Thomas wasn't there.
"How are you?" Jacob asked his cousin.
"I'm drunk," Richard lifted a canteen to his mouth.
The doctor tied off the bandage. "He'll be fine as long as a fever doesn't set in. He was telling me about a local woman named Dottie who makes potions and such."
"Yes." Jacob nodded. "I could bring some medicine."
"Good. I think he'll need it." The doctor excused himself and left the tent.
Caroline patted Richard's hand. "You'll be fine. We'll make sure you have all the medicine you need."
Richard smiled grimly. "I'm afraid I may miss your wedding."
"Don't worry about that. I'm just grateful you're all right." Caroline straightened. "Has anyone seen Thomas?"
"Major Thomas?" Simon asked.
"No, Thomas Haversham."
Simon wrinkled his nose. "I don't know him. But I know a Thomas Barrett and - "
"Wait." Caroline held up a hand. "Did you say Major Thomas? Matthias Murray Thomas? Is Jane's son here?"
"You could say that." Richard took a gulp from his canteen, then offered it to her. "You might want some of this."
"No thank you." Caroline tensed as a surge of anger swept through her. "Jane's son has been here all this time? How could he stay here when his mother was being held prisoner?"
"He did go home," Simon declared.
"When? I didn't see him." Caroline planted her fists on her hips. "And where was he when his mother was starving to death? Jacob and Thomas had to save her. How could he let other men rescue his mother?"
"The wages of sin," Richard murmured, and helped himself to another swig of rum.
Simon glared at her. "Major Thomas is a hero."
"I beg to differ." Caroline lifted her chin. "Where is this Matthias? I'd like to give him a piece of my mind."
"You'll find Major Thomas outside," Richard explained. "He wanted to be alone. He blames himself for my injury. And he blames himself for the death of those two men."
"Why would he - " Caroline studied Richard, then Jacob. They knew something, she could tell by the way they avoided her eyes. A cold shiver crept into her bones.
She needed to see Thomas. Now. She threw open the tent flap and marched outside. She scanned the campsite, searching the dirty, scarred faces.
Her Thomas was here. He had to be. He loved her. And she trusted him. She'd given him her heart.
"There he is." Simon followed her outside and pointed in the distance.
She spotted Thomas Haversham, far away in a grove of trees. His back was to her as he leaned against the trunk of a loblolly pine. The slump of his shoulders spoke of his despair. Poor Thomas. She moved toward him to give him comfort.
"Major Thomas!" Simon shouted. "There's someone here to see you."
Caroline halted. No, don't turn around. Don't be a liar. Don't break my heart.
He turned.
Chapter Thirty-Two
"Caroline? What are you doing here?" Matthias strode toward her.
She stepped back, her face pale and stricken.
What was wrong? He noted Simon's confused expression. Major Thomas, the boy had called to him. Damn. She knew who he was.
She backed away, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Caroline." He moved toward her. "We need to talk."
She shook her head. "I don't talk to strangers."
"We're hardly strangers."
"No?" She lowered her voice. "Tell me, Matthias Murray Thomas, do you normally bed a woman before introducing yourself?"
He sucked in a breath. "No. You're the first."
"Lucky me." She pivoted and stalked away.
He followed her. "I don't blame you for being angry."
She snorted and kept walking.
"I apologize. I know I should have told you sooner."
She swiveled to face him. "Why didn't you? Why weren't you honest with me?"
"I - At first, I wanted to know if your attraction to me was real, that it had nothing to do with wealth."
She gave him an incredulous look. "You thought I was hunting for a rich husband? Like Agatha? How could you?"
"I didn't know you then. How was I to know you could be trusted? You were lying about your identity, too."
Her eyes narrowed. "I confessed the truth. Why didn't you?"
"I didn't want to lose you. You said you wouldn't involve yourself with a soldier."
"So that justifies lying to me?"
"I was always honest about my feelings."
She huffed. "And I'm supposed to trust you on that?"
"Yes, dammit. I wouldn't have proposed marriage if I didn't love you."
As a tear coursed down her cheek, a pang of guilt pierced his heart. He had lived with his lie for so long, he had ceased to understand how badly the falsehood would hurt Caroline. How could he convince her he was true when