Captain Jones's Temptation - Audrey Harrison

Chapter 1

“We’ve got to do what? Has he followed in his father’s footsteps and gone out of his mind? There must be some mistake! Tell me it is some poor joke,” the ordinarily laconic Captain Samuel Jones said incredulously.

Captain Matthew Dunn smiled at his long-time friend. “It’s certainly a change from our usual duties.”

“The understatement of the year.”

“It shall be an adventure of a different sort.”

Samuel snorted. “I am no nursemaid for a by-blow.”

“Now, now. We are to do as the Regent says,” Matthew soothed. He was the peacekeeper of the pair. They had served in the cavalry throughout Napoleon’s reign of terror and even in the Americas. There had been three of them, including their friend Miles Longdon, but he had left the cavalry after Waterloo when the deaths of his older brothers had resulted in him inheriting the family title. He had no longer felt able to remain in the cavalry, having a sister and mother to consider as well as a large estate in Hampshire.

It had been a moment of sadness when the three became a two, but they’d had some adventures with Miles over the last few months, when his now-wife had been in danger due to a kidnap plot.

It appeared they were to have yet another escapade outside their normal duties. One that Samuel wasn’t happy about.

“We are the King’s Messengers,” Samuel persisted. “We deliver correspondence of importance, many times in dangerous conditions. We aren’t some sort of overpaid nanny for his brother’s alleged illegitimate offspring.”

“It is out of the ordinary, I admit, but it’s something different. You have to agree life has been a little tedious of late.”

“Not enough to welcome this. It’s a degradation of our role.”

“It’s hardly that,” Matthew said. “We are still the King’s Messengers. We shall still wear the badge of office.”

The elite riders wore the royal crest, underneath which hung a silver greyhound. The men were used for diplomatic duties and carrying messages to and from the royal household, particularly in times of unrest. Their history went back hundreds of years, and the badge was worn with pride by the few who were fortunate enough to be eligible to wear it.

Samuel walked to the fire, taking hold of a poker and prodding the coals. “This task is demeaning. The positions we hold are to be undermined. What are the royal advisors thinking in accepting this hare-brained idea?”

“She’s a child and there is some threat to her safety. They are responding as best they can in a difficult situation.”

“Bring her into one of the many palaces, then. She will be safe with her family. Oh, I forgot – they aren’t acknowledged officially. It’s fine to populate half of London with the results of their liaisons, but the misbegotten children are condemned to a life outside of the sphere they belong to. Hypocrites. The lot of them. If you have children, you should damned well look after them!”

Matthew was surprised at Samuel’s heated outburst. His friend troubled himself over few people, and although he was quick with a set-down if he saw some ridiculous piece of clothing or foolish behaviour, he didn’t express firm opinions on most things. It was clear his friend was positively seething with regard to this new assignment. Matthew had expected some cutting comments, certainly, but not this level of opprobrium.

“A child is a child,” Matthew said. “It’s our duty to protect her.”

“What are the likes of Bow Street for if not to carry out such functions?”

“It’s a delicate situation. We are to stay where the child is being raised.”

“And where is this taking place?”

“Miss Hardy’s School for Young Ladies.”

“Bloody hell.”

*

Esther Hardy could have crumpled the letter before stamping on it and then throwing it into the fire to be poked into ash, she was so angry. Anyone who was acquainted with Miss Hardy would have been astounded to find out there ran such fierce emotions underneath her calm, placid exterior. She was the epitome of good-mannered respectability, essential in the spinster owner of a school for genteel young ladies.

It had taken four years of devilish hard work to build a good reputation from nothing, and now in all likelihood her standing in the town of Sidmouth would be undermined if the truth were to seep out about her taking in an illegitimate child.

She had thought taking in Isabella was the right thing to do. She had felt sorry for the child. Admittedly, she came with a healthy contribution to the school, as well as payment for board