His grin was swift and assured. “Trust me. My skill is not an issue.”
“Well, then.” She hid an answering smile; his confidence was, indeed, reassuring. “As soon as we’re finished here, we’ll head on.”
He nodded and applied himself to his meal, and she did the same.
They were cleaning their bowls when he murmured, “We do have one decision to make.”
“Oh?”
“There’s a fork in the road a little way ahead. The shorter but much more winding and therefore considerably slower road cuts through the mountains, more or less in a direct line to Nice. The longer but likely faster way to reach Nice is to take the road directly south to the coast, to Menton, and follow the coast westward from there. The coastal road is much better surfaced, and the going will be significantly faster.”
She weighed those options, including the aspects he hadn’t mentioned, then asked, “Are there villages along the mountain road?”
He wrinkled his nose. “Not really. A few hamlets at best.”
So nowhere for a traveler to rest his weary head. “But there are villages along the road through Menton.”
“Once we near the coast and all along the coast itself, there are villages aplenty.”
“In that case, I suggest we go via Menton.” She caught his gaze. “You’re going to have to stop and get at least a few hours’ sleep at some point.”
Toby held her gaze, then grimaced and tipped his head in acknowledgment. If his aim was to get them all safely to Marseille and on board a British ship, he would have to rest for at least a little while somewhere along the way. He pushed away his empty bowl. “The Menton road it is, then.”
The children had already finished, and Bruno insisted on bringing into the carriage the remainder of the bone the innkeeper’s wife had given him.
The stable lads had done well with the horses; Toby tipped them generously, then saw his family settled within the carriage.
In short order, he was on the box and tooling the carriage back onto the road, into the increasingly dark night.
* * *
Diana had dozed off.She woke as the constant rocking of the coach eased as the horses slowed from their until-then reckless pace.
She looked out of the window at a scene bathed in moonlight and was just in time to see a signpost slip past, proclaiming that they were entering Menton. She’d barely taken that in when the horses slowed even more, and the coach turned and rolled beneath the arch of a neat, whitewashed auberge.
When the coach halted and the clatter of the horses’ hooves ceased, she heard the lapping of waves somewhere in the distance.
The others started to sleepily stir. She glanced at them, then opened the door and climbed out, jumping down to the gravel of the auberge’s yard.
Despite the hour—it had to be nearing two in the morning—two young lads, knuckling sleep from their eyes, came stumbling from the barn tucked around the auberge’s corner.
Toby dropped from the box seat, landing somewhat unsteadily. He straightened, stretched, then murmured, “We need to give the horses at least a few hours’ rest.”
She shot him an assessing glance, then evenly said, “You take care of the horses. I’ll organize everything else.”And that includes you, she thought, but didn’t say.
She turned and helped the children and Helga, holding Bruno, to the ground. Under her direction, everyone gathered their smaller pieces of luggage and, leaving Toby’s bags for him to pick up once he was finished arranging for the horses’ care, Diana led their company to the auberge’s door.
She assumed they would have to wake the household, who wouldn’t be thrilled to receive them at that hour, but no; as they neared the door, it opened.
The older couple who appeared in the doorway welcomed them with genuine warmth. Lamps were lit, their bags handed to more sleepy lads, and Diana’s declaration that they hoped to remain and sleep for the rest of the night was received with nothing less than delight.
She, the children, and Helga, and even Bruno, were swept upstairs to comfortable chambers. Warm water was delivered by two maids, and soon, Diana saw the children snuggling into beds, their eyes closing the instant their heads met the down-filled pillows. Helga would share a room with Evelyn, and Bruno would remain with them. The boys were already asleep in the two beds in the room next door.
Satisfied, Diana went into the room assigned to her, checked that her bags were there, then returned downstairs. From what she’d gathered from the auberge owners’ chatter, they were accustomed to those like Toby dropping in at all hours, and as had been the case elsewhere, Toby was something of a favorite. Given this was a place he and his compatriots favored when engaged in clandestine flights, she assumed that meant it was safe. Or at least as safe as such a place could be.
She found him in the main room, addressing a platter of bread, cured meats, cheeses, and olives. Reassured, she slid onto the bench opposite him.
Munching, he looked at her and arched a brow.
