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Could it?
For a moment he dared contemplate life without his regiment, without the structure and security of the armed forces. Could he, like Adam Edgerton, turn his hand to something else? But unlike Adam, Daniel had no family farm. Neither was he due to inherit a broken estate that required his attention like James had.
Daniel’s legacy, apart from a very small house in a nondescript village in Wiltshire, had been carved out elsewhere. Such was all he now knew. If that were given up, what would he be?Whowould he be?
A man couldn’t just exchange his life and put on another as one might swap coats. A man’s life involved the hundreds of decisions that had made him what he was, and Daniel was a soldier. A man of action. A man others looked to in a crisis, whom they counted as a friend. What would he be—who would he be—if that was stripped away?
He frowned and was still frowning when a tap came at the door. At his call of “Enter,” Miss Stapleton drew inside.
“Forgive the intrusion, sir, but we were wondering if you might prefer beef or pork for dinner tonight.”
He pushed up higher against the headboard. “I declare you have made my stay here very difficult.”
“How so?”
“How can I ever be expected to resume normal life when I have been treated like a king?”
“Would you prefer us to ignore you? Abandon you to your own devices?”
A life without her in it? Why did that thought catch him in the heart? “Really, I must thank you—”
Further expressed gratitude was silenced by the raising of her hand. “Sir, I am well aware of your indebtedness. You make that plain every time I visit.”
“Is my conversation so very tiresome?”
“I hesitate to agree—”
He laughed.
“Upon reflection, the person you should be thanking is Mrs. Brigham, our cook. You were likely unaware of the grand preparations at what would have been the dinner where your identity was to be revealed. Annie went to so much trouble. Then when you did not show and it had to be delayed a little … Well, you should have heard the complaints. We all did, for much of the next day,” she said ruefully.
“I confess I had no idea.”
“That does not surprise me, seeing as it would be most impolite to bring this to your attention.”
“Indeed it would.” His smile spread unrestrained.
“If I may be permitted to continue?”
He waved his hand in invitation. “By all means.”
“As I was saying, Annie was that upset about that special dinner nearly being spoiled, the fact she deigns to feed you at all these days is entirely miraculous.”
He chuckled. “I suppose I should thank her, then.”
“You should. She would be most gratified to have a hero stoop to speak with her.”
“I shall endeavor to do so at the next opportunity.”
“Please. And if you could gratify us all by making a decision about your preference for beef or pork?”
“I’m rather partial to beef.”
“Beef it is, then. Thank you. Now I shall leave you to your letters.” She glanced at the paper on his bed. “Good news, I hope?”
“The best.” He explained a little about Adam Edgerton, his loss of prospects, then his regaining new life after losing his sight.
“He sounds quite the intrepid,” she said with a warm smile.
