“You are not leaving much worth keeping from the sound of it. Two drunkard parents who don’t give a damn about you can hardly be missed,” he declared flatly.
Rose winced and had to admit that he had a point. “I know, so I want your co-operation.”
“My co-operation?” Barnaby parroted. “In what?” He suspected he wasn’t going to like what she had to say.
“I want you to help me find somewhere else to live when I have done being your witness in London. While I don’t wish to reside in London, I would like a place of my own,” she admitted honestly. She had never told anyone of her wish before. It felt terribly reckless of her to confide in Barnaby, but she knew that garnering Barnaby’s assistance in this was a golden opportunity she should not allow to slip by.
“Don’t you want a husband?” As soon as he had asked, Barnaby closed his mouth with a snap. He didn’t want her to get the wrong idea and think he was offering.
“No, I don’t,” she declared firmly. “That is the last thing I want.”
“Why?” The word was out before he could stop it.
“Because I have spent my life looking after grown up parents who have little capability of looking after themselves. While it isn’t the kind of life I would have chosen, it is at least familiar. I have no wish to rid myself of it only to saddle myself with an equally demanding husband.”
“Not all husbands are drunkards,” Barnaby protested.
“I know. I am not saying they are, but I just don’t wish to have to spend the rest of my days acceding to someone else’s demands, wants, and needs,” Rose replied.
Barnaby opened his mouth to argue but had to admit that she had a point.
“Not all husbands expect their wives to be biddable you know,” he murmured gently.
“I don’t have any intention of finding out,” Rose replied.
Barnaby looked at her warily. “So, what do you want my assistance with exactly?”
“I want you to help me find somewhere else to live when this is all over.”
“You want me to help you find somewhere else? What about your parents?” He protested. The last thing he wanted was for her father to assume Barnaby was turning her into his mistress by providing her with a home. Not that he would mind such an arrangement, however Rose was not mistress material. She was the kind of woman a man only bedded if he intended to put a ring on her finger.
“My parents won’t care. If they do, it won’t be me they want.” Rose shrugged.
“What do you mean?” He hated to acknowledge it but he was curious.
“I have recently come into some money. My father keeps telling me to contribute to the running of the household. I don’t see why I should give them my inheritance to drink. Especially given what they did at the Brown’s party recently.” Rose huddled down into the cloak and shivered miserably as she thought about that awful evening when she had been thoroughly humiliated by her own kith and kin.
“What did they do?” He glanced at her and wished he hadn’t asked. She looked so forlorn that he wanted to give her a hug. He couldn’t because his hands were busy, so he offered her an encouraging smile instead.
Rose swallowed. “They got drunk at a dinner party held by one of our neighbours. Well, I say neighbours. They live about five miles away from our house. My father drove the carriage there but once at the table drank constantly, to the point that he was nonsensical. My mother was no better and became loud and brash until she passed out. Some friends of the host offered the Browns assistance and took my parent’s home. I was glad to see them go.”
“What was wrong with that? I know the host was probably annoyed but at least they got home safely,” Barnaby said.
“The host was furious. Not only at the amount they imbibed but at having his dinner party broken up early by the departure of at least five of his guests. He also had to order his staff to drive me home and made no attempt to hide the inconvenience he had to go to in order to do so. It isn’t the first time things like this have happened either. My parents have slowly but surely whittled their way through their associates until they are hardly invited anywhere any more. Those who still associate with them are the kind of people who like to enjoy themselv
es just as enthusiastically if you get my meaning?”
Barnaby nodded. He knew exactly what she meant. “I am sorry, Rose.” He contemplated what to say to her. “So you don’t want to go back at all?”
“I cannot purchase a house by myself. I don’t know what I should be doing, and doubt anybody would sell a house to someone like me anyway,” she replied thoughtfully.
Barnaby knew that some vendors would be wary about selling a property to a single, unchaperoned female. She had every right to worry. He didn’t want to add to her troubles, but it was going to be deuced difficult for her to run a property by herself. However, he didn’t want to be the one to dash her hopes and aspirations. It was possible, and he suspected that if anybody could manage life by herself it would be Rose.
“I will offer you any assistance I can,” Barnaby began tentatively. “The only thing I would suggest is that you should think very carefully about what to you want while we are on our way to London. We are going to be travelling for a long while yet. Use that time to decide what you want to do with your future, where you want to live it, that kind of thing. If you are still adamant you don’t want to go back to live with your parents then that is your prerogative. I will of course then help you to find somewhere to your liking if you still wish it.”
“Thank you,” Rose replied. While it hadn’t been an outright promise of help, she knew it was the best she was going to get.
Pleased that in spite of everything matters weren’t turning out all that bad after all, Rose settled back against the seat and watched the shadows of the landscape roll past. Strangely it didn’t seem all that frightening any more.