still open and the lid to a metal box stood ajar.
He breathed a sigh of relief. At least she had money to see to her needs. Money to take her far away from him.
He stormed across the foyer and slammed the front door hard when he left the house.
He couldn’t believe what a damn fool he’d been. Why on earth had he trusted her promise to wait for him to return? If he’d done something so stupid during the war he’d be dead by now.
He called himself every kind of fool known to man and chastised himself for letting his emotions cloud his thinking.
He deserved every ounce of trouble she gave him—and more. He’d underestimated her unlike he’d ever underestimated anyone before—and all because he was attracted to her.
Well, he’d learned a valuable lesson and wasn’t about to forget it.
He’d found her once. He would find her again. And when he did, he bloody well wouldn’t let her out of his sight.
Chapter 5
Sarah placed a cover over little Jonathan and tiptoed to the chair in the corner near the hearth. She’d arrived at the Spotted Goose a few hours ago and would have to leave again soon, but she needed at least one full day to rest before she traveled any farther. She’d been on the road for nearly three weeks without stopping and both she and Jonathan were exhausted.
She rested her head on the back of the rocker and pushed the chair back and forth. She was so tired she could sleep for a week. But that wasn’t an option. One day was all she could afford herself. She prayed she’d lost the captain, but she couldn’t take any chances.
She’d been smarter this time. She’d been fortunate enough to catch a ride in a farmer’s wagon that took her several miles out of London. From there, she’d walked until she reached the first inn where a coach stopped. Then, she waited until the last minute before getting aboard.
Luckily, Jonathan slept in a closed basket the entire time and no one at the inn or riding the coach realized she had a baby with her. Anyone who noticed her basket thought the container held food for the trip. And to convince them that’s what she had inside, she shared with them some of the pastries she’d brought with her. She also included a block of potent-smelling cheese to overpower any smell from Jonathan’s wet nappies.
She was convinced she’d thought of everything, convinced that this time he wouldn’t find her.
When she reached the second stop she got off and walked to the third, alternating walking and riding, keeping Jonathan hidden whenever possible. She’d been fortunate to find a tenant farmer with whom she could stay each night who had a cow to provide milk for Jonathan. Thankfully, she was remotely familiar with the country and zigzagged her way from one place to the other, always moving in a northeasterly direction.
She may have made it easy for Austin Landwell to find her the first time, but she’d learned from the mistakes she’d made. She wouldn’t be so foolish again.
This time she kept Jonathan hidden when she could, and traveled without stopping. She also avoided going into the hostelries when the coach stopped so fewer people had a chance to notice her. But constant traveling had taken its toll on her physically. She ached like she’d never ached before and was so tired she could sleep standing upright.
She hadn’t slept a whole night in the three weeks since she’d left. She knew if she didn’t stop at least one day to rest she’d run the risk of becoming ill.
When her coach arrived at the Spotted Goose a few hours ago, she disembarked and secured a room.
She bathed and fed Jonathan, then put him to bed. As soon as he was asleep, she intended to crawl under the covers and sleep until he woke her.
She closed her eyes and gently pushed the rocker back and forth. Even though she tried to avoid thinking of Austin Landwell, his piercing blue eyes haunted her day and night.
He’d have been furious when he returned to the house and found
He breathed a sigh of relief. At least she had money to see to her needs. Money to take her far away from him.
He stormed across the foyer and slammed the front door hard when he left the house.
He couldn’t believe what a damn fool he’d been. Why on earth had he trusted her promise to wait for him to return? If he’d done something so stupid during the war he’d be dead by now.
He called himself every kind of fool known to man and chastised himself for letting his emotions cloud his thinking.
He deserved every ounce of trouble she gave him—and more. He’d underestimated her unlike he’d ever underestimated anyone before—and all because he was attracted to her.
Well, he’d learned a valuable lesson and wasn’t about to forget it.
He’d found her once. He would find her again. And when he did, he bloody well wouldn’t let her out of his sight.
Chapter 5
Sarah placed a cover over little Jonathan and tiptoed to the chair in the corner near the hearth. She’d arrived at the Spotted Goose a few hours ago and would have to leave again soon, but she needed at least one full day to rest before she traveled any farther. She’d been on the road for nearly three weeks without stopping and both she and Jonathan were exhausted.
She rested her head on the back of the rocker and pushed the chair back and forth. She was so tired she could sleep for a week. But that wasn’t an option. One day was all she could afford herself. She prayed she’d lost the captain, but she couldn’t take any chances.
She’d been smarter this time. She’d been fortunate enough to catch a ride in a farmer’s wagon that took her several miles out of London. From there, she’d walked until she reached the first inn where a coach stopped. Then, she waited until the last minute before getting aboard.
Luckily, Jonathan slept in a closed basket the entire time and no one at the inn or riding the coach realized she had a baby with her. Anyone who noticed her basket thought the container held food for the trip. And to convince them that’s what she had inside, she shared with them some of the pastries she’d brought with her. She also included a block of potent-smelling cheese to overpower any smell from Jonathan’s wet nappies.
She was convinced she’d thought of everything, convinced that this time he wouldn’t find her.
When she reached the second stop she got off and walked to the third, alternating walking and riding, keeping Jonathan hidden whenever possible. She’d been fortunate to find a tenant farmer with whom she could stay each night who had a cow to provide milk for Jonathan. Thankfully, she was remotely familiar with the country and zigzagged her way from one place to the other, always moving in a northeasterly direction.
She may have made it easy for Austin Landwell to find her the first time, but she’d learned from the mistakes she’d made. She wouldn’t be so foolish again.
This time she kept Jonathan hidden when she could, and traveled without stopping. She also avoided going into the hostelries when the coach stopped so fewer people had a chance to notice her. But constant traveling had taken its toll on her physically. She ached like she’d never ached before and was so tired she could sleep standing upright.
She hadn’t slept a whole night in the three weeks since she’d left. She knew if she didn’t stop at least one day to rest she’d run the risk of becoming ill.
When her coach arrived at the Spotted Goose a few hours ago, she disembarked and secured a room.
She bathed and fed Jonathan, then put him to bed. As soon as he was asleep, she intended to crawl under the covers and sleep until he woke her.
She closed her eyes and gently pushed the rocker back and forth. Even though she tried to avoid thinking of Austin Landwell, his piercing blue eyes haunted her day and night.
He’d have been furious when he returned to the house and found
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