ColonelAndEnchantress_PGolden-eBooks

by Golden, Paullett

  “I suppose that’s as close to an apology as I can expect. Where does it leave us? Do we return to bickering, or do we hug?”

  “Neither, I should think,” Catherine said, pushing herself to her feet with her cane. “We shall live our lives with a keener understanding of each other and, I should hope, mutual respect. I should like to know my daughter if she would speak with me rather than rebelling and lashing out as she’s done these many years. That choice is yours. For now, I am for the morning room in hopes of tea. Are you to join me, or shall you continue to blubber into the linen until your face is unbecomingly puffy?”

  With an unladylike snort, a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob, Mary tucked away her handkerchief and accepted her mother’s outstretched hand.

  Chapter 28

  April 1796

  London

  Mary stood with a group of officers, all watching Duncan and Robin perform remarkable feats, given the horses only had a few months’ worth of training. The horses showcased a routine specially designed for today, a series of movements for dressage exhibition, each move coordinated to exemplify the horse’s agility and maneuverability in combat, and most importantly, their ability to respond to corporal commands rather than reins.

  Duncan had decided to invite the young ensign to London to show each horse’s ease in tight formation with another rider performing alongside him. He had confessed to Mary in private that he also wanted someone present who knew the routine should anything happen. She did not dare protest that she knew the moves as well as Robin knew them, for she understood the officers to whom they would be demonstrating would not appreciate a woman rider, especially if on side-saddle.

  From the sidelines, she observed, cheering on the two in silence.

  Through each change in routine, she eyed the officers for a flicker of expression. Their faces were unreadable, a stone visage. For twenty minutes per horse, the two men performed. It seemed such a short amount of time for all those hours, days, and weeks of practice.

  As Duncan poised Trident for the standing leap, Mary held her breath.

  When Mary and Duncan walked into the townhouse two hours later, they were greeted by eager faces. Sean and Georgina sat by the front window, a grandchild on each knee. Cian, Duncan’s brother who Mary had not met until arriving in London, lounged on a settee.

  “Yes?” Sean asked, eyes darting from Duncan to Mary and back.

  “Yes.” Duncan spoke with somber tone, his eyes downcast.

  He waited for the word to sink in then looked up to wink at everyone, his face cracking a broad smile.

  Mary gave a little bounce. “We have the contract! And they loved the academy plans. What did they say?” She turned to Duncan. “Oh, yes, I remember. They said that this academy would start a new chapter in cavalry training and could change the face of military training.”

  Opening his arms wide, Duncan swung Bernard into the air and onto his shoulders. “They were stunned by the performance. Archer admitted they had only expected the horses to be broken-in enough for me to demonstrate my training technique. They never anticipated fully trained horses. Stop smirking, Mary.” He eyed her. “So impressed, not only did they sign the contract, but they’ve agreed to fully fund per annum the breeding, training, and the opening of the academy. We’re officially on contract with the British Army.”

  “Son, that’s grand!” Sean said, alternating a bouncing knee to entertain the grandchildren.

  “Mary, dear,” Georgina said, moving the children off her lap to stand. “I don’t mean to interrupt happy tidings, but a message came for you. The boy said to give it to you right away.”

  Pulling a folded bit of paper from her dress pocket, she handed it to Mary, who took it into the foyer to read in private. Distantly, Mary heard Cian say that Quinn and Miranda were upstairs in the nursery with his own wife and children. She would have to bring them the good news. Or so she thought until she read the message.

  In swift steps, she dashed into the drawing room. “Can’t stay. Must go. Bernard, down. Duncan, come!” She rushed over to the awaiting footman to take hat and gloves.

  “Good heavens. Is it bad news?” Georgina asked, still standing, her face lined with worry.

  “My sister-in-law is having a baby! As is my cousin’s wife. At the same time!”

  Without waiting for their replies, she dragged Duncan behind her.

  It proved to be a long evening. Charlotte gave birth first, within an hour of Mary and Duncan’s arrival. Mary was delighted to meet her second nephew, Thomas Mowbrah, a wailing and wrinkly boy who sent his older brother running from the room with hands clasped over his ears. Not until two in the morning did Lizbeth give birth to a little girl, Colette Lancaster. It was fortunate there was a good deal of time between births, for Mary’s cousin, Lilith, presided over both. Since neither new mother had anticipated going into labor today, or yesterday rather, they had both been at the ducal townhouse, another convenience for the dear midwife and baroness.

  Seeing each baby made Mary feel the ache for a child of her own. Since her monthly courses had come regularly, there was no hope for such yet, which was just as well, she supposed, given how much time they devoted to raising Bernard. If a baby never came, Bernard would be quite enough. If one did, Bernard would be a superior brother. He longed for playmates, and Mary longed for a house filled with the laughter of children.

  Given the late night, Mary and Duncan remained at the ducal townhouse until late morning, breaking their fast with her family first. By the time they returned to their own townhouse, the home was empty, with everyone out calling on neighbors and friends, even Bernard having gone with his grandparents to meet their friends in town and tour about London.

  Mary sank into the settee with Duncan and propped her feet on his thighs. “Do you like the house?”

  “I do. I think McLarren made a good recommendation.” He slipped off her shoes and tossed them to the floor. “And you don’t mind that it’s not in one of the fashionable squares?”

  Mary scoffed. “Where would we put the horses? Our contract will have us bringing horses to London every year. The mews behind those so-called fashionable houses are embarrassingly small. We need the stables that come with this house, even if it’s a distance from the City. It’s close to my cousin’s London house, so that’s something. You don’t mind that it’s rather…big?”

  He smirked as he rolled down one stocking after another. “Impossible. We must christen every room, which I daresay means we’ll need to double our efforts if we’re to make it to each room by the time we leave London this summer—two rooms per day?” Lifting her leg, he kissed an ankle then worked his lips upwards one inch at a time.

  “Oh, come now,” she said between a giggle and a gasp. “It’s not that big.”

  “Isn’t it?” Duncan waggled his eyebrows.

  Giggling again, Mary said, “And you’re positive you don’t mind that we used dowry money to purchase it?”

  He moved her leg over his shoulder and turned to prowl the settee. “Only if you don’t mind that we’re using even more of it to expand the stable block and training yard at Sidwell Hall.”

  When he climbed on top of her, pressing himself between her legs with a teasing hardness still sheathed in breeches, she moaned. “Wicked man. It was my idea to expand the stables, so don’t you dare take credit. Now, what do you intend to do with that?” She eyed his fall flap.

  He chuckled and possessed her mouth in a lascivious kiss.

  The officer’s ball was a far grander event than Duncan expected. He had assumed it would rival in small ways the balls he had attended on the continent, but the prince had wanted to celebrate in royal style, sparing no expense. If Duncan had been nervous about attending, it was nothing to standing in the Great Hall of Carlton House, surrounded by the prince and military leaders. There were plenty of officers far humbler than
he in attendance, Robin, for example, but that did nothing to ease his nausea.

  To say the event was a squeeze would be an understatement. Not everyone in attendance was of military affiliation, as he had expected. The prince had doubled the evening as his showcase of the Carlton House renovations, a massive undertaking of over a decade. For the brief time they spoke after Duncan and Mary’s arrival, their host had sniffed at the renovations, dissatisfied still even after all the work, wanting to extend the lower levels and include a Gothic conservatory of epic proportions—would this affair not have been remarkable in such a locale, he had asked those around him. Duncan was under the impression the man would not be satisfied until he had created a palace.

  The guests were encouraged to mill about the place at their leisure, something he planned to take advantage of as soon as the dancing began.

  Mary stood at his side, her hand on his arm, imbuing him with strength. Without her, he never would have considered himself heroic. But she was right. It was not just about war. He had battled against the odds, fought the demons that would have held him back, and found the will not just to survive but to strive. He was courageous at life and a hero to his family.

  “Look,” Mary said, squeezing his forearm. “There’s Robin. Why’s he standing alone?”

  Duncan followed her gaze. Robin stood behind a yellow pillar, staring about him in bewilderment.

  “He looks smart in the regimentals. Don’t you think?” she asked.

  “Are you trying to make me jealous?” He walked them in Robin’s direction.

  “Over Robin?” she laughed. “How droll, darling.”

  “I suspect, to answer your question, he’s standing alone because of the very reason you first disliked him. We’re surrounded by peers of the realm and heirs to peers, many parading as military heroes, although some have earned their valor. Officer or not, Robin is the son of a miner. He does not feel he belongs and knows those around him agree. I would argue I don’t belong either, but I have the benefit of a father with a rich military history and a grandfather who’s a viscount. Robin has nothing more than a wealthy uncle.”

  “They’ve seriously misjudged him if they don’t include him. And is this not supposed to be a military ball to celebrate heroes, not peers?” Mary hissed these last words as they approached the pillar.

  Hands outstretched, Mary greeted Robin. The man looked relieved to see familiar faces, his shoulders relaxing and his jaw slackening.

  Mary kissed each cheek and said, “I may not know many in attendance, nor do I know their military ranks, but I do know a few of the nobles. Come with me. Let’s make some introductions, shall we?”

  Robin’s eyes widened, looking altogether like a cornered fox.

  “No one would dare cut you if I make the introduction. I’m the daughter of a duke, remember?” She waved off Duncan. “Go. Converse. I’m going to play my role as your dutiful wife.” With those words, she led Robin over to a nearby group in red regimentals.

  Duncan smiled, the dramatic change in Robin since they first met not lost on him. For the next half hour, he explored room after room, all filled with people admiring artwork, talking, judging, laughing. More than a few people he knew. He lost himself in several conversations, remembering the camaraderie of old.

  Only when he heard the orchestra strike up for the dancing did he go in search of his wife, who he found in the Crimson Drawing Room, sharing whispered words with a pretty redhead who was ogling Robin from across the room. The man was none the wiser, carrying on his own conversation with a group of blue regimentals, all cavalry. From the sound of the laughter, Duncan wagered they were laughing with Robin rather than at him.

  Duncan approached the ladies, bowing to both. “If you’ll excuse us, I’ve come to collect my wife. The first dance is about to begin.”

  The young lady curtsied herself over to another group.

  Mary stared at him with a half-smile. “Are we to dance?”

  “Not exactly.” Tucking her hand in the crook of his arm, he led her through the rambling maze of rooms and down the Grand Staircase, his destination the garden.

  The garden was an oasis hidden in the middle of a bustling city. In such a haven, one would never know they were in London. Couples and groups milled about, exploring the multitude of winding walks. Finding privacy was not easy. With dancing inside, Duncan had not anticipated so many guests to venture outdoors. The couple covered a sizable portion of the garden, nodding to those they passed, until they found a hidden alcove with a bench and fountain.

  Duncan steered his wife to the bench, but she dug in her heels when she saw his destination.

  “I had hoped to dance with you, Sir Duncan.”

  Had they been home, he mused, he would have seen her bathed in moonlight. The London sky was not so accommodating. Instead, he smiled at her upturned face in the soft lighting of a single nearby lantern.

  Snaking an arm around her waist, he pulled her to him. “Stand on my feet.”

  Mary laughed. “Has it been so long, you’ve forgotten how to dance?”

  “I’m not altogether sure I can dance when I can’t feel my feet, my love. I have something different in mind. Now, stand on my shoes so I don’t accidentally crush your toes with a misstep.”

  Eyeing him askance, she took a tentative step forward onto his dress shoes.

  “Ow! Good God, woman!” He screeched, doubling over to reach for his foot.

  When she covered her mouth with her hands, Duncan laughed. “Only jesting. Come back here.”

  He tugged her to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and his own around her waist. With a tight hold, he twirled her around the center fountain. It did not matter that they could not hear the music. In serene silence, oblivious of the city beyond the garden walls and the partygoers elsewhere in the greenery, they danced, eyes trained on each other.

  “You’ve enchanted me,” he said.

  She smiled coyly. “Have I? I didn’t know I possessed such a talent.”

  “I’m walking, aren’t I? And dancing. And in love. All because of you.”

  “In love? Are you? After all these years, you still feel the same?” Her brows drew together.

  “Not the same, no. Not even close. I was infatuated with a pretty girl and thought myself in love. I know that now only because there’s no comparison between how I felt then and what I feel for you now.”

  “Oh, those are pretty words, colonel,” Mary said, blushing in the pale light, or he assumed she was. “Are you certain we made the right choice by marrying? You haven’t realized we’re horribly suited for each other?”

  “We are as suited as the moon and stars in the sky.”

  Mary threw her head back and laughed. “I believe you said the same line when we first kissed.”

  “I did.” He chuckled. “In truth, we’re not the same people we once were, Mary. And this could have been a disaster. But it’s not. You give me the will to persevere, the courage to face my weaknesses. You’ve grown into this enchanting woman I never could have dreamed would care for me, someone who trains horses, who ignores her husband’s wishes because she knows a better way, who recognizes prejudices and overcomes them, who accepts and loves those in need. Your strengths are many. Never had I imagined you would become this woman, and I love you with every beat of my heart.”

  Freeing herself from his hold, she stepped onto the lawn. The palms of her hands dabbed at her cheeks. Duncan pulled free his handkerchief for her to use.

  “You really love me?” She asked. “Not the memory of how we used to be, but me as I am now?”

  Not caring that she was sniffling into the handkerchief, he enfolded her in his arms, leaning his cheek to her temple. “I love you as the woman you’ve become, the woman you are now, yes. For all the traces of the young girl I fell in love with, you’re someone altogether more wonderful, strong, and
independent. And I think we can both agree, I’d be lost without your brilliance.”

  Stifling a sob, she laughed into his shoulder. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me. I’ve loved you since you first rose from the bed in Cois Greta Park, determined to make the most of your situation for the sake of Bernard. From the moment you confessed that in the darkness of night, I knew I loved you, not the boy from my childhood who indulged my rebellions and cast me sultry smiles on the bank of the lake, but you, the grown man you’ve become, the devoted father, determined leader, and passionate lover. You’re the strongest and bravest man I know, Duncan.”

  Angling back, he sneaked a finger beneath her chin and lifted her face to meet his. Duncan pressed his lips to hers, relishing the feel of her soft flesh and inhaling her lavender scent. When he leaned back, he paused, taking in every sense around him.

  “Mary. Brace yourself.” His eyes meeting those of his loves, he stretched out one leg and wriggled his toes. “I can feel my right foot.”

  She framed his face with her hands.

  “Come here, enchantress,” Duncan said.

  In a whirl, he scooped her into his arms and twirled her once more around the fountain.

  Epilogue

  December 1806

  Ten Years Later

  The Red Drawing Room of Lyonn Manor was in chaos. Children raced about the room, screeching in delight. Parents chattered, their voices raised above the din. From time to time, a dog barked, and a bird squawked.

  The Duke and Duchess of Annick hosted their annual holiday party—family only, of course. Frost coated the lawn outside, but inside, the hearth fire roared and crackled.

  Mary stood at the window with her sister-in-law Miranda, watching Duncan and Bernard with an Arabian, the youngest foal of Bucephalus and Bernard’s gift for surviving his first term at Eton. At fourteen, the boy was already nearly as tall as Duncan with promises of being taller. His limbs were as gangly as ever, but his curls would win the ladies one day, or so Mary teased him. As they watched, Theo, now thirteen, ran across the lawn to see the horse. Although not a horse lover like his cousin, Theo was inseparable from Bernard, the two being best friends.