A little before ten, George brought the carriage around to the front of the mansion, and he kept the horses steady while they waited for St. Claire to appear. When he finally did, George hopped down, opened the door, and lowered the step. He angled himself so the door protected him from being mauled.
“Since Mrs. St. Claire is away, I’ll most likely be staying overnight at Father’s. You can settle the horses in his stable and make yourself comfortable.”
“Yes, sir.”
St. Claire gave him a faint smirk and climbed into the carriage.
George got the step back in place and moved away smoothly when he felt St. Claire’s hand on his hair, pretending to be unaware of the touch. He closed the door and climbed up onto the seat. He gathered up the reins, cracked the whip, making sure not to hit the h
