Catherine Tinley - The Captain's Disgraced Lady

She did not have long to tarry. She heard the door open, creaking slightly as it did so. It was closed again, slowly, then she distinctly heard a sigh, as if the intruder was relieved to have gained entrance, and now believed himself to be safe. Well! She gripped the spade more tightly. How dared he intrude into her friend’s home?

She held herself completely still, breathing as quietly as she could. She need not have worried. As he moved towards where she was hiding, she heard him whistle. What an arrogant thief! She felt the moment he passed her fern—its leaves moved as he walked along. Stepping out at exactly the right moment, she raised her spade and brought it down smartly on the back of his head.

‘Ow! What the deuce—?’ He wheeled around and grabbed her, at the same time hooking his right foot behind her calf and knocking her off balance. The spade flew out of her hand and clanged to the ground. She fell heavily, banging her left shoulder hard against the floor. He fell with her, his weight crushing all the breath out of her.

Uh-oh! Once again she had acted before thinking something through, and now she had left herself in danger. She had envisaged him falling, knocked out by her blow, which would have allowed her to run for help before he came to. She hadn’t thought that he would attack her! Her mind raced as she searched for a way out. She gasped for air, unable to scream, or even make a sound. His body pinned hers from shoulder to hip and all she could see was his shoulder, encased in a fine wool jacket.

He lifted his head. As his eyes met hers, Juliana’s widened in shock.

It was him—the man from the inn! Captain Fanton!

Chapter Five

Juliana was all confusion. What was going on here? Had the arrogant Captain indeed followed her?

No. He looked just as shocked as she felt.

His eyes narrowed. ‘Well, well,’ he said. ‘Miss Juliana Milford! What the devil are you doing here? And what possessed you to hit me?’

‘Get off me!’ she said, finally finding her voice. She gave him her fiercest look, no longer afraid. Now that she knew it was him, her heart was racing in a very different way. This was not fear, but a novel excitement. She could feel the length of him with every part of her chest, stomach and hips. He was warm and solid, and heavy. She had never experienced anything like it.

‘This is an interesting dilemma,’ he said smoothly. ‘You have attacked me and I have disarmed you. I think I should get some answers before releasing you.’ He shifted his weight slightly, but did not get up. His slight movement was excruciatingly pleasurable. Juliana resisted the unexpected impulse to move a little herself, just to feel it again.

‘I have asked you to release me! People may come in at any second—my mother and Miss Langley are taking tea just outside—and if they came in and saw us like this, they might think—they might not understand—’ Her voice tailed away.

‘Why, what might they think, beautiful Juliana?’ He was looking intently at her mouth.

A new, disturbing feeling swamped Juliana. It was altogether confusing. Was he going to kiss her? Her heart, deaf to all sense, leaped in anticipation. Rejecting it, she hissed at him, ‘Let me go, if there is anything of the gentleman in you!’

His jaw clenched. ‘I am the one who was attacked without reason!’ As he said it, thankfully he rolled off to sit beside her, his hand going to the back of his head. ‘Ouch! A lump as big as an egg!’ He glared at her. ‘What did you mean by it?’

She sat up. ‘You were skulking. I saw you, sneaking through the shrubbery, trying to find a way in. I know they have been bothered by thieves before on Public Days. I thought—’ She broke off. It seemed unlikely, now she had time to reflect, that he was a thief.

‘You thought I was a thief, trying to steal from Chadcombe?’

She looked at him, then bit her lip. She nodded.

‘That has to be one of the greatest insults I have ever received.’ He reflected. ‘No, I think it is truly the greatest.’ He stood and offered her his hand.

She thought about rejecting it, then, realising how ungainly she would look if she tried to scramble to her feet without his assistance, she placed her hand in his.

He pulled her up—and into his arms! Her hands came up to his chest and for some reason she didn’t push him away. Her heart was pounding loudly and she had the strangest feeling in the pit of her stomach. His deep-blue gaze pinned hers and she knew—just knew—something was about to happen. She held her breath.

He gazed down at her, then his expression changed. ‘What did you hit me with?’

‘Er—what?’ Her brows knitted in confusion.

‘Your weapon. What was it?’

‘Oh—a spade.’ Why was he asking about that?

‘A spade! You are jesting, surely?’ He released her and looked around. ‘This spade?’

She crossed her arms around herself, suddenly feeling a little cold. ‘It was all I could find.’

He picked it up, tested its weight, then looked at her with a gleam of humour in his eyes. ‘Permit me to tell you, Miss Milford, you are an unusual young lady.’

Was he laughing at her? Her chin went up. ‘And permit me to say, Captain Fanton, you are the most irritating man I have ever met! And you still haven’t explained why you were trying to sneak in!’

‘You’re right, I haven’t,’ he said smoothly, setting the spade down again. ‘Come with me.’

Eyeing him suspiciously, she accompanied him to the eastern door of the Orangery, the one she had come in by. Outside, they found Mama and Miss Langley, still calmly drinking tea.

He winked at Juliana, then cleared his throat.

Both ladies turned. Mama’s face lit up when she saw him. ‘Oh! What a pleasant surprise!’

Miss Langley, a little slower to respond, smiled broadly when she saw who it was. ‘Harry!’ She rose to embrace him. ‘What brings you home? And so unexpectedly!’

Home? Had she just said ‘home’? Juliana’s jaw dropped in shock.

‘Ah, Great-Aunt Clara, I am so happy to see you!’ He kissed her wrinkled cheek. ‘I am fixed in Horse Guards for at least two months and thought I would come to Chadcombe for a few days to see you all. It was only when I got here I realised you were in the middle of a dashed Public Day. Why Adam had to start them up again I shall never understand!’

‘Oh, dear, Harry, I do remember how you always hated Public Days!’

‘Well, I hoped to avoid everyone by coming around by the Orangery.’

His great-aunt smiled fondly at him. ‘I remember, this was how you avoided your tutor, too, when you wanted to. No one ever could find you when you wanted to hide.’

Juliana snorted. He hadn’t been very discreet while skulking through the bushes today! Hearing her reaction, he sent her a sideways glance, his eyes brimming with humour.

Miss Langley turned to Mrs Milford. ‘Mrs Milford, may I introduce you to my great-nephew Harry—Adam’s brother. Harry, this is Mrs Milford and Miss Milford—dear Charlotte’s school friend.’

‘But we have met before,’ cried Mama, smiling broadly. ‘Captain Fanton and his friend were of great assistance to us while we were in Dover.’ She offered Harry her hand. ‘How wonderful it is we should see you again and that you are Charlotte’s new brother! Is it not wonderful, Juliana?’

‘Indeed it is, Mama,’ said Juliana smoothly, lying without a blink. ‘Quite wonderful.’

* * *

Juliana settled into the corner of the carriage with a sigh. She was not looking forward to today. Mama was ill—just a cold, but she had stayed in bed today. Juliana hated to leave her. While she knew her mother was enjoying the best of care and attention from Miss Langley and a flurry of chambermaids, it still felt wrong to abandon her like this. Juliana had been really torn, for Charlotte needed her, too. Her mother had seemed to understand.