by Vikki Vaught
The duchess seemed to be a lovely woman, only a few years older than Melody, and she gave her a welcoming smile. They eventually entered the ballroom, and she spied her friend Susan standing by Aunt Miriam.
Her aunt gave her a hug and kissed her cheek. “My darling girl, you look marvelous. Where did you get your gown?”
“Thank you, Aunt Miriam,” she replied. “The gown is part of my new wardrobe, and it’s one of Madame Devy’s designs. It’s so wonderful to see you again. I’ve missed you so.”
Her aunt beamed. “Obviously, marriage agrees with you. You simply glow, my dear. I was sorry to hear about Lord Henry leaving. I’m sure you miss him desperately.”
“I do, but he assured me this campaign should not last long.” The ever present ache in her heart intensified when she remembered the danger her husband must be in.
Miriam patted her hand. “Why don’t you come for tea tomorrow so we can catch up on everything?”
“I would be delighted to come.” Melody turned to Susan. “You look lovely tonight. How are you?”
Susan looked over and giggled. “I have so much to tell you. I’ve met someone. His name is Arthur Taylor, and his father’s a viscount. He’s divinely handsome and extremely funny. He makes me laugh all the time. He should be here soon.”
Melody laughed. “I’m glad you have a new beau. I look forward to making his acquaintance.”
Her friend leaned in close. “You must be terrified that Lord Henry is in harm’s way.”
Terrified did not even come close to describing her fears, but she had to remain strong and believe all would be well. “I just hope this conflict will be cleared up quickly, so he can come back to me.”
“We all pray it will be resolved swiftly,” Susan commiserated. “I’m sure your husband will be fine and will be back with you soon. Will you be able to help with the orphanage while you’re in town?”
“Definitely. I look forward to seeing the children.” Looking up, she noticed Nelson approaching. “Here comes my brother-in-law. He’s been immensely helpful since I joined the family.” Smiling as he joined them, she said, “This is my best friend, Susan Wilton.” Looking at her friend, she added, “Allow me to introduce you to my husband’s brother, the Marquess of Wyndham.”
Nelson made his bow. “It’s lovely to meet you. I’m pleased she has a good friend to help occupy her time while she awaits my brother’s return.” Smiling at Melody, he asked, “May I have this dance?”
“Of course, that would be lovely.”
Then her brother-in-law turned to Susan. “Do you have room for me on your dance card, Miss Wilton?”
Her friend smiled. “It would be my pleasure, my lord. I have a quadrille coming up. Will that do?”
“That would be delightful. I look forward to our dance.” They talked a few more minutes, and then when the orchestra began tuning up, Nelson offered his hand. “Come, my dear.”
They made their way to the dance floor and joined the line for the country-dance. As they joined hands and skipped between the two columns of dancers, Melody inquired, “Is Mary Harrison attending tonight?”
“She’s here with her mother,” he replied. “I would like it if you could offer her your friendship. She’s a bit shy and doesn’t have many friends in town. She is missing her brother, and I know you could comfort each other.”
“I found Mary delightful when I met her at Christmas. She also attended a dinner party Henry and I held in February, so I would be happy to make her acquaintance again.”
Once the dance ended, Nelson led her over to where Mary stood with her mother. “Good evening, ladies. Mrs. Bronson, this is my sister-in-law, Lady Henry.”
In deference to the older woman, she dropped a slight curtsey. “Good evening, Mrs. Bronson. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I hope you’re enjoying the ball?”
“Oh, my, a great deal, Lady Henry. I’m so pleased to make your acquaintance. My daughter mentioned how much she enjoyed the party you and your husband hosted this past winter.”
She enjoyed speaking to the kind older woman. They shared their mutual concern over their loved ones’ absence. While standing by her new friend, she mentioned her work at the orphanage. “Would you be interested in helping us?”
Mary nodded. “I would love that. So many children are less fortunate than my son. I know I would enjoy helping such a worthy endeavor.”
“I’m going there tomorrow at ten,” she told her. “Would you be able to accompany me?”
Mary turned to her mother. “Would you mind watching Roderick while I go with Lady Henry?”
“Not at all.” Turning to Melody, Mrs. Bronson added, “I think it’s a wonderful thing you’re doing. Many young women are not willing to donate their time to the less fortunate.”
“Thank you, ma’am. I dearly love working with the children. It’s so sad that a great many of them have lost both their parents.” Looking up, she saw Susan approaching. “Oh look, here is Miss Wilton. She also volunteers at the orphanage. Let me introduce you to her.” Melody welcomed her friend into their group. “This is my friend Mary Harrison and her mother, Mrs. Bronson. Mrs. Harrison has offered to help at the orphanage. Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Pleased to meet both of you,” Susan enthused. “I’m glad you will be joining us, Mrs. Harrison. The children will steal your heart.”
They stood while the orchestra took a break and talked. Helen came over, and Melody introduced her. Once her sister-in-law found out about the orphanage, she wanted to help as well, and they all agreed to go together. She looked around and saw Lord Weston walking toward her.
She smiled at him when he joined their group, and she introduced him to Mrs. Bronson.
He bowed. “Good evening. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Bronson. I’m sure you’re missing your son. He is one of our brave heroes on their way to defeat Bonaparte. I’m sure he will return to you soon. From all the news I’ve heard, this conflict should be over shortly.” Lord Weston turned to Melody. “Would you care to dance this next set with me?”
“Certainly, my lord.” Joining the other couples, they waited as the orchestra tuned up and began playing a waltz. This reminded her of the last time she and Henry had danced together. Of course, even though Henry’s friend was an excellent dancer, she wished it was her husband twirling her around the ballroom.
“Are you enjoying the season, Lady Henry?” Lord Weston asked. “I’m sure you’re missing your husband. I was sorry to hear he had to leave for the continent.”
He executed the turn with aplomb. “Please, call me Melody. After all, you’re Henry’s best friend.”
“Have you heard from him yet?” he inquired.
“I received a letter yesterday, and he sounded in good spirits. He told me his men were getting impatient while waiting for something to happen. I worry he’ll be hurt or even…no I dare not say it. I do not know what I shall do if anything were to happen to him.”
As he executed the turn, Weston assured her, “Please, try not to worry. Montgomery has been in the Army for a long time. If I’m to call you Melody, then please call me Weston. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. In fact, how would you like to go for a drive in the park tomorrow afternoon?”
“That would be delightful,” she replied. “I have plans for the morning. I’ll be free later in the day, though.”
“I shall pick you up at four o’clock, and we’ll take a drive through Hyde Park. Will that be convenient for you?” he asked.
“It would. I should be back from Lady Helton’s by then.”
Once the dance ended, he returned her to her friends. Nelson was dancing with Mary, and they looked as if they were having a deep discussion. She hoped they would make a match. Mary seemed so right for him. Albeit, his parents would not be happy if the attraction led to marriage.
The duke was still pressuring Nelson to marry Lady Penelope. She met the young lady at the Christmas party, and she did not care for her at all.
She danced se
veral more times with some of Henry’s other friends. She had a pleasant evening, but she was glad when everyone decided to leave.
The next morning, she rose early and hurried through her morning ablutions. She had a full day. Once dressed, she went down to breakfast and had her usual toast and jam with hot chocolate.
Helen joined her at the table. “Oh, Melody, I had a wonderful time last night. I met someone. His name is Andrew Hamilton. His father is an Earl, and he has asked me to go driving with him. He has a marvelous sense of humor, and…he told me I was beautiful.”
“You are beautiful,” she assured her. “I’m sure he’s a nice young man. When is he picking you up?”
“He’ll be here at three. Will you be here this afternoon when he arrives?” she asked.
“I doubt it. I’m also going for a drive with Lord Weston this afternoon. Do you recall we’re going to the orphanage this morning?”
“If we’re going there at ten, I need to hurry. I shall see you in a bit.” As usual, Helen dashed off. She never moved at a slow pace.
They picked up Mary and Susan, and then went on to the orphanage. Melody was thrilled to see the children again. While they were playing with them, she pulled Susan aside. “How’s Brandon? I felt so awful when my mother wrote and told me about Lily and the babe. I wish I could have been there to console him. I’m sure he was devastated by it all.”
“I saw him before I left for London. He’s terribly melancholy and misses Lily desperately. He’s even talked of moving somewhere else because the memories are so painful. I’m sure a letter from you would help him a great deal. You’ve always been so close.”
“I wrote to him after I heard the news. With Henry leaving for the continent, I’ve had too much on my mind to write again. I’ll send him a letter tomorrow. Well, if I’m going to get to my aunt’s on time, I need to leave.” As she left, she gave Susan a hug and added, “I shall see you soon.”
She rushed home after visiting her aunt and dressed for her drive with Lord Weston. He picked her up on time, and they made their way to Hyde Park. As they drove along the lanes, Melody said, “Thank you for asking me to go driving. It’s a lovely day, and all the flowers are so beautiful. I particularly enjoy the spring of the year. It’s hard to be blue when everything is so pretty.”
Another carriage approached, and Weston pulled to the side to let it pass. “I enjoy the spring as well. You know, Montgomery and I have been friends since Eton, and I have never seen him this happy.”
“He makes me happy, too. I do miss him desperately. He’s become my best friend, not just my husband.”
They continued to drive through the park and came upon Helen with her beau. They chatted for a few minutes, but then it was time to leave. She had a pleasant afternoon with Lord Weston, and they planned to do it again soon.
She remembered to write Brandon the next day, and she hoped her letter would cheer him up. She wrote that Henry had left for the continent and told him she was in London for a few weeks, but then she planned to return to Sanderford Park.
The next month went by quickly, keeping her distracted so she did not dwell on Henry’s absence. She felt exhausted from the vast number of entertainments she had attended. She would be leaving to return to the country the next day. Nelson was taking her and Kathryn, because he had some estate business that needed his attention. Although she had no regrets over coming to town, she was more than ready to return to the estate.
They left the next day and were back at the park by four o’clock in the afternoon. She slept most of the way. She could not understand why she was so tired and sleepy all the time, and she’d had several bouts of nausea. This puzzled her because she was rarely, if ever, ill. It only happened in the morning, and then she was fine for the rest of the day.
The next day, Melody received a letter from Brandon. He thanked her for writing and commiserated with her on Henry’s departure for the continent. He also told her he was looking for another teaching position because the memories of Lily were driving him mad. Her heart ached for him. She could only imagine how horrid it must be to lose your true love. She decided she would write Brandon occasionally, just to let him know she was thinking of him.
* * * *
Henry arrived on the continent the beginning of May. The passage over the English Channel had been extremely rough. Many of the troops spent most of the voyage hanging over the side casting up their accounts. The weather made the march grueling as they waded through ankle deep puddles of mud that oozed into their boots and chilled him and his men to the bone. By the time they reached Wellington, his men were exhausted, and morale had reached an all-time low.
What surprised him most were the large number of people arriving in Brussels daily. Many of the ton were setting up house. Balls, galas, and parties were held every night. Many of them hosted by the Duke of Wellington. Henry did not like going to the events. However, the duke ordered all his officers to attend. During the day, they scouted out possible battle sites, then danced the night away.
He craved his wife’s gentle touch and soft caresses, missed being with his sweet-natured wife. When he found out many of Wellington’s officers had their families with them, he wished he had brought her. He would have, had he known. On the lonely hours of the night, he contemplated sending for her, but by the time she arrived, this conflict could be over.
Her letters kept him sane. She must be writing almost every day, because he had received more than a half-dozen letters so far. They were always cheerful, giving him news of his family. Thrilled she had decided to go to London after all, he prayed it kept her so busy she did not have time to worry about what he would soon be facing.
Surprising enough, Melody had convinced his mother to allow Kathryn to come to London with them. That amazed him, but also reassured him greatly. Perhaps his mother was beginning to accept his wife. She had even written that the duchess had insisted on purchasing a new wardrobe for her. He had worried that his parents would continue to treat her with their usual disdain when he was not there to protect her. Thank God she had formed such a close relationship to his brother and sisters.
She had also mentioned that Weston had taken her riding several times. He had asked his friend to keep an eye on her. Taking her to the park would keep her distracted, so she would not dwell on his absence.
Henry tried to write Melody daily, but some nights all he had the energy for was sleeping. He wanted to keep his letters positive, and for the most part he had accomplished that. Sometimes he did mention morale problems but made light of them. After all, how many times could his troops practice drills without any action and not become restless?
As the month of May gave way to June, more information filtered through camp. Bonaparte was holding back and not taking the offensive, as expected. Wellington was waiting for Marshall Blucher to arrive before taking any action. Everything depended on the collaboration of the seventh coalition. Bonaparte had tried to persuade some of the allied forces to change sides, and he had successfully convinced Marshall Ney to join forces with him. That was a huge blow to the coalition.
His heart pounded and his stomach twisted in knots at the thought of the upcoming battle and how it would affect Melody if—God forbid—something happened to him. Henry just wished the conflict would begin, so he could return to his wife and begin their new life at Hyatt Hall.
By the first week in June, something was getting ready to happen. Rumors were flying all over Brussels, and Wellington held strategy meetings on a daily basis. The Duchess of Richmond’s ball was scheduled for the fifteenth of June, and Wellington had requested his officers’ attendance.
Late in the evening of the fifteenth, the duke received a confirmed report that the French had overrun the coalition outposts at Charleroi, giving Bonaparte a central position and dividing Wellington and Blucher’s forces.
Shortly after midnight, the general received another dispatch from the Prince of Orange, telling him Napoleon was advancing. He quickly orde
red his army to concentrate on Quatre Bras.
With Marshall Ney on the move, it was imperative they hold that town. Wellington sent Henry and his troops there in the early hours of the sixteenth, along with several other battalions. At last, they would finally see action, and the morale of his troops would improve.
Napoleon’s Armee du Nord attacked and defeated Von Blucher’s Prussian army during the Battle of Ligny on the sixteenth—a severe blow to the coalition. Wellington’s troops joined the Prince of Orange at Quatre Bras and successfully defeated the French troops there, securing the town by early evening, but too late to send help to Blucher.
The Prussians’ defeat made Wellington’s position tenuous, making it difficult to defend. The next day, the duke ordered his forces to move back to the low ridge of Mont-Saint-Jean, south of Waterloo. Henry’s men were in the thick of it, and he had already lost several good men at Quatre Bras. His orders were to hold the line.
During a lull in the fighting, he found Hayden. “How did you make out? Did you lose any of your men?”
“I lost two, how about you?” he asked.
“I lost three, and Bronson was hit hard. His arm is shot all to hell. I’m afraid he’ll lose it, but he should survive as long as putrefaction doesn’t set in.”
“Damn. I hate to hear that. Did you hear about Colonel Brannon? What a tremendous loss.” He rubbed his hand across his brow. “God, I’m so tired. I have to get back to my men. At least we were able to capture Quatre Bras. Keep safe.”
Napoleon went after the allied forces, and there was a brief skirmish in Genappe. Then the heavens opened and sent torrential rains slashing down, making it necessary to set up camp for the night. Their Waterloo position was strong, and the tide began to turn for the coalition.
Henry received new orders to hold the ridge on Ohain road at any cost. The fighting broke out again in the early hours of the eighteenth. He and his men were back in the middle of the fighting again.
At one point, he was fighting off several Frenchmen at once and saw several of his men fall. The sound of cannon fire rang in his ears, and the dead and dying littered the battlefield.
