Once Upon a Moonlit Night: A Maiden Lane novella Read Online Free Page A

have, but he’ll just have to wait.” He took out a folding knife, opened it, and deftly cut a slice of bread and one of cheese. He handed both across the carriage to Hippolyta. “Ladies first.”
    She took the humble fare and blinked, feeling oddly shy. “I thought you’d decided I was no lady?”
    He’d bent over the bread as he cut another piece, but he glanced up at her through his ridiculously lush eyelashes and his lips quirked. “Females first, then?”
    “Humph.” He’d insulted her—in a backhanded way—and yet she had trouble keeping her mouth straight.
    Tommy wriggled out of his blankets and leaped to the opposite side of the carriage. Mr. Mortimer took a chicken wing from his bag and gave it to the mongoose, and the little animal dashed to a corner to devour his second breakfast.
    Hippolyta took a bite of the bread and cheese. The bread was stale, but the cheese was sharp and hard and on the whole she didn’t know when she’d had a better breakfast. Hippolyta watched Mr. Mortimer surreptitiously as she ate. He’d carved off an enormous hunk of bread and a matching slice of cheese and sat sprawled opposite her, chewing contentedly. There was something about his simple enjoyment of the food, the way his throat worked when he swallowed, the competent, concise movement of his strong hands, that was oddly compelling.
    She glanced up and saw that his green eyes were on her.
    She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.
    “Thirsty?” He reached in his bag again and drew out an earthenware bottle, uncorking it and handing it to her.
    She drank from it and tasted small beer. Not precisely her first choice—or even her third—but under the circumstances quite welcome.
    She handed the bottle back to him. “Thank you.”
    He nodded and, watching her, brought the bottle to his own lips to drink.
    Inexplicably her mouth went dry again.
    The carriage slowed and jerked to a stop.
    Mr. Mortimer straightened and glanced out the window. “We’re at an inn.” He looked back at her and his face had somehow lost all expression, leaving her feeling cold and alone. “This is where we part ways, I think.”
      
    Matthew watched the little beggar. She’d dropped her bread and cheese in her lap and her eyes had widened.
    “Best finish your breakfast. I’ll inquire if the mail coach stops here.”
    He opened the carriage door and stepped down before he could do something stupid and ask if she really wanted to get out here. He’d traveled half the world and had encountered his fair share of cozeners and rogues. They worked mostly by gaining the sympathies of their intended victims. Perhaps Her Highness merely needed a ride to London, but only a fool put himself at the mercy of a female confidence trickster.
    The sooner he rid himself of her, the better for all.
    With that thought in mind, he strode inside the inn to find the innkeeper.
    When he emerged ten minutes later he saw that Josiah and Charlie were feeding and tending to the horses.
    He walked over. “Can they go another couple of hours?”
    “Oh, aye,” Josiah drawled. “Th’ question is, can me an’ Charlie ’ere? Spent th’ night as wet as if we were at th’ bottom o’ th’ ocean if’n ye don’t remember, Matt.”
    “I remember,” Matthew replied, slapping the older man on the shoulder. “Figured you would’ve felt right at home after so many years at sea.”
    Josiah wheezed a laugh while Charlie merely groaned. “Thought we might stop ’ere, my…er, guv?”
    Matthew shook his head, looking at the younger man. “We’re letting off our passenger and then I think it best we try to make the next town at least. We’ll make an early day of it, stop well before dark so both you and the horses can rest. Besides, I’m not eager to spend another night risking highway robbery.”
    “Be a mighty sad ’ighwayman t’ try’n stop this carriage,” Josiah scoffed.
    Matthew ignored him to walk back to the carriage.
    He opened the door to find Her