Read Online What a Lady Most Desires by Lecia Cornwall - Free Book Online

“It wasn’t looted, after the battle?”
    â€œEleanor found it in your breast pocket when you arrived here.”
    â€œWhat else was in my coat?” Stephen asked.
    â€œNothing,” Nicholas said. “Was there something else?”
    A vowel and a flower, but he could hardly describe to Lord Fairlie how his sister-­in-­law had kissed him before the battle and given him a daisy for luck. Those items might have fallen from his tunic, he supposed, and been lost on the field.
    â€œI’m not a coward, or a thief,” he said instead, knowing it sounded weak. He had no evidence. He lay helpless while his name, reputation, and honor—­the things that defined him—­were stripped away. “Will I be given time to recover from my wounds and find proof of my innocence before the court-­martial? Surely someone saw me on the battlefield. Surely when Sergeant Hallet is located, he’ll realize he has identified the wrong man.” He struggled to raise himself again, fighting against the pain this time, insisting that his broken body obey him.
    Nicholas pressed him back against the pillow. “We’ll petition to delay the court-­martial,” he said. “The aftermath of the battle has every officer occupied at the moment.”
    â€œI can give you a few weeks, perhaps longer.” Fairlie said. “I advise you to use the time wisely if you can, Ives. You’ve always had a sterling reputation, and I would hate to see you lose your commission if there’s been a mistake.” Stephen heard him leave the room.
    â€œNick?” Stephen murmured.
    â€œStill here.”
    â€œDo you believe me?”
    Nicholas was silent for a long moment, and Stephen imagined his friend scanning his face, looking for signs of guilt. He kept his expression flat. Nicholas sighed at last, shifted in his chair. “It doesn’t make sense. You are the most honorable man I know, but it looks bad. Very bad indeed.”
    â€œWhat can I do?” Stephen asked, staring into the dark. He couldn’t see—­he could not even sit up.
    â€œFirst we’ll find Hallet.”
    â€œWe?” Stephen asked.
    â€œWe,” Nicholas said firmly.
    Before Stephen could respond, grateful, the door opened again.
    â€œOh. I thought you’d gone too, Nicholas. I saw Fairlie come downstairs,” Delphine said. “Is everything—­”
    â€œEverything is fine,” Stephen said sharply.
    â€œI was just leaving, Del,” Nicholas said. “Meg is hoping you’ll come and visit when there’s time.” Stephen heard him kiss her cheek, and leave.
    She came to the bed and fussed with the sheets, tucking them in, laying a hand on his brow to check for fever, as she did every time she came into the room. Wasn’t his shame complete enough? Was she gloating, collecting gossip to whisper behind her fan at the next ball? He pulled away, and she withdrew her hand. “I came to see if you need anything,” she said.
    â€œNo,” he snapped.
    â€œLaudanum for the pain?” she asked, less certainly now.
    â€œNo.” He turned his face away and shut his eyes, dismissing her.
    â€œGood,” she said. “It’s better not to—­”
    â€œWhat do you know of it?” he growled. “You, of all ­people?”
    She was silent for a long moment, then he heard her soft footfalls moving toward the door.
    D elphine was woken from her sleep by a keening wail, and the hair rose on the back of her neck as she threw back the covers and shrugged into her robe.
    Stephen was caught in the grip of a nightmare. He was moving about, kicking, thrashing against an invisible attacker. There was blood on the bandage that covered his shoulder and she feared he’d tear the wound open.
    She sat on the bed beside him, held his face in her hands. “Hush, it’s a dream,” she soothed, as if she were talking to one of