter, and rubbed her back gently. “I am sure, my love. You are weary and there is a warm bed here for you.” He looked to the innkeeper, who was watching them with interest. “We will take it, if you please, sir.”

He nodded and bent over the ledger. “And what is the name?”

“Rupert,” came Moira’s muffled voice from Nathan’s chest. She turned and faced the man. “George and Hannah Rupert.”

Nathan made a noise and she elbowed him swiftly, clamping her lips together as the man nodded and wrote the names down.

“Very good. Allow me to show you to your room?” He indicated the way, and they both nodded, taking only short breaths through their noses.

Somehow, they made it to their room with straight faces, and thanked the innkeeper for showing them up. But the moment the door was closed, they both gave in to their laughter, their sides aching from the restraint. Nathan covered his mouth as Moira indicated they should be quiet, even amidst her own giggles and snorts. He nodded, his eyes beginning to tear up a bit with mirth.

When they had both calmed, he sat on the floor against the tiny bed facing her as she took a chair. “What came over you down there, Moira?”

She shrugged with a smile. “I haven’t a clue. I pretended that Hannah Rupert,” she broke off for another snicker between the both of them, “was a beautiful woman who commanded attention with one look, but was as sweet as cake. She is also very attached to her husband.” Here she grinned at him, and his chest tightened in response.

He snorted, even as his heart stuttered. “Obviously. I thought I would have to pry you off of me down there.”

Moira chuckled even as she removed her boots and set them aside. “Just playing the part, Nathan. You were quite convincing yourself.”

He nodded his thanks and leaned his head back against the bed, staring at her fondly. “But you had one thing right
;
Hannah Rupert is a beautiful woman.”

She scoffed at him and shook her head, still smiling. “Oh Nathan, please. Regardless of how wonderful she is, Hannah Rupert is still me.”

“Yes. Exactly.”

Moira’s smile froze and color raced into her cheeks faster than he thought was possible. She looked away and said nothing.

“Moira?” he asked with some concern.

She shook her head, biting her lip hard.

He crawled over to where she sat until he was on his haunches before her, and put his hand over both of hers where they rested in her lap. “Moira,” he said again, this time with some firmness, though as gentle as he could manage.

She looked at him finally, and he saw that, though her eyes were damp, no tears had fallen.

“What did I say?” he asked softly.

“You
…
you said I was beautiful,” she managed, her voice thick.

His brow furrowed as he looked up at her. “I don’t under
…
” He stopped himself as understanding hit him and his expression cleared. “You don’t think you’re beautiful.”

She looked away once more, and it broke Nathan’s heart a little. How could a woman as bright and vivacious and stunning as Moira think so little of herself? He had known she was beautiful before he had even met her, and that opinion had only strengthened as he had come to know her, and he was now in a very precarious situation indeed.

But what could he tell her? That he and all of his friends had been stunned silent at the sight of her? That the innkeeper downstairs had been astounded by her not because of her role-playing, but because of Moira herself? That she had the maddening ability to stop his heart with a smile or a laugh and he had no control over it? All of those things would sound like pure flattery, and she would not care for that at all.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Nathan reached out and cupped her cheek, turning her face towards him, waiting for her eyes to meet his before speaking. “You should, you know,” he said softly when they did, stroking her cheek ever so slightly. “You really should.”

He stood then, and headed for the door. “I will go see what they know about Charles here. Good night, Moira.” He exited and closed the door softly behind him, glancing in just long enough to see her cheeks still tinged with color, and to hear her reply softly, “Good night, Nathan.”

C
hapter
N
ine

“M
oira! Moira! Wake up!”

Moira was shaken awake by a very excited Nathan, and it took her a long moment to realize that it was still night. “What is it, Nathan?” she groaned, burying her head into her pillows again.

“You have to come down right now,” he said, shaking her once more, then going over to where her dress and boots sat. “And by right now, I mean right now.”

“Unless there is a fire, Nathaniel,” she mumbled into her pillow, “I most certainly will not come anywhere right now.”

Nathan grunted and headed back over to the bed. “You most certainly will,” he retorted as he grabbed the bedcovers and threw them off of her, turning back to her clothing as she squealed at the cold.

“Nathan! I could have been indecent!” she screeched, scrambling for a blanket to cover her.

“It would have served you right.” He shrugged and tossed her dress at her. “Now get dressed and come downstairs.”

She glared at him as she shook out her dress with the one hand she was not using to cover herself. “Why am I coming downstairs in the middle of the night, Mr. Rupert?”

“Because, Mrs. Rupert,” he said impatiently, “there is a man downstairs who knows something of your brother.”

Moira stilled in bed. “Charles?” she whispered as she stared up at him.

Nathan nodded, a slight smile quirking at his lips. “The very same. Now, are you coming down or must I dress you as well?”

She frowned at him and indicated with her finger that he should turn around. He did so with a slight roll of his eyes, and placed his hands on his hips, toe tapping against the floor. In a mere moment, her dress was on and she was working at the buttons. “All right, now give me my stockings and boots!”

He did so and averted his eyes as she put her stockings on.

“Oh, for pity’s sake, Nathan, it is only my ankle,” she scoffed as she pulled them up and slid her feet into the boots.

“I think we should attempt to preserve some sense of propriety somewhere,” Nathan said unrepentantly. “Ankles or not, a gentleman never looks.”

She snorted. “Bother with gentlemen. All right, I’m ready.”

He turned back to her and cocked his head. “You are not going to fix your hair?”

She leveled a look at him. “You dragged your wife out of bed, Mr. Rupert. I hardly think they will expect me to be ready for an audience with the King.”

He shrugged, and opened the door for her, then followed her out. “Now, this man said he met Charles in Preston some months ago, but he still remembered him. I told him I had to fetch my wife so she could listen in as well and ask questions.”

She nodded absently and began twirling a strand of copper hair around her finger, biting her lip repeatedly.

He noticed and took that hand in his own. “Relax, Moira. It’s going to be all right.”

She met his eyes, still gnawing at her lip a bit.

He offered her a smile, and squeezed her hand. “I’m right here.”

She smiled briefly and nodded, squeezing back.

As they entered the taproom, Moira’s hold on his hand tightened and Nathan smiled in spite of himself. He knew she was not nearly as calm as she appeared. As anxious as she was, he was grateful for the opportunity to have her hear this with him as they found out more about Charles. It would set her at ease, and give her some hope for the remainder of their journey.

They approached the table where a pleasant looking middle
-
aged man sat. He stood at their approach and took his hat off, brushing at his hair as he did so.

“Hannah, this is Mr. Francis,” Nathan said with a nod. “He was up in Preston some six months ago, and he remembers your brother.”

Mr. Francis bowed. “Mrs. Rupert.”

Moira curtseyed in response. “Mr. Francis. It is a pleasure.”

“The pleasure is all mine, I assure you,” he said with a smile.

Moira indicated that he sit as she and Nathan did so. “So you know something of Charles?”

He nodded. “Yes, ma’am, I do. I had just come into port from Spain, where I had spent some months visiting a cousin. I had never been to Preston before, and knew nothing of the city. Your brother was working at the docks and saw my confusion, and offered his assistance.”

“That sounds like Charles,” she murmured with a smile, still gripping Nathan’s hand under the table.

“He was very helpful,” Mr. Francis continued with a nod. “I was there for three days and every day he was there if I needed him. He assisted me in getting my affairs in order and helped me to find the men I needed to speak with. He was very pleasant, ma’am. You have a fine brother there.”

“Thank you,” Moira said, her eyes warm. “I have not seen him in quite some time. He…” She looked to Nathan, as if unsure of what exactly she ought to say.

He squeezed her hand softly and smiled. “He wanted to make his own way without assistance from the family. I am sure you can understand.”

“I do. I have a brother like that myself.”

Nathan nodded. “Hannah and I were away when he left and he gave no forwarding address for her to reach him. Would you have one?”

Mr. Francis shook his head. “Sadly, I do not. Allenford said he was looking for a permanent place of residence, but had not been able to yet.”

Moira clutched Nathan’s hand tightly. “Did he… did he seem happy?”

Nathan glanced over at her, his hand very nearly going numb in her grasp. He smoothed his thumb over her hand, hoping to bring some measure of comfort.

“He did, Mrs. Rupert, though a trifle worried, if you’ll forgive me.”