Fortune's Dragon

by Meara Platt

  He spent the rest of the day settling his men on the beach, making certain they were fed and the needs of the injured attended to first. No more than a few fresh bandages were required for those with sprained ankles and the local apothecary brought over a salve to apply to any burns.

  The day was warm, but the light breeze off the water gave relief from the worst of the heat. By the time the locals arrived to welcome his regiment, their tents were pitched, horses unsaddled, properly fed and watered, and the men themselves sufficiently groomed.

  He’d met the local magistrate, Sir Phinneas Holbourne, last night at Lord Boscombe’s home. “General Brayden,” the amiable fellow said, approaching him with a warm smile, “is there anything we can do for you and your soldiers? I see you have no field infirmary. My wife and I are more than happy to open our home to your injured men.”

  “Thank you, Sir Phinneas. It isn’t necessary. Any wounds are minor and have already been treated. But I will need to purchase supplies. Fresh meat. Soap. Feed for the horses.”

  “Just make your list and we’ll provide the items for you. Will your men be coming to the fair? I’m sure they could use a bit of fun.”

  “Yes, I have no intention of depriving them.” But they would go in turns, no more than a dozen at a time and only for a few hours at a time. It was the best way to prevent brawls from breaking out.

  To his surprise, Faith was among the townspeople who came to help. He had expected her to spend the day with Hawley. Or rather, that Hawley would stick to her like a barnacle to a ship for fear of losing her.

  After taking care of the most pressing matters, he sought out Faith and drew her aside. “We need to talk,” he said.

  She met his gaze. “Indeed, we do.”

  He saw the swirl of turmoil in her eyes. She was still troubled. He wasn’t surprised. Until yesterday, she had been quite comfortably settled in a complacent life. She had a doting uncle and lived in a pleasant home. She had acquired a respectable beau and expected to fall into a pleasant and complacent marriage.

  His kiss had shattered all of her plans. “We can talk in my command tent.”

  It wasn’t much, just another tent with a cot in the corner, and a desk and two chairs in the center. The tent flaps were rolled up to allow the breeze to blow through. The tent’s roof provided shade.

  He was about to offer her a seat, but she shook her head. “I’d rather stand. This won’t take long. I came down here to help, of course. But also to tell you that Richard and I are getting married on Saturday. We’ve decided not to make it a betrothal party, but our wedding celebration. He’s sent a messenger off to his uncle to advise him about the change in plans.”

  “The marquis?”

  She nodded. “And he’s now gone off to obtain the necessary license.”

  Caleb had survived years of warfare, years of bloody battles. He was known for his calm under fire. But this was different. This was his heart at stake. This was his soul to lose. “You can’t do this, Faith. You don’t love him.”

  “I do…I…” She tipped her head up and frowned at him.

  “Why, Faith?”

  He knew she hadn’t made the choice for reasons of greed. She didn’t care about wealth or status. Faith would give the shoes off her feet to someone in need.

  However, she was scared of losing her heart.

  She was making the safe choice and he wouldn’t allow her to get away with it.

  “Why marry Richard? How can you ask me that?” She glanced toward the other tents and the soldiers who were attending to their duties or merely walking past his tent without particular purpose. She didn’t wish anyone to listen in on their discussion.

  “They can’t hear us,” he assured her.

  She nodded and took a deep breath. “We’ve shared a kiss. That’s all. You haven’t offered me anything more. You’re leaving in a few days. I won’t ever see you again.”

  “You know the kiss meant more to me than that.” She wore a plain gown of dove gray cotton and soft leather boots that were far more practical for walking on sand than her delicate slippers had been. She still looked like a faerie queen to him, a ray of starlight fallen from the sky and dropped in the sand before him.

  “How could it mean anything? You don’t even know me.”

  “My heart knows you, just as your heart knows me.”

  “That is nonsense. How can two people feel this way? There’s no such thing as love at first sight.”

  He placed his hands gently on her shoulders, wanting to shake sense into her. But how did any of this make sense? “If you don’t believe in love at first sight, then why are you here now? Why are you so desperate to dismiss what happened between us? Is it me you’re trying to convince or yourself?”

  She turned to flee, but he wouldn’t let her. “If you have any doubt about our kiss or my intentions, then I’ll ask you now.”

  She swallowed hard, the little nub of her throat bobbing up and down as he took her hand and drew her closer. “Ask me what?”

  “Will you marry me, Faith?” He regretted forcing this decision on her and was seriously worried it would push her to the wrong result. “Let me be the father of the dozen children who will vex your uncle to no end.”

  “Oh, Caleb.” Despite her obvious anguish, he caught the look of wonder in her eyes. But it quickly faded, replaced by doubt. “How can I accept you? This is madness.”

  “I know. There is no logic to the workings of the heart. I love you, Faith. I want to marry you. I knew it yesterday. I knew it as we walked along the beach and I watched you wiggle your toes in the sand. I had no intention of offering for you before we got to know each other better. I would have come down from Newcastle to see you. I would have courted you properly.”

  “Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be. Please, Caleb. Stop.”

  “No.” He watched the wind blow through her curls and cause her gown to billow and press to her lovely body. “Do you think this is any easier for me? I gave myself a dozen reasons why I should not offer for you.” He began to rattle off some of the questions he’d posed to himself. “How long will I remain in England? How long before I’m demoted to colonel? Where will I be assigned next? How soon before I’m dead?”

  She gasped. “No, Caleb.”

  “This is my situation. This is all I can offer you. This and my heart.” He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He didn’t win military campaigns by playing it safe, nor would he go easy on Faith. “One kiss won’t sustain me. You can’t pat me on the head and tell me to go away, not if you feel as I do. Don’t let love scare you. Allow it to guide you. I want all of you for however long I’m kept on this earth. I want only you. No other woman will ever have my heart.”

  He took her in his arms when she covered her face with her hands and looked as though she was about to burst into tears. “Don’t give me an answer now. Take all the time you need. Just don’t marry Hawley. Put him off, Faith. Please.”

  “You don’t understand.” She looked up at him and he knew a sense of dread before she’d spoken her next words. “It’s too late.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  FAITH RAN ALL the way home, intending to run upstairs and hide in her bedchamber until this bad dream went away. Caleb, Caleb. He tore at her heart. But her uncle happened to be in the entry hall and was immediately alarmed by her appearance. “Faith, dear child. What has happened?”

  “Nothing.” She wasn’t going to explain, merely hurry past him. But he suddenly clutched his chest. “Uncle Winslow!”

  “Help me into my library,” he said, his voice obviously strained.

  “Fleming!” she shouted, calling for their butler who attended to everything in their home. His wife was their cook. His sons were their footmen. The maids were local girls who lived in town, but they were probably related to the man in one way or another. “Fleming! We need the doctor!”

  “Right away, m’lady!” In turn, he immediately called for his sons. “Rafe, fetch Dr. S
mollins. If he isn’t at home, check the beach. He might be with General Brayden’s regiment. Tom, help me carry his lordship to his chair.”

  Faith felt helpless, able to do nothing but wring her hands as the staff assisted her uncle as best as they could. “We’ll cancel the party,” she found herself saying. “It’s too much stress for you.”

  “Nonsense, child.” Her uncle coughed and attempted to clear his throat, but his breathing was noticeably labored and even such a small thing as swallowing was too difficult for him. But in the next moment, he found the strength to speak with surprisingly little difficulty. “Faith, do stop fussing. I’ll be fine in a moment. Just a passing attack. The doctor warned me to ease off my brandy and heavy cream sauces. But why should I? Must I forgo all enjoyment in life?”

  Sometimes, she wanted to smack this old curmudgeon about the ears. “At least make some small sacrifice if you’re to keep living. And you had better live, if not for yourself then think of me.” She had resigned herself to losing Caleb, a decision that tore at her more fiercely than she’d ever expected.

  She refused to lose her uncle as well.

  “You don’t need me anymore, child. Your husband will take care of you.”

  She drew up a chair close to his and put her arms around him. “I don’t have a husband.” Although she knew she would in a couple of days, unless she agreed to Caleb’s request. You don’t need to answer me now. Just don’t marry Hawley.

  Her uncle patted her arm. “Who will you choose, Faith?”

  “You know I’ve made my decision. You old scoundrel, I know you were eavesdropping when Richard suggested we turn Saturday’s party into our actual wedding. You heard my answer. I accepted him.”

  “Hawley took advantage of your soft heart. He shamed you into agreeing to it.”

  “He didn’t shame me.”

  “Very well, call it what you will. Manipulation, coercion. Mistakes can be corrected. You’re young and innocent. How old are you now? Eighteen?”

  “Almost nineteen.” He was going to make her cry again.

  “Same thing. I blame myself for allowing matters to get out of hand.” He clutched his chest again and winced.

  “Uncle Winslow!” Where was the doctor? He had to arrive in time. She didn’t know what to do. What if he wasn’t faking?

  “You still require my consent to marry.”

  “You’ve given it. You can’t revoke it.”

  “Says who? I haven’t signed off on anything yet. I–” He broke off as another wave of pain washed over him. Oh, dear. Perhaps he wasn’t faking. Faith could see he was in the throes of an attack. He would have them on occasion, but rarely this bad. If this was all an act, he was quite convincing.

  “It isn’t important,” she said, hugging him as though that alone could restore him. “We’ll speak of it another time. You’re all that matters to me.”

  His breathing seemed to steady and the pain had already begun to ease by the time the doctor arrived. “Thank goodness.” She rose to greet him and was surprised to see Caleb walk in behind him.

  The doctor rushed forward to attend her uncle.

  Caleb took her aside to explain. “Dr. Smollins was attending to one of my men when your footman found him. I was worried about you. I know how much Lord Boscombe means to you.”

  She nodded.

  “I think he’s calming now,” he said, glancing at her uncle. “The doctor seems to have matters in hand. I’ll go if you wish.”

  She sighed. “Don’t leave on my account. My uncle adores you.”

  Caleb cast her an appealingly boyish grin. “It isn’t his affection I’m looking for. Walk with me a moment in the garden, Faith. I promise not to take you back to the willow tree.”

  That’s where he’d kissed her. “We’ll stay in the open?”

  “Yes.”

  She walked out beside him, noting he made no attempt to take her arm or hold her hand. Quite the opposite, he clasped his hands behind his back as they walked together among the roses in lavish bloom. She was proud of her garden and glad that Caleb saw it at its best. He paused beside the decorative sundial in the center of the circle of roses.

  However, she spoke first. “I thought we’d said everything there was to be said to each other earlier today.”

  “We did. I didn’t come here for that. I came here for you, to offer my shoulder to lean on in the event your uncle takes a turn for the worse. This I do in friendship.”

  “Not because you love me?” She began to fidget with her necklace and the dragon charm attached to it.

  “I will always love you, Faith. Whether you feel the same about me or not, won’t change how I feel about you.”

  Her fingers were now entwined in the necklace. She was doing it again, turning to the amulet in the hope it would provide answers. But she knew it was foolish to think so. It wasn’t magical, and even if it was, Caleb Brayden was not Sir Caleb, her dragon slayer. Not that it mattered. She didn’t know either Caleb well enough to toss everything she knew aside to venture into the unknown.

  Richard had been courting her for almost a year.

  She’d spent perhaps an hour in the company of Sir Caleb, dragon slayer. Quite an hour, indeed. Now that she was older, she understood how much danger she’d been in and how fortunate she’d been to fall under that boy’s protection. He’d not only protected her, but treated her with incredible kindness.

  Caleb Brayden was much the same, at least he appeared to be so. She’d spent a little over a day in his company. “I have a proposition for you,” she said, looking up at him and hating that she fell a little more in love with him with every glance.

  “I’m listening.”

  “Richard returns Friday evening. That gives me two more days to get to know you.” She shook her head and sighed. “It still isn’t enough time. I think I must have much of Uncle Winslow’s character in me. I find my daily routine quite comfortable. I like predictability. I like knowing that everything is in its rightful place.”

  He arched an eyebrow and smiled. “I’ve noticed that about you.”

  “But my heart is out of place right now and I’m not certain where it is supposed to be. I’ve accepted Richard. I won’t break my promise to him lightly.” Her heart was beating wildly. Caleb hadn’t taken his smoldering gaze off her. “You’ll have two days to change my mind.”

  The man could set a block of ice ablaze with merely a glance.

  She blushed to think what he might kindle in her.

  “So we spend these next two days together?” He clasped his hands behind his back once more. Did it signify anything? Was he as much on edge as she was? He appeared unflappable. Calm. Fully in control.

  But he hadn’t been when he’d kissed her.

  And that hot look just now… Oh, she wished her body would stop tingling. “Yes, together. But as friends. I want you to behave around me the same way you would behave around your sister.”

  “I don’t have a sister.”

  She pursed her lips, knowing he was purposely being difficult. “Your cousin or an aunt then. Or a good friend. The point is…”

  “I understand your point. No kissing. No sweeping you into my arms. No telling you that I love you.”

  “Exactly. Act around me as you would with any of them. Don’t hold back out of politeness. Be as silly as you wish.”

  He arched an eyebrow and grinned. “Silly? You do realize I’m a general in the king’s dragoons. I’m no longer the little squid my brother used to tease.”

  “I know, but are you always so serious? Perhaps you are. Isn’t that the point of my getting to know you? I want to know the playful teasing part of you. But you’re also hiding pain and I wish to know about that too. I don’t want you to pretend to be someone you’re not. Why don’t you start by telling me something of your family.”

  He appeared reluctant at first, but began to open up as they strolled. “I think the boyish side of me died out several years ago. My family did not escape untouched by
the war. My cousin James came home badly scarred and might lose his leg. My brother Marcus got away with merely a broken arm, but it was a bullet that shattered it, and we don’t know how much of its strength will return.”

  She put her hand on his arm and felt his muscles ripple with tension.

  “I’ve spent almost all of my adult life on a battlefield. No glittering ballrooms or evenings at the theater for me.”

  “Caleb, I didn’t mean to sound glib.” He had a way of grabbing her heart and twisting every raw feeling out of it.

  “You didn’t, Faith. I like that I can speak honestly to you.”

  “Thank you.” He made her love him even when he wasn’t trying.

  Her hand still rested on his arm. He covered it with his own before she could draw it away. His hands were big, his palms rough.

  She loved the feel of them against her skin.

  “You could never be anything but kind. I know that. Your suggestion was sensible. I want us to know each other better, too. I think I know you a little already. One thing for certain, we look at life differently.”

  “How?”

  “You see a lifetime stretched before you and I worry that I might only have another day or week left in mine.”

  She emitted a shuddering breath. “Oh, Caleb. That’s why you’re determined to seize the moment and not let a single opportunity pass you by.”

  He gave her hand a light squeeze. “I’ll never force you into making a decision. Take all the time you need.”

  “But that’s the problem, isn’t it? We have so little time. How can two days be enough to make the most important decision of our lives?”

  “I’ve made mine, Faith. The rest is up to you. But you’re afraid to leap into the unknown. Your nature is to hold back, to choose the steady and reliable path.”

  She gave a soft, laughing groan. “I thought this was about our getting to know each other, but you already know me better than I know myself. There’s to be dancing at the fair this evening. Will you escort me?”