by Ella Edon
“She has written to me before, Tony, but those disappeared within six months.”
“When you didn’t write back to her.” Sergeant Anthony Brooker laughed. “I guess she figured that you were either dead or not interested.”
“I was hoping that she would believe the former.”
Anthony had been a childhood friend, the son of a minor noble. It was why he was a sergeant and Nathan were one of the officers. But Nathan couldn’t think of a better second-in-command for him than Anthony Brooker. Irrepressible as he was, he had Nathan’s back. It had kept him safe many times over the years. If it had been anyone else, Nathan wouldn’t be discussing someone so irritating in his life, something so personal.
“She seemed very interested in you when you first met.” Anthony grinned as he started reloading his rifle, reaching for the gunpowder. “I think she found the long-haired lad very attractive.”
“Tony, stop.” Nathan shuddered, turning the letter over in his hands. “She was not the woman I wanted or expected. She didn’t get the message, even when I signed up for the army.”
That had been a day. Nathan couldn’t think of anything more embarrassing than having Lorraine throw herself onto him, begging for him not to go in front of the smirking soldiers. He had taken a lot of teasing from that incident, especially when he tried to explain that Lorraine was nothing to him. They hadn’t believed that.
“Anyway, she’s married now. She wouldn’t be writing to me. Not unless she’s that brazen about writing to another man under her husband’s nose.”
“You sure about that?”
Nathan’s head snapped up. “What do you know?”
“Viscount Yaxley’s brother is in one of the other barracks. I overheard him talking about his brother’s death a few months back.” Anthony waggled his eyebrows. “She’s a widow now.”
“All the more reason I should stay here in France.” Nathan shuddered. “She’s not someone I want to be associated with.”
“She wants to be associated with you.”
“Enough, Sergeant.”
Anthony laughed. “All right, Captain, all right. You’re going to burst a blood vessel at this rate.”
“Only if you keep talking about Lorraine Brooks,” Nathan grumbled. He ran a hand over the seal keeping the envelope closed. “Besides, I recognize the seal. It’s my family seal.”
“So, it’s from your mother.”
“I would say so.”
Only Lady Vanity Reynolds, Dowager Countess of Brixton, would use the seal. It was just the two of them now. Lady Brixton’s parents were dead, as were her husband’s. She didn’t have any surviving siblings. Her husband, Nathan’s father, died the year before, and it was just Nathan left. She wanted him to be back in London, be the Earl of Brixton as he was supposed to be. Nathan didn’t want the title. The only title he wanted was Captain. It suited him. He was a far better soldier than a nobleman. His father had understood that. Vanity didn’t.
Nathan opened the letter. It was either that or stare at it. He read the first few lines and then read it again. It didn’t seem to be registering properly.
“So?” Anthony probed. “Is it from the Dowager Countess? What does Lady Vanity want now?”
Vanity. Never was a name more appropriate for a woman with so many airs and graces. Even then, this letter didn’t read like it was from his mother. It felt...emotional. Scared. Frightened. Those were not words associated with Vanity Reynolds.
“Nathan?” Now Anthony was looking at him oddly. “Are you all right? You’ve gone pale.”
“She says that she’s dying. That the doctor hasn’t given her long to live.”
Anthony blinked. “I didn’t think doctors could tell if anyone was dying until they were on their deathbed.”
“Neither did I. She does tend to exaggerate. Knowing her, it’s probably indigestion.”
“Her health hasn’t been that good in recent years.” Anthony pointed out. “Most of it is probably from worrying about you too much.”
Nathan snorted. “She doesn’t worry about anything or anyone except herself. It’s her image that’s important, nothing else.”
“You’ve got that right.” Anthony grunted. He ran his hand through his hair. “I know she’s your mother and everything, Nathan, but I’m not too impressed by Lady Brixton. She’s not a nice person.”
“You don’t need to be worried about offending me. You know me too well.” Nathan bit back a smile. “As long as you don’t say it to her face.”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Nathan had several times. It wasn’t easy, but he did it. The last few times, they had argued. Vanity wanted things to be perfect. A perfect life, perfect title and a perfect family. She had only one son, and she had mothered Nathan so much that he broke. He had signed up for the army with his father’s blessing at twenty after a second season and he hadn’t looked back. Vanity had been furious; she had wanted Nathan to marry and settle down, have children and be a perfect family. Nathan had no intention of doing that. All the young ladies his age were pretentious, fickle and pathetic. Any other noble lady would have been delighted that he was serving their country, defending them - but not Lady Vanity Reynolds. She didn’t want her only son in the firing line.
Her problem was that Nathan was very good at it and his senior commanders knew it. Nathan had even been praised and given a medal for his bravery by the Duke of Wellington himself. He had written back just that one time, to let his mother know of it. She didn’t even bother to reply. Didn’t even acknowledge it.
That hurt more than Nathan was prepared to admit.
“Did she say what she was suffering from?” Anthony asked.
“Doesn’t say.” Nathan read the rest of the letter. “She keeps it very vague. I know our family doctor is good, but even he can’t say that Mother is dying.”
“Do you think she’s sending a message or something? Like a code?”
“I have no idea. But something is certainly wrong.” Nathan lowered the letter, trying to figure it out. “I just wish I knew what she was up to.”
“Is she in trouble? Are you in danger and she’s trying to warn you?”
Nathan chuckled. “I’m on the front line and the French aren’t too far away from our position. How much more dangerous can you get?”
“Fair point.” Anthony frowned. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m not sure right now.” He put the letter back in the envelope and tucked it into the back of his trousers. “I’ll talk to General Sharpe about it later. How about we shoot some more targets? I’ll be able to think more clearly after that.”
Shooting at their targets always made him feel better.
Chapter Two
Eleanor entered her father’s study and looked around. For a moment, she couldn’t see him. Then she looked up and saw him on his ladder, high up above her. His bookcase spanned from the floor right to the high ceiling, just as high as it was in the library. Edward Heavenly loved books, and he and Eleanor’s mother had collected as many books as they could, even from second-hand bookstores. Eleanor’s favourite memories were of following her mother, Baroness Heavenly, into the bookstores and going over all the books. She still loved the smell of an old book.
Even when there were bittersweet memories attached to it now.
Her father, Edward Heavenly, was reaching for something just out of his reach. He was going to fall, and the ladder would slide surely out from under him if he kept reaching. Eleanor hurried over, grabbing the ladder and easing it over.
“What the…?” Edward Heavenly flailed, grabbing at the ladder. Then he looked down, annoyance clearing to surprise. “Eleanor. I didn’t realize you were there.”
“Obviously.” Eleanor held the ladder stable as Edward Heavenly snagged the book he wanted. “You should have let me know you were going all the way up. I would have come here to help you.”
“You were busy. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“You wouldn
’t have been disturbing me.” Eleanor stepped back as her father came down, moving just out of the way. “You know I always come when you need me.”
“I know.” Edward Heavenly smiled at her as he put his feet on flat ground. He cupped her jaw affectionately. “And I knew you would say that.”
That was what Eleanor had been doing ever since her mother had died. It had been eight long years since she dropped everything to look after her father once she saw him sliding into the bottle. Edward Heavenly had relapses and he would end up drunk, but Eleanor made sure to keep a close eye on him. When he was drunk, he was easy prey. Especially if cards were involved.
At least those weren’t out anywhere. Eleanor was sure her father hadn’t been able to find all the packs of cards she had hidden. If they were out, he was planning on going out to play poker or another game that involved money. She couldn’t let that happen.
“Are you all right, Father?”
“Perfectly all right.” Edward Heavenly sighed and moved away, placing the book on his desk. “And if you’re wondering if I’ve had a drink today, I haven’t. Not for nearly a month now since that fool Parsons took away all my liquor and the servants won’t do as they’re told and bring me one.”
“Because I told them not to.” Eleanor watched as her father’s hands shook a little. He hadn’t been sober for this long before, but she was going to make sure he kept to it. “You know what you’re like when you’ve had a drink, Father. It’s not going to help you.”
“Worried about me, are you?”
“Father!”
Edward Heavenly briefly closed his eyes, his throat moving as he swallowed. “Forgive me, Eleanor. I don’t mean to sound so harsh.”
“I know that.” Eleanor approached him, touching his arm. “But we both know that you are not a good man when you’ve had even one glass. It doesn’t do you any favours.”
Edward Heavenly had barely drunk anything before. Then his wife had died, and Edward Heavenly had turned to the bottle. He wanted to be able to wipe away the memories that made him fall asleep crying at night. Eleanor ended up lying in bed hearing her father sobbing and it hurt. She didn’t like hearing him like this. Her mother had been Edward Heavenly’s world. Eight years now, and he was still struggling to cope. Eleanor was doing the best she could, and she missed her mother. It wasn’t easy to make the memories fade when her father refused to let go.
If he let go, they would be in a better place. They wouldn’t be close to losing everything because of his card games and his drinking. Eleanor had finally put her foot down. Now Baron Heavenly had to pick himself up and get through it. Eleanor was beginning to wonder if he was able to do that.
“What am I supposed to do, Eleanor?” Edward Heavenly slumped into his chair. “When I’m sober, I think of your mother, and that hurts.” He rubbed at his chest. “A lot.”
“I know it does and it hurts me, too.” Eleanor knelt and rested her hands on his knees. “But we must think of ourselves, Father. You’ve still got me, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Edward Heavenly gave her a small smile. He reached out and stroked her hair.
“I’m very lucky that you are my child. But you’ve put everything to one side to look after me. You’ve given up your life to dedicate it to me. You shouldn’t have done that.”
“Who was going to look after you?”
“The servants would be there for me.”
Eleanor snorted. “And they would bring you a drink every time you snapped your fingers. Not while I’m around.”
Edward Heavenly groaned. “You are mean, Eleanor. I hope you’re not so unkind to those orphans you look after every other day.”
Eleanor smiled. “Someone has to, Father. I don’t mind doing it. I’d like them to have someone to look up to, and I hope that is me.”
“And you throw your life away looking after other people.” Edward Heavenly sighed. “Don’t you ever want someone to look after you.”
Eleanor knew what he meant. She took a deep breath. “It’s fine, Father. Really.”
The look on her father’s face made Eleanor’s heart ache. He did love her, she didn’t need to question that. She had been close to getting married eight years ago when her mother died, but Eleanor had seen that her father needed her. Her fiancé hadn’t thought the same way and tried to make her choose. Eleanor didn’t need to think and had chosen her father. Her fiancé hadn’t been very happy, but Eleanor didn’t care. If he couldn’t respect that she needed to look after her father now that he was alone, then her fiancé didn’t really love her. It hadn’t been as painful as Eleanor thought when she watched him walk away.
“You need a marriage, Eleanor,” Edward Heavenly insisted. “You’re approaching thirty.”
“And I was put on the shelf eight years ago, Father. I’m fine with it, I said.”
“Why don’t I believe you?”
Eleanor didn’t blink as she looked up at her father. She rose to her feet. “Believe what you want. I’m happy.”
Edward Heavenly snorted. “That I really don’t believe.”
Eleanor was not having this conversation now. Edward Heavenly kept badgering her to find someone who was willing to marry a woman who was turning thirty in eighteen months. Eleanor had no desire to go and find a man. If there were any who were interested in having her as a wife, they weren’t desirable themselves. Eleanor had accepted the fact that she wouldn’t have what everyone else had, and she was fine with it.
For the most part.
When are you going to stop lying to yourself?
Eleanor pushed her thoughts away and leaned over to kiss her father’s forehead.
“I’m going to head out to the orphanage. Just make sure you stay in tonight.”
“I promise.” Edward Heavenly held up his hand. “Just go. You don’t need to worry about me.”
Eleanor kept the smile up as she closed the door, but it faded as soon as she was in the hall. She had seen something near her father’s hand when she was kissing his head and her heart had sunk. The cards. He had found a deck. That only meant one thing.
He wasn’t going to keep his promise tonight.
Eleanor spied her father’s valet coming down the hall and hurried to him.
“Parsons.”
Parsons looked up and blinked. Then he gave Eleanor a slight bow.
“Lady Eleanor.”
Eleanor glanced over her shoulder. Her father, Edward Heavenly, wouldn’t be able to hear them, but she still lowered her voice. “He’s going out tonight, isn’t it?”
Parsons didn’t look shocked at her response.
“You saw the deck of cards as well.”
“I did. He’s preparing himself.” Eleanor shook her head. “I don’t want him going out, but I can’t exactly stop him.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Find Strauss. Lock all the doors and windows and make sure Strauss keeps the keys with him. Do not give them to Father under any circumstances.”
Parsons snorted. “Do you really think that’s going to keep him in?”
“I don’t know but I’m going to make sure that he has a hard time getting out. I don’t trust him when he’s got his cards out.”
Keeping him sober and away from the cards was going to be tough, but Eleanor knew that there would be a point of no return if Edward Heavenly kept going out as he was, and they were rapidly approaching it. It had to be stopped somehow.
“I’ll make sure he stays home, my lady,” Parsons promised.
“Thank you.” Eleanor gave him a nod and headed towards the front door. “Fetch my coat, please? I’ll be back about ten.”
“I’ll make sure I’m up to let you in.” Parsons hurried to the closet and retrieved Eleanor’s coat. He helped her into it, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Stay safe.”
Eleanor turned and looked up at him with a smile. Henry Parsons had been in their service since she was ten years old. He was like an older brother and looked out for b
oth her and her father. It was sweet to have someone worry about her. She patted his hand.
“I’ll have Jonathan with me, won’t I? Of course I’m going to be safe.”
Nathan stepped into the tent, ducking his head before straightening up inside. This was the tent of his top commander, the man in charge of the whole barracks. It was a kind of honour to step into the place that felt like sacred ground. Even after ten years in the army, Nathan never lost the feeling.