Page 56 of The Moonstone Hero
“You are what I would refer to as the full package. Handsome, titled, brave, and wounded in battle. You are also eloquent and genuinely passionate about your cause. The only way you can ruin it for yourself is to appear insincere.”
“That will never happen.”
“I know. Whatever happened during your last battle eats at your soul.”
“As it will continue to do until England gets rid of men like Fulke. We need to overhaul the powers and standards of conduct for these governors. More important, we can never allow anyone outside of our military ranks to control the scouting reports and other reconnaissance information, or make decisions on what, whom, and when we are to attack.”
Ella listened to him, gazing at him with that fairy starlight in her eyes. “Uncle Cormac is waving you over. Speak to him and the other lords as you just did with me, and you shall have your way in Parliament.”
He grinned. “It is quite a strange feeling for me to engage with people instead of pushing them away.”
“Everyone will love you, Caden. I haven’t a doubt.”
“And you, Ella?”
“I think you will forget me very quickly.”
“You are wrong about that. You know it isn’t true.”
She cast him a mirthless smile. “Time will tell, won’t it?”
He was frustrated, wanting to say more to her. But the others were waiting, and he did not wish to irritate them before he had ever said a word to them. “Save a dance for me. The supper dance.”
She laughed, this time with genuine cheer. “There is no supper dance at these local assemblies. We are not formal here. This is no London ball.”
“Well, savesomethingfor me.”
“All right.” She went off to find Imogen and Aunt Phoebe.
Caden watched her make her way through the crowd, her every movement graceful as she flitted from friend to friend to greet them. The pearl silk of her gown was iridescent under the glow of candlelight and swirled sensually around her body. Yes, this was what she was…a beautiful bird, a silver dove.
Hisdove.
Chapter Eleven
Ella had givenup hope she would see Caden before the assembly ball ended. The men in her family and several others were still engaged in deep and lively conversation with him, and she dared not interrupt.
As the night wore on and the crowd began to thin, Ella walked out into the inn’s garden on her own. She stayed in full view of the assembly room, and her aunt and Imogen knew exactly where she was. But she needed to get out of that hot room filled with the pungent aromas of spilled drinks, overheated bodies, and stale perfume.
She wanted to breathe in Caden’s sandalwood scent.
This would not happen tonight.
Did it really matter? He was back on his crutches and would be too off-balance to properly dance with her. She doubted he placed as much importance on sharing a dance with her, although it must have meant a little to him, since he was the one who suggested it.
But his discussion with the men was obviously of far more importance.
She put her hopes on seeing him tomorrow at the hospital during her usual afternoon visit. “But everything is changing,” she whispered.
She had seen him engaging with strangers and how easily he had them eating out of his hand. He was now a man witha purpose. This was healthier for him because it eased his torment, and Caden was indeed a tormented man.
Assuming the mantle of everyone’s hero was the perfect role for him and the way to heal his heart. But it also meant she would be pushed aside for several months, perhaps longer.
This hurt. She could not deny it.
She took a deep breath to calm herself.
The air was cool and increasingly damp this evening, heavy with the scent of the sea. She noticed dew gathering on the flowers as a light mist crept in, a sign they would have rain tomorrow. Torchlights flickered around her, bathing the garden in golden light.
