Page 43 of A Night of Forever
“If, as you say, they have captured Victoria, wouldn’t Arend be more of a prize?” Refusing to give in to the fear generated by his words, she took a mouthful of the beef.
However, he would not let go of his train of thought. “I suspect with her plan in ruins, Lady Northumberland will be desperate. Either one of you would do.”
“Lieutenant—”
“Please, call me Sean.”
She nodded. “Sean.” Such a solid name. “Do you not think that allowing me to escape and go after Arend might be part of her plan?”
The fear she had held in check suddenly swept over her skin like a cold rain. Could she be leading everyone into a trap? Would they think she was in league with her stepmother?
This time it was Sean’s turn to shrug. “Do they know you are aware of where Arend is being held prisoner?”
“I can’t be sure.” She tried to recall if Victoria had given any hint that she knew about the map. Isobel had retrieved the map almost two days before she was captured. During that time, neither Victoria nor Dufort had acted any differently toward her.
Besides, she had dropped her reticule in the park. It had not been with her when Dufort kidnapped her.
She felt her muscles relax and gave a faint laugh. “I’m being silly. They have no idea I took the map. I’m sure of it.”
He took a sip of his drink and sat thinking for a moment. “Stop overthinking the situation. Lord Fullerton has Lady Victoria, my men will soon free Arend, and you are safe here with me.”
She certainly felt safe. In fact, he made her feel safer than she’d felt in a long while. Was she not looking for a safe man? Men in uniform always drew the eye, but Sean also seemed steady and reliable, as well as attractive. Not dangerously attractive, like a certain Frenchman—
“You’re right, of course,” she said. “Please, take my mind off this mess. Tell me about yourself, Sean. What of your family?”
He seemed surprised but pleased at her interest.
“My father is Viscount Vidal,” he said, readily following her lead. “I’m his third son. The family estate is near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. My eldest brother will inherit the estate. My second brother went into the Church. I chose to go to medical school in Edinburgh.”
A viscount’s son. Interesting. She wondered if he enjoyed army life. “How did you come to be in the army?”
His mouth tightened. “I wanted to do my part against Napoleon. I wanted to help our injured soldiers.” He grew quiet. “I was at the Battle of Waterloo. It was carnage. So many men dead and badly wounded.”
She should not have brought up such painful memories. His face had lost color under its tan.
Isobel reached across the cloth and placed her hand over his. “Let us hope there will not be another war like that in our lifetime,” she murmured. “You probably saved the lives of many men. Is the army a lifetime calling, then?”
“I used to think so. But after Waterloo my certainty is not as certain. Now I’m older and we are at peace, I would love a family. I would not marry when I was in the army and we were at war. I had no wish to leave a wife and children behind if I died.”
Steady, reliable, attractive. And kind.
“So, you have plans to leave the army?”
He nodded. “I was thinking about resigning my commission and starting up in private practice somewhere. Perhaps in Norfolk, so I’m nearer to my family.”
And a family man.
Arend had never mentioned his family. Sean spoke of his with pride and affection. Arend actively avoided marriage. Sean made no secret of his desire for marriage and family. The rake and the healer. The two could not be more diametrically opposed.
Suddenly she became aware that her hand was still on Sean’s. She drew it back, and in that moment the atmosphere in the room altered.
There was a warmth and longing in Sean’s eyes that had not been there moments ago.
Isobel knew she should be flattered that a man with Sean’s noble character was obviously interested in her. Shewasflattered. But a noble man deserved an equally noble woman. Until she was able to clear all thoughts—and such wicked, wanton thoughts—of Arend from her mind, she could not, in all good conscience, encourage Sean’s interest.
Chapter 11
It seemed to take forever for Arend to crawl his way out of the mine and into the light. His eyes had been used to darkness too long to be able to tolerate the light, but he couldn’t bear another moment on his poor ragged hands and knees. So, eyes tightly shut, he rolled onto his back under what felt cool enough to be morning sun, and alternately hacked out lungfuls of dust and sucked in fresh, clean air.
