Lady Emma's Campaign by Jennifer Moore

Author:Jennifer Moore
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781621089759
Publisher: Covenant Communications Inc.
Published: 2014-11-01T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Sidney held his musket in the crook of his elbow, listening to Serena and Emma. He was not close enough to hear their words, but the sound of their voices assured him of their safety. He had followed the women from the camp, remaining out of sight to give them privacy yet close enough to be available should they need him. He didn’t dare let them wander off on their own. Not when there could be French soldiers, Spanish thieves, or any number of situations in which they could come to harm. They were leagues behind enemy lines, and such a place was dangerous for anyone, especially women.

Serena had been lucky that Colonel Stackhouse and his company had discovered her when they did. During his campaign through Spain, Sidney had seen a number of women who had not been so fortunate: women whose ears bled from having earrings ripped from the lobes, women with torn clothes and the empty eyes that attested to wounds that would not heal with time, women and children with injuries so brutal that Sidney had been sickened as he imagined the men who had inflicted them.

He shifted the musket to his other elbow. Battles upon the sea, firing cannons at ships full of faceless enemies were infinitely different. He didn’t have to see the widows and orphans, ruined lives, and the decimated lands that were the result of foreign armies clashing in the places where people had previously felt safe. War had been his business for nearly twenty years, and recently, he had found himself wishing he had established another way to support his family. The burden of his responsibility for their welfare sometimes felt tangible, like his chest was being compressed.

The women became silent, and Sidney moved closer to the stream. When he still heard nothing over the flowing water, he called out, “Emma? Serena?”

“We are here,” Emma responded.

Sidney found them sitting upon the rocks, Emma’s arm around Serena’s shoulders. Serena was wiping her cheeks, and Sidney could tell she had been weeping. He glanced at Emma, and seeing the slight shake of her head, he knew not to inquire.

“I thought to check on you,” he said lamely.

“We are quite all right,” Emma said. “Thank you.” She reached for her stockings but, seeming to realize that Sidney was watching, hurriedly swung her feet to the other side of the rock, out of view.

Sidney cleared his throat and turned away. He did not want Emma to think he was being indecent, but he couldn’t help but notice the deep, bleeding blisters on her feet. He winced. She must have been in a great deal of pain yesterday, walking in boots that didn’t fit properly. Today’s march would likely make her injuries worse. He wished there was some sort of salve among their supplies. Sidney also could not help but notice the curve of Emma’s delicate ankles, and instantly reprimanded himself. He needed to discard these kinds of thoughts. He was her guardian after all. He cast about for something much less pleasant to look at.

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