A Most Mysterious Gentleman (#1 Sweet Nineteenth Series) VERY SLOW UPDATES

AMMG ~28~

It was getting more and more frustrating the amount of attention the woman was giving her. When the little boy had called her a 'pirate', a woman, most assuredly his Mother, had run out brandishing a rolling pin. Rosalie hadn't known whether to be amused or worried at the display, but couldn't move away, that was how firmly she was rolled in the hay. The woman, upon seeing her leg, or lack of thereof Rosalie had thought bemusedly, had had a man lift her up and place her gently in a old rocking chair.

The house was warm and cozy, exactly the type of house she had wanted as child. The furnishings were old and mismatched, greens mixed with oranges, which were mixed with purples. The soft chair they did have was worn where it had been sat upon. Her foot was rocking her chair in a comforting manner as she tried to overhear the conversation that was being taken place in the small kitchen next door. The walls were thin and she could hear bits and bobs.

"...a member of the peerage?"

"She could be being searched for..."

"...reward or thrown into jail?"

"..kidnap?"

She had had the care and attention of the little lady for the past few hours, who had mopped her brow, cleaned her, reapplied the disgusting dirty bandages. The wound had, by miracle, started to heal. The woman had not spoken once except to ask whether it had hurt. Her lilting Irish accent had soothed Rosalie reminding her of one of her favourite governesses. Listening to the conversation, the man clearly was Scottish, and most upset at her appearance.

"She'll only be trouble to us Mairead, no matter how wee she may be!"

"Och, do nae be stupid. She is but young and hurt!"

A scuffle in the corner of the room alerted her to a small presence watching her with large doleful eyes, the little boy.

"Will ye hurt us?"

Rosalie stared hard at the small, healthy looking child, with green eyes so much like Freddie's. She gentled her tone, "Of course not! Otherwise why would I have asked you for help?"

"I dae'ne rightly know Miss. Mama and papa may be sending ya home though."

She sighed, "Oh that would be most wonderful."

---------------------------------------------

Having established that she would wait in a respectable hotel in Dumries, she was packed off into a country cart to the get to the nearest coach that would be travelling north, with several days of country dresses, provisions, and enough money that had utterly shocked Rosalie at the generosity of the family. She vowed to them to pay them back whilst giving each of them an throttling hugs and few tears. She was travelling with a newly married couple from a small village, apparently an acceptable chaperone which she had laughed at. Even after being on the road with 3 ruffians, the warm hearted mother had insisted upon keeping her shreds of reputation.

The journey was due to be difficult and uncomfortable but Rosalie was relying on her letter to get to her Father by the time she was there, and this caused her some comfort. Another was such that her leg was feeling much better, the herbal remedies she had received and the new crutch she had been presented with gave her much help.

Looking at the wilds of the Scottish country gave her peace and turned her thoughts back to her betrothed. If he'd still have her after all the excitement. 

Her memory of his attention to her was constantly changing until she could almost imagine she was in his arms. A blush rose to her cheeks as she imagined what it would be like to be kissed by him. After all he was a very attractive.

But I might be bad at it.

She'd seen the couple she was with in cart steal a few, and it didn't look like it could be too difficult.

Marianne, her favourite heroine had always received passionate kisses at the end of her adventures by her beloved. That was what she liked so much about those types of novels, the man was not the only hero, and they worked together to end crimes in lovely exotic cities like Paris.

Though maybe they could work together to bring the Marquess to justice, but somehow at the end of an adventure, although with the Marquess still chasing her, it all didn't seem so exciting. 

But she was looking forward to seeing him. And her Father. And Eva. And Freddie. And Frannie. And Richard the Butler. 

Gracious- how worried they must be!