Chaos Come Again by Jude Knight

Author:Jude Knight [Knight, Jude]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Titchfield Press

A week after Lion’s arrival in Freineda, he began asking for permission to return to his men. And, incidentally, his wife. The drive into Spain should have started on the 1st of June, but the rains had not come, meaning insufficient feed for the horses along the way. An army could not march without its horses.

Also, Wellington was waiting on pontoons to cross the rivers they would encounter along the way. The pontoons had been ordered months ago, and were late, so the marquess was irritated and not inclined to let Lion go.

Lion asked again the next day. He had his orders for the men under his command. Both of his squadrons would be fighting in the army of General Picton. The exploring officers, the soldiers others called his Zoo, were already in the field. His men needed him.

Furthermore, he didn’t want to be in the vicinity of the scoundrel who apparently still wanted his wife. Westinghouse was welcomed everywhere. He was always accompanied by the Conde, his host, and sat glowering at Lion whenever they were in the same room.

Then the news of Lion’s legitimate birth and subsequent title arrived by post from England, as expected. Less expected were the mostly accurate accounts of Westinghouse’s abduction of Dorothea, her subsequent rescue, and her marriage to Lion. This story was usually given the most romantic of glosses—Lion saw the fine hand of Lady Blaine and her network of correspondents.

After that, Westinghouse stopped appearing in public, and most of Lion’s fellow officers took him to one side to tell him they had always believed in him.

Days more passed before he was finally given his release. In Portugal’s mountains, the twenty miles to Almeida took half a day, but Lion was spurred on by the hope his wife would be waiting for him.

His men were camped outside the fortified village. Many village buildings had been badly damaged when stored gunpowder blew up during an attack some four years ago, so quartering even his officers on the villagers had not been an option and the barracks within the fortifications were already occupied.

Lion rode through the camp, waving to his men. No sign of Fox or Michael Cassiday. He dismounted at the farmhouse he had rented, leaving his horse to one of his men, and hurrying inside.

A shout brought Blythe running. “Colonel! Sir!”

“Any word from Lady Harcourt, Blythe?” Lion asked.

Blythe beamed. “Message from Major Cassiday, sir. My lord. Messenger said they should be here tomorrow.”

Lion took the package Blythe handed him and smiled fondly at the note written in Dorothea’s hand. Realising he was being watched, he wiped the smile from his face and tucked the note inside his jacket to read when he was alone. He opened the report. Today’s date. Michael’s signature. Lady Harcourt was well. Her ship had been delayed by a storm and had arrived two days late, so they had left Porto immediately. Michael planned to stop in Almendra for the night.

Lion checked his pocket watch. The fifteen-hour days of June gave him more than enough time to reach that village before nightfall.

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