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“Having been in the Army, I have never taken orders from a woman. But I think that I can, and without any issue either. Matthews is a good man, and I know that he will not have an issue. Clearly all of the applicants to this little squad will be short a limb, but I will also check them for their attitude. What you are offering us? Let me be honest, I could get hundreds of volunteers, every man with all of his limbs, from the Army with these conditions.

“Are all men going to realise this is the best thing that could happen to them? No. There will be drunks and idiots and ‘real men’ who won’t listen to a woman. But they are not going to be hired. A squad full of former Corporals and Sergeants, well the Army has weeded out all the bampots for us.”

Elizabeth was diverted.

“Bampots?”

Jones flushed.

“We were in camp with a Scottish regiment. It is a Scottish word for a drunken idiot. You know the kind of man, his own worst enemy.”

Elizabeth knew nothing of the sort but Peter was smiling beside her. She was pretty sure it was going to join the lexicon of the Napier estate.

“What sort of numbers?”

“Myself, Matthews and two others to start. The four of us can walk the estate, look at it from a military point of view. We can also have the carriage prepared and think about how we protect you. The coachman and footmen are already on the carriage. So what do we do? None of us know how to ride, so it might be that we have to teach ourselves.

“I think the first few months are going to be organising ourselves. The one thing we are all good at is drill. This is different than marching on the square, but we know the value of repetition. This will be the same thing.”

Lady Napier did not know it but her squad of one-armed guards was born.

Chapter 13

Elizabeth woke to discover her husband’s arm across her torso as usual. His forearm was resting under her bosom. She loved this about him, he never grabbed. And as a result she teased him more and more. She felt his arm move and his breathing change and knew he had awaken also. She squirmed round and kissed him good morning.

“How were your dreams?”

“I am surprised either of us have the energy to talk.”

Peter Napier relished her tinkling laughter.

“I was that naughty?”

“The naughtiest yet.”

It was so benign. As she had told him, he was a legend in his own mind. Actually, she rather thought that she was an equal legend. It was time for one of their weekly games. She sat up and then twisted until she was kneeling beside him. As usual his eyes had not risen as far as her face.

“What colour are my eyes?”

“A lovely dark pink colour, so pert.”

They both laughed. Elizabeth slipped off the bed and walked to the window. As usual she peeked out to check there was not an audience. But before she threw back the curtains she lowered her drawers to the floor and kicked them away. With the curtains pulled back her bottom shone palely in the morning sun. Peering over her shoulder she saw her husband’s rapt attention. She turned fully to face him and flung her arms wide.

Five seconds later she was back in bed, naked beside him.

“Do you know, I think I might be healthier than Dumfries believes me to be. If I can survive such a vision there might be hope for me yet.”

He kissed her gently.

“Not that I am not grateful but why?”

“I do not just feel safe, I know that I am safe. I am your wife, and within our bedroom I can act anyway I want, that we want. And when you stop and think about it, the whole thing is so benign and harmless. And an important factor is that I know you love it. You have made no demands upon me, and I love that about you. And it is amazing when you have the control, when you have the choice, how liberating that feeling is, at least for me. You will nap this afternoon, a smile on your face as normal, and I am pleased to know that you will be dreaming of me. In this most inappropriate manner possible.”

It was noticeable that Napier did not deny it.

“You don’t feel forced?”

“Not at all. I was thinking about this morning before I fell asleep last night. There were no nerves, there was no doubt. I knew that it would please you, and I find I love pleasing you. But it is more fundamental than that.