Beauty for Ashes

“No!”

Justin’s brows shot skyward.

“I—I mean—please don’t bother.” Elizabeth shrank back against the carriage as he stepped closer. His grip tightened on her hand. “Please. You mustn’t…” She tried, frantically, to pull her hand free from his grasp. “I can walk. I don’t mind. I— Oh!” She gasped as Justin scooped her into his arms. “Put me down!” She pushed against his chest, twisting her body away and kicking her legs trying to get free. His arms tightened. “Are you mad? Stop struggling! You’ll make me drop you.”

The snarled words penetrated Elizabeth’s fear and she became suddenly aware of her actions. A new, terrible fright assailed her. Was she mad? Was that why she was acting this way? She forced herself to relax in his arms.

“That’s better.” He adjusted his grip and headed for the inn. “I’ll thank you to remember you are supposed to be my loving bride—and to conduct yourself accordingly. I do not appreciate being made to look a fool.”

Elizabeth bit her lip and nodded.

The snow crunched under Justin’s feet. Fleecy piles of it formed on his broad shoulders and filled the pocket made by her folded body. Its beauty was lost to Elizabeth. She concentrated all her attention on fighting the terror that was building in intensity at the feel of Justin’s arms holding her. Just when she thought she could bear it no longer his foot thudded against the door. She glanced up, and drew breath to ask him to put her down just as the door opened. His arms tightened, pulling her more closely against his hard chest. She bit back a scream.

“Hey, Mr. Randolph!” A young towheaded boy pushed the door wide and stepped aside for them to enter. “We was beginnin’ to wonder would you make it, what with the storm an’ all.” He slammed the door shut, then turned a frankly curious gaze on Elizabeth as the candlelight, flickering from the draft, steadied and poured its warm light over her. “That your bride?”

Justin glanced at her and his face went taut. “Yes, Lem. This is my bride. Is the room ready?”

“Yes, sir! She’s all cleaned up an’ fit to shine—just like you asked.” The boy turned and headed toward a door on the other side of the smoky, patron-filled room. “Dan’l brung your carriage, Mr. Randolph.” The towhead looked over his shoulder with pleading eyes. “Can I ride on the box when you’re fixin’ to leave?”

Justin nodded. “As far as the lightning-blasted oak. Now, go tell your father I want some hot mulled cider and tea brought to the room immediately.” He shouldered open the door in front of them, stepped into a tiny room and gave a swift, backward kick that closed the door with a loud bang. Elizabeth jerked. He gave her a disgusted glance and headed for the bed. “This is getting to be a habit. Tell me, Elizabeth, do you ever walk into an inn, or is this a pleasure I may look forward to from now on?”

“Oh!” Elizabeth pushed uselessly against his chest to free herself. “I asked you not to carry me! I told you I—” She bit off the words as a sharp rap sounded on the door. “Put me down!”

“As you wish.” Justin released his grip.

Elizabeth let out a startled squeal as she dropped to the center of the bed.

“Come in!”

She struggled to a sitting position as the door opened. The sweet odor of clean, fresh hay from the newly filled mattress rose in a cloud around her. It did little to reduce her vexation over Justin’s cavalier treatment—nor did his amused glance. She lifted her chin and glared at him.

Justin grinned and stepped to the end of the bed to take the hot cider the innkeeper was carrying. “Ah! Just the thing to chase away the chill.”

“Yeah.” The man slid his gaze to Elizabeth’s flushed face and his thick lips split his beard in a sly smirk. “Along with other things.”

Justin stiffened. “You forget yourself, Johnson—and to whom you are speaking.”

The innkeeper flushed a dull red and lifted an angry gaze to Justin’s face. “An’ you—” He stopped abruptly as he met Justin’s steady, icy gaze. He uncurled the fingers he had tightened into fists and looked away. “I meant no disrespect to you, or your wife.” The sullen words had barely left his mouth when there was a soft tap on the door and an Indian woman entered the room. He spun about. “You standin’ outside that door listenin’ to your betters?” He pointed toward a small table. “Set that down ’n’ git outta here!” He turned back to Justin as the woman moved to obey.

“Little Fawn’s brung your tea. Is there anythin’ else you’ll be wantin’?” He slid his gaze toward the bed.

“A meal.” Justin moved forward to block Elizabeth from the man’s view. “Venison stew will do.”

The innkeeper’s face tightened. “I’ll fetch it.”

“Little Fawn will bring the food.” Justin’s low voice was frigid. “You stay out of this room.”

The man opened his mouth to speak, looked into Justin’s cold, still eyes, and closed it again. With a muttered oath, he spun on his heel, gave the Indian woman a sharp shove toward the door, and stomped out of the room after her. Justin watched until the door latch clicked into place, then lifted the cider to his lips and took a swallow. “I’m sorry for that unpleasantness, Elizabeth. The man’s a lout.” He turned to face her, and frowned. She was shivering.

“You have taken a chill.” His voice held both disgust and sympathy. “I’ll get you some tea.”

“No! I mean…certainly not.” Elizabeth scrambled for the side of the bed, ready to fight, or flee, should he come near. “I’m perfectly capable of pouring for myself. It was only a—a temporary aberration.” She brushed a curl back behind her ear. “I repeat, sir, I am neither weak nor sickly. And I do not take a chill easily.”

Justin quirked his left eyebrow.

It was clear he did not believe her. Anger surged through Elizabeth, steadying her, driving away the fear engendered by Justin’s arms and the leering glances of the innkeeper. With what she hoped was a haughty glance, she turned her back on Justin, removed her cloak and walked to the table to pour herself a cup of tea.

Justin leaned against the mantel and watched Elizabeth. She seemed fascinated by the Indian woman, who was shuffling about placing steaming plates of stew upon the table. For the first time she seemed unaware of him and he took advantage of the opportunity to study her closely. There was something about her—something that gnawed at the edge of his mind whenever he looked at her. What was it?

The thought eluded him. Justin turned away in disgust, then, abruptly, turned back again. He searched her face, taking note of the delicate bone structure, the exquisitely arched brows, the long, curling lashes that threw sooty shadows across her pink tinged cheeks. An ache began deep inside him and spread throughout his whole being. How lovely she was. How—

The door closed behind Little Fawn interrupting his thoughts. Just as well. The thought was a sour one. Justin looked down at the glass in his hand—the cider tasted sour, too. Everything was sour lately! He scowled and set the glass on the mantel. Silence filled the room.

Elizabeth took a sip of her tea and risked a quick glance at Justin from under her lowered lashes. He looked as grouchy as a bear with a sore tooth! Why didn’t he say something? With a hand that was not quite steady she placed her empty cup back on its saucer. Maybe he was waiting for her to say something. But what? She groped around for a suitable topic of conversation but her mind seemed to have turned to mush. “Thank you, Miss Pettigrew.” She muttered the disgusted words under her breath and reached for the pewter pot to pour herself another cup of tea.

“I beg your pardon.”

Elizabeth jerked her gaze to Justin’s face.

“Did I hear correctly? Did you say, ‘Thank you, Miss Pettigrew’?”

“No.” There went that eyebrow again. The man must have the hearing of a cat! Elizabeth felt her face flush. “That is—yes. But not really.”

“Well, which is it?” Justin gave her a cool look. “It can’t be both.”

Elizabeth put the teapot down. “I did make the remark. I suddenly thought of Miss Pettigrew, and her name…slipped out.” She gave him look for look, though her cheeks were burning. “I said, no, because the remark was not meant for your ears.” There! That should put Mr. Justin Randolph in his place.

Elizabeth rose to her feet and made a small business of brushing at some imaginary lint on her skirt while she composed herself. She had no intention of telling him why she had suddenly thought of— A deep-throated chuckle froze her in midmotion.

“Miss Pettigrew. Yes, of course—Miss Pettigrew! I understand now.” Justin’s chuckle turned to full-blown laughter.

Elizabeth gaped at him. “You know of her?”

“Oh, yes indeed.” He grinned down at her. “Miss Pettigrew was the bane of my sister Laina’s school years. Let me see now…how did that go? Oh, yes.” He squared his shoulders and held his hands rigidly at his sides. “‘Miss Pettigrew’s Academy for Young Ladies. Proper deportment and appropriate conversation for all occasions.’” He relaxed his stance and chuckled. “Did I get it right?”

“Yes!” Elizabeth fairly snapped the answer. It wasn’t that amusing!

“And you feel that Miss Pettigrew was somewhat…er…lax in covering this particular situation in her teaching. Is that it?”

Elizabeth stuck her chin into the air at his teasing tone and turned to the table. “I think remiss would be a better word! I certainly could not recall one gambit from her ‘Appropriate Conversation’ class…though I tried.”

Justin laughed and walked over to hold her chair. “Do not judge Miss Pettigrew too harshly, Elizabeth. After all, this is an unusual occasion. And she did come to your conversational rescue in the end.”

The starch went out of Elizabeth. Her lips twitched, then curved into a smile. “She truly did—though certainly not in the way that she intended.” She tilted her head back and looked up at Justin. He turned away and seated himself.

“No, not in the way that she intended.” Justin picked up his fork, stabbed a piece of venison and lifted it in mock salute. “Nonetheless…to Miss Pettigrew.” He looked across the table at Elizabeth. “May she forgive us for the black eye.”

Elizabeth laughed, picked up her fork and joined him in the foolish toast. “To Miss Pettigrew…may she never know!”