Emmeline laughed. “Thank you, Miss Neves.”
“You should call me, Ines, sim? May I call you by your given name?”
“It’s Emmeline, and of course. If we’re to be friends, it seems only fitting. Now, how can I help you?”
Ines thought on this for several minutes. “I am not certain. Mr. Murray plans to take me to see his friend who speaks Portuguese. The man lives on an estate not far from here.”
“Then I will travel with you and assist if I can.”
“Will Mr. Fortescue agree to that?”
Emmeline shrugged. “I don’t see as he has much choice unless he plans to abduct me.” Both women laughed then went instantly silent when Stratford approached. He looked far too handsome this morning. His rumpled hair and sleepy eyes made her belly flutter.
He gave them wary looks. “Why do I have the sense that you are laughing at me?”
Determined to make that fluttering stop, Emmeline struck hard enough to push him away. “Because, like all men, you are vain and self-centered and believe everything is about you. Do you know where Mr. Murray is taking this young woman?” She gestured to Ines.
Stratford’s gaze cut to the lacemaker, which was preferable to him looking at her. Finally, the butterflies in her belly subsided.
“Our friend Nash Pope lives on an estate not far from here,” Stratford said. “Nash spent time in Portugal during the war. He should be able to communicate with the lady.”
“And does this Mr. Pope live with his family? His mother? Sisters?”
Stratford ran a hand over his blond hair, trying to smooth it down. It had a habit of always sticking up, which she hated to admit she found rather endearing.
“I can’t say. I’ve only been there once, and that didn’t go well.”
“What do you mean?”
Stratford gave her a long look, seeming to consider what to reveal to her. Mr. Murray, who must have been watching from across the room, took this as his invitation to return. “Did ye have yer private chat with Miss Beatriz?”
Emmeline fixed her gaze on the Scotsman. “We did.”
“And how did ye manage that? Do ye speak Portuguese?”
“I do not, sir, but much can be said without words.”
His brow furrowed. “If ye say so.”
“I’m given to understand you are taking her to the estate of a Mr. Pope.”
The Scotsman narrowed his eyes. “How’d the lass tell ye that?”
“She didn’t so much tell me as I put two and two together. I was just asking my dear cousin here whether there is an appropriate chaperone at this estate.”
“I dinnae need a chaperone. I’m nae going tae touch the lass.”
Ines made a sound of disappointment. Emmeline ignored her. “A statement like that might be good enough in the Highlands, but it will not suffice in England.”
Murray turned to Stratford. “Are ye listening tae this? Tell yer cousin I can be trusted.”
Stratford gave his friend a pained expression.
“Och, no. Yer not on her side?”
“It’s not about you. It’s about the appearance of things, and you know Nash as well as I do. He’s most likely alone on that estate but for a servant or two.”
“Alone?” Emmeline said.
Stratford shrugged. “He was wounded in the war and lost most of the vision in his right eye and all of it in his left.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” Emmeline said. Her stomach dropped at that news. So many men had been wounded in the war. How awful to have to live with an injury like that for the rest of one’s life. “But if he’s all but blind, how can he live so alone?”
“He’s driven everraone away,” Murray said. “Nash was a sharpshooter during the war, and he dinnae take it well when he lost his sight. A few of us went tae visit him once, and he ran us off with a rifle.”
“But I thought he could hardly see.”
“Exactly,” Stratford said. “That’s why we ran.”
Emmeline looked at Ines, who was listening intently. As soon as Emmeline caught her eye, she looked down and pretended to be engrossed in her own thoughts. Oh, it would not be long at all before Duncan Murray discovered the truth. “And this is where you think to take Miss Beatriz? Is it even safe?”
“That was months ago,” Murray said. “Besides, I’ve never ken Nash tae refuse a friend in need.” But he didn’t say it with much conviction.
“I see.” Emmeline straightened her shoulders. “I will come with you. In my opinion, that’s the only way to ensure this lady’s reputation is not harmed.”
“What?” Stratford roared. “Absolutely not. Out of the question.”
Emmeline ignored him. “I find I have little in the way of luggage at the moment, so I am ready to leave when you are, Mr. Murray.”
Stratford stepped in front of her. “Wait a minute, Emmeline. I haven’t agreed to this.”
“You needn’t accompany us.”
“You know I must accompany you. I wrote to your mother last night and said I would return you today.”
Emmeline shrugged. “I suppose you had better write again. This time I suggest you tell my mother that I will not be coming home until after the Season.” She moved around him, and Ines stood and linked her arm with Emmeline’s.
“Be reasonable, Emmeline. You cannot run off with Murray.”
“Listen tae yer cousin, lass.”
Both Stratford and Emmeline turned on Murray. “Stay out of this.”
Emmeline turned back to Stratford and held up a finger. “One, I am not running away with Mr. Murray. I am accompanying Miss Beatriz. Two, I am being reasonable. What is unreasonable is wasting everyone’s time and money by forcing me to be in London for the Season. I’ll save everyone a good deal of trouble if I stay with my grandmother.”
“And how will you reach your grandmother with no money, no coach, not even a change of clothing?”
“That’s not your concern.”
Stratford shook his head. “You are the most aggravating female I have ever met,” he muttered under his breath. But he seemed to notice, as she had, they’d attracted the attention of everyone at the inn. “We’ll talk about this outside.”
“I have nothing more to say.” She turned on her heel and marched out of the inn with Ines right beside her. Once outside, the two of them dissolved into giggles.
“I do not know why you laugh,” Ines said. “He is very furious.”
“He’s always furious when a plan of his doesn’t work out. What he will soon understand is I am not one of his plans.”
“That may be, but you realize he will be accompanying you to the home of Mr. Pope. He will not allow you to go without him.”
“I’ll make the best of it,” she said. Ines laughed. “Why are you laughing now?” Emmeline asked.
“Because you knew all along he would never let you go alone. You want him to come.”
“No, I don’t. I couldn’t care less what he does or where he goes.”
“I see. That is too bad.”
Emmeline would not further the conversation by asking what Ines meant. At least she tried not to ask. Finally, she gave in. “Why is it too bad?”