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much and understandably so because they have much knowledge to impart. But it is very important also
    to listen and to hear thoughts and emotions and the language of the body as well as spoken words."
    She must be a very good teacher, he thought. Perhaps, if he decided to send Georgette to a boarding school… But he did not want to pursue that
    possibility any more tonight.
    The innkeeper's wife and the maid brought in a steaming apple pudding and a jug of custard, and the innkeeper followed with coffee.
    "I must commend you," Miss Thompson said, addressing the wife, "on the quality and abundance of the food, both this evening and at tea this afternoon. I do
    not believe I have ever been so well fed at an inn. Thank you."
    The woman curtsied and flushed with obvious pleasure. "My only regret, ma'am," she said, "is that we don't get guests stopping here more often. I do love
    to cook and bake, I do." Her husband beamed at her with pride as they withdrew.
    "You will be happy to see your family tomorrow," Michael said when they were alone again.
    "I will," she agreed. "And we will all be there, Hazel and Charles and their children too. I have not seen any of them since Christmas and then it was for
    just a few days. This time I have been persuaded to stay for a whole month. Not that I needed a great deal of coaxing. Are you traveling toward Devonshire
    or away from it, Lord Staunton?"
    "Away," he said. "But I am wondering if I have done the right thing. We spend the spring months in London because of my parliamentary duties, but I have
    always liked to remain at home during the summer, for the children's sake. I was persuaded to accept an invitation to a house party this summer, though,
    when I was assured that it is to include a large number of children of all ages. My own spend time with their cousins and a few neighbors at home, though
    not nearly as often as I would wish. They are alone together for days, even weeks at a time. It will be good for them to have others to play with all day
    every day for two weeks. But all the traveling is tedious, especially for them. May I offer you more wine?"
    "No, thank you," she said. "I will have coffee instead."
    They both relaxed back in their chairs, she with a cup of coffee in her hands, he with a fresh glass of wine, and talked upon other subjects—books,
    music, politics, London, Bath, and on and on. The conversation flowed effortlessly from one subject to another without any awkward pauses. Michael had not
    felt so relaxed and contented for a long while. Not in a woman's company, anyway.
    He looked at her hands as they held and absently caressed her cup—slender hands with long, neatly manicured fingers. He looked at her dress, simply
    but expertly designed, and at the costly pearl brooch at her throat, her only adornment. He looked at her fair hair, prettily but not elaborately styled.
    And he looked into her smiling eyes with the laugh lines beginning to form at their outer corners and at her elegantly sculpted cheeks and rather wide
    mouth. At a mere glance he would not have considered her a beauty, and there was certainly nothing youthful about her appearance. He liked to look at her
    nevertheless. He guessed that she had never been extraordinarily pretty, but she had the sort of face and figure that had aged well and would probably
    continue to do so.
    And why were such thoughts going through his head, interspersed with thoughts about the various topics of their conversation? Was it inevitable when one
    dined alone with a lady? How was she seeing him?
    When she finally set down her empty cup and got to her feet, prompting him to do likewise, he felt regretful. Was the evening over so soon?
    "It must be very late," she said. "There is no clock in here. And you have promised to look in on your children. I do hope neither of them is lying awake
    waiting for you."
    "What a very pleasant evening it has been," he said, moving toward the door to open it for her. "I am actually