Page 20 of Regency Whispers: Scandalous Matches

‘It is rather extraordinary. What happened to you whilst you were injured?’

‘On the battlefield, a good friend scooped me up and took me to back to our camp. The doctor set the broken bone in my arm and told him that if I woke up in the next twenty-four hours I might have a chance at survival.’

‘Do you remember nothing?’

‘Nothing at all. I stayed in the medical tent in the camp for two weeks. I am told they managed to get some water into me, but my body was wasting away. When they thought I was hours from death I opened my eyes for the first time. From there it was a long road home, a long road to recovery. It took three months to transport me.’

‘It must have been strange to wake up after so long unconscious.’

‘It was. The first few days were a blur of confusion and pain, but I know I am lucky to be alive. Many of my regiment did not survive.’

‘Did it take you long to recover, once you woke up?’

He grinned at this. ‘Have you ever seen a baby deer, with gangly legs, all bone and no muscle?’

Jane nodded, thinking of the forest a few miles away from her home where they would go on picnics in the summer months.

‘My muscles had wasted away to such a degree that I could not stand. I could barely raise a glass to my lips. I was much like a new-born fawn, stumbling around even after a few weeks. I did not start to recover until I was home, able to work on building my strength day by day, but even then it took a long time.’

It must have taken a lot of determination and work to have built himself up, and Jane felt a new respect for the man. He had no outward signs of his injuries, although she did wonder what hidden scars they had left.

‘Didn’t you want to return to the army after that?’

‘I considered it, but I had been away for so long, and then it took months and months of work to get my fitness back to what would be required...’ He shrugged. ‘It was felt best I didn’t return.’ There was a glint of regret in his eye and Jane got the impression someone else had made the decision for him. She was about to try and probe further when there was a long blast on a trumpet and an excited gasp ran through the crowd.

Edward turned to her and grabbed her hand, his eyes shining with excitement.

‘Do you think the acrobats will come first, Miss Jane?’

‘Perhaps. Or maybe the trapeze artists.’

Jane felt the energy in the audience as a well-built man stepped out into the ring, raising a top hat and welcoming them to the show. He promised wonders such as they had never seen before, and as he spoke a group of performers tumbled out from back stage and began the first routine.

For an hour and a half Jane sat on the edge of her seat, enthralled by the performance, but also by the look of wonder on Edward’s face. She often liked to watch her younger sisters when they tried something new for the first time, enjoying that expression of sheer magic on their faces.

In time the show neared its climax and four horses broke into the ring, galloping in a circle, hooves thundering in time, and Edward let out a squeal of delight. Jane found herself leaning forward in her chair, and next to her she felt Mr Stewart shift as well. Glancing up at his face, she saw an expression that mirrored his nephew’s as he watched the acrobats standing astride the horses, swinging themselves down to the ground and back up in a show of excellent muscle control and perfect timing.

Gently she touched Mr Stewart on the arm, not wanting to spoil his enjoyment, but keen he should share it with his nephew. She motioned for them to swap chairs so he was sitting next to the young boy, and after a moment she saw Mr Stewart bend his head towards his nephew’s and begin to point out something that was happening below them. For half a minute, Jane watched them together, uncle and nephew brought together by their love of horses.

Chapter Seven

‘It was lovely to meet you, Mrs Weyman,’ Tom said as Jane’s friend bid him good day. He was sitting in a comfortable arm chair in the Mountjoys’ townhouse, feeling the most content he had in days. Despite the difficult night, with Edward’s nightmares and struggle to settle without his mother, it had turned into a successful day. The trip to Astley’s had been enjoyable and the moment his nephew had gripped his hand when one of the horsemen had flipped himself underneath the galloping horse, excited and anxious for the man’s fate at the same time, he had felt as if maybe one day things with Edward would settle.

He knew much of the success today had come from the woman sitting opposite him.

‘What are you looking at me like that for?’ Miss Ashworth looked relaxed, as if she wanted to kick off her shoes and curl up in the comfortable arm chair. It was strangely comforting to see her like this, prim and upright as she normally was.

They were alone together in the drawing room now Mrs Weyman had left, although Lady Mountjoy was next door in the library with Edward, and Lord Mountjoy a little way down the hall in the study. The door was open, so there could be no suggestion of impropriety, but Tom had the sense of intimacy. It was as though he had been permitted to enter the private family cocoon and, although it wasn’t something he was used to, right at this moment it felt quite comforting.

‘Thank you,’ he said softly.

‘What for?’

‘For today. For earlier this morning and for the trip to Astley’s.’

‘I didn’t do anything this afternoon. I should be thanking you for inviting me.’

‘You have a way with Edward. It makes everything easier.’