Page 10 of How to Ruin a Rake

Allegra thanked him profusely and negotiated a payment that depleted her small store of coin. She hadn’t anticipated being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no transport and with an annoying companion, but luck had never been her ally, and she’d just have to make the best of it.

Mrs. Lacock offered her a new woolen scarf to replace the one she’d used to lead the horses, and she took it gratefully. They ate a quick meal of bread, cheese, and ale, and left the farmhouse with Mrs. Lacock waving goodbye from the front doorstep. The journey wasn’t fast, as they had the two carriage horses attached to the back of the cart. There was little to see except endless high hedges, flat fields, stone walls, and the occasional dwelling place.

At one point, Allegra found herself almost falling asleep, her head on Max’s shoulder as his arm cradled her back. It was the closest she had ever been to a man she wasn’t related to and, to her surprise, she didn’t find the sensations unpleasant. On the contrary, he smelled of soap, ale, and damp tweed cloth, which for some reason was very comforting.

Allegra estimated they’d been on the road for almost two hours, as the sun was directly above their heads when Mr. Lacock pointed at a huddle of buildings at the bottom of the hill. “The Queen’s Head.” There was a substantial white-and-black-timbered two-storied building with a sloping roof and several outbuildings surrounding it.

“It looks delightful,” Max said.

Mr. Lacock made an unintelligible noise. “Watch your belongings.”

“Are you quite certain this is a good place for us to stop?” Max asked Mr. Lacock.

“It’s as far as I’m willing to bring you, sir,” Mr. Lacock said. “I have to get home to my wife.”

The closer they got to the inn, the more Allegra’s doubts grew. It was nothing like the places her family usually stopped at on their journeys. It looked rundown; ivy grew up most of the walls, and the chimney stacks were definitely leaning.

When Mr. Lacock pulled up, no one came out to greet them. He got down and started untying the horses. “I’d best be going.”

Max glanced over at Allegra and drew Mr. Lacock to one side. “Are you quite certain this inn is safe for my beloved sister?”

“I’m sure you’ll look after her, sir.” Mr. Lacock stomped back to the front of the cart. “Let me know when you can come and pick up that carriage.”

Max stared after the rapidly departing Mr. Lacock and then glanced at Allegra. She stood with the horses, holding their heads.

“I don’t suppose we have much choice in this matter.” He gestured at the entrance to the stable yard. “Shall we?”

They went under the arch into a cobbled courtyard with stabling on two sides. A hay loft and a small dwelling occupied the third side. A short, elderly man emerged from the stables and blinked at them, his gaze traveling up and down as if he couldn’t quite believe they were real.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“To speak to the owner of the inn and find stabling for our horses,” Max said, with far greater patience than Allegra feared she would’ve shown.

“They’re fine beasts.”

“Yes.”

“Where’s your vehicle, then?”

“It overturned on the road.”

The man nodded and stared at them expectantly.

“May we speak to the innkeeper?” Max asked again.

“He’s in there.” He pointed at the inn.

“The head ostler, then?”

“That would be me.” The man grinned. “I’m Billy.”

“Can you take charge of the horses while we go and speak to the landlord?” Max asked.

“I can do that.” Billy nodded. “They’re real beauties. Thoroughbreds, I bet. I used to race horses until I broke my leg.” He grinned, showing several missing teeth. “Good thing I wasn’t a horse, or they would’ve shot me.” He laughed uproariously, and Allegra took an instinctive step back.

Max placed his hand under her elbow. “Come along, dearest one. The horses are in excellent hands. Let’s go and speak to the innkeeper.”

When they were out of earshot, Allegra tugged her arm from his hold. “We can’t leave the horses here.”