Some Like It Wicked by Teresa Medeiros

Author:Teresa Medeiros [Medeiros, Teresa]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Historical
Publisher: Avon
Published: 2010-11-11T23:00:00+00:00

“You tripped?” Catriona repeated stupidly.

“That’s right. I didn’t regain consciousness for over a week after the battle, and by the time I woke up, word of my so-called sacrifice had already spread through the entire fleet.

When I opened my eyes, my captain was standing at the foot of my hammock beaming at me. He said that if not for me, he would have met the same fate as Nelson on the Victory. He was the one who informed me that the King himself would be waiting to knight me for valor the minute I set foot on English soil.”

“I was there,” Catriona whispered, more to herself than to him. “I was there that day on the docks. I begged Uncle Ross to take the whole family on an outing so we could watch the Belleisle sail into port. Georgina napped the entire time and Alice did nothing but complain because she loathed being crammed into the carriage with the rest of us. She accused me of dirtying the hem of her petticoat with my big, clumsy feet. But I didn’t care.”

Simon was gazing at her as if her confession pained him more than his own.

A ghost of a smile curved her lips. “I’ll never forget how handsome you looked in your uniform when you came striding down that gangplank—like a young prince who had just saved his kingdom from some terrible villain. The crowd was calling your name and all the pretty young girls were throwing roses in your path.

“Uncle Ross tried to stop me, but I scrambled out of the carriage and snatched up a rose from the boardwalk. When you passed by me, I held it out to you and you took it. You smiled at me, but I knew you hadn’t seen me. Not really. I was just another face in the crowd.”

“Another fool, you mean,” he said harshly. “There were a hundred heroes in that battle—most of them genuine. Why in the bloody hell did you have to choose me?”

“I don’t know! You looked so handsome and noble in your uniform that day in the barn, especially when you stood up to Alice on my behalf. I suppose I convinced myself that if I’d had a champion like you five years before…” She trailed off, unable to voice her most secret conviction.

“What?” he snapped without an ounce of mercy. “Your parents wouldn’t have been slaughtered? Your brother wouldn’t have had to send you away? Do you think I would have battled the redcoats on your behalf? Come thundering up on my white charger and whisked you away to a place where no one could ever hurt you or belittle you or break your heart?” He leaned his shoulder against a tree, looking as beautiful and heartless as she had ever seen him. “Don’t you see, darling? I’m no noble hero from some ridiculous Scottish fairy tale, and I never was. I’m no Robert the Bruce or Bonnie Prince Charlie.

I’m the worst sort of coward, and now

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