“No, but I am,” Nicholas said, eager to be done with the discussion. “And we’re not going to London.”

He would not put Georgie—or any of the others—at risk.

It was odd. It had not been until Jameson had breathlessly informed him of the outbreak in London that Nicholas had felt the full weight of his new obligations. It wasn’t just Georgie he was responsible for now. He was a man with a household.

“We need to help them,” Georgie said. Then as if something had shifted inside her, her voice filled with emotion. “We need to help them, tend to them, and … and you’re a doctor.”

“I’m not a doctor yet,” he reminded her.

“But surely you would know what to do.”

“I know enough to know there is nothing I can do.”

She gasped.

“No, no, I don’t mean it like that,” he said quickly. Good God, he had sounded fatalistic.

She made a questioning motion with her hands.

“Based on Jameson’s report,” he told her, “there is nothing I can do for them that is not already being done. A doctor has been called for, and the ill have all been given willow bark and bone broth.”

“Willow bark?”

“It seems to help with fevers.”

Her brow dipped into a vee. “That’s so interesting. I wonder what the reason …”

He waited for her to finish her thought, but she just shook her head. “Never mind.” She blinked, then looked up, her eyes suddenly bright and clear. “What now?”

“We press on,” he said. “And find a place to spend the night.”

“Will that be a problem?”

Nicholas let out a sigh. His father had sent a man ahead to reserve space at coaching inns along the route, but obviously no arrangements had been made for the first stop.

“We shall take our chances like everyone else on the road,” he said. “I’ve gone back and forth to Edinburgh several times, and I’ve never had difficulty securing a room before.”

Of course he’d never traveled with a wife, thirteen servants, and three cats.

Meow.

It was a delicate sound, quite unlike the howling they’d endured all afternoon. He looked at Georgie, his brows raised in question.

She shook her head. “That wasn’t Cat-Head.”

He sighed. “Of course it wasn’t.”

But she didn’t hear. She was already hurrying back to the carriage, tending to the one she called Blanche.

Which was almost as ridiculous a name as Cat-Head, given that Blanche was almost completely black.

“Did anyone find the other baskets?” Nicholas asked as he followed Georgie to the carriage.

“I don’t think anyone looked,” Marian said, scurrying along after him. “Do you want us to?”

“No, best to be on our way. We’ll find them for the journey tomorrow.”

Marian nodded, but when he stepped aside to allow her to enter the carriage before him, she said, “If you don’t mind, sir, I thought I might ride in the second carriage.”

Georgie, who had already alighted, poked her head out. “Are you sure? It’s smaller than this one, and you’ll be three across on the seat.”

“We will be just fine,” Nicholas said, putting an end to the discussion. Frankly, he’d been surprised when Marian had entered the lead carriage at their departure. Surely as newlyweds, they could expect to have the space to themselves.

Meow.

He sighed. Along with the cats.

At least the he-devil was quiet. Although the true test would come when the wheels began to—

GRAO!

“I’m sorry,” Georgie said.

Nicholas attempted a smile. “Nothing to be done.”

She smiled in return, an expression that was one-part apologetic, one-part grateful, and one-part ready to tear her hair out.

GRAO!

He fixed the cat with an icy stare. “You have no interest in romance, do you?” he muttered.

“What did you say?” Georgie asked, startled.

GRAO!

He shook his head. Funny how it hadn’t been until they were packing up the carriages and it became clear that Georgie was bringing her pets that he remembered that he didn’t much actually like cats. His sister had had cats. They had been the most spoiled creatures on the planet, and they left fur everywhere.

GRAO!

And some of them, apparently, liked to complain.

“Sorry,” Georgie muttered. She picked up a shawl, and then—

His eyes widened. “Are you swaddling that cat like a baby?”

“I think it’s helping.”

GRAO!

Well, it wasn’t hurting, at least.

“There, there, Cat-Head,” Georgie said. “We haven’t much farther to go.” She looked up at Nicholas. “Do we?”

He shrugged. He wasn’t sure where they were going to spend the night. He’d instructed the driver to stop at the next reputable coaching inn, but if there wasn’t room, they’d have to keep going.

Grrrrraow.

“I think he’s falling asleep,” Georgie whispered.

“Praise the Lord.”

Georgie sighed. “Indeed.”

BY THE TIME they finally stopped for the evening, Georgie was exhausted. She’d got Cat-Head to sleep, but then she’d had to hold him like a baby the rest of the trip. She’d tried to set him down once, careful to keep the swaddling tight and firm, but the minute he touched the bench, his eyes popped open and his howling began anew.

“No, no, Cat-Head,” she murmured, desperately trying to settle him back down.

She then tried to keep her hold on him while at the same time setting him down on the bench. She felt ridiculous, all bent at the waist as she leaned over him, but if she could get him to fall back asleep in such a position, maybe he’d stay that way when she pulled her arms away.

“Pick him up,” Nicholas had begged.

“He doesn’t know the difference.”

“He knows!”

“How can he know? I have my arms around—”

“He knows!”

She picked him up. He quieted instantly.

He knew.

Damn cat.

So she held him. The whole trip.

She held him when they stopped at the first inn, only to be told there were no vacant rooms.

She held him when they stopped at the second inn, where she waited while Nicholas and the drivers conferred for at least ten minutes, only to decide that they did not like the look of the other travelers.

Georgie was not exactly sure what that meant, but as they all had experience traveling the Great North Road and she did not, she decided to take their word for it.

It was late, though, much later than they would have normally chosen to retire for the evening, and she sensed that everyone was eager to put an end to the day’s journey when they came to a stop in front of the third inn. Unfortunately, it proved only marginally more fruitful than the other two.

“Bad news, I’m afraid,” Nicholas said when he opened the carriage door.

Georgie had been waiting in the coach, Cat-Head still swaddled in her arms. “Please don’t tell me they are full.”

“They’re not, but they’ve only one room available. I’m afraid you shall have to share with the maids.”