* * * *
Millie stayed in the bath until the water cooled. She had tried to convince Doris to order a bath as well, but she refused, saying that that sort of thing was for ladies. She wouldn’t presume to lie about in a hot tub when the respectable basin in her fancy room would suit.
Rolling her eyes, Millie refused to feel guilty about the delights of a bath. Languid from the water and feeling much better, she jumped when the thunder crashed outside. After so many days of fine weather, this storm was unrelenting and powerful. Wrapped in a towel, she peeked around the curtain as the last of the daylight showed the yard looking more lake than ground. Three grooms were attempting to calm a horse that most definitely was not happy with the storm. He rose on his back legs, and the white of his eyes shone as he screamed his fear.
“Come away from the window and put on a dress.” Doris held her lavender gown. It was too fancy for the inn, but it would be a shame to wear a day dress for supper.
Patting the curtain back into place, she wished she could go down and offer that poor animal some comfort. The men were going about taming him in the wrong way. He needed a gentle hand, not three big men yelling and waving their arms. Millie sighed. “No corset. It seems silly to bother with it under our current accommodations.”
Frowning, Doris put the corset aside. “If you say so. Seems to me that commander looked smitten the moment he set eyes on you, not to mention the way His Grace dotes on you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. The Duke of Middleton is not interested in me. He has three fine ladies to choose from.” Saying that out loud was like a knife to her heart. Feelings were the enemy of a girl like her. She had to keep them in check.
“If you say so,” Doris said.
It was dark by the time they descended the stairs to the common room. The soldiers were still reveling on the tavern side of the room, but several families and gentlemen were eating on the other side. When Millicent stepped into the room, it quieted for a moment. She didn’t know what to do, didn’t know why they were all staring.
Preston offered his arm, and she was grateful to have a protector.
“Why are they all staring? Do I have dirt on my face?”
He laughed. “You are a vision, and they probably haven’t seen a fine lady in a long time. Captain Bennett told me they have been encamped in the north for several months. They have come south for supplies. It seems they had to stash quite an arsenal in the storage building next door. Gunpowder does not like the rain.”
“They must be tired, yet they act like children at play.” She nodded in the direction of the reveling.
“Blowing off steam.” He shrugged. “It’s good for morale.”
“This is a small inn. Where will they all sleep?”
Stopping, he leaned down. “You are safe, Millicent. I will not let anything happen to you. You know that, don’t you?”
How could she have let her fears slip out and be noticed by him? “I know.”
They arrived at the table set for three to include Doris, and Preston pulled out a chair for each of them. “I imagine most of them will sleep down here on benches and tables. Some will find rest in the barn or storage building. I’m sure the captain has a room.”
The waitress brought over three steaming meat pies and placed one in front of each of them.
Preston said, “I apologize for the meager offering, but it was all they have.”
“I don’t mind.” The rich buttery pie made her stomach grumble.
Doris took a bite. “Reminds me of home.”
They ate and watched the soldiers sing and dance with vigor. It was good entertainment. Most had drunk enough to not care about how silly they appeared. One did an excellent dance. His feet moved so fast she didn’t know how he kept from falling. He tapped out a tune with his shoes, and another man pounded out the same tune on a bucket. They all yelled for someone named Potter, and finally he came forward with a fiddle, which he played well enough to get them all singing.
“You like this kind of thing?” Preston asked her.
“I like to see people having fun. It warms the heart to see such joy.”
“They don’t scare you?” He had shifted his chair to sit beside her and have a better view of the soldiers.
A room full of drunken men should have given her pause. When she first stepped into the common room, she’d been nervous. Preston’s assurance that he would not let anything happen to her eased her worry, and it had not come back. “You will protect me if the need arises.”
He mumbled something that might have been “damn right,” but she couldn’t be sure.
Captain Bennett waved him over to where he stood with two other men.
“Will you excuse me, ladies? I won’t be long.”
Doris clapped with the music.
It was fascinating to watch how good at dance they all were. They even made a good bit of music with their limited instruments. She rose and stood next to one of the wooden pillars, partially hidden from the room but still able to see.
A skinny officer danced with only his legs moving and the rest of his body stiff like a doll’s hinged at the knees. He jumped up and down with exuberance. Several others joined in as if they trained in this particular dance. The worn wooden floor resounded with the joy of it.
She knew he was behind her before he spoke, but when his breath touched her earlobe, she shivered with delight. “It’s an Irish folk dance. Would you like to try it?”
A knot formed in her throat, but she swallowed it down. “No, but I’m fascinated by how they move. It’s quite spirited.”
“It is filled with life, as is the country where it started.”
She turned to face him. “Have you been to Ireland?”
He cocked his head. “I have. Are you interested in sea travel?”
Letting her emotions get away from her would not be a good idea. She looked back at the dancers. “I would like to see the world.”
“An unusual goal for a lady, but if that is your dream, then I hope you will achieve it.”
Wanting to feel nothing, it was inconvenient that he always said the right thing. “Thank you for not mocking me.”
“I never would. The captain would like to be introduced, if you wouldn’t mind.”
She turned, and he stepped back. “Of course.”
Walking beside him, they returned to where Captain Bennett waited. Preston said, “Captain Bennett, may I present Miss Millicent Edgebrook of the Everton Domestic Society and a close friend of my family.”
Captain Bennett wore the cropped hair of a soldier, and it was thinning on top. His blue eyes were bright and friendly, and his skin had a warm tan. Not quite as tall as Preston, he was still a foot taller than Millie. He bowed. “It is my pleasure to meet you, Miss Edgebrook. You are the first Everton Lady I have met, but I’m fascinated by the organization.”
“Really? What interests you, Captain?”
“How often do you take assignments? What happens if you cannot solve the problem? Are you ever in danger?” He must have realized he was rambling. Stopping, he blushed. “I apologize. I have a sincere interest.”
It was rare and nice to meet someone who had genuine curiosity and was not afraid to show it. “I have only had one assignment so far, but some of the ladies take up to three clients a year. Some assignments are short, and others can take six months or more. If a lady cannot resolve the problem, she can ask for help and Lady Jane or another Everton Lady will give advice or step in. As for danger, that seems unlikely. However, if danger presents itself, a lady is required to report it and remove herself from harm’s way unless a child might fall into harm’s way.”
“What do you do if there is a child?” He watched her as if every word were important, and he didn’t want to miss a word.
“Children and their welfare must always be the first priority.
I am authorized to remove a child to another family member if the danger is clear and present.” Millie cringed inside, hoping she never had to make that decision.
He frowned, and his eyes grew distant.
“Have I said something wrong, Captain?” She’d answered his question honestly, but the look in his eyes was wounded.
Shaking his head, he smiled. “I’m sorry. I was just thinking how nice it would have been to have a rescuer such as yourself when I was a boy.”
Preston stiffened beside her but didn’t say anything.
Inside Captain Bennett’s open expression was the boy he had once been, wounded and left as a hurtful memory. Millie wished she had been there to rescue him. She smiled. “Now you rescue others, Captain. You and your men protect England. It seems to me, whatever difficulties you might have had, you have overcome them magnificently.”
“You are too kind.”
A scuffle began at the far end of the tavern. Two soldiers knocked over a bench and rolled on the floor.
Preston’s arm came around her and pulled her back.
Bowing, Captain Bennett said, “I suppose this was to be expected. They have been in close quarters for months. You had better get Miss Edgebrook to safety. I will handle my men.”
Preston nodded. “Let’s gather Mrs. Whimple and go upstairs.”
His breath on her neck and his arm around her made her long for so much more. Things she could never have, and it was foolish to long for.
* * * *
The thunder and lightning continued, but the clap of thunder that woke Millie was louder and closer. The floor, walls and windows shook. People screamed outside. Acrid smoke stung her eyes. That was not the effect of the storm. Something exploded and was on fire. Millie pulled on her cloak and boots in an instant and ran into the adjoining room. “Doris!”
No response. The room was already foggy with smoke. Millie went to the bed. Empty. Panic rising, her heart pounded. What was happening?
Someone yelled behind her. She couldn’t see three feet in front of her. The smoke billowed in dense clouds, choking her. She tried to find the door. Tears ran down her face from the burning smoke, and her chest ached. Her toe caught on a floorboard, and she fell hard on the threadbare carpet. Pain shot from her knee down.
The air was better on the floor. Gasping for air, she crawled forward until she found the door. Reaching up, she pulled the latch and then the handle.
People screamed and ran toward the stairs.
The smoke hovered above Millie’s head, but she’d be trampled if she remained on the floor.
Arms came around her from above. She screamed.
“It’s me, Millicent. I have you.” Preston’s voice was a welcome balm for her panic. He lifted her off the floor and carried her down the hall toward the stairs.
“Doris isn’t in her room. I don’t know where she is.” Losing her companion of ten years was not possible. She struggled in Preston’s arms. She had to go back and find Doris.
“Be still. She probably ran to see what was happening when the first shots began. I believe the storage building with the gunpowder and ammunition is exploding. We have to get out of here.” His arms tightened around her. He coughed but never stopped moving.
The lower level was a mass of hysterical humanity. Men grabbing each other and running for the door. The door jammed with people trying to get out.
Preston stopped and turned to the right. He knelt down and put her on the floor by the wall. “Stay low.”
She didn’t argue. Her terror was too great to ask what he was doing. The smoke was getting closer to the floor, and she couldn’t see. Glass shattered, and she screamed.
She screamed again when his arms appeared from the smoke, and he lifted her. “I’m putting you through the window, Millie. Don’t run. Wait for me. It’s hell out there. Things are still exploding.”
Too scared and choked with smoke, she nodded, though she couldn’t imagine he could see her, or anything for that matter.
Outside it wasn’t much better. Rain poured down, drenching her in an instant. The cries of men and women filled the darkness. Explosions rang through the storm as they entered the center of a battlefield with no enemy.
Preston grabbed her face and made her look him in the eye. “Millicent, look at me. Are you hurt?”
Terror filled his eyes, but his focus was on her. He was afraid for her. “I… I’m not injured.”
“We will have to run and get you to safety. I can carry you, but it would be better if you can walk.”
Shaking herself out of the fear-induced stupor, she focused on his face. Smeared with soot and tight with emotion, he was like an avenging angel. Her savior. “I can walk.”
“Good girl.” Hand in hand he pulled her into the bowels of hell.
The rain obscured the details, coming down in thick streams only interrupted by strong winds blowing the water sideways. Despite the abundance of water, the storage building, trees and part of the inn were ablaze. Men ran across the flooded yard; horses, cows and other farm animals bolted in terror. Thunder rolled on and on while flashes of lightning gave the sky the look of nightmares. Smoke choked the air, and Millie gripped Preston’s hand like a lifeline.
Another explosion shook the ground, forcing them to drop into the mud. Pieces of wood and nails rained down.
Preston covered her body with his. A man collapsed next to her.
Millie reached out to pull him close. His red coat was covered in mud and blood, and his eyes stared out with nothing behind them.
“You can’t help him, sweetheart.” Preston grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted her to her feet.
A gray horse sprang to his back legs.
Stepping between the horse and Millie, Preston raised a hand and clutched the harness on the beast’s nose. He spoke softly and eased the horse down before swinging onto his back.
Preston leaned forward and reached out his hand. “Give me your arm.”
Another explosion and screams of men shot through the torrential rain.
Too terrified to argue or speculate why he wanted it, she obeyed, and he hauled her up until she was seated in front of him.
They bolted from the yard without the benefit of a saddle. The horse was happy to be away from the fire and hysteria. Millie had to admit she too was thankful, but worried about Doris and the others. She pressed her back tight against his chest for stability.
He handled the horse without reins with ease and held her with one arm. “It’s going to be okay, Millicent. I see a barn. I’m going to see that you are safe, but then I need to go back and help.”
“You must find Doris. She is my responsibility. I cannot lose her.” Tears mingled with the rain pouring down her face.
He stopped the horse and jumped down before reaching up to pull her into his arms. Inside, the barn was dark but dry. A bolt of lightning gave them a moment’s illumination. “There are no animals in here. It must be abandoned. Stay inside and rest. I’ll be back for you.”
The idea of being alone in a strange dark barn did not appeal to Millie, but there was no choice. She drew a shaky breath. “I will be fine.”
His lips pressed to her forehead. It was sweet and familiar and ripped at her heart. Then he ran out into the storm, and the sound of hooves splashing away faded to nothing.
Lightning showed her a stack of hay and a bucket. She turned the bucket over and sat on the hard wood. The hay was a clear sign that the barn wasn’t vacant as Preston believed. Someone was storing it. Shivering, she pulled her coat closed, but it was sodden and did little to warm her.
At the next crack of light, she spotted a lantern and tinderbox on the post to her right. She felt her way and cleared the hay away to reveal a dirt floor. The candle was good enough to give her a few hours’ light. Maybe enough to last until dawn. She set to work on striking the ti
nder and kept a piece of straw handy. Her arm was tired by the time she finally managed to make the straw light. Quickly lighting the candle, it was a relief. The darkness had been isolating.
She threw dirt on the straw and made sure she didn’t light her haven on fire, before settling back on the bucket and putting the lantern back on the post.
Movement in the shadows drew her attention to the corners. Her teeth chattered, but she called out, “Who’s there?”
From the empty stalls came a whimper, and then a yellow head poked out. The dog was thin, wet, but had the most solemn eyes she’d ever seen.
“Oh, hello. Come on out. I could use a spot of company tonight.” Part of her worried that she might get bitten, but she hoped the dog was as happy to see her as she was to see it.
The frightened animal gave one wag and studied her.
She reached out a hand, palm up. “Come on, beauty. I won’t hurt you.”
Ears alert, she crept closer until she could sniff Millie’s hand. Giving her fingers a lick, she wagged her tail and committed to sitting next to Millie.
“I wish it were so easy to gain the trust of people, Beauty.” She slid off the bucket and sat on the ground next to her new friend. Beauty was warm, despite being wet, and Millie was happy for her company.
Beauty turned her head and licked Millie’s chin.
Laughing, Millie turned Beauty’s long nose away. “Well, we are friends. I don’t let just anyone lick my face, you know. I’m curious how you landed here. You’re too thin to be living with someone. I’d say you’re a bird dog. I wonder if anyone is missing you, or perhaps you might come and stay with me. What would Lady Jane say if I returned with you to Everton House?”
Millie’s teeth chattered, and she hugged Beauty tighter to her. Beauty lay down across Millie’s legs and leaned against her chest. “If Lady Jane does not like the idea of you living with me, I shall bring you to Uncle Francis. He will love you, and the staff will see to your needs. I have no doubt of that. It might be good for Uncle Francis to have another soul to care for. Though, I have to warn you, he forgot about me quite often. Without the staff, I might not have survived. Still, he is full of love, and you might be just what he needs to keep him company. What do you think, Beauty?”
A Lady's Escape Page 14