Once A Soldier Part 4

With a wry smile, he tried to remember the last time he'd cared about impressing a woman. Too long.

He tugged the short jacket down. The buff facings and silver lace were intact, but he thought ruefully that the uniform had seen its share of war and had the wounds to prove it. Murphy had become adept at mending slices from French sabers or scorched powder marks when a bullet hadn't quite hit him.

On the plus side, wearing a uniform meant never having to decide what to wear. He'd actually have to think about clothing when he was a civilian again. Smiling a little at the thought, Will headed downstairs to the Olivieras' apartment, with Murphy at his heels. He was greeted warmly by Sergeant Gilberto and his parents.

"Major Masterson." Senor Oliviera bowed deeply. "I thank you for bringing my son home."

"I didn't," Will protested. "Sergeant Oliviera and his men are highly skilled soldiers who had no need of me."

"No doubt," the older man said with a glint of amus.e.m.e.nt, "but I cannot thank the entire British Army for what it has done for all of us on the Peninsula. So I thank you."

Understanding the need to offer thanks, Will said, "On behalf of the British, I accept your thanks, but truly, our victory came of many allies working together."

That being settled, it was time to address the more serious issue of breakfast. The meal was limited to the adult members of the family, which kept the noise level down.

As Murphy said, the British were honored guests and the meal provided was lavish with sweet pastries, Spanish omelets made with fried potatoes, and ham shaved so thin it was almost transparent. Will hoped that a month's worth of food supplies hadn't been used up for this one breakfast, and honored the hospitality by eating with gusto. It was the best meal he'd had in weeks.

He'd hoped Athena would join them for breakfast, but she didn't appear until the meal was over. He was draining his coffee cup when she swept into the dining room, her vitality bringing the whole room alive. She gave Will a swift smile before greeting the Olivieras. He felt an instant of paralyzed shock and again the word "magnificent" sizzled through his mind.

She was dressed for a day on horseback, but instead of a woman's riding habit, she wore a short brown Spanish jacket embroidered in gold over a crisp masculine white s.h.i.+rt. Her tan divided skirt swirled provocatively above her ankles and in her medium-heeled riding boots, she was almost as tall as Will. Magnificent indeed.

As she removed her flat-brimmed hat, she said, "If the time is not inconvenient, I would like to take Major Masterson to meet Prince Alfonso."

Senor Oliviera rose. "I shall escort you and make the introductions, Lady Athena."

Will was impatient for his ride with Athena, but manners must be observed, and that meant meeting the regent. The three of them ascended a floor to the public rooms. As Will's footsteps echoed across vast, richly furnished s.p.a.ces, he said, "There doesn't seem to have been any looting here in the castle. I a.s.sume the French were unable to break in?"

Senor Oliviera looked as if he would have spat if not indoors. "You are correct. We were able to preserve the royal treasures of San Gabriel. More precious are the lives of my countrymen. Many more would have died if not for Lady Athena."

Athena made a deprecatory wave of her hand, but Will decided that was a story he must hear before the day was over. He would have asked immediately, but they had reached a tall doorway and Senor Oliviera ushered them into a small reception room occupied by an elderly man in a thronelike wooden chair. Beside him Princess Maria Sofia was reading aloud. She stopped when the others entered, her gaze on Will. Since they hadn't met properly the night before, she was understandably curious.

Senor Oliviera announced in a sonorous voice, "Your highness, allow me to present Major William Masterson of the British Army."

Prince Alfonso, a thin man with white hair and a vague, happy expression, said, "We thank you for your visit, Major Masterson."

"My greetings, your highness." Will made a courtly bow. "Thank you for granting me an audience."

"I am always pleased to see British subjects," the prince said. "I spent two years in London representing my country, and I enjoyed it greatly. That's where I met my dear Lady Delilah." He nodded toward Athena.

Surprised, Will gave Athena a quick glance. Her face was unreadable, and he remembered that she'd said the prince mistook her for her mother.

"Britain values her long-standing ties with San Gabriel," Will said. "Your troops fought bravely against the French."

Prince Alfonso scowled. "We do not like the French. Savages! They stole the Queen of Heaven! They must be punished for that. Punished!"

"And they will be," Princess Sofia said smoothly as she laid her hand on her great-uncle's arm. "But now it is time for your morning coffee, eh?"

The regent's face smoothed out. "Coffee, yes. You're a good girl, Isabella." He patted her hand. To Will, he said, "Pray take our greetings to your own prince regent, Lord Masterson. I would like to pay a call on him in person, but I fear . . . I fear that is too much for me."

"I shall do as you ask, your highness." Will bowed again, then withdrew, Athena at his side.

As they left the room, Senor Oliviera said, "I shall fetch your coffee, your highness, and we have honey cakes."

The regent's face brightened like a child's. "Honey cakes are my favorite!"

Will gave a sigh of relief when the door closed behind him. "I understand why you and Princess Maria Sofia have had to take on the duties of governance."

"Prince Alfonso has better days," Athena said as she led the way through the great hall to the stairs. "Fortunately, he is always sweet tempered, except when the French are mentioned. He dotes on Sofia even if half the time he thinks she's her mother, Queen Isabella. They look much alike."

"As you resemble your mother, Lady Delilah?"

She frowned. "I can't imagine why you have any need to know about her, Major Masterson."

"I don't need to, but everything about you interests me, Athena," he said peaceably. "I'd like to know more of your past. In return, ask me whatever you like, though I warn you, I'm not very interesting."

"Families interest me, since I haven't much of any myself." She glanced back over her shoulder as she reached the ground floor. "What was your family like?"

"My mother died when I was six. She was sweet, but her health was never strong so I didn't see much of her. My father wasn't a monster, but he wasn't particularly interested in his offspring. I was raised mostly by servants. Luckily, they were a decent lot and looked out for me."

"That sounds rather dismal. Who was your favorite relative, the illegitimate one?"

"My half brother, Damian T. Mackenzie," Will replied as they stepped outside and headed toward the stables. "'Trouble' is his middle name."

Athena laughed, her p.r.i.c.kliness gone. "Really? I like him already."

"Mac is very likable." Will smiled as he remembered their first meeting. "He's two years younger than I, and his mother was an actress. After she died, her maid brought Mac to Hayden Hall, the family seat, then disappeared."

"How dreadful for him!" Athena's voice held a vehemence that sounded very personal. "Was he fostered out somewhere distant?"

"When my father returned from London, he wanted to do something like that, but I wouldn't allow it. I liked Mac and had him moved into the nursery with me." It had been wonderful to find he had a brother. He'd never forgotten his first sight of Mac, who was terrified, grief-stricken, and trying gallantly not to show it. "I was a well-behaved, rather boring child. Mac was a wonderful companion. Outgoing and full of fun. So I insisted on keeping him."

"Like a puppy?" Athena asked with amus.e.m.e.nt.

"Exactly." Will's glance was rueful. "I might have been boring, but I was also rather stubborn. When I refused to let Mac be sent away, my father abandoned plans to have me educated at Eton. Instead, he packed us both off to a small new school for boys of good birth and bad behavior so the illegitimate son wouldn't be obvious."

As they entered the stables, Athena asked, "Did that work out well?"

"Yes, we both got excellent educations and made friends for life." Will glanced around the stables and saw several good horses. "My horse could probably use a rest. Do you have any other mounts that would be up to my weight?"

Athena pointed to a large bay gelding. "Herculano is the strongest horse here and has a placid disposition." She glanced at Will mischievously. "He should suit you well."

He chuckled as he went for his saddle and tack. "Is he also stubborn?"

"When he feels the need." Athena collected her own saddle and entered a stall with a tall, handsome chestnut. "Where is your brother now?"

"Running a very fas.h.i.+onable gaming club in London. Though he's spending less time at the club since he married last year." Will entered Herculano's stall and started to make the horse's acquaintance. "I look forward to seeing him again. I've been enlisted as G.o.dfather for a baby that's on the way."

"That sounds lovely." Deftly Athena saddled the chestnut and led it into the aisle between the rows of stalls. As she added saddlebags, she said, "After we visit Senora da Silva, we'll have a long day's ride ahead if you want to see most of the valley. Earlier I packed food, but it will be another very simple meal. Is that acceptable?"

"That sounds perfect." Will smiled to himself as he saddled his horse. A long day with Athena Markham was just what he wanted.

Chapter 7.

As Athena expected, Will rode like a man who spent half his days on horseback, which he probably had. The rain and mist of the previous day had burned off, leaving suns.h.i.+ne and an intensely blue sky. San Gabriel was at its best.

She was glad he asked no more personal questions. As they rode through the town, all his attention was on his surroundings as he quietly absorbed every detail. The weathered stone houses topped with red tile were typical of this part of the world, but in places there were bullet scars or the marks of fire.

Will attracted attention for both his size and his uniform. Children stared as if he were a being from another planet. He smiled at them amiably. The smallest shrank back shyly, but one bolder boy said loudly, "Why is he here?"

Will replied in Gabrileno, "Visiting your beautiful country. Why are you here?"

The boy's jaw dropped before he rallied and called back, "I was born here!"

"Good reason!" Will waved at the children as Athena guided them around a corner into the next street.

"Within an hour, everyone in town will know that we're being visited by a British officer who speaks the language. Unheard of! You'll be regarded as a lucky bird of spring." When Will gave her an inquiring glance, she explained, "It's a local expression for when the first songbirds return. A lucky, happy time, since winter is over."

"I probably look more like a song bear," he said with amus.e.m.e.nt. "San Gabriel has had a bad year, so I imagine all signs of good luck are welcome. Even song bears."

"Do you sing?"

He grinned. "In a bearlike way."

Athena would like to hear that.

The central plaza was quiet, since this wasn't a market day. As they rode across, Will studied the church that formed one side of the square. "How old is the church? It's very handsome."

"The oldest part, the crypt, is over a thousand years old. It's called the Church of Mary, Queen of Heaven."

Will gave her a sharp glance. "Does that have anything to do with Prince Alfonso's comment that the French stole the Queen of Heaven?"

"I'm afraid so. The French stole everything of value, including a beautiful old statue of the Madonna," Athena explained. "The Queen of Heaven was the most sacred object in San Gabriel and everyone was devastated. The priest, Father Anselmo, tried to stop the thieves and was beaten and left for dead, but he survived. It's generally thought that the Blessed Mother herself intervened to preserve him."

The bell tower dominated the town plaza, and as they rode past, the church bells began to ring the hour. Will asked, "Can the bells be heard everywhere in the valley?"

"Yes, and the Church of Santo Espirito in the village at the west end of the valley has a matching set of bells. With a war going on just over the mountains, special warning signals were devised. When the French came, the deacon of Santo Espirito rang the warning that enabled people to escape into the caves."

"Very good planning," Will said approvingly as he guided his horse around a cart that had been left in the middle of the street. "If I'd been here, I'd also drill everyone on where they'd go to hide and what they could realistically take with them."

"That's exactly what was done here," Athena said. "Otherwise there would have been many more casualties during the invasion."

Will gave her a keen glance. "Did you suggest the signals and the drills?"

Surprised by his perception, she said, "It wasn't all me, but I was part of the war council the king called to discuss preparations for what might happen, and several of my suggestions were adopted." Carlos had said she was the most valuable member of his council, and privately she knew that he was right. All her years of reading had given her good ideas.

After they left the town behind them, it was only a short ride to the da Silva estate. The sprawling stone residence and outbuildings were surrounded by high walls and wide gardens. The elderly gatekeeper, who admitted them through the cast-iron gates, greeted Athena with a smile.

After returning the greeting, she started up the long drive, saying, "The da Silvas are the second largest landowners after the Alcantaras. Their fields suffered a great deal of damage from the French."

"What is Senora da Silva like?"

"A lovely woman from a Portuguese family. Her youngest daughter is a close friend of Sofia's. They went to school together in Porto. The youngest of the sons is at school in Spain and the oldest is a captain serving under his father. Did you meet him?"

"No, everything happened so quickly." Will slanted her a glance as they reached the stables and dismounted. "There is a middle son?"

Athena sighed. "Was. Alberto was killed fighting under his father."

"Too many young men have died," Will said softly. "At least that is over for now."

Athena's mouth twisted as she led the way to the house. "I wonder if mankind will ever outgrow the desire for war. Womankind already has."

"I've met some female guerillas as fierce as any man, but, in general, you're right. Perhaps the world needs more queens and fewer kings."

Athena pulled the bell rope by the front door. "What do you think of war, Will?"

"Sometimes it's necessary. Always it is hideously destructive." Will smiled wryly. "And too often it's dangerously addictive. Some men thrive on danger and uncertainty and will never be content with peace."

"Then they should all be put into an arena with weapons so they can fight it out," Athena said tartly.

"Was that one of the suggestions you made in the Gabrileno war council?" he asked with interest.

"No," she said. "But it should have been!"

A tiny old maid ushered Will and Athena into a reception room handsome with carved furniture and fine, slightly worn carpets on the polished tile floor. Apparently, the da Silva walls had protected the house from casual looting.

Will barely had time to survey his surroundings when the lady of the house entered the room with swift, anxious steps. Senora da Silva was an attractive woman of middle years dressed in mourning black and with a dramatic streak of silver waving through her dark hair.

She appeared on the verge of fainting. With her gaze fixed on Will, she asked tensely, "My husband? My son?"

"Both are well," he said immediately. "I am here not to deliver bad news, but because Colonel da Silva asked me to accompany a unit of Gabrileno cavalry home. Though he and your son suffered some injury in the battle for Toulouse, both are recovering without problems. The colonel and the rest of his troops will be home in a few weeks."

Her eyes closed and she gave a shudder of relief. Athena stepped to the older woman's side and guided her to a chair. "Good news can be as jarring as bad news," she said soothingly. "Would you like something? Brandy? Coffee?"

"No, thank you, my dear." Senora da Silva opened her eyes and patted Athena's arm. "When I saw a British officer, for a moment I feared the worst. But now I can breathe again."

"I'm glad to have brought you good news, Senora. But your husband also entrusted me with more sobering information." Will reached inside his coat and removed several folded sheets of paper that had been sealed with red wax. He handed them to the colonel's wife. "Here is a list of casualties among your troops. He said that some of the families already know because of earlier letters, but there were more casualties at Toulouse."

Senora da Silva gazed down at the pages, her expression sad. "I shall call on all these families. Lady Athena, do you think the princess will accompany me? Her presence will mean . . . much."

"I know she will want to go with you," Athena said softly.