Her Favoured Captain (16 page)
Read Her Favoured Captain Online
Authors: Francine Howarth
“Be gone with you, girl, and see him on his
way and provided with that second horse.”
“Thank you, my lord.” She fled the dining
hall, her thoughts in turmoil, for it seemed she had much to learn in the ways
of adult deceits and betrayals. In the great hall bedlam prevailed with
servants dashing to and fro, the Lady Arabella most distraught and Morton
already sword to belt. “His lordship said to take a spare horse,” she informed,
and in need of answers asked outright, “Why Morton, why, why displease your
father so wanton cruel?”
“To stay and explain my motives for joining
the Parliamentarian cause would be folly with father intolerant of my
presence,” came the reply. He then turned to a servant. “See to it Joseph is
informed of his lordship’s granting a spare horse.” As the servant dashed away
Morton furthered, “I shall write you, Anna, when time affords.”
A footman came rushing down the staircase
cloak slung over arm, which met with Morton’s shoulders directly. The Lady
Arabella secured the clasp of his cloak, and then kissed his cheek. “God keep
you safe, my son, and believe it, your father will see the folly of this
night.”
“He will not cave, dear lady, and on my head
lies my punishment.”
“Where shall you go?”
“Taunton, where I believe I shall encounter
Waller’s Army.”
Lady Arabella turned to Anna. “Come quick
dear girl, and say your piece.
Hastened to take leave by the Lady Arabella:
the main door cast wide in readiness, Anna threw herself at Morton, servants or
no servants in attendance. She did not care, she hugged him tightly and he
hugged her to him in like manner. “I shall miss my meadow nymph,” his whispered
endearment, “and never doubt I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered, tears
aplenty to the sound of two horses arrived outside.
He eased her away, turned and strode to the
horses. Once mounted on Calendar and lead rein in hand he rode away from
Axebury Hall on his favourite horse, the spare courtesy of his lordship, but
only the clothes on his back as seen at the dinner table beneath his cloak.
What would become of him? They watched his departure until no longer able to
see him.
Finally the Lady Arabellas arm about her
shoulder fell away. Sense of heartache and sadness hung like a dark cloud, and
the Lady Arabella stepped back inside the hall. “Anna, will you kindly inform
his lordship I have retired to my bedchamber?” Her ladyship faltered mid-step,
swayed a little, and Anna rushed to her side, so too her lady”s maid, and
between them they prevented her falling to the floor. “It is nothing,” declared
her ladyship, face snow white, “I am merely a little tired.”
“First I shall see you to your chamber, and
then I will go to his lordship.”
“Be not harsh with him, Anna. He is a good
and honourable man if a little misguided at times. No matter the cost he will
never waver in loyalty to Charles Stuart.
Her ladyship made steady progress aloft but
on entry to the bedchamber collapsed, and grave ill it seemed.
~
It pained him to see his
mother in distress, yet it was her wish, maybe her influence that drove him
onward rather than his turning back to stand side-by-side with his father,
albeit as a reluctant Royalist Officer of Horse. The main gates reached he
reined Calendar and spare steed south. At a brisk trot and luck riding with him
he would happen upon a wayside inn and gain a room for the night once safely
distant from Axebury.
His heart plummeted, for this might be the
last time he would ride the boundary wall of the estate. He could not return
any time soon, maybe never. Even supposing he survived the damn war, the reason
less obvious to his mother but his father’s sword had given clear warning of a
traitor’s lot. The Civil War had wreaked havoc in tearing the country apart.
His family too now wounded by divided loyalties.
What of Anna? She deserved explanation to
his unreasonable and unjust treatment of her, and as soon as able a letter
would wing its way into her hands. But this day had to be, and he could not
have asked her to go with him though doubted not she would have done just that
if given the chance. She deserved better, for he had nothing save two horses,
the clothes on his back and a purse with gold and silver coin enough to see him
and the horses fed and watered for a few weeks.
With two horses to his name he would be put
to use in a cavalry regiment, that was a surety. Soon his military dress would
be buff in colour and perchance a hat with red plume as well as steel helmet.
Ironic really. For as a royalist officer his hat plume would have been white,
and his coat of royal blue as was his father’s and Prince Rupert’s regimental
colours.
Anna, my sweet meadow
nymph, what have I done? Pray God keep you safe, for I shall love you always.
~
~
Contemporary
Romances
~
Love Walked In
~
Headline News:MI6 Officer Assassinated.
~
Witness to the tragic death of her husband, traumatized and
terrified, Cassie’s world has collapsed, and nine months after the incident
she’s still struggling to gain sense of normality. Meanwhile her son makes use
of his late father’s computer without permission, and discovers what he thinks
is a cool computer game. Whilst playing said game Dominic is unaware it is sending
coded messages across the ether.
Naturally, when a best friend of her late husband arrives on her
doorstep straight from the USA, Cassie is drawn to McKinley in a way she never
imagined possible. Both grieve her husband’s loss and love blossoms between them,
but a web of lies and deceit turn her life into a living nightmare. Cassie
finally takes flight fearing for her life and that of her children, but
McKinley locates her and come the final showdown she’s the one holding the gun.
But can she squeeze the trigger?
~
~
The Billionaire’s Dilemma: Identical Twin Mistresses
.
~
In the past Tania has
masqueraded as Nina at parties, and likewise Nina had to pretend to be Tania.
As far as Tania is concerned one more act of deception isn’t going to hurt
anybody. Despite Nina’s reluctance, she’s won over by Tania’s pleading ways and
travels to London on a pre-arranged date with a polo playing playboy
Allessandre, convinced he’s
been duped, is determined to unveil the twins and teach them a lesson they
won’t forget. Revenge proves bittersweet when the one he desires takes flight.
Forced to travel half way around the globe in attempt to redeem his
unforgivable behaviour he has no idea the woman he loves walks with lions, nor
that a lioness will challenge his desire to be her one and only.
~
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visit and chat at my blog:
http://francinehowarth.blogspot.com