Nina Coombs Pykare Read Online Free Page A

should rest by the side of the road for a while. But the hedgerows were still damp and if she tried to push through them to reach the shelter of the trees, she’d get wet all over again. Besides, darkness was coming on and the castle was still some distance away. So stifling a sigh, she struggled onward.
    She was picking her way around some particularly large puddles when she heard the sound of approaching hooves. Who could be using this road, which, after all, led only to the castle? Then, as the thundering hooves grew closer, she ceased to think of anything but getting out of the way. She had barely reached the side of the road and the dubious shelter of the hedgerow when the carriage was upon her.
    She screamed as it went thundering past, its wheels throwing up a great stream of muddy water that further wetted her cloak and the front of her gown. Catching a glimpse of a darkly-handsome face at the window, she muttered an imprecation. Another arrogant lord with little regard for human life.
    For a moment raw anger coursed through her, but she knew from experience that ranting and raving achieved little for one of her class. Such men acted just as they pleased — usually with no regard for others. Casting an anxious glance at the darkening sky, she yanked at the valise. At least she could put the energy from her anger to good use. Dusk was coming on too quickly. She’d be out here when night fell.
      She resumed trudging along the winding muddy road. Was that the sound of returning hooves? “Not again!” This time she didn’t hesitate, but tugging the valise after her, hurried into the hedgerow. Another exclamation came to her lips, but she swallowed it when she saw the carriage return at a stately pace and come to a halt near her.
    She couldn’t help staring in surprise as the gentleman whose face she’d seen before opened the door and stepped down. “I beg your pardon,” he said, giving her a grand bow. An attractive man, with the well-cut coat and skin-tight trousers of a dandy, he was quite careful where he put his well-polished boots on the muddy road.
    She was suddenly extremely aware of her own dirty and bedraggled condition, her cloak and the front of her gown saturated with muddy water, her straw bonnet again slipping down over one eye, but she drew herself up and replied with as much dignity as she could muster. “I accept your apology.”
    The dandy gave her a charming smile. “I didn’t expect to find any travelers on the road to the castle, you see. We have few visitors there.”
      She kept her expression steady. This must be the other of the two men who lived at the castle — the earl’s cousin and heir, the one the villagers called the Viscount Crawford.
    “I am the new governess,” she told him. “Miss Pierce. The earl hired me today.”
    “Indeed.” Crawford seemed to find this amusing. Or at least he smiled at her words. “Then I am doubly glad we missed you. Did not run you down, that is. I shouldn’t like to deprive my cousin of his new governess so soon. So messily.” He grinned. “But tell me, why are you trudging along this muddy road lugging a valise? Surely you could have hired someone in the village to bring your things out. They’re not that frightened of us.”
    She was conscious of the color flooding her cheeks. How was she to tell this well-dressed dandy that it wasn’t the curse, but money that had put her on this muddy road carrying her own valise? Or rather lack of money. She had no funds at all, not even tuppence.
    “I like to walk,” she replied.
    He smiled at her. “There’s no need for that now. Come on, get in the carriage.”
    Edwina gathered her muddy skirts about her and settled onto the velvet squabs. In London she’d heard about the dandies who considered any woman fair game. Among those aristocrats who had fattened on her father’s substance while they pretended to further his ambitions toward the title there had always been one or two who had