Kasey Michaels - How to Wed a Baron

“Just what I tarried here to speak to you about. Such haste is unseemly, don’t you think? Her ladyship is fatigued from her travels. It would be unconscionable to force her to continue her journey without some small respite, which is why I sent off one of my outriders at first light to the estate of my dear friend the Duke of Ashurst, to alert him that Lady Alina will be his guest for a few days. The duke will be dispatching outriders to meet you along the road and escort you the remainder of the journey. They’ll be with you by the time you arrive at your first night’s lodging, I’m sure. Rooms will be waiting for you.”

Luka narrowed his eyes. His moustachios may have twitched as well, but it was a close-run thing to know if this was a natural occurrence or a remarkable aberration caused by the man’s consternation at the position he had been forced into by his king. If it was the latter, Luka had Justin’s full sympathy. And empathy, if it came to that.

“Lady Alina will be the duke’s guest? And you will be…?”

“Elsewhere. I see no need to provide you with a listing of my comings and goings, I’m afraid, as I’ve been my own master for quite some years now. Until recently, that is, which is a circumstance that is about to change. You’ve protected her thus far, and Brutus and my own trusted and quite prodigiously well-armed outriders will be with you. I imagine you’re up to getting her safely to Ashurst Hall. Well, Brutus is,” Justin qualified, getting to his feet, quitting the room and leaving the major to follow or not, whatever his inclination. Not that he was surprised to have the man hot on his heels as he strode out to the inn yard.

“I beg your pardon? Have you forgotten that you are charged with protecting Lady Alina?”

“She has her prepared-to-die-for-her secretary,” Justin said, turning to his left and heading for the stables. “Anyone approaches with a nefarious look in his eye, and you just be a good fellow and attack him with your quill. You—yes, you. Saddle the bay now, my fine young fellow, and there’s a guinea in it for you.”

The eager ostler hastened to do Justin’s bidding, but not quickly enough to save the baron from the major’s fury.

“You’re leaving? Just like this? I can’t allow you to do that.” To give credence to his words, he roughly took hold of Justin’s arm above the elbow.

Justin turned slowly to face the irate man. “Allow? You cannot allow? Worse, you’re putting a crease in my jacket.”

The major loosed his grip. “The devil with your jacket. Last night you looked like a man who was going to tell her about the threat to her life. Did you?”

“I allowed my mind to be changed on that head,” Justin told him, taking the gloves and hat and riding crop Wigglesworth, who had materialized seemingly from out of nowhere, pressed into his hands. “Thank you, Wigglesworth. You remain, as always, a treasure.”

“You’re welcome, my lord. I would have been here sooner, had you but told me you were about to depart. You will be careful, won’t you, sir?”

“Am I not always careful, Wigglesworth?” Justin asked, putting on his curly brimmed beaver and lightly tapping it into place.

“No, sir, you’re not.” The servant turned to address the major. “He’s not, you know. But he always triumphs. If his lordship says that everything will be fine, then it will be fine, because he wouldn’t have it any other way. But perhaps not always immediately.”

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