The Duke's Alliance: A Soldier's Bride(32)

'I am prepared to take the chance. All I have to do is hand my weapons to the prisoners and leave the rest to them. Remember, Beau, they are not incarcerated, but working as servants and will be free to wander about the place doing their jobs.'

'For God's sake, both of you, you have not thought this through. Sending a beautiful young woman into a camp full of men will give but one result. They will have only one thing on their mind. The first thing they will see when they toss her onto her back will be the knives hidden in her petticoats.' This was blunt speaking and his brother clenched his fist and he braced himself for the punch. It didn't come. The group was silent and he pressed home his point with even more passion.

'I must speak what I feel. I do not think that the possibility of sacrificing your wife in order to save your orderly is acceptable. Do you not value her as highly as O'Reilly?'

Beau's words were heartfelt. He couldn't understand why Perry was so set on retrieving this person at the risk of all their lives.

The four of them were staring at him as if he had been speaking in tongues but then Jenkins coughed and cleared his throat. 'Forgive me for speaking out of turn, sir, but I reckon his grace is right. O'Reilly won't want to be the cause of hurt to your wife. He'd rather stay where he is. At least he's alive.'

The matter hung in the balance and then his brother said something extremely impolite and turned to stare into the distance. His stance was rigid. Nobody spoke. They waited for Perry to make his decision.

It was now full light and their faces were clearly visible, whereas before they had been indistinct. When his brother eventually turned it was as if he had aged ten years. He reached out and pulled Sofia into his arms.

'What was I thinking? I have been blinded by my own stupidity. Thank God you had the sense to speak what I should have realised for myself. This is a fool's errand. Sofia, my love, will you ever forgive me?'

She buried her head in his shoulder but didn't answer. Beau gestured to the other two that they move away to allow the young couple some privacy. He sent up a prayer of thankfulness that he had spoken out and not let this mission go any further. Now they could turn around and start making the long journey to Oporto and then back to England and Silchester Court.

Gallivanting about the place was all very well when the weather was warm. winter came early here and soon the snow would start. They needed to be well away from the hills before that happened. At least on the plains it would be warm and there would be hostelries to stay in overnight. If he never slept on the ground again he would be a happy man.

*

Sofia rarely cried, but the relief that Perry had finally seen the folly of this mission was overwhelming. Beau should have spoken up sooner and saved them all a deal of discomfort and worry. The same thing had niggled at the back of her mind, that they shouldn't be risking their lives for someone they didn't know, but she had kept these thoughts at bay until they had been spoken aloud.

'Hush, sweetheart, I can't bear to hear you cry. I should be horsewhipped for bringing you into danger. I should have been taking you on your honeymoon, spoiling you, not asking you to risk being violated in the worst possible way – and why? Your life is far more precious to me than his ever could be and it took my brother to bring me to my senses.'

She sniffed and wiped her nose on his jacket before looking up at him. 'My love, until last night you had no idea any of us would be in such danger. You would have come to the same conclusion…'

'I don't think that I would, that is what terrifies me. Good God, I helped you to sew the knives in your skirt. I should have understood the enormity of what I was asking you to do then, and not have had to be told by my brother.'

'It doesn't matter now, I shan't hold it against you. The French will be driven from the hills very soon and I'm sure that your man will find a way to escape when that happens.'

'I should never have come here, we should have set out straightaway for England.'

'Actually, the longer we are wandering about the countryside the better I shall like it. I am rather dreading having to become Lady Peregrine. I don't feel that I shall be very good at it.'

He kissed her fiercely and she responded. His horse prevented things from progressing by attempting to sink his teeth into her husband's shoulder. Perry swore at the animal and Billy put his ears back and had another go, equally unsuccessfully.

With a light heart she was tossed into the saddle and the four of them began the long, slow journey to her new life. It wasn't until they stopped for luncheon that she had another opportunity to speak to him.

'Darling girl, we shall be remaining in Salamanca for a few weeks. It is a beautiful city and was liberated from the French some months ago and should now be recovering from the occupation. Neither of us have sufficient garments, we shall have fresh ones made when we get there. I intend to take you to the grandest ball I can find and you must wear your wedding dress for me.'

'I think that your brother wishes to return as speedily as possible…'

'He will be perfectly content to remain in Salamanca if we can find luxurious accommodation for our stay. I shall also hire a carriage so you can travel in style. If we are to have a trunk full of new clothes then we can hardly continue on horseback.' He pushed a strand of hair from her eyes. 'I intend to be the best husband I can, I shall spoil you, give into your most extravagant demands. I love you, sweetheart.'