Page 91 of Feathers in the Wind
“If nothing else with a woman in the room, he is more likely to listen to what I have to say,” Luke said.
“Maybe.” Deliverance sounded doubtful. “I’m not sure my presence will be a hindrance or a help.”
“We can but try. I will have your horse saddled. Can you be ready to ride in half an hour?”
Deliverance nodded, and as he stepped out into the sunshine, he smiled. It amused him to catch Deliverance Felton off guard. He had learned long ago that you caught more flies with honey, and he had to admit he quite enjoyed this game of wills he and Mistress Felton were engaged in.
* * *
Luke’s heartsank at the first sight of Byton Castle. It stood in a pleasant park and garden, the once defensive ditches ringing the castle were no more than soft lawn covered indentations planted with shrubs. Apart from a hastily erected, rickety palisade fence that would not have prevented an elderly cow from tumbling it, the present owner appeared to have done little to strengthen the defence works.
The self-styled ‘Colonel’ Curtis kept them waiting in a parlour for a good twenty minutes. When he appeared, dressed in a stiff, new buff leather coat with a shining gorget at his throat, it was all Luke could do to keep a straight face, until he reminded himself that this idiotic figure held the lives of this small garrison in his pudgy hand.
Curtis acknowledged Deliverance with a haughty inclination of his head. Deliverance curtsied and introduced Luke. Curtis gave Luke a cursory inspection, and from the twitch of his extravagant moustache, he did not approve of what he saw.
Curtis indicated a chair for Deliverance but extended no such courtesy to Luke who remained standing. Curtis took a large, oak chair well-padded with cushions and crossed his legs as a handsome, red-haired maid entered carrying a tray with a jug of ale. As she offered the visitors a cup, Luke studied the girl, liked what he saw and winked at her. She grinned back. Luke’s gaze followed the provocative sway of her hips as she left the room. When he returned his attention to the matter in hand, he had to face Deliverance’s furrowed brow and compressed lips. He bestowed a smile on her and gave his attention to the Colonel who had angled his chair toward Deliverance, excluding Luke from the conversation.
“Mistress Felton, your father is in Gloucester, I hear?” Curtis said, as if they were discussing a pleasant social engagement.
“He is,” Deliverance replied.
“It is only to be expected of your father to leave his estate and two helpless females alone and unprotected,” Curtis said, his lip curling in a derisory sneer.
It occurred to Luke that Curtis did not know Felton’s daughters very well. He would not have described either of them as ‘helpless females’.
Deliverance’s shoulders stiffened. “He has sent Captain Collyer and men to strengthen the garrison at Kinton Lacey. We are hardly alone and unprotected.” She shot a quick glance at Luke and he thought he detected the shadow of a smile in the twitch of her lips.
Curtis harrumphed. “I heard you had a bit of trouble from that upstart, Farrington?”
“As you know, he laid siege to us but fortunately Captain Collyer saw him off but we expect him to come again,” Deliverance said.
Curtis flashed a glance at Luke and then turned back to her. “I can understand why you have come looking for my assistance, young lady.”
“On the contrary,” Deliverance said. “We are here to offer you our assistance.”
“You? Offer me assistance?” Curtis stared Deliverance. He rose to his feet, colour rising to his florid cheeks.
Deliverance gestured at Luke. “The Kinton Lacey garrison under the command of Captain Collyer.”
Luke moved beside her, forcing himself into Curtis’s line of sight. He drew himself up to his full height, topping the irritating little man by a good head. “Sir, I am charged by Sir John Felton to see to the defence of Kinton Lacey Castle and I have come today to see what aid we can be to you, in your support of Parliament’s cause. Our security can only be aided by ensuring that Byton is well-prepared for a siege.”
Curtis dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “I do not take advice from mere captains,” he said.
Luke took a breath, trying to contain his irritation with this infuriating, pompous little man. “You may not take it, but I shall give it anyway, sir. You need to strengthen your defences on your eastern side. The ditches should be re-dug to a depth of at least six feet and a solid palisade erected, not that wicket you have put up. The wall on the south side is also in need of strengthening, and your gate will not hold a charge. Furthermore you should ensure you have water and supplies to survive a siege of at least two months.”
Curtis had turned an alarming shade of purple during his recitation. Now he exploded. “How dare you presume to tell me your business, Captain Collyer. Mistress Felton, I will not stand here to be insulted by this... this... tinker’s boy!”
“Tinker’s boy? I— ” Luke snapped his mouth shut before he betrayed himself.
Curtis ignored him, rounding on Deliverance. “I will not be lectured to by any lackey of your father’s. Take your captain back to Kinton Lacey and leave me to the protection of my own home. Your father showed no such generosity of spirit towards me over the matter of Brough’s Wood and I told him then, and I’ll tell you now, I will not have any dealings with Feltons, of whatever gender. Good day to you both.”
Luke took a step backwards towards the door. He gave an ungracious bow and as he straightened, he said, keeping his tone low and moderate, an effort in the circumstances, “I apologise if I have offended you, Colonel Curtis. We have only your interests, and those of the souls within these walls, at heart. We will not trouble you again.”
“Out,” Curtis screamed.
It was not until they had put a few hundred yards between themselves and Byton that Luke looked at Deliverance for the first time. Her face was ashen and her mouth set in a grim line.
She met his eyes. “Stupid, stupid man! I did warn you.”
