Captain Jones's Temptation - Audrey Harrison Page 0,44

hurt? Oh, forgive me! Good morning, Lord Longdon, it is good to make your acquaintance.” Esther was struck by the contrast between Miles’s dark colouring and Samuel’s fairness. Miles was a very handsome man, but he was nothing compared to the man who had taken her heart. She suffered a moment’s jealousy for the women who would have seen the three captains together and have set their caps at them, for she was certain they had been exceedingly popular, younger sons or not.

The smile on Miles’s face had broadened at each sentence from Esther. “Miss Hardy. I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. I have heard a lot about you.”

“I would bet a quarter’s pin money that none of it was good,” Esther responded, returning to type.

“I told you she was a harpy,” Samuel said, but it had taken all his self-control not to cross the room and embrace Esther when he had witnessed her outburst and obvious relief to see him.

“She seems delightful to me,” Miles said.

“Come in, gentlemen. Sit yourselves down,” Sophie instructed. “I shall pour you some brandy. Tea doesn’t hit the spot after a long journey.”

“I like that way of thinking.” Samuel smiled, accepting a glass.

Esther rolled her eyes at him, before becoming serious. “How did you find out where we were? No one knew what had happened.”

“Your cook guessed when we had checked every single inn on the route from Barrowfoot House to Corless House. Every. Single. One,” Samuel said.

“He does so often exaggerate, but I’m afraid in this instance he speaks the truth,” Miles interjected.

“Cook. Of course, she would guess where I would go.”

“What I’d like to know is why you haven’t sent word to anyone and why you changed a perfectly reasonable plan to a hare-brained one of your own?” Samuel asked. Once he was over the initial euphoria at seeing her alive and well, his annoyance had risen to the surface.

Miles winced at his friend’s harsh words, but watched the exchange with interest.

Esther paused, but only for a moment. “It is a good thing for you that I have news I wish to impart, or you would not get away with that comment so easily, Captain Jones. For your information, we travelled here when Captain Dunn was shot and it was clear he was probably going to bleed to death if we tried to continue to Hampshire.” She felt a little cruel at the change her words caused to the expressions on both men’s faces. But really. Samuel needed to mind his manners; he was far too quick to come into a situation and be demanding and instructing. “He lives,” she finished.

“Thank goodness for that! How did the buffoon manage to get himself injured?” Samuel asked.

“There was another attacker positioned on the road away from Corless House. The carriage received a bullet. I have no idea whether Captain Dunn was hit with the first or third bullet,” Esther replied.

“The carriage was hit?” Samuel felt sick to his stomach.

“Yes. I had forced us all onto the carriage floor at the first gunshot. It was fortuitous, as the horses bolted and I was convinced we were going to be overturned at any moment. Bell performed a miracle bringing them back under control. He admitted that it was more good luck than skill that kept us upright. The poor horses were frightened half to death.”

Miles had noticed the colour draining from Samuel’s face. If he had had any uncertainty about his friend’s affection towards the young lady before him, he was in no doubt now. He could sympathise completely with how Samuel felt knowing that the woman he loved had been in so much danger and he had not been there to protect her. That he had been performing a vital role in the situation would be of little comfort to Samuel.

“And the attacker?” Samuel croaked out.

Esther grimaced. She still struggled with what had happened to the man. “Captain Dunn said he’d killed him and managed to hide his body, all the while bleeding heavily. I am amazed he managed to catch up with us. He fainted through loss of blood when he reached the carriage.”

“How is Dunn?” Miles asked.

“He has been very ill,” Esther said. “The doctor was not hopeful he would pull through because of the blood loss, but I think Lydia willed him to live. She has hardly left his side. I can take you to him, but he is still very weak. Please keep your caustic comments to a minimum.”

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