The Colonels Timely Bride (Timely Bride Book 1)

by Dana R. Lynn

  He need not have bothered. Instead of being insulted, Georgiana covered her own mouth as giggles erupted. Miss James did not bother with ladylike giggles and titters. She tilted her head back and laughed.

  No other woman of his acquaintance would dare to laugh so freely. So vibrantly.

  “I will promise to be ladylike and use a side saddle today, Georgiana. But please, let’s go riding? You know I hate to spend such a lovely day in the house.”

  “Miss James, I think if you promise to use the side saddle while in view of the house, neither Georgie nor I will insist upon it once we are on our way.”

  A splutter came from the side. His cousin’s eyes seemed ready to burst from their sockets. “Richard! You cannot mean to say that you would be unoffended if she … that is …” she spluttered again, unable to continue.

  Exasperated, he sighed. “Georgie, I have seen much that offended me. That would not be one of them. Miss James would benefit from the time outdoors.” When his cousin still hesitated, he lowered his voice. “She has lost so much, dearest. Can we not give her this?”

  Shamed, Georgie ducked her head. “I am sorry, Kenzie. Please forgive me for being selfish.”

  “Always.”

  Soon it was agreed that they would go in an hour. The ladies returned upstairs to put on proper riding attire. A sinking feeling took up residence in his belly. How was he supposed to put distance between himself and Miss James if he kept thinking of ways they could spend time together? There was so much he did not know about her. In addition, even if she was all that she appeared to be, he knew his parents would not approve of her. Her comportment was all wrong for the son of an earl. But for a simple soldier, she was enchanting.

  Chapter Eight

  Kenzie met the colonel and Georgiana in the hall by the front door. The colonel smiled at her, his eyes running over her in assessment. She suspected he was trying to decide if she had on breeches under her very proper riding outfit. Feeling mischievous, she raised one eyebrow at him, daring him to ask. His smile widened into a grin, but he shook his head.

  “Ladies, shall we?” He bowed deep, sweeping his arm before him to indicate they should proceed. Georgiana giggled. Grabbing Kenzie’s arm, she all but dragged her out.

  The high spirits were contagious. Throwing her head back, Kenzie laughed with abandon. Turning, she saw the colonel staring after her open-mouthed. Oops. Proper ladies did not laugh loudly. Well, it was too late. Besides, she didn’t think the colonel was one to mind. Sure enough, he recovered and he smiled again. His eyes met hers, and she knew she saw approval in their depths.

  The trio strolled to the stables, enjoying the warm sun and the fresh breezes.

  “Oh, I so missed being outdoors,” Kenzie sighed, lifting her face and closing her eyes. “I can practically feel the vitamin D sinking into my pores.”

  Opening her eyes, she encountered blank stares. “Oh, sorry. I just mean that the sunlight is healthy for you. I am not fond of being stuck indoors for days on end.”

  The colonel nodded. “I do agree with you, Miss James. I suspect you are outdoors whenever there is a bright day.”

  Georgiana snorted. “Cousin, she would be outdoors even when it pours if I would join her. I keep telling her it would not be appropriate for us to be caught out in a storm. And what if we were to catch a cold?”

  “A little rain never hurt anyone. Besides it’s not like we would melt.” And there were those confused looks again. “You know, sugar melts when it gets wet, but we aren’t that sweet?”

  It was very difficult not to roll her eyes when Georgie nodded slowly, clearly not understanding the comment. Her appreciation for Colonel Fitzwilliam grew. He chuckled, deep laugh lines forming on his face. Ah, here was a man who loved to laugh. She had missed that upon their first meeting, but the more she saw him, the more she saw that he was an individual who loved life.

  At the stables, she saddled her house, grimacing as she set the horrid side saddle on the horse. She turned to see that Georgiana hadn’t even started. “Georgiana, why isn’t your horse saddled yet?’

  The younger girl’s eyes widened. “The groom has not yet arrived to saddle her.”

  “Are you serious?” Kenzie shook her head in disbelief. She marveled that any woman would allow herself to remain so helpless. “Here, where is your saddle? I can do it for you. But you really should learn how to do it for yourself. Just because you’re a woman, doesn’t mean you’re not capable. It’s a good skill to know.”

  “She’s right, Georgie.”

  Georgiana looked at her cousin, aghast. “Richard! Surely you are not suggesting that saddling a horse is a ladylike accomplishment?”

  Colonel Fitzwilliam scratched his head. “Maybe it does not seem ladylike, but it would do you no harm to know.”

  Unconvinced, Georgiana stood aside and allowed Colonel Fitzwilliam to saddle her mare for her. The colonel tried to show her, but she resolutely turned her head away.

  “Spoiled,” Kenzie muttered to Georgiana, who smirked back.

  Turning back, she saw the colonel chuckling again. Did he hear her? A blush heated her cheeks. She was not making a good impression today. And she wanted Richard, um, the colonel, to think well of her. She wasn’t ready to examine why. Because as soon as she found a way home, she would be gone. Then they would never meet again. Her heart ached just thinking about it.

  She shook her head. Can’t think about that. Just enjoy today. She allowed the colonel to lift her onto the saddle. His hands lingered on her waist briefly. Her breath caught. Clearing her throat, she broke away gently. Time to ride.

  ****

  He couldn’t remember the last time he had enjoyed an outing with a woman so much. And not just because she was beautiful. Which she was. Her blue eyes sparkled and her dark hair kept escaping from its pin in little tendrils. The urge to touch a curl brushing her ear had his hand twitching. She was also bright and lively, and refreshingly blunt. Biting his lips to hold back a grin, he recalled hearing her accuse Georgie of being spoiled. He knew Georgie was pampered. Most of the young ladies of his acquaintance were. He had never heard anyone complain about that before. No, indeed. Ladies were supposed to be totally dependent on the men in their lives. A fact that had bothered him ever since the day he wrote his first letter informing a woman her husband had died under his command. Until then, he had never wondered what would become of a woman with no man to protect her. After that, the thought haunted him with every letter he had to write to a new widow.

  Breaking out of his thoughts, he pulled his horse up next to Miss James’ animal. Leaning over, he whispered into her ear, “I believe we are out of sight of the house.”

  She shivered. Did he make her do that? He hoped he had, then mentally scolded himself for being careless. He was in no position to encourage her to think of him as a prospective suitor. It was imperative that he remembered that.

  She jumped down from her horse.

  “It’s okay, Beatrice. We’ll have you free from this horrible contraption in a moment.”

  This time he could not prevent his reaction. He snickered. “Isn’t that an exaggeration? Surely, a side saddle isn’t that bad?”

  Scalding him with a fierce glare, she tossed back, “I’d like to see you try and ride that way. It’s unnatural! I’m amazed more women aren’t injured.”

  “Most women do not ride at a full-out gallop.”

  “It’s no wonder! Well, I intend to gallop. Which means the side saddle has to go.” She hefted the heavy equipment off the horse’s back and placed it in the bushes, out of sight.

  Realizing she would need to re-mount the huge animal, he started to dismount. She stopped him with a raised hand. Amazed, he watched as she lifted her skirts and used some sort of belt to hold them above her waist. She was dressed in the same dark blue breeches he had seen her in the first time. She then proceeded to pull herself up on the horse and sit astride.

  Was there another woman like her?

  Cha
pter Nine

  Tired and dusty, the trio decided it was time to return to the house. It was with regret that Kenzie replaced the side saddle on Bea’s back. The horse nickered and twitched her ears back.

  “See, even my horse dislikes this saddle,” she murmured, cutting her eyes at the colonel. His lips twitched, but otherwise he didn’t react.

  A gusty sigh drew her attention to Georgiana.

  “And what was that sigh for?”

  “It is almost time for my language lesson with Mrs. Annesley. As much as I adore her, I would prefer to miss my lesson today.” Georgiana sent a pleading glance to her cousin. She batted her long lashes for effect. “Please, Richard? If you tell her that I have your permission to miss my lesson, Mrs. Annesley would have no choice in the matter.”

  “Sorry, Georgie. I will not be responsible for you falling behind in your studies.” Reaching over, he tugged on one of her curls.

  “You are no fun, Richard! I think I should be allowed to miss because Kenzie needs me. Imagine how bored she is when I’m occupied with my boring lessons.”

  Fitzwilliam chuckled. “Are you bored, Miss James?”

  Laughing, Kenzie shook her head. “Actually, I would enjoy the quiet. It would be a lovely day to sit in the garden and read.”

  Wrinkling her nose and tossing her head, Georgiana picked up her pace. “I can see that you two are determined to force me to suffer through French this afternoon.”

  “Pauvre petite,” Kenzie mourned.

  “La!” With a flounce, Georgiana disappeared inside. Kenzie saw her wink as she disappeared. Why that little brat! Had she engineered leaving Kenzie alone with the colonel? What was she thinking?

  Kenzie wasn’t afraid of being “compromised”. They were in front of the house, and even now, servants were seen going about their duties. Not that they would talk. One thing she had learned early on, the Darcy’s took their privacy very seriously. The servants all knew that no gossip about the inhabitants of Pemberley would be tolerated. Furthermore, Kenzie sensed a strong feeling of both respect and affection for the Darcy’s. Her reputation was safe.

  ****

  Fitzwilliam was unsure if he wanted to shake his cousin or kiss her. He had seen that little wink. She knew he was expected to marry an heiress, and yet she was encouraging him to pursue her friend. Unbelievable.

  Still, he could not regret time spent in her presence.

  “You said you wanted to read. Should we go see what books are in my cousin Darcy’s extensive library?”

  She nodded, but her eyes were averted. Was the bold Miss James feeling shy? Because of him?

  They entered the library. She stopped and gazed around her in wonder. “I love this room,” she whispered, her voice almost reverential. “There are so many classics here!”

  He looked at her, confused. “I admit some of the volumes here are old, but many are less than fifty years old.”

  Her eyes widened. A grimace appeared on her face. He had the sensation that she was deliberately keeping information from him. He decided not to press her on the issue. She was entitled to her secrets, as long as they didn’t harm his family, and he was confident they would not be. The affection she held for Georgie was genuine. Instead of questioning her, he would observe her and see if he could gather any clues about whatever she was hiding.

  The room was quiet for a few minutes as they each perused the shelves, searching for a title which interested them. Not an uncomfortable silence. Once they had both selected a book, they moved in one accord to the garden right outside of the front parlor. Sitting on the stone benches, they were in full view of the house, so the rules of propriety were met. At the same time, they were able to converse at will without any fear of being overheard.

  Every few seconds, Fitzwilliam found his gaze drawn back to his companion’s face. Years of sizing up troops had honed his observation skills. He knew something had happened in the past few minutes to upset the woman beside him. Exactly what had happened, he was at a loss to know.

  “Miss James, are you well?”

  There. Her lower lip was trembling. If she were to lift her eyes to his, he would certainly see tears. However, she would not lift them. Even while they sat together, he sensed she was struggling to subdue the emotions which had overwhelmed her.

  ****

  With hands that shook, Kenzie ran her trembling fingers over the title of the book she held. It was a first edition copy of Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift. Tears obscured her vision. She blinked rapidly. Morgan loved, or would love, to have seen this. Her brother was an avid reader, and had an almost reverent appreciation for old books.

  Homesickness rose up in her soul. How she missed her brother’s laugh, and his quick conversation. Even her mother’s high strung attitude was a point of nostalgia. As much as she had argued with her mother, she longed to see her again.

  The colonel called to her again. She needed to answer him.

  “Thank you, Colonel. I am well.” But she wasn’t. “I was just thinking how my brother would have loved seeing Mr. Darcy’s fine library.”

  Her voice broke. She bit her lip and kept her face turned away.

  “Miss James, I am sorry to have brought you pain.” His voice was rich with sympathy.

  Finally, she managed to look at him. “Sir, it’s not your fault. I still have difficulty realizing I will never see them again. It’s reality.”

  He nodded.

  “Colonel, may I ask you a question?” At his nod to continue, she hesitated. She continued in order to distract her thoughts from her present situation. “This morning, you said you would tell me about your problems with your family. You don’t have to, but I wanted to let you know I was willing to listen if you still wished to do so.”

  For a long moment, he didn’t respond and she worried she had offended him. Just as she was preparing to apologize, he began to speak.

  “I am not very comfortable speaking of this issue, but it has been weighing heavily on me.” He focused his eyes off into the distance. To all appearances, he was calm. A muscle twitching in his cheek was the only visible sign of agitation. “My older brother is my father’s heir. As the second son, I will by rights receive nothing by way of an inheritance, unless my father is feeling unusually generous. Which is doubtful. That’s why I joined the military. It was either that or enter the church.”

  He chuckled without mirth. “Now, I am a firm believer in God, Miss James, and I go to church when not in the midst of battle. But I am no great orator. Giving sermons for a living is not a talent I possess. As a soldier, I have little to offer a woman. Therefore, I had always assumed I would remain single.”

  His fingers strummed an impatient pattern on his thigh. She held her breath.

  “My father has other plans for me. My brother’s wife has not yet produced an heir. He is concerned that the family name will die out. Or worse, that some inferior cousins will take hold of the title. So he expects me to marry the daughter of a peer in order to be ready to step into my brother’s shoes.”

  Ice gripped her heart. For a moment, she forgot how to breathe.

  “He has given me until my birthday. Either I find a woman who fits his description, or I am to marry my cousin Anne. I have no desire to marry my cousin. Nor, to my knowledge, does she desire to marry me.”

  Chapter Ten

  Dinner that evening was a silent affair. Neither the colonel nor Kenzie were feeling talkative. Kenzie was aware of a strange tension which had sprung up between them. Frequently, their eyes met during the meal. Sometimes they exchanged half smiles. His eyes were contemplative, but she could see the shadows hidden in their depths.

  The weight of his duty was hanging heavy around his neck.

  And she was feeling the hopelessness of her growing affection for him. An affection she wouldn’t voice, but was reciprocated in each glance.

  “Well, I for one am tired of the silence,” Georgiana exclaimed when the meal concluded. “I suggest we go to the music ro
om. I have not had the opportunity to practice today. Come along, Kenzie. We will astonish Richard with our skill at the pianoforte.”

  “I don’t know, Georgiana. I’m sure—”

  “That’s a splendid idea, Georgie. Capital. Just what we need.” Colonel Fitzwilliam pushed to his feet. “Ladies, if you would join me?”

  It would be mean to refuse. Reluctantly, Kenzie followed the pair, dragging her feet.

  The moment she and Georgiana sat at the pianoforte, however, her reluctance dissipated. Nothing soothed her like music.

  “My brother just ordered this piece for me.” Georgiana proudly displayed an Italian piece.

  “Oh, I love that one!” Kenzie blurted. She bit her lip when Georgiana shook her head. Oh. The music she had enjoyed playing for years at home was brand new here.

  Hoping the colonel hadn’t noticed her faux pas, the women settled into the task of bringing the beautiful music to life.

  ****

  The colonel had noticed her slip. His eyebrows raised as he realized she had, indeed, played this music before. How else could she have played it so effortlessly? Even Georgiana, who was very accomplished on the instrument, had to stop and repeat notes when she erred.

  What did it matter if she had seen it before? Shoving the bothersome thoughts aside, he decided to focus on enjoying the evening. He knew he would not have many opportunities to spend time with Miss James. Not that it was a bad thing. This evening, he had begun to realize the extent of his attraction to her. Knowing that only sorrow could come of it, he had ignored all thoughts of doing the proper thing and leaving.

  He was Georgiana’s guardian and needed to remain available to his cousin in order to stave off any issues. Fustian. He knew it, but still he could not find the will to arise and escape her presence.

  The duet ended, and Georgiana asked her friend to play something different.