“In a corner,” Luxborough called as the man bustled away. “I don’t want any attention on us.”
He drew a deep breath and rubbed one shoulder.
“That was very kind of you,” Thea said tentatively.
“Least I could do after terrifying the children.” For the first time since they stopped, he looked at her, a surprising glint of humor in his expression. “But let the record show that the women were already crying before they saw me.”
“Actually, they stopped crying when they saw you.”
“That’s me,” he agreed glumly. “Bringer of good cheer.”
But his unexpected good humor faded in the doorway to the tavern. It was full of rowdy ale-cheered travelers. The air was smoky from pipes and thick with the smells of stew and, well, travelers.
“This is hell.” Luxborough massaged the back of his neck. “These people. This talking.”
“It’s a normal tavern,” Thea pointed out. “And you don’t seem shy.”
“I’m not. People exhaust me.” He shook his head at the room. “Forget fire and brimstone. Hell is eternity stuck in a stuffy, smoky tavern full of loud Englishmen determined to enjoy themselves, despite having nothing but bland stew, warm ale, and each other.” He slid her a sideways glance. “But you cannot go in alone, can you?”
“No.”
“Right. Hell.”
Shaking his head, he shoved through the crowd to where the innkeeper had cleared them a table by one wall.
No sooner had they sat than a serving woman brought them food and drink. Thea, hungry and happy not to dine alone, showed her gratitude by not talking, despite Luxborough’s new provoking manner of casting her thoughtful glances.
As soon as their plates were empty, the server—perhaps paying them special attention because of the economics—quickly cleared their table and refilled their drinks, after which Luxborough abruptly said, “Your sister.”
Thea’s hand jerked and wine sloshed onto the table.
“My sister?” she squeaked, busily wiping up the spill.
“Dorothea, I believe, is her name.”
“Ah. Yes. Thea. Right.”
“Rumor has it she developed a scheme of seducing noblemen in an effort to trap one into marriage,” he said. “But she tried it with more than one at a time and they found out.”
How very succinct he was, Thea thought, and poked at a remaining droplet of wine.
“So what is the full story?” he asked.
She looked up, startled. “You want to hear the story?”
“That’s what I said.”
Oh. Only Arabella had ever asked her for the story. Warm pleasure spread through her like wine, and she sat back to consider her approach. How odd to narrate her own story as if it had happened to someone else. Unless—yes! She would be like the narrator in her pamphlet, telling the tale not of Thea Knight but of the heroine, Rosamund.
“Very well,” she said. “I shall tell you the tale of…a winsome lass.”
“Winsome?” He regarded her skeptically. “Do you even know what that means?”
“Of course I do.”
She’d never given it much thought. Winsome was just one of those things that lasses were.
“How is, ah, Thea winsome?”
“Um. Because she win some, lose some.”
“I’m sorry I asked.” He briefly closed his eyes. “Very, very sorry.”
Drunk on his interest, Thea laughed. “Anyway,” she continued, using her hands for dramatic emphasis. “This winsome lass is attending a picnic, and—”
And she waved her arms, slamming her knuckles into the wall. Ouch. She could not tell her story like this, hemmed in as she was. She pushed back her chair and stood.
“What are you doing?” Luxborough snapped. “Sit down.”
“I need space to tell the story.”
“No, you don’t. You sit in your chair and talk. It’s really quite simple.”
“But I can’t…” The chair dug into the back of her knees and she pushed it back further. “I need—”
“’Ere you,” came a male voice from behind her. “Wotcha think yer doin’ then, eh?”
Thea spun around, mortified to realize she had jostled the man at the next table.
“I do beg your pardon, sir,” she said. “But I am telling a story and I need space.”
“Oh, I like a good story,” said the man. “What’s this story about then?”
“No story,” Luxborough called sternly. “You, man, turn around. You, wife, sit down.”
Thea and the man ignored him. “It’s about a winsome lass,” Thea said.