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Authors: Jack Higgins
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they?”
She was full of surprises, he thought. “You seem to know your facts.”
She nodded. “I read Fremont’s diary of his visit to the Confederate Army when it was published in London two years ago.”
“He certainly covered some ground in three months,” Clay said. “But he left in the summer of sixty-three after Gettysburg.”
“I also read Mr. Lawley’s letters from the Southern States which appeared regularly in The Times ,” she continued, “And then your uncle used to give me the war news from your father’s letters. Unfortunately, there weren’t very many of them and I only know of some of your exploits. I’m hoping you’ll fill in the gaps for me.”
He laughed. “Perhaps, but at a later date. I’m much more interested in you at the moment.”
She shrugged. “There isn’t much to tell. My father was a captain in a regiment of sepoys. I was born in Madras, but when the Mutiny started, we were living in Lucknow, where my father was stationed. We took refuge in the Residency. My father was killed during the siege, my mother died two months later.”
“Had you no other relatives?”
She shook her head. “My uncle is my legal guardian. I was left well-provided for, so I’m no financial burden. However, remembering my grandmother, he treats me with the greatest respect and a rather frigid courtesy. Most of the time, he tries to believe I’m not there.”
“And what about Burke?” Clay said.
She frowned and an expression of distaste appeared on her face. “My uncle’s health isn’t too good. He spends most of the time in the conservatory with his flowers and leaves the handling of the estate to Burke.”
“You don’t seem to have much time for him,” Clay said.
“I loathe him. He was born and raised on the estate and he’s utterly ruthless. He’s determined to achieve position in the world and he has already foresworn his own people to do it. He’s the most hated and feared man in the district.”
“The men who rode with him this morning were certainly an ugly-looking crowd,” Clay said.
She nodded. “Lowland Scots, especially imported to do my uncle’s dirty work.”
“Does he approve of the methods Burke uses?”
“He’s not interested in methods, Colonel, only in results,” Joanna Hamilton said drily. She looked up at the sky, which had lightened a little. “I think we’d better be going. The rain seems to have slackened.”
Clay helped her into the saddle, and as he turned away, she urged her horse forward and cried, “I’ll race you back.”
He swung a leg over Pegeen and followed her up through the trees and galloped along the track. When he came out into the open expanse of the moor, she was a good forty or fifty yards in front of him and he leaned low over Pegeen’s neck and urged her on. Gradually, he grew closer and then they were racing alongside each other. She turned and gave him a flashing smile and, suddenly, he felt absurdly happy.
He gave Pegeen her head and plunged down through the scattering of trees at the back of Claremont and entered the courtyard. When Joanna Hamilton arrived a few moments later, he was already dismounted and waiting for her.
She laughed gaily and cried out in mock anger. “It was no fair match, sir. You were mounted on the finest mare in the county.”
He helped her down from the saddle, a slight smile on his face. “The finest mare and the most beautiful woman. What more could a man ask?”
For the second time that day, she flushed and could think of nothing to say in reply, and Clay turned to speak to Joshua who had appeared in the doorway. “Joshua, this is Miss Hamilton. It’s to her good offices we owe our welcome last night.”
Joanna Hamilton held out her hand with a completely natural gesture and Joshua took it, a smile of approval on his face. “My pleasure, ma’am.” He turned to Clay. “There’s coffee freshly prepared, if you and Miss Hamilton would care for a cup.”
Clay looked
She was full of surprises, he thought. “You seem to know your facts.”
She nodded. “I read Fremont’s diary of his visit to the Confederate Army when it was published in London two years ago.”
“He certainly covered some ground in three months,” Clay said. “But he left in the summer of sixty-three after Gettysburg.”
“I also read Mr. Lawley’s letters from the Southern States which appeared regularly in The Times ,” she continued, “And then your uncle used to give me the war news from your father’s letters. Unfortunately, there weren’t very many of them and I only know of some of your exploits. I’m hoping you’ll fill in the gaps for me.”
He laughed. “Perhaps, but at a later date. I’m much more interested in you at the moment.”
She shrugged. “There isn’t much to tell. My father was a captain in a regiment of sepoys. I was born in Madras, but when the Mutiny started, we were living in Lucknow, where my father was stationed. We took refuge in the Residency. My father was killed during the siege, my mother died two months later.”
“Had you no other relatives?”
She shook her head. “My uncle is my legal guardian. I was left well-provided for, so I’m no financial burden. However, remembering my grandmother, he treats me with the greatest respect and a rather frigid courtesy. Most of the time, he tries to believe I’m not there.”
“And what about Burke?” Clay said.
She frowned and an expression of distaste appeared on her face. “My uncle’s health isn’t too good. He spends most of the time in the conservatory with his flowers and leaves the handling of the estate to Burke.”
“You don’t seem to have much time for him,” Clay said.
“I loathe him. He was born and raised on the estate and he’s utterly ruthless. He’s determined to achieve position in the world and he has already foresworn his own people to do it. He’s the most hated and feared man in the district.”
“The men who rode with him this morning were certainly an ugly-looking crowd,” Clay said.
She nodded. “Lowland Scots, especially imported to do my uncle’s dirty work.”
“Does he approve of the methods Burke uses?”
“He’s not interested in methods, Colonel, only in results,” Joanna Hamilton said drily. She looked up at the sky, which had lightened a little. “I think we’d better be going. The rain seems to have slackened.”
Clay helped her into the saddle, and as he turned away, she urged her horse forward and cried, “I’ll race you back.”
He swung a leg over Pegeen and followed her up through the trees and galloped along the track. When he came out into the open expanse of the moor, she was a good forty or fifty yards in front of him and he leaned low over Pegeen’s neck and urged her on. Gradually, he grew closer and then they were racing alongside each other. She turned and gave him a flashing smile and, suddenly, he felt absurdly happy.
He gave Pegeen her head and plunged down through the scattering of trees at the back of Claremont and entered the courtyard. When Joanna Hamilton arrived a few moments later, he was already dismounted and waiting for her.
She laughed gaily and cried out in mock anger. “It was no fair match, sir. You were mounted on the finest mare in the county.”
He helped her down from the saddle, a slight smile on his face. “The finest mare and the most beautiful woman. What more could a man ask?”
For the second time that day, she flushed and could think of nothing to say in reply, and Clay turned to speak to Joshua who had appeared in the doorway. “Joshua, this is Miss Hamilton. It’s to her good offices we owe our welcome last night.”
Joanna Hamilton held out her hand with a completely natural gesture and Joshua took it, a smile of approval on his face. “My pleasure, ma’am.” He turned to Clay. “There’s coffee freshly prepared, if you and Miss Hamilton would care for a cup.”
Clay looked
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