Captain Jones's Temptation - Audrey Harrison Page 0,35

tray with two steaming bowls of soup and two chunks of bread. “It’s only soup, miss,” Mary said, laying the tray down. “But it’s the finest you’ll get this side of Exeter.”

“Thank you. I didn’t think I was hungry, but it smells delicious,” Esther said. “How’s Bell?”

“He’s settling the horses in the stables and then I’ve promised him some soup. I thought you would not mind, miss.”

“Not at all,” Esther assured her. “Thank you.”

They ate the soup in silence and then waited until Sophie eventually entered the room. Neither had wanted to go to bed before receiving an update about Matthew.

“All done,” Sophie said as soon as she walked through the door.

“How is he?” Lydia asked.

“Comfortable. That’s all we can hope for at the moment. He will probably develop a fever, but don’t worry too much about that. He’s young and strong, which will help him fight it off. By the looks of him, he’s already faced some battles.”

“Yes,” Lydia said. “I am willing to sit with him.”

Sophie shook her head. “I’ll sit by him tonight. You two can argue over who wants to nurse him over the coming days, for I am sure he will need constant care. Be practical for tonight; neither of you are in a fit state to sit next to a sickbed until daylight. Get yourselves off to bed.”

“Thank you.” Lydia moved to the door first, understanding that Esther would probably need to speak to Sophie alone. “I shall bid you both goodnight.”

The room stilled once Lydia had left. Sophie waited to see if Esther would speak first, but when she didn’t, Sophie looked assessingly at the younger woman. “I am surprised to see you. I never thought you would visit this town again.”

“It was the only place I could come.”

Esther’s words caused a raise of eyebrows and a pause, but, seeming to gather herself, Sophie eventually smiled. “You have grown into a fine woman. I would hardly recognise you, although I can see your mother in your features. You are looking well, apart from the exhaustion, fear and trepidation written across your face, of course.”

Esther smiled wryly. “Apart from those.”

“It was a strange day when you left.” The words were said hesitatingly, as if she were wary of what Esther’s response would be.

“I don’t like looking back to that time, I admit. The thought of leaving was a relief and terrifying at the same time. You were firm that I should go, though; it was down to your sending word to my uncle, after all. It turned out it was a kind thing you did.”

An expression of amusement crossed Sophie’s features, but she soon schooled her face into a bland mask. “Yes. Here wasn’t the place to keep you. You were in such a state and like a frightened mouse. There was nothing I could do – going to your uncle was the best thing for you. I know your mother would have agreed, God rest her soul.”

“Her trying to protect me cost her dearly.”

“You don’t still feel guilty about her death, surely? It was not you who caused it. No one could have predicted the way the day was going to end. Least of all me.”

“You took control of a situation that can’t have been easy. I will never forget that nor stop thanking you for it,” Esther said quietly.

“You have paid me back tenfold.” Sophie stood, seeming to want to end the conversation. She moved across to the door and opened it. “Come. Time to go to bed. I think you’ll have some difficult days ahead.”

“I think we all will until Captain Dunn is recovered.”

But both women knew that Sophie’s words had not been about Matthew at all.

Chapter 10

Samuel entered the kitchen area of Corless House. It had been a long night, but they had won. It was a bloody miracle when he thought what they had been up against.

Cook was busying herself by fussing around the footmen gathered around the servants’ table in the centre of the room and keeping an eye on a large pot of stew bubbling over the open fire. A housemaid was helping to wash wounds and tie dressings around deeper wounds. Dawson had his arm in a sling but was speaking to each of the staff to comfort them and boost their spirits.

Samuel sported some fine bruising and swelling, if the tightness of his skin was anything to go by. It was a marvel they had not suffered a fatality, the closest being Dawson’s bullet wound