Never Less Than A Lady | Herophine

Chapter Eighteen

Josephine

Josephine shifted wearily on the carriage seat. She'd spent a dozen years living quietly in country villages, never travelling more than a few miles from home. She had lost the habit of long journeys. Hero and Jack had much better endurance.

Hero glanced out the window. "We've made good time today. We're coming into Grantham now."

She glanced out her own window and saw nothing unusual. "I suppose you've been up and down the Great North Road often enough to recognize all the landmarks. Will we be stopping here, or going on for another stage?"

"You've been very patient with all these long days of travel." His smile was understanding. "Grantham has one of the Midlands' best coaching inns, so it's a good place to spend the night."

Jack sat opposite them, idly tossing dice, right hand against left. Not looking up, he said, "My mother died in Grantham."

"I didn't know that," Hero said, looking surprised.

"No reason why you should." Jack scooped up the dice and shook them between his caged hands. "As you know, she was an actress. We were heading north so she could join the theatre circuit based in York. Her death was very sudden."

Josephine caught her breath, remembering that Jack had been very young when his mother died. "You were there? How dreadful for you!"

He tossed the dice onto the seat beside him and studied the results. His expression was improbably neutral. "Luckily my mother's maid was a capable woman. She arranged for my mother to be buried in the parish churchyard, then packed me up and took me off to my father's country house."

"Had you met Lord Anderson before then?" Josephine asked.

"Once or twice. I remember him saying I looked much like his son George, but without the manners." Jack grinned. "That has never changed."

They all laughed, but Josephine said, "You were fortunate that the maid knew where to take you, and that she did it."

"She kept my mother's jewels and clothes as payment for her efforts," Jack said dryly. "But yes, I was lucky she didn't abandon me to the parish here in Grantham."

"Lucky also that Lord Anderson recognized you as his son," Hero added. "George Anderson's father might not have been a model of moral behaviour, but he liked kids. I spent a number of school holidays with George and Jack and the rest of the family."

Josephine guessed that had been his way of avoiding Xander. A memory struck her. "I haven't thought of this for years, but Xander had an illegitimate son born shortly before I learned I was pregnant. He taunted me several times for being slow to produce a child since he was clearly capable of doing so. I wonder what happened to that boy? He must be twelve or thirteen now."

Jack frowned. "Did the child live with his mother?"

Josephine thought, then shook her head. "I had the impression that was the case, but I don't remember any more than that."

Josephine frowned even more. "I hope the boy wasn't neglected after his father's death. He would have been just a baby."

"Presumably the mother could appeal to Damien if she was in dire straits after Xander's death," Hero said. He was undoubtedly right, but still, Josephine wondered about the boy. Every child deserved a decent home.

They were on the Grantham High Street when Jack signalled the driver to stop. "I think I'll get out now and walk the rest of the way to stretch my legs. I'll catch up with you at the inn. Will you book a room for me? I presume you mean to stay at the Angel and Royal."