slaughter, but if they kept their heads, they would live to avenge the company’s honor on the battlefield.
When he was done, he left it to the corporals to sort out the jumble of soldiers. He and Dan stood near the door and talked in low voices. Will repeated all Pelletier had told him of Robuchon’s nature.
Dan shook his head. “So we had a narrower escape than we knew. Poor Mrs. Arrington.”
Will peered through the open doorway and over the guards’ shoulders at the big house. “I wish I knew where she was.”
“You can’t protect her, Will. None of us can. If you really think having Juana with her is going to help—”
Will bit his lip. “I don’t want to put Juana in danger. You know that, don’t you?”
“What I know is that only one woman matters to you now.”
“That’s not true,” Will protested. “Juana is my friend.”
“I know,” Dan said wearily. “And she’s my woman, and I wouldn’t have let her stay with Mrs. Arrington if I thought it was too dangerous. She’s not the one he’s after.”
Will noticed movement at a window on the ground floor. “Look there.”
Juana and Mrs. Arrington stood together at an open window. Juana had her baby cradled against her shoulder. Will doubted the women could see them where they stood in the shadows. Even if they could, they were wise enough not to draw attention to themselves by making any sign. He and Dan watched silently until the women closed the shutters.
***
Anna stepped away from the window and took stock of their quarters. Were they not prisoners, she would have considered this room luxurious. A heavy four-poster bed with hangings and coverlet of crimson brocade dominated the space. She and Juana would have to share it, but as long as Colonel Robuchon stayed away she was content. She had spent many nights in the same bed with Helen and the children when there wasn’t space enough in a billet to quarter all the married officers separately.
They also had a washstand, a low table, and two ornately carved chairs whose upholstery matched the bed hangings. A thick rug in an even darker red cushioned her feet with unaccustomed softness.
Just after their arrival, a servant girl had brought a pitcher filled with fresh water. Half an hour later, two soldiers under Commandant Pelletier’s supervision had brought in a cradle and set it at the foot of the bed, followed by two more bearing Anna’s trunk. She couldn’t deny that they were being treated well, but still she was nervous and ill at ease.
“I suppose I should dress for dinner,” Anna said. “At least the other officers will be there, not just Colonel Robuchon, and our surgeons. Still, I dread it. I only wish they’d treat our sergeants like officers and ask them to dine. After all, with Lieutenant O’Brian gone and Lieutenant Montmorency injured, they are in command.”
“You would feel safer with Will close by, no?” Juana watched her with knowing eyes as she settled her baby in the cradle.
“Yes. I would.” Her whole being trembled with awareness of the danger she was in, and she longed for a protector, a knight to take up her defense. “And you would have Sergeant Reynolds near,” she pointed out.
“It would be very pleasant, but such a thing would never happen.” The baby fussed and stirred, and Juana soothed her.
“I know.” She sighed and looked out the window again. “They must be dreadfully crowded in that barn.”
“ Sí . But Will and Dan will manage them. Should I help you dress for dinner, señora?”
“I don’t mean to make you act as my lady’s maid, but I could use some help with the buttons and lacings.”
“Of course, señora.”
“Let me get the dress.” Anna knelt to open her trunk. “I don’t have a great variety, but I cannot go to dinner coated in dust and mud.”
She rifled through her belongings and found a fresh shift, a petticoat, and a pair of stockings, along with the best of her three black dresses. Juana helped her
When he was done, he left it to the corporals to sort out the jumble of soldiers. He and Dan stood near the door and talked in low voices. Will repeated all Pelletier had told him of Robuchon’s nature.
Dan shook his head. “So we had a narrower escape than we knew. Poor Mrs. Arrington.”
Will peered through the open doorway and over the guards’ shoulders at the big house. “I wish I knew where she was.”
“You can’t protect her, Will. None of us can. If you really think having Juana with her is going to help—”
Will bit his lip. “I don’t want to put Juana in danger. You know that, don’t you?”
“What I know is that only one woman matters to you now.”
“That’s not true,” Will protested. “Juana is my friend.”
“I know,” Dan said wearily. “And she’s my woman, and I wouldn’t have let her stay with Mrs. Arrington if I thought it was too dangerous. She’s not the one he’s after.”
Will noticed movement at a window on the ground floor. “Look there.”
Juana and Mrs. Arrington stood together at an open window. Juana had her baby cradled against her shoulder. Will doubted the women could see them where they stood in the shadows. Even if they could, they were wise enough not to draw attention to themselves by making any sign. He and Dan watched silently until the women closed the shutters.
***
Anna stepped away from the window and took stock of their quarters. Were they not prisoners, she would have considered this room luxurious. A heavy four-poster bed with hangings and coverlet of crimson brocade dominated the space. She and Juana would have to share it, but as long as Colonel Robuchon stayed away she was content. She had spent many nights in the same bed with Helen and the children when there wasn’t space enough in a billet to quarter all the married officers separately.
They also had a washstand, a low table, and two ornately carved chairs whose upholstery matched the bed hangings. A thick rug in an even darker red cushioned her feet with unaccustomed softness.
Just after their arrival, a servant girl had brought a pitcher filled with fresh water. Half an hour later, two soldiers under Commandant Pelletier’s supervision had brought in a cradle and set it at the foot of the bed, followed by two more bearing Anna’s trunk. She couldn’t deny that they were being treated well, but still she was nervous and ill at ease.
“I suppose I should dress for dinner,” Anna said. “At least the other officers will be there, not just Colonel Robuchon, and our surgeons. Still, I dread it. I only wish they’d treat our sergeants like officers and ask them to dine. After all, with Lieutenant O’Brian gone and Lieutenant Montmorency injured, they are in command.”
“You would feel safer with Will close by, no?” Juana watched her with knowing eyes as she settled her baby in the cradle.
“Yes. I would.” Her whole being trembled with awareness of the danger she was in, and she longed for a protector, a knight to take up her defense. “And you would have Sergeant Reynolds near,” she pointed out.
“It would be very pleasant, but such a thing would never happen.” The baby fussed and stirred, and Juana soothed her.
“I know.” She sighed and looked out the window again. “They must be dreadfully crowded in that barn.”
“ Sí . But Will and Dan will manage them. Should I help you dress for dinner, señora?”
“I don’t mean to make you act as my lady’s maid, but I could use some help with the buttons and lacings.”
“Of course, señora.”
“Let me get the dress.” Anna knelt to open her trunk. “I don’t have a great variety, but I cannot go to dinner coated in dust and mud.”
She rifled through her belongings and found a fresh shift, a petticoat, and a pair of stockings, along with the best of her three black dresses. Juana helped her
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