Moonstruck Madness (30 page)

"No, that would certainly cause a riot, they'll be suffering enough with sore jaws, so I think 111 let that be their punishment."

"How are you, Mary?" Sabrina asked softly, the colonel's criticism still stinging as she touched Mary's arm lightly.

Mary smiled tiredly. "Fine, Rina. I'm sorry I acted so silly, but all of those bodies pressing in on me—I just couldn't bear it any longer. Thank goodness Colonel Fletcher was there." She glanced up at him shyly as he rode alongside of them, his back straight as a board as he sat easily in the saddle.

"Keep your attention to the road ahead, Richard," Sabrina reprimanded him sharply as his eyes kept stealing up to the proud military figure in awestruck wonder, "or
I
shall think twice about letting you take the reins."

Richard turned back to the road ahead, his hands firm on the reins. "I'm watching, Rina," he reassured her. "But did you see the way he cleared a path through that crowd?"

Colonel Fletcher glanced down at Richard's words. "When you're my size, Richard, you'll be able to push your way through a crowd too."

"Richard," Sabrina fumed inwardly. The colonel was certainly on friendly terms with her family, addressing them so informally, acting the uncle with Richard.

"Sabrina is going to teach me how to shoot now that
I
can see really
good
," Richard boasted. "She can shoot
a
pistol better than anyone."

"I'm sure she can, Richard. But then you've had a lot of practice, haven't you, Lady Sabrina?" Colonel Fletcher commented sarcastically.

Richard flushed, looking chagrined as he realized what he'd let slip out. He glanced up at Sabrina worriedly and received a reassuring smile, his frightened features relaxing.

They rode the rest of the way to Verrick House in an uncomfortable silence, and when they reached it the colonel followed them in uninvited as though he belonged there. Sabrina quickly excused herself and followed Richard upstairs. The colonel could just wait for that little talk he wanted.

"Please be seated," Mary told the colonel as they entered the salon.

"It would please me if you would call me Terence," he said softly, startling a blush across Mary's cheeks.

"R-really, Colonel, I know that I am grateful for your assistance at the fair, but before that you made some rather serious accusations against my sister which I really cannot forget, nor forgive," Mary spoke quickly, mixed emotions flickering on her usually serene face.

"I am sorry if I upset you, Mary," he said her name deliber-ately, "but I think it is about time that a man stepped in and took command of this household. Your sister has been running wild long enough. God knows it started that morning so long ago in the hills of Scotland with a loaded pistol in her hand. Can't you see that I want to help your family? You have no idea of the danger your sister is in each time she masquerades as Bonnie Charlie."

Mary tightened her lips. "No one has admitted that Sabrina is Bonnie Charlie. It is ridiculous, Colonel," Mary refuted his statement.

"Is it really so ridiculous? An odd coincidence that you are from Scotland and the highwayman is Scots also. He is rather small and his two henchmen are exceptionally large, like those two large men talking in such a friendly fashion to your sister this afternoon, and then, Mary," the colonel added as his final proof, "they called her Charlie."

Mary remained silent. "You still have no positive proof, Colonel. No one would believe you, you will look the fool," she told him quietly, refusing to trust him.

"Do you really believe that I would turn your sister over to the authorities? I'm not quite that inhuman, but neither can I allow her to continue to rob and terrorize the countryside. She must be stopped."

Mary turned away from his penetrating stare and looked out of the window. What was she to do? How could they afford to make an enemy out of this man? If only they had a little more time, then all would be finished and he need never know the truth. He couldn't hurt them then.

"Mary," Colonel Fletcher spoke softly as he came up behind her stiff back, "
don't
fight me."

Mary jumped as she felt his large hand lightly touch her shoulder and curve around it. She turned her head up against his shoulder and tried to pull free. "Really, Colonel, you are far too bold. Please release me this instant."

"I intend to be far bolder, Mary," he answered audaciously, pressing her closer against the hard, metal buttons of his uniform. "You present quite a challenge to an old soldier, and I find I am always at my best when on a campaign with a particular objective to take."

Mary's face flamed at his words. "Sir, I will not become the object of your maneuvers, nor, indeed, are these your barracks that you may come in here and issue orders as though we were under your command!"

Colonel Fletcher laughed. "I'd wondered if you'd a bit of your sister's defiance in you. I've yet to meet such a cocky wench as that one. It seems inconceivable that you are related. So different in every way," he murmured as he lifted a red curl from the back of her neck, "one demure and sweet, the other high-strung and meddlesome."

Mary stared into his eyes in growing panic as she felt his arm slip around her waist. "I thought men liked women with spirit?"

"Some men, yes, but as a soldier who has been involved in far too many battles I now seek a gentle woman, one I can be friends with and share a home with, not a battlefield. I am tired of skirmishes and only want tranquility. I pity the man who takes on your sister, for that is all he shall have—one fight after another. He'll never have
a
peaceful moment, for she shall keep him wondering what she is up to. No, that is not for me, no matter how beautiful she happens to be." He looked down into the gray eyes staring up at him, the small nose with the light sprinkling of freckles, the soft mouth, and spoke more to himself than to her. "I think I have found my stronghold at last."

His tanned face lowered to hers and his mouth touched hers briefly before crushing its softness beneath his in
a
long kiss. He turned her unresisting body around and held her close as her untutored lips clung to his.

"Mary, let me help you," he spoke against her ear, his lips lingering against the smoothness of her fiery cheek. "You're so
sweet,
I want to teach you so many things."

"Please, let me go," Mary pleaded. "Someone may enter." She struggled for
a
moment before Colonel Fletcher released her, but kept
a
firm hold on one of her hands Mary tidied her hair with a shaking hand, straightening the lace at her breast carefully, while the colonel watched in amusement.

"You've never been kissed by
a
man before, have you?" he asked although he already knew the answer. "Are you going to let me help you?"

"I-I don't know what you are talking about?" Mary answered flustered, wishing someone would come in and rescue her from this predicament

"You can't avoid the issue forever," he told her seriously. "I have my duty to perform, and I am one of the King's men, Mary. I do not want to hurt you or your family, but I cannot allow your sister to continue."

"Continue what, Colonel?" Sabrina demanded as she entered the room, noticing with a start the clasped hands of Mary and the colonel as she came forward to stand before the tall, red-coated officer. "You do persist in this outrageous notion of yours, and now," she said meaningfully as she sent a mocking glance at their locked hands, "what stratagem are you using to gain information? Are you seducing my sister in order to get her to tell you all you think she knows? Well," Sabrina laughed, sending Mary
a
curious glance, "she is not fool enough to fall for your sweet words and honeyed phrases. She knows that it would all be lies, don't you, Mary?"

The colonel's lips tightened ominously as he stared in anger at Sabrina. He looked down at Mary's stricken face and felt white-hot with rage. "Very well done, Lady Sabrina, I compliment you on your tactics, although I am not sure whether you believe your own words or not. However, you are mistaken about my motives, at least concerning Mary, for I have not lied to her. Although thanks to you I doubt whether she will believe me now."

Mary avoided his eyes and pulled her hand free, walking over to the bellpull to ring for tea.

"I've already ordered it," Sabrina told her as she took a seat opposite Mary, her violet eyes questioning as she stared at her.

They remained silent while the tea service was set up by a footman, and then as Mary busied herself thankfully with the teacups, the colonel said in a cold voice, "You should be turned over someone's knee and soundly spanked, Lady Sabrina."

Mary muttered beneath her breath as she spilled the tea, concentrating on it rather than look up at Sabrina, whom she knew would be glaring angrily at Colonel Fletcher.

"And you think you are man enough to do that, Colonel?" Sabrina demanded contemptuously.

"I'm man enough, but not the right man to do it," he answered back obliquely, smiling unpityingly at the thought.

"The day some man tries will be his last day on earth." Sabrina smiled unpleasantly, her eyes telling the colonel that she wished he would be the one to try.

Colonel Fletcher shook his head. "You have ruled this roost far too long, Lady Sabrina. It is time a man stepped in and took the lot of you under his guidance."

"And who would you suggest?
The Marquis?
I'm sure he would appreciate that, eh Mary? He has hardly played the father figure before." Sabrina sat down, accepting her tea and sipping it nonchalantly. "Let me see," she continued ruminatively, "he saw his son and heir for the first time a little over a week ago. And when did he last see us? Ten years ago? Yes, he is definitely the hand to guide us. All he cares about is money to fill his pockets. You think you have a chance to court my sister Mary? Oh, yes, I know you have probably made advances to her, and assuming they are honorable, do you really imagine you've enough money to buy her?"

Colonel Fletcher winced at the remark.

"Yes, you may well flinch. But that is the distasteful state of affairs we exist in. We, my sister and I, are commodities to the Marquis. Since having set eyes on us he regards us in the light of assets. He will find the richest husbands for us, and I don't really think that your officer's pay will qualify you, Colonel."

"So young to be so bitter.
If I did not know more about you than most, then I would not understand, nor be able to feel pity for you."

"I don't want your pity!" Sabrina spat. "I don't need it. We don't need you. Why don't you leave us alone?"

"Rina," Mary cautioned anxiously.

"Don't tell me you've fallen for him? You can't have. We don't need him, Mary. He'll try to take you away."

"You can't live in this fairyland of yours any longer, Sabrina. Don't you realize how lucky you
are
that it is me you have to deal with? Don't try so hard to hate me. Trust me. I can help you, all of you," he tried to placate her.

Sabrina wanted to believe him, but all the years of mistrust and the memory of him at Culloden came flooding back to her, clouding her thoughts. And yet, maybe it was time to trust someone, maybe him. Sabrina stood up and taking a tentative step toward him she was about to speak, when the door was opened and Sims announced Lord Malton and Lord Newley.

They hurried in, expressions of excitement on their faces as they greeted Sabrina and Mary, hardly noticing the colonel.

"My dear, dear Lady Sabrina," Lord Malton beamed coyly, "you never let on, we had no idea that you and the Duke, why, it is remarkable, and, my dear, you have taken us all by surprise, yes indeed. I am agog at the
news,
even Newley here is struck dumb. Never been so dazzled," Lord Malton babbled.

Sabrina felt the blood draining from her face as she exchanged looks with a stunned-looking Mary. Colonel Fletcher found his voice first, impatience in it at the ill-timed interruption.

"May I inquire as to what you are referring, Malton?"

Lord Malton chuckled. "The announcement of the upcoming marriage of Lady Sabrina Verrick, daughter of the Marquis of Wrainton, and the Duke of Camareigh, Lucien Dominick. The sly devil never said a word about it. In fact, I assumed he was to marry Lady Blanche Delande, but—" He cut himself off in mid-sentence looking sheepishly at Sabrina. "I beg your pardon, Lady Sabrina. No sense in talking about past loves, eh?
Very strange though, you must admit, the way she just disappeared.
No one has seen her since and some even say she eloped with a penniless soldier," Lord Malton confided in a theatrical whisper
..