by Anne Herries
‘My dearest Jenny,’ Georgie said, putting her arms about her. ‘I saw Henderson at work when Richard was hurt. I am sure you could wish for no one better. He will save Edward’s leg if anyone can.’
‘Why did it have to happen?’ Jenny cried. ‘It wasn’t even in a battle—just a scouting mission. I wish he had never come here.’
Georgie put her arms about her, holding Jenny as she wept. After a few minutes she drew back, wiping her cheeks with a kerchief. ‘Oh, it is selfish of me to give way to my feelings! I should be upstairs helping them to tend Edward.’
‘I think perhaps it is best if you stay here,’ Georgie said, remembering the harrowing scenes she had witnessed when Richard had been so badly injured in London. ‘Richard will help Henderson. He will come and tell us when it is all done.’
‘I should wash my face and change. I smell of the hospital.’
‘Come to my room,’ Georgie said. ‘You can borrow one of my gowns, for we must share for the next few days at least—unless Richard found us a house?’
‘No, he could not,’ Jenny said, looking at her. ‘How did you persuade Madame Bonner to let us bring Edward here?’
‘It was not me,’ Georgie said. ‘It seems that Henderson knows her…quite well, I should say.’ She laughed as Jenny raised her brows. ‘No, I must not say for she has been truly kind, and I will not gossip about her—but if you observe them together you may draw your own conclusions…’
‘Henderson is one of the most resourceful men I know,’ Richard said when he came downstairs an hour or so later and found Georgie alone in the parlour. ‘It was good fortune that you happened to meet him, for I understand he persuaded the landlady to let you have Edward here?’
‘Yes, he did,’ Georgie said. ‘I believe they know each other quite well?’
‘They met while her husband was still living,’ Richard said. ‘I believe the attraction was mutual, but she could not bring herself to leave Monsieur Bonner, even though he was a bit of a brute.’
‘Ah, I see,’ Georgie said and smiled. ‘That explains it of course.’
‘It does not explain why you left the hospital when I asked you to wait until I came.’ Richard looked at her, his gaze narrowed but not angry.
‘Jenny told me to leave. There was nothing I could do and she thought I might do better here.’
‘A garrison town is a dangerous place for a woman alone. I would prefer that you took one of the maids with you when you go out—preferably Milly.’
‘Yes, Richard. I shall do so in future, I promise you.’ Georgie hesitated, then took a deep breath. ‘I must apologise to you for our last meeting. I should not have slapped you. It was very wrong of me and I have wished that I might say how sorry I was ever since.’
‘You have less need to apologise than I, Georgie,’ Richard said, looking oddly uncertain. ‘What I did that day was unforgivable. I have had time to think since we parted and I have realised that my behaviour towards you has not been all that it ought. I hope you may find it in your heart to forgive me?’
‘I forgive you for the kiss,’ Georgie replied. Her pulses were racing, but she knew that this might be her last chance to speak of what was in her heart. ‘However, I cannot forgive you for not loving me as I love you, Richard. I know that I have been a great deal of trouble to you and—’
Richard pressed his fingers to her lips. ‘If you will have the truth of me, Georgie, you have been a constant delight and torment almost from the first. Dressed in your youth’s clothing I found you unbearably provocative and it took all my strength of will not to carry you off somewhere and make love to you.’
‘Richard!’ Georgie stared at him, not certain she had heard him right. ‘Are you saying that you do care for me? I do not mean as a friend—but as a woman you love?’
‘Can you doubt it?’ he asked, a glimmer of mockery in his eyes. ‘Even from the beginning when you came into my bedchamber looking so delectable in your breeches and that thin shirt…it was sheer torment travelling with you and knowing that you were beyond me. Had you been the lady’s maid you pretended to be, I have no doubt that you would already be my mistress.’
Georgie gave him a straight look. ‘Not your wife? Is that all I mean to you—someone to share the delights of your bed until you are tired of me?’
‘No, damn it!’ Richard moved closer, gazing down into her lovely eyes. ‘You must know that I adore you, Georgie. I would never have deserted you, even had you become my mistress—but…’He shook his head. ‘I am a fool. All I do is hurt you when I want to love you, to kiss you until your eyes darken with desire and you melt with love.’
‘Then why will you not marry me?’ she cried in a tone of exasperation. ‘You are the most vexing man, Richard. You say that you adore me…want me…and yet you do not ask me to marry you. Pray tell me why?’
‘I am older than you and have seen too much of the darker side of life. I killed Thierry because he hurt you and I have killed others when it was necessary.’
‘You killed him because he might have shot me again. It was in defence of my life and your own, and I dare say it has been the case at other times. This is ridiculous! You are a good, caring man and I will hear no more of this nonsense.’
Richard’s gaze did not waver. ‘I did not wish you to suffer the pain of losing a husband before you have tasted the pleasures of marriage. You know that I may be killed in battle very soon. You would be in mourning and might never recover from your grief.’
‘An hour of happiness as your wife would suffice a lifetime,’ Georgie said, her eyes challenging him. ‘It will not do, Richard. If you love me as you claim, you would marry me.’
‘If you will have me, I shall marry you—as soon as this damned war is over,’ Richard told her, a smile lighting his eyes. ‘I have been such a fool, Georgie, and the truth may be that I was afraid of loving you too much—but it was already too late from the first and I should have known it. When I thought you might die, I knew that my life would be empty without you, but you had forgotten me and I believed it might be for the best.’
‘You foolish man!’ Georgie said and there was a militant sparkle in her eye. ‘You have wasted so much precious time—time that we might have spent together.’
‘Forgive me,’ he said, his eyes dwelling on her face so intently that she shivered. ‘Will you marry me when the war is over?’
‘Yes, I shall,’ Georgie said. ‘When must you leave?’
‘I have tonight, but then I must leave. I have told Henderson he is to remain with you and Jenny, no matter what happens,’ Richard said, his mouth thinning to a grim line. ‘The Duchess of Richmond holds a ball for Wellington and his officers tomorrow evening. However, I shall not be here to take you.’ He hesitated, then, ‘I believe that the conflict is very near now, Georgie. The French have been spotted moving this way. We thought Bonaparte would not dare to attack us, but it looks as if he might try to cut us off from our allies. Wellington is waiting for news, and when he has it we shall make our move.’
‘I do not care for a ball in times such as these,’ Georgie said. ‘Even if you could take me, I should not attend while Edward is so ill. I would not dream of leaving Jenny alone.’ She raised her head, looking into his eyes. ‘Let me spend this night with you, Richard.’
For a moment his eyes took fire, but then he shook his head. ‘I cannot take advantage of your sweet innocence, my love. Think of the consequences if I should die and you were to fall for a child.’
‘Do you think I care for reputation when I might know the happiness of being truly yours?’ she demanded, eyes flashing with pride. ‘I might lose all the world, but I should have your child and Jenny would still love me. I am brave enough to face it, but are you, Richard? Are you brave enough to give me your heart and then leave me to face the enemy on the field of battle?’
‘Can you truly face the thought that I must leave you in the morning?’
‘I can bear anything except that you take your love from
me.’
‘Then come with me to my lodgings,’ Richard said huskily. ‘God forgive me, I am not strong enough to resist you when you look at me that way.’
Richard closed the door of his chamber behind them. For a moment he stared at her, a hungry yearning in his eyes that made her sway towards him, her lips opening on a sigh as she waited for him to come to her.
‘You are quite certain?’ he whispered huskily.
‘Quite, quite certain,’ she replied, and turned round. ‘You must unhook me, Richard, for I cannot do it myself.’
He came to her, and she felt the touch of his hand at the nape of her neck, and then his lips as he kissed her, making her tingle. His fingers moved slowly down the line of tiny hooks, opening each in turn carefully and kissing the silken flesh as it was revealed to him. And then the gown fell away and she stepped out of it. She untied the laces of her bodice, and then Richard eased it over her shoulders. And then she was naked, standing before him as his eyes feasted on the glories of her slender form.
‘Georgie, my love,’ he murmured huskily. ‘I want you so much. You know that I adore you…will always honour and treasure you above all others.’
‘As I shall you,’ she whispered. She trembled as he reached out for her, pulling her to him, clasping her to his body as if he hungered for the feel and scent of her. She felt the tiny shudder as he bent his head to kiss her. He caught her up in his arms, kissing her tenderly but with such need that she trembled in his arms as desire surged up in her.
‘So beautiful…’ he murmured. He stroked her cheek, his hand trailing down her throat, caressing the sweet swell of her breasts. He ripped open his shirt, shrugging it off, and tugging off his boots so that in seconds he was naked as she, and making her catch her breath as she saw the finely honed strength of his body and the evidence of his arousal. ‘Let me love you, my darling. I shall be gentle and you must forgive me if I hurt you this first time.’
‘You will do nothing I cannot bear,’ she said. ‘I welcome the pain if pain there must be to be yours in all ways.’
Richard made a throaty moaning sound, sweeping her up and carrying her to the bed where he placed her tenderly amongst the fine linen sheets and then lay down beside her. He turned on his side towards her, gathering her to him so that she felt the heat of his flesh and the slight tickle of body hair where it arrowed over his taut stomach. She smiled into his eyes trustingly, her arms sliding up around his neck, tangling in his hair as his lips touched her throat and he kissed her…tiny feathering kisses that made her arch and moan with need.
She could feel the heat deep down inside, and the moisture running from her intimate places as his lips moved lower. He caressed her with his mouth, tongue and hands, lavishing sweet tenderness on every part of her willing body. She moaned softly in her throat, making little mewing noises as he drew her along the path to a place she had never been.
She had known his kisses could arouse need in her, but this was more than she had ever dreamed, making her arch and whimper with longing as his hand parted her legs. She could feel the burn of his flesh, and the hard bulge of his manhood as it throbbed with desire, probing at her moist warmth. His entrance was careful and slow, so sensuous that she opened to him easily, her moisture making it easier so that when he finally broke through her maidenhead it hardly hurt at all. His mouth covered hers, smothering the small cry, and then she was arching up to meet him, welcoming him as he thrust deeper and deeper into her silken warmth.
‘Richard…oh, my love…’ she cried out as a spasm of sheer pleasure shook her and she felt his release, understood that he too had felt the exquisite sensation she had known at the moment of climax. ‘Oh, Richard…’
Afterwards they lay still, Georgie still gathered in his arms as he stroked the arch of her back and she relaxed into sweet contentment.
‘I never knew there could be such pleasure.’
‘Nor I,’ he murmured close to her ear. ‘No one—nothing—has ever given me so much as you have, my darling. I think that we must have been made for each other.’
Georgie felt the wetness of tears on her cheeks, but knew that they were tears of happiness. She laid her head against his chest, breathing in the smell of his sweat, loving it, loving him and this wonderful feeling between them. She wished that they might stay together like this for ever. The knowledge that they had only this one night was close then, despite all her efforts to shut it out.
She could hardly prevent herself crying out in protest. She loved him so. How could she bear it when the time came for him to leave? And yet she would bear it, for she must.
Georgie yawned and stretched, feeling her body tingle as it remembered the sweet loving she had known the previous night. She opened her eyes to see Richard dressing. He was wearing his riding things and his sword lay near to hand. She knew that he was about to set out on one of his scouting missions for Wellington, but this time he would not leave her without saying goodbye.
She threw back the covers and went to him naked as she was, throwing her arms about him, looking up at him, her love shining from her eyes.
‘Take good care, my love,’ she said. ‘Come back to me when you can.’
‘You know that I shall,’ he said. ‘Know that I regard you as my wife, Georgie. You and you alone hold that place in my heart. We shall marry as soon as I can arrange it once I have leave to come to you—and if…’ His eyes dwelled on her. ‘At least you know that I love you. Whatever happens keep that thought with you, Georgie.’
‘I shall,’ she promised. ‘But you will come back to me, Richard. I love you so much that my love will bring you back.’
He nodded, his eyes hungry, devouring her as she lifted her face to receive one last kiss. ‘I must do my duty, but I pray that I shall return to you, my love. I fear that I must go now—can you make your own way home?’
‘Yes, of course. Do not worry about us, Richard. We have Henderson now and he will take good care of us.’
‘Yes, I know. He did not wish to be left behind, but I told him it was his duty to me, and he agreed. You will do well enough with him here—just in case. If things go ill and he advises leaving town you must listen to him, Georgie. I believe we shall hold the French, we may beat them—but nothing is certain. If they were to overrun the city…’
‘Yes, I understand,’ Georgie said. ‘Go now, Richard. Do what you must and do not worry for my sake.’
‘You are so brave,’ he said, touching her cheek. ‘Keep that brave heart, my love—no matter what.’
Georgie held back her tears. She had spent one wonderful night in his arms, and she would let him go to war without showing her pain. She would keep her tears for the nights she spent alone.
Chapter Eleven
As soon as she arrived back at their lodgings, Georgie went up to the bedroom to inquire how Edward did. Jenny was with him, because she had persuaded Henderson to take a rest.
‘He was with Edward all through the night,’ she said. ‘I sat up for some of the time, but Henderson made me rest—and now I have sent him to his bed. The fever seems a little better, and I am assured the medicine Henderson has made up for him will help.’
‘And his leg?’
‘Henderson opened the wound and cauterised it,’ Jenny said, her face pale. ‘It brought Edward to his senses for a while, because he screamed with the pain, but Henderson said it was necessary.’
‘You can rely on him to do all that is possible.’
‘Yes, I know,’ Jenny said. ‘Mrs Feathers sent a note round this morning. We are invited to the Duchess of Richmond’s ball this evening—but I sent her a letter back explaining we could not go. You did not wish to attend?’
‘You know that I would not while you are so distressed and Edward is ill. Besides, Richard has gone again. He left this morning…’
Jenny looked at her. ‘You spent the night at his lodgings, didn’t you?’
‘Yes.’ Georgie met her eyes bravely. ‘Please do not condemn me, Jenny. I
t maybe the only chance for me to know what it is to be loved by him. You may think me wanton…’
‘No, Georgie, I do not think it. Richard should have married you weeks ago. If I were in your situation, I would have done the same.’
‘Thank you.’ Georgie gave a little sob of relief. ‘I should not wish you to think ill of me—but I love him so much. I would have done anything to have that one night in his arms. Even if it is all I ever have.’
Jenny reached out and touched her hand. ‘Do not be anxious for him, dear one. He is more skilled in these things than Edward. Richard has never given up his work, while Edward became used to living at home with me in peace.’
‘Yes, I know you are right,’ Georgie said. ‘He made Henderson stay with us, you know, just in case things go wrong. He says that if Henderson advises us to leave Brussels, we must go.’
‘I shall not go unless Edward is well enough to travel,’ Jenny said with a frown. ‘But if it seems the French will overrun us, you must go.’
‘And leave you?’ Georgie shook her head. ‘No, if you stay, I stay—but it may never happen. I am sure that the Iron Duke knows exactly what he is doing.’
‘Yes, I am certain of it,’ Jenny said and glanced back at the bed. ‘I believe he is a little easier now, Georgie. Do you not think so?’
Georgie went to the bed and looked at their patient. She placed a gentle hand on his brow. ‘His fever has not gone yet, but perhaps it is on the wane.’
They heard the morning after the ball that the British army was on the march. News had come during the ball that the French had made a surprise move and Wellington’s officers had slipped away one by one, hoping not to distress the ladies. Wellington himself had left Brussels, though no one seemed to know much about his plans; he was playing it very much close to his chest and rumour was flying. Some said that the French had stolen the high ground, while others declared that Wellington would outfox Bonaparte and come through in the end.
