Page 46 of The Scandal of the Deceived Duchess
“You are an insufferable bore, young man,” said the regent. “Brandon, I suggest you teach that son of yours some manners. I will not have the topic of finances brought up in this merry round…very bad form…very bad form, indeed.”
The Duke of Brandon scowled at his son. “My son will apologize for his remark. He knows it was out of place. I fear that the champagne must have gotten to his wits.”
“Yes, that must be it,” said the regent.
“Has anyone gotten the latest news from the war in the Americas?” asked Pierrepoint, changing the subject.
The Prince Regent’s face lit up. “It will be over soon once the men from the Iberian campaign join the ranks. According to the latest correspondence from the theater of war, Admiral Cochrane and Rear Admiral Cockburn are doing a fine job of it.” He lowered his voice. “They harass the coastline close to their capital city…and once they receive reinforcements, they will attack Washington.”
The men murmured their approval. On cue, they started exchanging what they knew of the army and navy’s plans. Amelia heard none of it. She worried for Jonathan. Intuitively, she knew that he would be in the middle of the fighting. What would happen if he and Jake succumbed to a British musket? The thought was enough to make her sway on her feet.
“Are you all right, Amelia?” asked the Duke of Brandon with a look of concern on his face.
Amelia nodded meekly. She wanted to open up and tell him of her fears. She wanted to shout out to the world that she was in love with a man – not an Englishman but an American. “War is such a ghastly business.” Was all she managed to say.
“I quite agree. We have a lady in our midst. We must not bore her with tales of the war.” The prince lifted his glass. “To our brave admirals…to Admiral Cochrane and Rear Admiral Cockburn. May they make short order of the Americans and end this conflict.”
Everyone present repeated the toast. In the following moments, the first dance was announced. “May I have the honor of this dance, my dear?” asked the Duke of Brandon.
“I would be delighted,” answered Amelia, meaning it.
On the way to the dance floor, she listened to the conversations, taking place all around her. Almost all the talk was lurid and lewd gossip, discussions about the hunting season, the newest fashion and much more superfluous rubbish. It made her think of what Jonathan was going through. Here, the people behaved as if nothing was going on, but she knew that a few thousand miles away her man’s life hung in the balance.
Amelia pressed her lips together and thought of what she would do next. As she walked in silence with the duke, she somehow pulled the notion of her entire existence apart – she did not like her options. She snuck a furtive glance in the duke’s direction.
Should I confide in him or not?This was the thought that stuck to her mind as the first dance commenced with the advent of the strumming of many violins and some cellos. It was a waltz. To Amelia, the sound was cacophonous. What would become of Jonathan Mitchell?
Chapter 23
Call of Duty
Chesapeake Bay, The United States of America, July 1814
Jonathan stared over the saltwater bay that stretched out before him like an infinite lake. He thought of a lake because the water’s surface was placid and so unlike the wild ocean beyond. He stood at the estuary’s widest point, close to where the Potomac River disgorged its sweet watery bounty carried across thousands of miles from the inland. From where he stood, there was no chance of seeing the tongue of land that protruded from the American mainland on the other side of the inlet. It was beyond his field of vision, leaving only the slovenly lapping water before him.
In the distance, the first gentle hues of morning appeared on the verge of the horizon, stealing upon the darkness until it would gradually disappear. The advent of the day was so pure, so fine, and so ethereal – almost like a whisper. To Jonathan, it seemed as if Heaven were opening to the view. The dark mists of the twilight were seen to roll off to the west, as the tints of light grew stronger, deepening the obscurity of that part of the hemisphere, and quickly involving the topographies of the countryside below.
Meanwhile, in the east, the hues became more intense, dashing a quivering gleam far and around, till a ruddy glow, which ignited all that part of the Heavens, announced the arrival of the rising sun.
“The English are out there somewhere planning their next move,” said Jake, following his friend’s gaze.
“Aye, that they are and there is nothing we can do about it.” Jonathan hacked out a laugh. “It sort of reminds me of another situation.”
“We will be with them again,” said Jake, patting him on the back. Like his friend, he let himself be captured by the beautiful happenings of nature taking place before them. It was as if God was offering them a glimpse of his favorite production – a play of sorts, and a work in progress because each new day brought something new and yet unseen with it.
“The dawn sure is gorgeous,” said Jake.
“Yes, I can only imagine only one other thing that is more lovely,” said Jonathan, thinking of Amelia. He could picture her perfectly. He almost felt that he could reach out and touch her and run his hands through her thick dark hair. Their last kiss stuck to his mind like a branding; the memory cradled him to sleep every night and induced him out of bed in the morning. He needed to go to England and reclaim her no matter the cost.
With those thoughts, a small line of inconceivable splendour emerged on the horizon, which quickly expanded, until the sun appeared in all its glory on the horizon. It happened so slowly at first, but soon, the introduction of the protagonist in God’s little theatre became more forceful, unveiling the whole face of nature, vivifying every color of the landscape, and sprinkling the dewy earth with glittering light.
These happenings answered Jonathan’s internal ruminations – God was in agreement – he was to travel to England and soon. The two men remained silent. They continued to watch in awe of nature’s majesty. There was no need to speak for the low and gentle responses of birds, awakened by the morning rays, now broke the silence of the hour; their soft warbling rising by degrees till they amalgamated and swelled into a chorus of universal gladness. The two men’s hearts swelled too with gratitude and a sense of purpose, but more importantly, hope that they would be with Amelia and Anna again.
“Yesee, Brother! God is with us on this one; with such a beginning to the day, only good things can happen,” said Jake. “After all of the shite we have been through these past months, we deserve a bit of luck.”
Jonathan turned to look his friend in the eye. He looked tired. The events of the past months had been trying on them both. “The flotilla can do nothing against the British fleet…”
“That Rear Admiral Cockburn under the command of that Admiral Cochrane is quite the seaman,” interjected Jake. “They have the advantage over us, but that does not mean we are finished no matter where our fleet is trapped.”
