The Raven Prince (Princes #1)(28)
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt

Edward winced as he finally mounted. That was exactly why he was making this trip: to drive thoughts of the widow from his mind. He’d chosen to work off some of the restlessness—both of body and of mind—by riding to London. His luggage and valet would follow behind in the carriage. But as if to mock that plan, the newly named Jock bounded up as soon as the bay clattered out of the stables. The dog raced out the door ahead of him; he had been missing the last half hour. Now his hindquarters were covered with malodorous mud.

Edward reined his horse around and sighed. He planned to visit his fiancée and her family this trip and finalize the engagement negotiations. An overlarge, smelly mongrel would not help his cause with the Gerard family.

“Stay, Jock.”

The dog sat and regarded him with big, brown, only slightly bloodshot eyes. His tail swept the cobblestone behind him.

“I’m sorry, old man.” Edward leaned down to ruffle the canine’s ears. The nervous gelding sidled back a couple of steps, breaking the contact. “You’ll have to stay here this time.”

The dog cocked his head.

Edward felt a wash of unwelcome wistfulness. The dog didn’t belong in his life and neither did the lady.

“Guard, Jock. Watch her for me, boy.” He half smiled, half grimaced at his own whimsy. Jock was hardly a trained guard dog. And Anna Wren wasn’t his to guard in any case.

Shaking the thoughts away, he wheeled the bay and cantered down the drive.

AFTER SOME CONSIDERATION, Anna told Mother Wren that she would be traveling to London with Pearl and Coral to buy material for new gowns.

“I’m so glad we can finally afford material, but are you sure?” Mother Wren responded. Her cheeks were a rose pink, and she continued in a lower voice, “They’re very nice, of course, but they are, after all, courtesans.”

Anna had difficulty meeting her eyes. “Coral is very grateful for the care we extended to Pearl. They’re really quite close, you know.”

“Yes, but—”

“And she has offered me the use of her carriage both to take me to London and to ride back again.”

Mother Wren’s brows knit uncertainly.

“It’s a most generous offer,” Anna said softly. “It’ll save us the cost of a stagecoach ride, besides being more comfortable. I’ll be able to buy additional fabric with the money we would’ve spent on the stage.”

Mother Wren visibly wavered.

“Wouldn’t you like a new gown?” she wheedled.

“Well, I do worry about your comfort, dear,” Mother Wren finally said. “If you are happy with this arrangement, then so am I.”

“Thank you.” Anna kissed her on the cheek and ran up the stairs to finish packing.

The horses were already stomping outside when Anna came down again. She hurriedly said her good-byes and climbed in the carriage, where the Smythe sisters waited. Anna waved out the window as they drove away, much to the amusement of Coral. She was about to draw her head back in when she caught sight of Felicity Clearwater standing down the street. Anna hesitated, her eyes meeting the other woman’s. Then the carriage swept past, and she sat back in the seat. She bit her bottom lip. Felicity could not possibly know why she traveled to London, but seeing her still made Anna uneasy.

Across from her, Coral raised an eyebrow.

Anna grabbed the strap over her head as the carriage turned a corner, bouncing the women inside. She lifted her chin.

Coral smiled slightly and nodded.

They made a stop at Ravenhill Abbey so Anna could inform Mr. Hopple that she’d be absent from her work for a few days. The carriage waited at the end of the drive, out of sight, while she walked to the Abbey and back. It was not until she was almost returned to the carriage that she realized Jock was shadowing her.

She turned to face the dog. “Go back, Jock.”

Jock sat down in the middle of the drive and regarded her calmly.

“Now, sir. Go home, Jock!” Anna pointed to the Abbey.

Jock turned his head to look in the direction of her finger, but didn’t move.

“Fine, then,” she huffed, feeling silly arguing with a dog. “I’ll just ignore you.”

Anna walked the rest of the way determinedly not paying attention to the enormous dog following her. But when she rounded the gates of the Abbey and saw the carriage, she knew she had a problem. The footman had caught sight of her and had opened the vehicle’s door in anticipation of her entering it. There was a blur and a scrabble of claws on gravel as Jock dashed past her and leapt inside the carriage.

“Jock!” Anna was appalled.

From inside the carriage came a commotion that rocked it briefly from side to side; then it stood still. The footman stared in the door. She came alongside him and hesitantly peeked in as well.

Jock sat on one of the plush seats. Across from him, Pearl watched the dog, horrified. Coral, predictably, was unperturbed and smiling faintly.

Anna had forgotten how frightening Jock could be on first sight. “I’m so sorry. He’s really quite harmless.”

Pearl, rolling her eyes to the side to see her, looked unconvinced.

“Here, let me get him out,” Anna said.

But this proved difficult. After one menacing growl from Jock, the footman made it clear that his job did not include handling dangerous animals. Anna scrambled into the carriage to try to cajole the dog out. When that did not work, she grabbed hold of the loose fur near his neck and attempted to drag him out. Jock simply set his feet and waited while she wrestled.

Coral started laughing. “It appears that your dog wants to come with us, Mrs. Wren. Leave him alone. I do not mind another passenger.”

“Oh, I couldn’t,” Anna panted.

“Indeed you could. Do not let us argue. Come inside and protect Pearl and me from the beast.”

Jock seemed content when Anna sat. Once it was established that he would not be ejected, he lay down and went to sleep. Pearl watched him tensely for a while. When he didn’t move, her head began to nod. Anna rested against the fine plush carriage cushions and thought sleepily that they were even finer than Lord Swartingham’s. In a little while, she, too, was asleep, weary from the lack of rest from the night before.

They stopped once in the afternoon for a late luncheon at an inn along the high road. Shouting ostlers ran out to hold the heads of the stomping horses while the women climbed down stiffly. The inn was surprisingly clean, and they enjoyed some nice boiled beef and cider. Anna made sure to bring a bit of the meat out to the carriage for Jock. Then she let him run around the yard and frighten the stable boys before they continued on their journey.