She looked at her aunt, who rose from the table. “I shall see you later. There is a great deal to be done.”
“Five days.” Giles’s lips moved against her temple. “I might die before then.”
Part of her wanted to laugh, but the other part knew exactly what he meant. Five days would be a very long time.
TO KENDAL’S AMAZEMENT, their group actually left before nine in the morning the following day. It would have taken his sisters a day more just to decide what they needed to bring.
He stood idly between Bolton and Hawksworth as trunks, bags, children, and servants were loaded onto several large traveling coaches. The ladies were in charge of all of the organization. Thalia nodded at something Meg said, and scurried off to the lead coach. “I am impressed.”
“I have come to believe ladies are born quartermasters,” Bolton said.
“And they don’t forget the food.” Hawksworth scowled at him.
“It was only once,” Bolton protested.
“That was more than enough,” Hawksworth retorted.
Kendal was wise enough to stifle his laughter, but sometime he would ask about Hawksworth’s obsession with food. Had it come from his time in the army or from his upbringing? “Do we have any idea where we’ll stop?”
“I studied all of our estates yesterday,” Bolton said, “and planned a route that will allow us to stay at properties one or another of us owns without going out of our way. Tonight we’ll be at my manor house just north of Boroughbridge. Laia sent a letter instructing them to prepare for our cavalcade.”
“I’ll take my son up with me if he becomes too troublesome.” Hawksworth smiled. “He likes the horse.”
“You are planning to ride?” Kendal didn’t want to travel in his coach alone. He would gladly share it with Thalia, but that would be dangerous. He didn’t think he could keep his hands off her for hours at a time.
“Yes.” Guy indicated the horses bring brought up from the stables. “Do you have your hack with you?”
“Unfortunately, I do not.” Kendal wished his mentor had suggested he bring one. “I was assured that Hull could find me a suitable horse for riding.”
“I’ve got an extra one with me.” Hawksworth motioned to one of the grooms. “You can ride Belen.”
“Thank you.” Kendal had begun to think of Thalia’s family as his own. Of course, he’d been helped in that by the way they had all embraced him and the sudden betrothal. By dinner last night, he had been on a familiar name basis with all of them except Hawksworth, who no one called by his first name. “I appreciate your generosity.”
His future brother-in-law nodded. “You’ll find we have all become quite close.” He looked around. “Where have Quartus and Anna gone?”
“They went ahead early this morning,” Guy said. “Their babies were being fussy, and she saw no reason not to depart when they were all already up.”
Kendal had spoken to the Duchess of Wharton—the only duchess in her own right he knew of—and her husband Lord Quartus only for a few minutes yesterday because they were busy attending to the children. “I hope they feel better soon.”
“Once they have a full set of teeth, they’ll be fine.” Meg had strolled up to them. “Giffard was horrible when he was teething.” She glanced at her husband. “We’re ready when you are.”
“Lunch?”
“I’ve had baskets packed for today.”
“Very well.” Hawksworth gave her a quick kiss. “We’ll ride in front.”
He and Guy strode off to where the horses waited, and Kendal followed. Before they mounted, the other gentlemen joined them. He’d never been part of a large family group before. Or a large group of men. Thus far, he liked it a great deal.
They rode to the front of the carriages, and some outriders flanked the coaches while others rode behind the last carriage. Berwick and Melbrough traveled in the latter’s coach.
Stopping at their own estates turned out to be an excellent idea. They had sufficient bedchambers, room for the servants, a nursery for the children, and stabling. Five days of traveling didn’t feel that long at all.
They arrived at Whiteadder Hall on Saturday afternoon, and the group soon settled into the large house, which had been renovated and improved many times over the past four or five hundred years.
Once they’d washed the dirt from the road and eaten, Kendal took Thalia around the gardens. “The house had a moat and walls at one point. I saw the plans in the muniments room.”
“You would never know by looking at it now.” She turned to him, and he drew her into his arms. “I am glad my family gave us time together.” They’d had time to speak for hours in the evenings.
“It gave us time to know each other better. I love you even more now.”
“Yes.” She smiled up at him, and he could not resist kissing her.
If only he could take her to his bedchamber. But he’d agreed with her family that the rest would have to wait until they’d wed. “We can look at the chapel if you wish.”
Sliding her fingers down his arm she took his hand. “Let’s do that. Do you know the story behind it?”
“I think Berwick will have to be the one to tell it. He’ll do a much better job than I will.”
