Read Online Coming Home by Vonnie Hughes - Free Book Online

they would not be as ready as his father to believe ill of him.
    He still had all his selling-out money. If the Trewbridges failed him,
somehow he would find a way to make a living. He was a very different person from the stunned, unhappy youth who had left England five years ago.
    His first responsibility was to repay his redoubtable grandmother – or rather, to try to. He very much looked forward to seeing her again. ‘I doubt the army is the best life for you, Colly,’ she had said, as she handed him a bank draft to purchase his commission. ‘But you need time to stand back and assess what you will do with your life. And you need to do it far away from here. Pray God you don’t lose your life while you are finding yourself.’
    His grandmother had been right. Killing had not suited him, nor had the vagrant life. Most of all he had found it impossible to bury the mind-pictures of friends he had once laughed and joked with whose lives had been snuffed out like cheap candles. He had mourned over the mangled bodies of so many of his fellows that in the end he had avoided close friendships. Now, at last, he could put down roots and make friends, secure in the knowledge that on the morrow their bodies would not be piled up on top of each other, walling up a breach on the edge of a battlefield far from England.
    Lord, the relief at shaking off the shackles of the army!
    For many men it was an ideal occupation. But he had never thought that aiming a musket at a man in a different coloured uniform who might well be your cousin, or your neighbour’s cousin, was anything less than senseless. Thanks to Juliana and Dr Barreiro he had survived. And done well. He’d been promoted. So , he thought, Father dear, you know what you can do .
    Juliana’s voice broke into his musing. Of course he thought of her as Juliana now. How could he do anything else? He had lain beside her and kissed her. He had run his fingers through that dark-as-night hair and had even, for one glorious second, cupped her soft creamy breast in his hand. And he had relished her unmistakable response. It was ridiculous to think of her as Miss Colebrook.
    â€˜You are right,’ Juliana commented. ‘It would be a good idea to hire a maid.’
    â€˜I shall ask the proprietor where the receiving office or employment agency is,’ Colly promised. ‘He’ll know.’
    The proprietor was most helpful and, though Colly escorted her to the agency, he knew better than to offer to assist. She had seen and done more than any other young woman of his acquaintance. She would quickly adjust to the English way of doing things.
    Indeed, barely a half-hour later she joined him at the bootmakers,
where he was contemplating a fine piece of black leather. He was negotiating with the bootmaker to fashion him a neat plain pair of boots.
    â€˜No. No ornaments. No tassels,’ he said, as Juliana approached.
    For some reason she smiled.
    â€˜You are finished already?’ he enquired in surprise.
    â€˜Yes. Mrs Tudbroke is sending two young women to meet me at the Saracen’s Head. One will arrive later today and the other will come early tomorrow morning.’
    He thanked the bootmaker and they retraced their steps to the inn.
    He glanced at her. There was a crease between her eyebrows. ‘You seem worried,’ he commented. He didn’t want her worried, blast it.
    There was a short silence as she adjusted her broken pink parasol so that it shaded her face more.
    â€˜It is nothing,’ she dismissed. ‘I did not expect such high wages, you see. I had to ask Mrs Tudbroke to send me very young candidates. I cannot afford the wages of a more experienced maid who would set my stock up higher with my relatives. A lady’s maid in England is paid the same as a housekeeper in Portugal. However,’ she sighed, ‘an inexperienced maid is better than no maid at all.’
    Damn her feckless father, Colly