Gallant Waif by Anne Gracie (the alpha prince and his bride full story free .txt) 📗

Kate sat in the adjoining room, her chair pushed as near as was decent to the connecting door. Some sewing lay in her lap, but her fingers weren’t moving. She was eavesdropping. She had been unable to endure the strain any longer— she had to know whether any of the men had recognised her. From where she was sitting she could hear every word in the next room.

“Pos’tively cosy li’l place you have here, Jack,” said Sir Toby. “Good dinner, good wine, roaring fire, good companions—all a man could want, right here. And right smack bang in the middle of some of the best damned hunting country in the world! You’re a lucky man, Jack Carstairs.”

At his words an awkward hush fell over the room.

“Oh, God, Jack, I’m a clumsy oaf! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“Just shut up, Tubby!” hissed Andrew Lennox. “You’ve said quite enough.”

“I didn’t mean…” Sir Toby trailed off miserably. There was a short silence.

“There’s no need to treat me with kid gloves, you know,” said Jack. “In fact, you don’t need to feel sorry for me at all.”

Colonel Masterton leaned forward into the light and stared hard at his friend. “So…” he said on a long note of discovery.

Jack grinned.”You always were as sharp as a razor, Francis.” He found his hand seized and wrung in a powerful grip. The other two stared in bewilderment.

“What the devil are you two talking about?” said Andrew Lennox. “I can only think of one thing…” He stared hard at Jack, read the truth in his eyes, then he too leapt forward and seized Jack’s hand, pumping it fervently.

“Will somebody please tell me what’s going on?” complained Sir Toby. “Why is everybody shaking Jack’s hand and what are you all being so damned mysterious about? Found an heiress, Jack, have you?”

The others laughed.

“Well, I’d planned to keep it as a surprise for tomorrow, Tubby, but I can ride again. Of course I’m not quite up to hunting yet, but I will be soon.”

Sir Toby stared, dumbfounded, for a moment, then leapt from his chair, spilling his drink, and seized Jack’s hand, shaking it until Jack thought it would drop off.

‘“S marvellous, old man, simply marvellous!” he kept repeating. He glared round at his two friends still seated in their respective chairs. “Don’t you un’erstand, you two idiots? Jack can ride! Ain’t you going to congratulate him?”

The others roared with laughter. When the tumult had died down and a fresh round of drinks had been poured, Francis said to Jack, “I don’t understand. The surgeons swore you’d never ride again, didn’t they?”

“They did. Miss Farleigh disagreed.”

“Miss Farleigh?” said Mr Lennox.

In the next room, Kate froze. Oh, no, no, she prayed silently. Do not tell them; please do not.

“Yes, her brother had been cured of a similar sort of injury by some Eastern doctor,” continued Jack. “She told me her brother regained almost full strength. . . unfortunately.”

“What?”

Jack explained. “Miss Farleigh lost her father and both her brothers in the war. Her brothers were in the 83rd, I believe. She is now utterly alone in the world, except for my grandmother, who has become her guardian.”

Kate sagged in her seat. The 83rd. She could not have been more clearly identified. If any of them had heard anything of her, their memories would be well and truly jogged now.

“Yes, that’s one point that I must confess quite eludes me. Do, pray, explain, dear boy. I know a little of Miss Farleigh’s story…”

Kate leapt from her chair. She stole to the door and leaned against it, breathless with fear. The Colonel did know her. He would tell Jack everything. Kate chewed her lip worriedly. She would have to leave. She couldn’t bear to see Jack’s face when he knew.

“Knew her brothers and met her father on several occasions. In Spain, you understand. And I have met Miss Farleigh once before, though she looked a little different then… But your grandmother’s ward? I never heard that you were related to Farleighs, Jack.”

“We’re not, of course. No blood relation at all as far as I know. She—my grandmother, I mean—was Miss Farleigh’s mother’s godmother.”

“Ah,” murmured Francis ironically. “A close family connection, I see.”

Oh, for goodness’ sake, get on with it! thought Kate. The tension was killing her.

Jack shrugged ruefully. “Well, you all know my grandmother—if she decides the connection is a close one then neither mortal man nor woman, can shift her.”

“No, indeed,” agreed Andrew. “Nor the immortals, I’d wager.”

Sir Toby interrupted. “I don’t understand what your grandmother’s got to do with this, Jack. Terrifying old woman! Treats me like a scrubby schoolboy every time I have the misfortune to run into her. As far as I’m concerned, the further she stays out of everything the better.” He paused a moment, then said with deepening suspicion, “I say! She’s not here, is she? Lurkin’ upstairs somewhere?”

Kate could have screamed with frustration.

“Oh, shut up, Tubby, you fool!” chuckled Andrew good-naturedly. “Let Jack finish his story. The oriental doctor, Jack,” he prompted.

“Well, as I said,” continued Jack, “Miss Farleigh’s brother regained full use of his limb, and she told me about it, though, like the fool I was, I wouldn’t listen to her… Damn near bit her head off for trying.”

“I can well imagine,” said Sir Toby frankly. “And, what’s more, you can be devilish unpleasant to be around when you’re like that, Jack; take my word for it. Wouldn’t have come uninvited like this, except Francis made me. Expected to see you snarling round the place like a bad-tempered wolf. Had to stop for a few quick ones on the way. Wasn’t going to tackle you sober! So what’d she do? Whisper sweet nothings, eh?”

Kate clenched her fists.

Jack chuckled. “On the contrary, she told me that if I wanted to spend the rest of my life being a cripple and falling off horses, to go right ahead doing what I was doing!”

“She didn’t?” gasped Sir Toby.

“She did. Told me to my head I was