The Requisite Courage by Tracy Cooper-Posey

Author:Tracy Cooper-Posey [Cooper-Posey, Tracy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stories Rule Press Inc.
Published: 2021-01-17T00:00:00+00:00

ADELE POURED TWO GLASSES OF scotch, one of them far larger than the other. She pushed the full glass up against the back of Daniel’s hand, where he leaned heavily against the big worktable, his head down.

He gripped the glass.

“Drink,” she said softly and took a sip of her own.

For five minutes, she let the scotch touch her lips, while Daniel drank the full glass. While he drank, the castle awoke around them. Lamps were lit. People stirred. Alarmed voices called out to each other.

Eventually, two members of the Scottish Royal Regiment came into the kitchen. The officer nodded at Adele and Daniel, removing his cap. “May I have your names, please, sir? We’re to account for everyone.”

“Is the King safe?” Daniel asked.

“The King was our first priority. He is safe and well, sir.”

“Good,” Daniel said. He gave his name, and Adele’s.

The officer took note of their names in a small exercise book, nodding as he wrote. “You might be best heading for your rooms, sir,” he told Daniel. “This flap is likely to take the rest of the night.”

“And we’ll be in the way,” Daniel guessed.

“Something like that, sir.”

“Can you tell us what has happened, officer?” Adele asked, keeping her voice timid. “We’ve heard shouting, and someone said there had been rifle fire in the house…”

The officer shook his head. “We’re still sorting that out, m’lady. But it is perfectly safe inside the house, now. You can return to your room without fear.”

Adele didn’t bother correcting his impression that she was concerned for her safety. Instead, she turned to Daniel. “Do you mind if I retire? It has been quite the evening…”

Daniel poured another inch of scotch into his glass. “I’m going to drink this and turn in myself. Let’s talk in the morning, yes?” His gaze met hers.

Adele gave him a small smile. “I imagine Mr. Melville might want to speak to us both. I know I want to speak to him. Goodnight, Daniel.”

She made her way to her room on the next floor—the same floor as the King’s, but in the opposite corner. On the way she glimpsed people in dressing gowns and slippers, in clumps of two and three, heads together as they discussed the drama.

Adele did not pause to talk to anyone even though everyone looked up as she passed by, expecting her to stop and share what she knew with them. There was not a single nose in the air. No one turned their back on her.

Instead of stopping, Adele kept her gaze ahead, as if the corridors and corners she passed were quite empty, and continued to her room.

Her room was as she had left it, the lamp turned low, the bedclothes tossed back. Her slippers were beneath the bed where she had left them. She suspected she would sleep more soundly for what was left of the night than she had in many long weeks.

Instead of locking the door and heading straight over to the bed, Adele went over to the dressing table and opened her reticule.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.