Page 103 of Feathers in the Wind
Deliverance didn’t reply. She didn’t need to. Of course he would and it would be agony for Penitence knowing Jack was outside the castle walls. She recalled something of a conversation with Luke Collyer from the previous day when loss of blood and shock had loosened her tongue.
“Do you really still love him, Pen?” she asked.
Her sister looked up, her blue eyes misted with tears. “With all my heart.” “Pen, if you want to leave and go to Father in Gloucester or Aunt Jane...”
Her sister shook her head. “I won’t leave you, Liv, and maybe Jack can bring some sense to the situation if he knows I am within the castle walls.” She sighed heavily and her blue eyes misted with tears that she dashed away with the back of her hand. “Pay me no heed, I am just being foolish.”
Deliverance studied her sister. “Pen, how do you know if you’re in love?”
Penitence looked at her sister, all tears forgotten. “Oh, Liv, how can I explain it? It’s the most delicious pain you can ever know. Your heart beats and the breath stops in your throat and you just want to be near the person—” Penitence stopped, frowning. “Why do you ask?” Her eyes widened. “You’re not in love with Captain Collyer, are you?”
Deliverance’s mouth fell open. “Captain Collyer! That insufferable... arrogant... good gracious, Pen, how could you even think that?”
Penitence rose to her feet and looked down at her sister. “There are far more worthy men to fall in love with than penniless soldiers of fortune.” She placed a hand on her sister’s brow. “I think you might be a little feverish. You are not to stir from that bed today. Meg will bring up some broth for your lunch and you are to rest.”
Deliverance sank back against the bolsters as her sister and her maid closed the door behind them.
In love with Luke Collyer?
What a preposterous suggestion, she thought and closed her eyes. There must be another explanation for her racing heart and shortness of breath when she had seen him looking down at her. Not to mention the alarming flashes of heat that coursed through her veins when she thought of his arms around her.
Loss of blood—that was it.
* * *
It occurred to Luke,as he went about his business the following day that he should have considered the efficacy of a pistol ball in Deliverance’s arm earlier in their relationship. For the first time since he had arrived at Kinton Lacey, he enjoyed undisputed command over the entire garrison.
He had paid her another visit after breakfast, and found her up and dressed but still looking pale and wan, and apparently content to pass the day in the parlour, looking for the entire world like a demure goodwife and not at all like the bossy, determined little person who made his life difficult.
And yet part of him missed their sparring. He had, he admitted to himself, become accustomed to her presence as a comrade and as an equal. He missed seeing her slight form everywhere he looked, supervising ditches, ordering provisions to be stored, countermanding his orders, confusing the men...
He left Ned supervising a small herd of cattle purchased for the provisioning of the castle and strode across the courtyard. Looking up at the residence, he saw Deliverance sitting at the window of the upper parlour, her chin resting on the hand of her uninjured arm. In that unguarded moment she looked so sad that he stopped in his tracks.
She saw him and straightened, the moment of candour gone, but the recollection of her drawn, pensive face lingered. He waved at her and decided they should both take a short break from the responsibilities that weighed upon them so heavily.
Luke washed the dust of the day off and made himself as presentable as he could. He found Deliverance in the parlour, still sitting by the window where he had seen her, looking down over the courtyard, her arm in a neat blue silk sling. Penitence sat in a chair beside her, the ever-present embroidery in her hand. She looked up as Luke entered and seeing him, she frowned. Luke swept both women an all-encompassing bow as Deliverance turned around and looked at him.
“Where did you get the cattle?” Deliverance asked without preamble.
“Purchased legally from a farmer over by Stanton,” Luke replied. “I have some news. Charles Farrington has just sat himself down in front of Byton with three hundred men.”
The women looked at each other, and Penitence’s hand went to the chain at her throat.
“Three hundred?” Penitence stared at him. “How do you know that?”
Luke’s lips compressed. “The game of war, Mistress Felton. He watches us and I watch him.” Her eyes widened. “And Byton? Are you going to help?”
He frowned. “What help can I be now they are under siege? When I offered Byton help, it was refused.”
“Can’t you attack Farrington from behind?” Penitence asked. “I have fifty men. He has three hundred.”
“But you did it before!” Penitence said.
“I had the element of surprise and Farrington’s force was untrained and ill-equipped. It is quite a different army that is encamped before Byton. Two of my patrols have already been involved in skirmishes with Farrington’s men. I’m sorry, Mistress Felton, but Byton is on its own. I’ve sent word to Gloucester but as you know that is also under siege. We can do no more and my men are all needed here.”
Deliverance sank into the chair across from her sister. “Luke... Captain Collyer is right, Pen. There is nothing we can do for Byton.” She looked up at him. “How long do you think we have?”
“Only a matter of days.”
