Page 130 of Feathers in the Wind
Chapter 14
Deliverance woke to the now familiar sally from Farrington's guns. The residence shuddered at the impact of the Thunderer's anger and the smaller cannon balls smashing against the walls, sending reverberations through the whole castle. She lay in bed looking up at the panels of the wooden canopy above her as the curtain rings rattled in response to another sally.
She was alone in the bed. Penitence must have already arisen. She drew back the curtains and called for Meg, but the maid did not reply. Like Penitence she must have also started her morning chores. They must have decided to leave her to sleep.
Deliverance swung her feet out of bed and padded over to her chest to find some clothes. As she raised the lid on the ancient coffer, the window crashed in sending glass shards flying across the room. Deliverance dived to the floor beside the chest as a lead cannon ball, mercifully not one of the huge balls that spewed from the Thunderer, hurtled through the room, hitting the far wall with a mighty crash. The solid stonework stopped it dead, and it bounced back, coming to rest in the fireplace.
Deliverance didn't move, shocked into immobility by her brush with death. The door burst open, and she gathered herself together, peering over the chest to see Luke standing in the doorway, his jacket undone and his shirt unlaced at his throat.
“Deliverance, are you all right?”
“I'm fine. It missed me… by a few inches…” Deliverance struggled to speak. She shut her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself as she started to tremble.
Luke’s feet crunched on the broken glass and she smelled the now familiar tang of soap and leather as he came to stand over her.
“Deliverance, look at me.”
She opened her eyes, and he sank to his haunches, his brow knitted as he reached out to touch her face. “You've blood on your face.”
Now he mentioned it, her cheek burned. With a shaking hand she touched the sticky wetness on her cheek and looked down at her fingertips with surprise.
She blinked and looked at him. “Is it…is it bad?”
He shook his head and smiled. “Just a cut. Nothing to worry about but there is glass all over the floor. Don't take a step until you have shoes on.”
Before she could protest, he lifted her up and dumped her unceremoniously back on the bed. Deliverance wrapped her arms around herself, aware that she only wore her nightdress. She pulled her feet up, wrapping her arms around her knees in an effort to stop the shaking.
Luke bent to pick up the cannon ball.
“Leave it,” Deliverance said.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
“I want to leave it there to remember...” she began but couldn't finish...how close I came to death.
Luke picked his way back to the door where he inclined his head and said. “I'll send someone up to board the window as soon as you are dressed.”
She had expected him to come to her, take her in his arms, and reassure her of his love…kiss her… He was just going to leave her?
“Luke…?” she began, but he had gone.
Meg came running in through the door, closely followed by Penitence.
“Thank the good Lord, you are safe!” Penitence threw her arms around her sister. They may not have been the arms she longed for, but they would do.
After a moment she pushed her sister away with a brusque, “Don’t fuss, Pen. Meg, find me some shoes and my clothes, and organise some help to clean this room.”
As soon as she was dressed, Deliverance went in search of Luke. She had hoped to find him in the library but the room was empty. She wandered over to the old oak table, which had been cleared of all but a pen and inkstand and a scattering of papers.
A cup of wine had spilled across the table, spoiling the papers, and she wondered why no attempt had been made to clean it up. She righted the cup and picked up the still sodden papers, recognising Luke's handwriting.
The door opened and Luke walked in. He stood frozen in the doorway, his hand still on the latch.
“Deliverance. What are you doing here?”
She set the paper down and smiled. “Looking for you.”
“I’m very busy.” He shut the door but didn’t advance any further into the room.
