The Duke's Alliance: A Soldier's Bride(23)

'That was excellent, I am replete. Might I now ask exactly where my brother is? I assume he is with your daughter as he could not be wandering about the place on his own.'

Her smile was triumphant. 'He recovered his memory and his sight yesterday. Did you not think it strange that I knew your name and that you were a duke?'

His jaw dropped at his stupidity. He had been so overjoyed at the thought of seeing his beloved brother again the significance of her using his title had gone over his head. Then the true implication of her first sentence registered. 'He isn't blind? He knows who he is? I can't believe what I'm hearing. Carlos obviously was unaware of this fact or he would have told me himself.'

'The men had already left when this happened. Now, Perry… I beg your pardon, Lord Peregrine…'

'Please continue to address my brother as you have always done, do not stand on ceremony for me.'

'Perry has gone in search of Sofia. You must understand that things are done differently here, especially since the war began so many years ago. She rides out with the partisans, wears men's clothing, and has the same freedom as the young men. She often rides at dawn when it is cooler and must have done so today, but she has failed to return at her usual time.'

His joy changed to concern. 'There is a French company travelling through the pass not far from here. They are transporting coinage, no doubt to pay the troops. I hope to God she did not come in contact with them.'

*

An unkempt man emerged from the bushes and snatched her from her horse's back. Sofia opened her mouth to scream but he put his hand across it and dragged her back until they were both hidden from the track.

'Hush, missy, no need for all the fuss. I'll not hurt you.'

He spoke English and immediately she stopped struggling. 'I am Sofia Appleby. Who might you be?'

His gap-toothed grin was infectious and she returned his smile. 'I'm Jeremiah Smith, miss, at your service. What the bleedin' hell are you doing out here on your own?'

They were now in a hollow away from the track and she could see his horse tethered close by. She was about to insist she went in search of her own mount when there was the sound of hooves and Pedro pushed his way through the dense thicket and happily trotted over to join the much larger animal.

Again Smith swore and she couldn't restrain her intake of breath. He chuckled and touched his forehead. 'Beggin' your pardon, miss, barrack room language. Was a soldier until I did my time and found myself a comfortable billet back in England.'

'And I apologise for being ridiculous. I take it there are French soldiers ahead and that is why you brought me here?'

'The buggers are a couple of hundred yards from here, if you'd gone much further you would have been seen by their sentry. Dressed like you are, I reckon they'd not have treated you like a lady.'

His blunt words sent a shiver down her spine. He'd no need to elaborate as she knew exactly what happened to Spanish women unfortunate enough to be captured by the French. Smith explained what he was doing there and who he was travelling with.

'Perry's brother is here? The Duke of Silchester himself? He will be overjoyed to find him fully recovered.' She was about to say that his grace might well not be so pleased about discovering she was to marry into the family today, then realised this would be a highly unsuitable conversation to have with a man who was obviously a servant of some sort from the way he spoke.

'I fear that Perry might well come in search of me. He cannot be allowed to blunder into the French. They would shoot him on sight.'

'Don't you fret, missy, I'll not let that happen. You stop here along with the horses, you'll be safe enough. What direction will Lord Peregrine be coming from?'

She pointed and he nodded. 'I'm an ex-rifleman, a skirmisher, I can move about without being seen if I have to. I'll make my way back and stop him before he's in any danger.'

'The English cavalry could be here at any time. I'm praying that he might see them and discover for himself what is going on.'

He didn't answer and disappeared through the low-growing scrub leaving her alone. If her foolishness led the man she loved into danger she would never forgive herself. The horses were happily grazing and didn't need her attention. She had not been sitting in the hollow for very long when she began to feel uncomfortable.

Attending to the call of nature when one was dressed in a gown was relatively simple even when outdoors, however, doing so when in breeches was another thing altogether. It required that she expose a part of her anatomy that was best kept out of sight. She could not possibly empty her bladder when at any moment Smith could return or, even worse, bring with him the man she hoped to marry very soon.

Soon the matter became so urgent she had no choice. She could hardly do what needed to be done where she was sitting as the wet patch would be immediately obvious; that would be too humiliating – it would also be unpleasant to sit in.

She had been told to remain where she was and to remain quiet. The horses were presumably in a safe place so it should be permissible for her to go to join them. She slithered down on her bottom not wishing to raise her head any higher than necessary.

'Keep still, boys, I'll not disturb you much.' She patted both the animals in turn and was then relieved and delighted to find there was a convenient space behind a large rock that she could utilise. Once she was comfortable she quickly tucked her shirt tails between her legs and pulled up her breeches.