“Don’t mind her,” Suzette said, taking up the seat on Christiana’s other side as Daniel went to join the men. “She’s just annoyed with Robert.”

“Why?” Christiana asked, glancing from one to the other.

“Because if he is not ignoring me, he is treating me like a child and I am heartily sick of it.” Lisa said grimly. “I think I shall ride with you and Dicky for the rest of the journey.”

“Richard,” Christiana corrected, and felt a moment’s regret that she would not be alone with him again. It was quickly followed by the more sensible side of her mind deciding that might be a good thing. She had no doubt that had the carriage not stopped, by now she and Richard would be doing things a girl wasn’t supposed to do until she was married. And while she’d thought she was married this last year, she wasn’t, so shouldn’t be doing them . . . which was really a shame because she liked it very much. But in a couple days they would reach Gretna Green and be married and could do it all they liked, Christiana reminded herself . . . unless Richard was like George and suddenly changed the moment the “I dos” were said. That thought had her frowning and glancing to the man worriedly.

“You can’t leave me alone with the men, Lisa,” Suzette protested. “Who will I talk to?”

“The men?” Christiana suggested, forcing her attention back to the conversation.

Suzette snorted at the idea. “They don’t talk. Not when they’re together. Daniel talks to me when we’re alone, but with Langley in the carriage I couldn’t get him to talk about anything.”

“When have you been alone with Daniel ?” Christiana asked with a frown.

“Oh . . . erm . . .” Suzette shrugged. “Just for a minute or two here and there the last day or so.”

“Hmm.” Christiana eyed her suspiciously, able to tell when Suzette was lying, but not sure she wanted to know the truth in this instance.

“Well, you can come ride with Chrissy and Dicky and me too,” Lisa said unrepentantly.

“Richard,” Christiana corrected again. Dicky was the hateful imposter she’d been married to. Richard was the true man she wasn’t married to . . . yet.

Unfortunately, what with the rush to pack and set out, she hadn’t got the chance to explain things to her sisters yet.

“Here we are.”

Christiana glanced up and murmured a thank-you as a glass of some beverage was set before her. It smelled like cider and she smiled appreciatively at Richard as he settled across the table from her.

“The innkeeper’s wife has a pot of beef stew bubbling in the back. It smells delicious so I ordered us both that. But I didn’t think to ask you what you’d like to drink, so I asked Langley what you like and he said cider. Fortunately, they had some.”

“Thank you,” Christiana murmured again. “Beef stew sounds delicious and I do like cider.”