Smuggler's Glory

by King, Rebecca

  More touchingly, people from the village began to call by. Whether they had been hoping to catch sight of Simon and his men, or whether they were just enjoying their freedom, she couldn’t be sure. Their visits revealed that some of the villagers she had once thought had moved out of the village, had vanished instead. Gossip was rife that they had been dragged from their beds and taken deep into the moors from which they never returned, especially the people who lived in the house Lindsay and his men had chosen for their base. People had learned that they would face the firm hand of vengeance if they tried to oppose Lindsay’s activities in any way and that had led to wary suspicion of anyone and everyone.

  Simon and his men were considered almost godly for the part they had played in ridding the village of its tormentors. It was only reasonable they would want the opportunity to thank him for his efforts. Still it was nice to see other people, and it had prompted her to take up on one of Simon’s suggestions and set about staffing the place as it should be.

  The women from the village arrived, and were soon employed in various positions until she had a full complement of people willing to help to return the house to its status as the pride of the village. Bertie was delighted that Mrs Partridge, the cook, resumed her old position, and Mrs Enstridge took over as housekeeper. To him it felt as though they had never been away.

  There was major excitement that someone had recently purchased the tin mine and it was about to be re-opened. Already people were starting to return to the village in anticipation of resuming their normal lives and gainful employment at last.

  So much happened in such a short period of time that Francesca struggled to keep up. Despite the distractions though, Simon continued to haunt her thoughts. There wasn’t a moment through any single God-given day that she didn’t think about him. If he had been declared fit enough to be given a new assignment yet. If he was safe, wherever he was.

  She lay on the chaise in the morning room for several moments, trying to gather her thoughts. The once familiar silence was now interspersed by the sounds of hammering and sawing coming from the disused wing of the house. All day long, carts came and went carrying all sorts of building material and of course, workmen. It seemed impossible of late to get a quiet moment to herself just to think and simply absorb the possibility that she might be expecting a new family.

  She placed her hand on her stomach and listened to two of the downstairs maids shuffle past the door carrying a heavy rug between them. She knew she had to get out of the hustle and bustle, if only for a little while. Fetching her cloak, she swept out of the front door and took her usual route straight into the deepest part of the moors.

  The wind was stronger today, teasing the finer tendrils of hair out of the bun at her nape. The tickling of the fine strands against her cheeks felt wonderful, and she gave in to the urge to shake out all of the pins and let her hair flow free. She was oblivious to her long cloak billowing out behind her and simply gloried in the feel of the wind teasing her hair, and the sun warming her face. She breathed in the rich scent of bracken and moor and knew that she could never leave. Thistledown was her home. It was as much a part of her as her hands on the ends of her arms. Yes, it held good memories and bad, but wasn’t that what life was all about? Triumph in the face of adversity? Making the most out of whatever life threw your way, whether it was good or bad? She knew that whatever happened, she was here to stay.

  Simon stood in the stable yard at Thistledown and stared in amazement at the transformation it was undergoing. Workmen and materials were everywhere, to the point that he struggled to find a place to accommodate Billie. Eagerness urged him on and he strode across the yard in search of the one person he was most desperate to see.

  His entrance in the kitchens drew a startled squeal from one of the scullery maids, who was promptly scolded by a matronly woman Simon had never seen before.

  “I’m Mrs Partridge,” the woman said, rubbing her floury hands on her apron as she approached. She peered carefully at him and studied him from head to toe. “Can I help you?”

  “Sort of,” Simon replied obliquely, not minding the cook’s suspicious look. It was pleasing to know that Francesca had people looking out for her.

  Bertie entered the kitchen, a wide smile on his delighted face. “It’s so good to see you,” he said, holding his hand out to Simon, who knocked it to one side and drew the old man into a hug. After some gentle back-slapping and a few whispered comments, Simon nodded at the old man, wondering just how patient he would have to be. “I can show you where to find her,” Bertie offered, beckoning him to follow. Leading him out of the front door, he pointed to a narrow trail that led over a hill to the right of the house. “Follow that, and you’ll find her. She shouldn’t be too far away.”

  Sure enough, Simon crested the brow of the hill and saw her. Standing a few feet away, she had her eyes closed and was facing toward the rolling moorland of Bodmin. Her cloak billowed out, teased by the gentle winds. With her head tipped toward the sun and her hair buffeted by the wind, she looked like a Pagan goddess worshipping the sun. He watched her for as long as his impatience would allow, before he just had to hold her again.

  Bertie had assured him that she hadn’t been angry that he had left so suddenly. If he was honest he had taken the cowardly approach to leaving her, and crept away while she was still asleep. It wasn’t that he had been afraid of her tears if she became weepy and pleading, he just wasn’t sure he would have had the strength to keep walking away from her if she asked him to stay. He had needed to meet with Hugo and discuss his options once the paperwork they had retrieved had been studied, before he could offer her anything.

  He now had clear direction in his life and, for the first time ever, he was filled with a jubilant enthusiasm that put a spring in his step and gave him a zest for life that he was still struggling to adjust to. Now all he had to do was persuade Francesca to give him another chance.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it,” he murmured, inches from her ear.

  Francesca’s eyes popped wide and she spun around, stunned to find him so close. She hadn’t heard him, or realised anyone else was about. Her mouth opened, but no words would come. A wild surge of joy was tempered by cautious optimism as she studied him. He appeared to be fully recovered, with no sign of bruising or discomfort, and stood before her looking so devastatingly handsome that her heart leapt.

  “There’s a lot going on at Thistledown,” he said, growing slightly concerned by her lack of response. He had wondered if she would throw herself into his arms, or just hit him for everything he had put her through. The wary silence was unnerving.

  Francesca merely nodded. With so many words tumbling through her mind, she battled with the wild hope that he was here to stay, only for a tiny voice deep inside her to cast doubt on that being a possibility. Filled with confusion, Francesca broke free from his gaze and turned toward the moor, wrapping her arms protectively around her in a desperate attempt to protect herself from more pain.

  “How long are you here for this time?” she asked, wondering why he had bothered to return at all. She couldn’t bear the thought of him just dropping by to see how she and Bertie were getting on. If that was what he had come to find her for, then she might just send him off with a flea in his ear.

  “For as long as you want me,” Simon replied gently. She had been through so much that he was surprised she was talking to him at all. Still, Francesca wasn’t a spiteful woman. Her gentle nature wouldn’t allow her to be mean to him. He just had to be patient and wait for her to come round.

  Francesca threw him a glance. “What about the Star Elite; your colleagues? Don’t you have work to do with them?”

  “Yes, I do,” Simon replied honestly, and wished he could see more of her face to gauge her reaction. “But not in the way you might expect.”

  “Oh?”

  “I will still have to go on missions with the men, but certainly do nothing deep undercover that requires me being away from home
too long. The jobs I will be called in on will be no more dangerous than dealing with incidents like the one in Thistledown’s cellar. It’s nothing compared to what I have been doing,” Simon sighed. “I’m here to stay, Francesca,” He wondered how long she would hold out before he was allowed to hold her. “I’ll be here for as long as you want me. I will have to go away occasionally, but with you as my wife and Thistledown as my home, I will have everything to come home for.” He moved to stand beside her, shoulder to shoulder, and took her hand gently in his. “I know I have hurt you and brought you more tears than you deserve, but I had to close the door to the past so I can have a future. I hope you can find it within your heart to consider sharing your future with me.”

  She made no protest when he drew her around to face him and cupped her face in his hands.

  “I love you,” he whispered, capturing her lips in a gentle caress.

  “I love you too,” she replied, her heart filling with wary hope.

  “Marry me?” His eyes held all of the pleading words could not express, and he waited with bated breath for her answer.

  “Of course I’ll marry you,” she whispered softly, gazing up at him with her glorious golden eyes that were full of love and joy.

  Simon couldn’t contain the smile that lit his face. “You’ll spend your life with me, help turn Thistledown into a home and fill it full of our children? Help me turn the tin mine into a thriving business, and grow old with me?”

  “The tin mine?” she gasped, staring up at him in wonder.

  “Hugo found the owner and I made him a generous offer he couldn’t refuse. It’s ours,” Simon replied gently. “Hugo’s father-in-law owns several mines and has agreed to come and help us get it up and running again.”

  “Sounds like we are going to be very busy,” Francesca replied softly thinking about her own news.

  “There is nothing we can’t achieve – together.” Simon released his hold on her and took several steps away toward the path that would take them home. Holding his hand out to her, his loving eyes met and held hers. “Ready?”

  “Ready,” she replied, and walked beside him on the path that would take them on an entirely new journey toward joy and happiness.

  The End.

  Coming Soon

  The Star Elite – Book 1

  Capturing Sir Dunnicliffe – released July 2013

  The Star Elite – Book 3

  His Lady Spy – released 14th December 2013

  Other Titles by Rebecca King

  The Cavendish Mysteries

  If You Were Mine – released December 2012

  Cinders and Ashes – released February 2013

  Chasing Eliza – released March 2013

  The Gallows Bride – released May 2013