The Duke's Alliance: A Soldier's Bride(16)

The door slammed back and Sofia stood there glaring at him. 'I could not help but overhear what you said. Have you completely lost your senses? It has been many weeks since you were separated from your comrade. What makes you think you can find him after all this time without getting captured or killed yourself?'

'Why don't you come in, my love, one never hears good news if one is listening outside doors.'

She was holding a large skillet in her hand and for a moment he thought she might throw it at him. Then wisely she thought better of it. 'Please, Perry, don't go. It is far too dangerous. At least wait until we are married.'

He couldn't prevent his laughter. 'If I didn't know you better, sweetheart, I would think you had an avaricious motive for suggesting that. Or is it that you just wish to be elevated to the aristocracy and inherit my fortune on my demise?' These remarks had been said in jest but were taken as truth.

Her expression changed. She raked him from top to toe with a disdainful glare. 'I don't give a fig for your money or your title. I was just thinking that if I'm carrying your child you might prefer it not to be a bastard.' Her arm swung back. She was going to throw the pan at him.

He was on his feet and at her side before she was able to do so. 'Throwing things at me…' He couldn't finish the sentence, his knees buckled and only her quick thinking stopped him from collapsing on the floor. Until that moment he hadn't taken in the fact that he could now see – not perfectly – but he was no longer blind.

Between them they manoeuvred him onto the sofa and she sat next to him, holding his hands in hers.

'When did your vision clear? How long have you been able to see me?'

He rested his clammy forehead against her shoulder and took several steadying breaths before he was able to speak coherently. 'I'm not sure exactly. I think it has been clearing since we got up but I was so full of my own importance this miracle passed unnoticed.' He pushed himself upright in order to see her clearly for the first time.

'You are even more lovely than I imagined, sweetheart, my brothers and sisters will love you as much as I do.'

'I hope them loving me was not dependent on the fact that I was pretty.' Her eyes were sparkling, he had never seen anything so beautiful.

'Strangely enough all my family have married partners that are equally as personable as they are. My twin, Aubrey, was married in the summer but unfortunately, I could not be there. Now we are to be married and I shall have none of my family present.'

'Then we should postpone our nuptials until you can return to England.'

'We shall do no such thing. I am a serving soldier, albeit an intelligence officer rather than a fighting one, but I cannot resign my commission until the war is over. I shall no longer act as a spy, but return to my company and fight alongside them when necessary.'

'Then I shall follow the drum, I think I will enjoy being a soldier's bride.'

He picked her up and put her securely on his lap. 'I must discover what happened to O'Reilly. It is my duty as an officer not to abandon him.'

'I do understand, and I apologise for almost throwing…' She stopped and looked around in bewilderment. 'Where is the wretched thing? In fact, where is my mama?'

'She will have taken it out of harm's way and left us to celebrate together. I can hardly credit that my memory and sight have returned so suddenly. One would have thought there would have been some signs before yesterday.'

'We shall put it down to the hand of God, and thank him for it.' She scrambled off his lap. 'If you are going in search of your compatriot then I shall come with you. I know these hills, I am able to use a pistol and a knife if necessary.'

He was about to tell her in no uncertain terms to do nothing of the kind but then reconsidered. 'Very well, you may accompany me.' He fixed her with the stare he used on his subordinates. 'You will be under my command and follow my orders to the letter. Is that understood?'

She giggled and saluted – well, made a passable attempt at one. 'Yes, sir. Breakfast should be ready by now and I am sharp-set.' She paused as the most hideous noise interrupted them. 'What on earth is that?'

'I think it's Zorro announcing his return. Would your mother object if I let him in?'

'As long as he stops howling she won't care where he goes.'

*

Both Perry and her mother refused to allow Sofia to spend another night across the square. 'I can't see that it makes any difference. I am a fallen woman and my reputation is non-existent. Isn't this like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted?'

Her future husband exchanged a knowing look with her parent before answering. 'I should never have allowed you to stay in the first place – I shall not make the same mistake again. Another thing, do you have any gowns you might wear? I had not understood just how unseemly breeches and boots are for a young lady.'

She poked her tongue out at him and he laughed. 'I shall have a rummage about in my closet and see what I might find, but I am not promising anything. I shall wear a dress for our wedding ceremony. I insist that you have something new as well.'

'God knows where I shall find garments that fit me in this town. Now I can see I shall venture around the place and look for a tailor. I shall have to purchase everything on credit.'

'You have not visited the marketplace, the church, or any of the shops. Your knowledge of this place has been limited by your disability. We have everything we need here and what we don't we buy from the next town.'