Read Online Once a Soldier (Rogues Redeemed) by Mary Jo Putney - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mary Jo Putney
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be content with peace.”
“Then they should all be put into an arena with weapons so they can fight it out,” Athena said tartly.
“Was that one of the suggestions you made in the Gabrileño war council?” he asked with interest.
“No,” she said. “But it should have been!”
* * *
A tiny old maid ushered Will and Athena into a reception room handsome with carved furniture and fine, slightly worn carpets on the polished tile floor. Apparently, the da Silva walls had protected the house from casual looting.
Will barely had time to survey his surroundings when the lady of the house entered the room with swift, anxious steps. Señora da Silva was an attractive woman of middle years dressed in mourning black and with a dramatic streak of silver waving through her dark hair.
She appeared on the verge of fainting. With her gaze fixed on Will, she asked tensely, “My husband? My son?”
“Both are well,” he said immediately. “I am here not to deliver bad news, but because Colonel da Silva asked me to accompany a unit of Gabrileño cavalry home. Though he and your son suffered some injury in the battle for Toulouse, both are recovering without problems. The colonel and the rest of his troops will be home in a few weeks.”
Her eyes closed and she gave a shudder of relief. Athena stepped to the older woman’s side and guided her to a chair. “Good news can be as jarring as bad news,” she said soothingly. “Would you like something? Brandy? Coffee?”
“No, thank you, my dear.” Señora da Silva opened her eyes and patted Athena’s arm. “When I saw a British officer, for a moment I feared the worst. But now I can breathe again.”
“I’m glad to have brought you good news, Señora. But your husband also entrusted me with more sobering information.” Will reached inside his coat and removed several folded sheets of paper that had been sealed with red wax. He handed them to the colonel’s wife. “Here is a list of casualties among your troops. He said that some of the families already know because of earlier letters, but there were more casualties at Toulouse.”
Señora da Silva gazed down at the pages, her expression sad. “I shall call on all these families. Lady Athena, do you think the princess will accompany me? Her presence will mean . . . much.”
“I know she will want to go with you,” Athena said softly.
“Then I will send a message to Sofia now.” Señora da Silva rose, her expression determined. “The sooner this task is done, the better.”
“Your husband sent one other thing,” Will said as he pulled a small velvet pouch from his inside pocket. “A gift for you.”
Curiously the older woman opened the pouch. The object inside was wrapped in soft cotton. She unwrapped the fabric, and a blaze of crimson jewels spilled across her hand. “A ruby necklace!” she said, startled. “He knows that I have always loved rubies. Dare I wonder where this came from?”
“If you fear that he tore these from the throat of a screaming Frenchwoman, the answer is no,” Will said firmly. “There is often looting after battles, and it’s not uncommon for a soldier to take what he can find, then later sell it to an officer for enough money to become drunk. That’s my guess as to how Colonel da Silva acquired this. You can ask him when he comes home.”
“When he comes home,” she repeated, her face shining. “I would offer you hospitality, but I must begin the tasks I have been given.”
“And we must tour the valley,” Athena said with a glance at Will. “Are you ready to learn the worst?”
“That’s what I’m here for,” he said promptly. Meeting Athena Markham was just a lucky bonus.
Chapter 8
W hen Will and Athena left the da Silva residence, they rode through a grove of trees. Some looked fairly intact, others had been partially destroyed, and too many were charred skeletons. “Olive trees,” Athena said. “Though the cork trees survive fire reasonably well,
“Then they should all be put into an arena with weapons so they can fight it out,” Athena said tartly.
“Was that one of the suggestions you made in the Gabrileño war council?” he asked with interest.
“No,” she said. “But it should have been!”
* * *
A tiny old maid ushered Will and Athena into a reception room handsome with carved furniture and fine, slightly worn carpets on the polished tile floor. Apparently, the da Silva walls had protected the house from casual looting.
Will barely had time to survey his surroundings when the lady of the house entered the room with swift, anxious steps. Señora da Silva was an attractive woman of middle years dressed in mourning black and with a dramatic streak of silver waving through her dark hair.
She appeared on the verge of fainting. With her gaze fixed on Will, she asked tensely, “My husband? My son?”
“Both are well,” he said immediately. “I am here not to deliver bad news, but because Colonel da Silva asked me to accompany a unit of Gabrileño cavalry home. Though he and your son suffered some injury in the battle for Toulouse, both are recovering without problems. The colonel and the rest of his troops will be home in a few weeks.”
Her eyes closed and she gave a shudder of relief. Athena stepped to the older woman’s side and guided her to a chair. “Good news can be as jarring as bad news,” she said soothingly. “Would you like something? Brandy? Coffee?”
“No, thank you, my dear.” Señora da Silva opened her eyes and patted Athena’s arm. “When I saw a British officer, for a moment I feared the worst. But now I can breathe again.”
“I’m glad to have brought you good news, Señora. But your husband also entrusted me with more sobering information.” Will reached inside his coat and removed several folded sheets of paper that had been sealed with red wax. He handed them to the colonel’s wife. “Here is a list of casualties among your troops. He said that some of the families already know because of earlier letters, but there were more casualties at Toulouse.”
Señora da Silva gazed down at the pages, her expression sad. “I shall call on all these families. Lady Athena, do you think the princess will accompany me? Her presence will mean . . . much.”
“I know she will want to go with you,” Athena said softly.
“Then I will send a message to Sofia now.” Señora da Silva rose, her expression determined. “The sooner this task is done, the better.”
“Your husband sent one other thing,” Will said as he pulled a small velvet pouch from his inside pocket. “A gift for you.”
Curiously the older woman opened the pouch. The object inside was wrapped in soft cotton. She unwrapped the fabric, and a blaze of crimson jewels spilled across her hand. “A ruby necklace!” she said, startled. “He knows that I have always loved rubies. Dare I wonder where this came from?”
“If you fear that he tore these from the throat of a screaming Frenchwoman, the answer is no,” Will said firmly. “There is often looting after battles, and it’s not uncommon for a soldier to take what he can find, then later sell it to an officer for enough money to become drunk. That’s my guess as to how Colonel da Silva acquired this. You can ask him when he comes home.”
“When he comes home,” she repeated, her face shining. “I would offer you hospitality, but I must begin the tasks I have been given.”
“And we must tour the valley,” Athena said with a glance at Will. “Are you ready to learn the worst?”
“That’s what I’m here for,” he said promptly. Meeting Athena Markham was just a lucky bonus.
Chapter 8
W hen Will and Athena left the da Silva residence, they rode through a grove of trees. Some looked fairly intact, others had been partially destroyed, and too many were charred skeletons. “Olive trees,” Athena said. “Though the cork trees survive fire reasonably well,
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