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

out of date, but it contained a detailed description of the army’s retreat from Spain back to Portugal. Both Jack and Francis had found the news very depressing, containing, as it did, news of dreadful casualties. Jack was particularly affected by the horrendous losses suffered by Anson’s brigade. They had fought together at Salamanca, and Anson and many of his officers were friends of Jack’s.

The paper criticised Wellington for allowing it to happen. The press were fair-weather friends to Old Hookey, Jack decided. He was a hero when he was winning, and a bungling fool when things were difficult. Disgusted, he tossed the paper aside. After a few moments, he recalled Francis’s question about Kate. He hadn’t seen her at all that day. No doubt she was avoiding him again, after their clash in the kitchen the previous night.

“She’s probably in the kitchen.” He got up to pour himself a glass of madeira, but was annoyed to discover the decanter empty. “Carlos!” he bellowed.

Carlos arrived and was dispatched to fetch a new bottle. As he was leaving Francis spoke. “Carlos, have you seen Miss Kate?”

“No senor, she went off for a drive with Sefior Cole this morning.”

Both men frowned. “But it is now well into the afternoon. Are you sure she has not returned?” asked Francis.

Carlos nodded lugubriously. “Si, senor, for Mrs Martha and the girls have been waiting for her to come back all afternoon.”

The two gentlemen exchanged glances. Jack sullenly shrugged, endeavouring to conceal his concern. “If she wants to spend all day with her betrothed, then it is her concern. She clearly has no concern for her reputation.”

“Her betrothed?” said Francis. “She is not betrothed.”

Jack shrugged again. “She neglected to inform you? That greasy Cit had the confounded impudence to propose to her yesterday and the stupid chit accepted him.”

Francis frowned. “When exactly was this?”

“Yesterday, on the terrace. I caught him with his greasy paws all over her, kissing her. Gave him a leveller.” He clenched his fists. “Wish I’d knocked his teeth clear out the back of his head. I would have too, but the wretched girl hung off my arm, screeching that they were to be married, so then there was nothing left for me to do but go away and leave the happy couple to plan the wedding.”

Francis’s brow cleared, and he tried to hide his twitching lips. His friend was trying very hard to sound indifferent, with scant success. He took pity on him. “She didn’t accept him, you know.”

“Yes, she did.”

“No, she did not. I was here, in the library, when you knocked him down.” Francis chuckled. “I was just about to go out and intervene, but you beat me to it, for she was no willing participant in that embrace, I can assure you.”

Jack looked doubtful. “Well, she must have changed her mind later.”

Francis shook his head. “Not a chance, old boy. After you left, the fellow had the infernal cheek to persist with his suit. I heard Kate refuse him in no uncertain terms, several times. He would have forced himself upon her again if I had not intervened and sent him to the right about with the offer of a little of my own home-brewed.” He grinned reflectively. “You should have seen him scuttling off across the lawn. I expect his coachman caught up with him by the time he reached the front gate.”

Both men burst out laughing at the thought.

Then Jack sobered abruptly. “Then why the devil did she go driving with him this morning?” Their glances met. “And why has she not returned by now?” He ran his hand through his hair.

“I have to tell you, Francis, that I taxed her with it last night and she never denied that she and Cole were betrothed.”

“I suppose you did it in your usual tactful manner, didn’t you?” said Francis. Jack grimaced.

“In a filthy temper, were you?” said Francis. “Doing your level best to pick a quarrel?” He shook his head. “The best way to make a woman do the opposite of what you want is to try and bully her. Especially a woman as spirited as Kate. She probably told you she was betrothed to her cousin to pay you back for your impudence.”

He met his friend’s eye. “Depend on it, Jack, it was all a hum. If yesterday was anything to go by, the little Farleigh has nothing but dutiful family feeling in her heart for that fellow, and it was pretty strained at that, after the way he tried to push her into marrying him.”

“So where the devil is she?” Jack headed for the kitchen, shouting for Carlos, Martha and the two girls. He questioned them as to why Kate had gone for a drive with her cousin when they had not parted on good terms the day before.

‘“E came around this morning,” said Martha, “with an ‘angdog look on ‘is face and a bunch of flowers. Said ‘e were sorry and would she forgive ‘im and let ‘im take ‘er for a drive.” She wrung her hands in her apron. “But that were hours and hours ago, sir, and it ain’t like Miss Kate to stay out so long, ‘specially with a gentleman.”

“Did she take anything with her, Martha?”

Martha looked puzzled. “What do you mean, sir?”

“A portmanteau, a bandbox, something like that.”

Martha shook her head firmly. “No, sir, nothing like that.” She peered suspiciously at him. “You bain’t be thinkin’ as Miss Kate’s run away, sir? Not Miss Kate. She wouldn’t worry us all like that.”

She caught his look of doubt and shook her head again. “I’ve known that girl since she was a tiny babe, Mr Jack, and it’s simply not in ‘er to sneak off behind people’s hacks.”

He looked sceptical, but Martha would have none of it. For once her beloved Mr Jack was wrong, and she, Martha, would put him right. “Oh, I admit, she ‘as a temper, when it’s roused, sir, but to do somethin’ like that—never! I’m worried, Mr Jack,