The Wounded Nobleman (The Regimental Heroes) (2 page)

Chapter 2

Callie knew she could tame this stallion. In the past few weeks, she’d taken Ellis’s offer and worked Liber every day, hour after hour making days blur into weeks. She hoped that soon, Liber would be accepted as one of
Garrison’s
top carriage horses. He’d be wanted—loved. Knowing love from her family was a childhood memory. Her parents never showed much emotion before, but now... after the ‘
incident
’ it was nonexistent. As far as Father
was concerned, what was done was done, and he would talk no more of it. They hadn’t made the offer to take her out for another season. There could be a chance of scandal. That could never be.

Mother and Father
lived
to be a part of society’s functions. It was one of the only reasons she feared they lived. A sad reason Callie decided. Life should be about saving sick children, or teaching them to read— not parties. A few years back she began to fall into their beliefs that superficial belongings were the only things that mattered.

‘
Let one gentleman court you until you find another with a higher ranking in society of course. This will make the perfect husband
,’
her mother told her. That was why her father turned down Ellis’s offer for her hand. ‘
A Duke!
’
her mother exclaimed when the other man came along, and had swooned over the prospect of the union.

Callie knew she’d hurt Ellis. Of all the young men, he was her favorite. He was funny, smart… and very handsome. She would have accepted his hand, happily, she really would have. She cared for him deeply, but knew Mother would never have allowed it. Not when there was a Duke available.

But the Duke died, and then Ellis left for the war. After what happened, she was left to…
survive
. She tried to think of a more appropriate word, but couldn’t. Her parents never knew the whole story. No one did. With her drastic change in personality, they assumed she’d been ruined in the attack. She should care, stand up for herself and tell them they were mistaken. But she was tired. Tired of all of it. So at the age of twenty-three she’d chosen to have her family refer to her as a spinster.

She clicked her tongue and Liber followed her around the circle. Suddenly, he stopped, shook himself with nostrils flared, and swung his head from side to side.

“Honestly. We’ve been out here for hours and I have nothing but good things to say about you. I think you are nearly ready. You even let me harness you and now, you are going to cause me grief and prove me wrong?”

His black-brown eyes surveyed her. He flicked his ears again just as the first splat of rain hit her. In a minute, it was a downpour.

Callie looked up at the sky. “You’re a horse. Do you mean to tell me you knew it was going to rain like the heavens had opened up?” She laughed. For all she knew, maybe he did. The dry ground quickly turned to ankle deep mud.

Her hands slipped on the hemp rope as she tugged on Liber’s lead. She assumed
there would be thunder and lighting. There was static in the air, you could feel it and she didn’t remember it being this cold in past years. A chill ran up her arm as rain soaked through the layers of her thin dress. Her foot caught, and she stumbled forward twisting her ankle.

“Damn,” she swore as she fought to remain upright. The barn was only fifty feet ahead. She had to make it. By the time she came through the stable door, she was out of breath and limping. She led Liber into his stall, slid the latch closed and dropped to a pile on the ground.

Slowly lifting the hem of her skirt she tried to wiggle her ankle. “Ouch!” she cried to no one in particular.

“What happened?” a voice asked.

Callie snapped her head around to find Ellis behind her. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

He smiled, that cute smile where only half of his mouth quirked up. That hadn’t changed since they were children.

“Ahhh, yes. Your family owns the place,” she answered her own question.

“I thought you’d forgotten. Now, to a more pertinent question, why are you sitting on the ground in the middle of my stable?”

“I twisted my ankle in the blasted mud bringing Liber in. I tried to hurry. A lot of good that did us.”

Concern etched his face. “Are you all right?”

“I think I only turned it.”

Placing his cane to the side for a brace, he struggled to kneel. “It’s a good thing I was here. I took Brixton over there for a rambling canter halfway to London and back. The stable hands were off to supper, so I decided to give him a proper grooming myself.”

“Is this common for you to do your own grooming?”

“I grew up in this stable. If I am to run it properly for my father, then I must remember all the skills of the stables. That entails its workings on every level.” He began to unbutton the small closure at his wrist and slid his hand out of his riding gloves. She never noticed how strong and large his hands were. His hands were not those of a wealthy son of an Earl. There were tiny scars and calluses on his fingers. Working man’s hands. She liked the fact. Even though they must be expensive gloves, he tossed them in the dirt and reached for her ankle.

His eyes met hers. “I need to take off your shoe,” he stated. “Is that all right?”

She nodded and he wasted no time unlacing the boot to slide it off.

Ellis wiggled her foot. “Does this hurt?”

“Yes. But not terribly.” It did, but she wasn’t going to admit it. She could tell it wasn’t broken.

“I am going to call for the stable hands to bring the wagon back and take you to the house where you can get proper care.”

“I will be fine. I…”

Ellis cut her off. “I insist. It is the least I can do with all the time you spent
with Liber these past weeks. You have turned him into a fine, manageable horse. I watch you work him. You have amazing skills with animals.”

“It’s not true.”

“It is. After you left, I sent one of the grooms to move him to a different stall. Liber stomped down so hard, the poor boy almost lost a foot. But not with you, you calm him.” He looked up and met her gaze. “But, you’ve always been special.” He reached up to tuck a wet strand of her blonde hair behind her ear.

Her lips parted to protest, but instead, for some unknown reason, she said his name. She felt him shifting, closing the gap between them. He watched her and it confused her even more. It wasn’t leering or harsh. There was more than idle flirting behind his eyes; he cared deeply for her. His look made her ache to be the girl he once knew. She remembered how he had once looked at her.
With love.

Whisper-soft, his lips touched hers. He smelled of sandalwood, soap, and hay. Sensations swamped her and she closed her eyes. His kiss was so sweet, so unbearably sweet.

Can it be like this?
No. She swore no man would ever hurt her. Touch her. If she let no one in, then no one could. No one had touched her since the night she was attacked. She pushed Ellis away.

“I am… so utterly sorry.” His face grew dark. “You must think me a complete cad and that I am taking advantage of your injured state to gain a kiss.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. A look of self-disgust etched his face.

Callie started to tell him she would never think that, but he stood. He didn’t turn as he headed for the stable door. “I’ll fetch help. You should not be out here alone with me.”

“It would not matter,” she said barely
above a whisper. “Thank you for your help.”

The large brass bell rang outside to call the stable men back.

****

Callie was able to walk on her ankle by the time they reached the house. After much convincing, she’d persuaded Ellis not to fetch the doctor. It was against his better judgment, but he finally gave in. He ordered the maids to find her dry clothes. This wasn’t an easy task; there were no women of his family left in the house. The maids came up with a plain dark wool dress with blue lace cuffs.

When she arrived back downstairs, he wondered how she managed to look so lovely in such a matronly garment. He ordered a carriage to be brought ‘round and ordered one of the maids to escort her home. He wanted to go with her and make sure she was all right, but he’d caused enough damage for one night.

One thing was definitely true
; she shouldn’t be alone with him. He wanted her too much. Was this the reason he’d acted like a stallion and not a gentleman? He’d been in the stables too long? Maybe he should be gelded, that would do it. He grimaced at the mere thought.

Ellis carried a blanket he’d had the kitchen staff fill with heated bricks. He waited until the two women were inside the carriage, then poked his head in and placed the bricks under Callie’s feet. He drew wool blankets over her lap. “Are you sure you are well enough to travel?”

“Yes. Thank you… for everything, milord.” A blush tinted her cheeks.

Even the kiss?
He closed the carriage door and bid her goodnight. Ellis licked his lower lip and swore under his breath. The taste of her mouth still lingered there. He was trying to figure out why he had kissed her as he wandered back toward the house. He had done many brainless things in his life, such as putting Lady Barimings goats in her attic. But kissing Callie again moved to the top of the list. She was wounded. In his care. In his family’s stables!
For God’s sake.

Ellis stalked to the study and poured half a glass of brandy. He downed it in one gulp.

After months of recovery in the hospital, he swore when he returned from the war, he would not feel sorry for himself. But, if Callie turned him away when he was virile and strong, what must she think of him now?

A gunshot sounded behind him and his heart nearly stopped. He grabbed the edge of the piano.
Keep your senses, man, it was only a door slamming.
Ellis pulled in a shaky breath.

“Was that Callie Dunning? Our carriages passed while I was on the way in”
, a deep voice asked.

Clarke
. How did brothers manage to arrive at the least opportune times? And slam bloody doors when they entered a room?

“You could have sent ahead and told me you were coming.” He turned and glared at him.

“Earlier today, I ran into Father. He invited me to dinner. Do I need an engraved invitation? I haven’t seen much of you in the past
few months.”

“How is Adeline?”

“She’s with child.”

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you. Could you pour me some of that brandy you’re hoarding?” Clarke came along side him and took the filled snifter. “You never answered my question. Is Callie Dunning back in your life?”

“She is helping tame one of my temperamental horses. Nothing more.”

“You told me you loved her once. Is that still true?” Clarke took a sip from his glass and eyed him over the rim.

“No,” Ellis said tersely.

“But you did.”

“Everything has changed. I wasn’t a cripple when I wished to ask for her hand the first time
.”

“Did she say that? Call you a cripple?”

“Of course not. But, what else could she think. That damn war. That bloody damn war.” Ellis took his cane and dashed his glass off the sidebar. It crashed against the wall and splintered into a million silver shards.

“Are you finished?” Clarke asked. “I think I have my answer. I did need to come.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You just said it, ‘That bloody damned war’.” Clarke sat in one of the high backed brocade chairs and dropped his hands between his knees. “Spencer is starting a group. To… help us with what we are going through since our return.”

“I’m not going to some candy girls group to cry into…”

Clarke cut him off, “At first, I had the same feeling you carry. That was before I truly thought it through.” He looked up to meet his gaze. “I still wake up screaming most nights. Half the nightmares are filled with being run through or shot, the other half are filled with my desperate search for my brother.”

“You have nightmares about me?”

“You are my only brother, aren’t you?” He gave a weak smile. “Unfortunately, what really happened that day was not a dream. I am sure my mind feeds on what I saw. You took the blow to your leg, but I couldn’t get through the mayhem to reach you. I was with David. By the time I did, you were unconscious with your life’s blood pooled around you. I thought you were dead.”

“You never told me this.”

“I also never shared that to save your life I bound your leg with my ripped shirt and carried you half a mile on my back… covered in Adeline’s brother’s blood. The least I expect is that you do something with life and don’t waste it wallowing in self-pity.”

“I don’t.”

Clarke closed his eyes. “These are my memories, not yours. I do not know if you suffer the same as I. What I am telling you is if you plan to bring someone you love into your life, you owe it to her. Spencer convinced me, we can’t do this on our own.
Tuesday.
Spencer’s ‘
card club’
will have its first meeting. I think you should be there.” Clarke rose and brushed off his pants. “I must not keep father waiting.” He left the room and shut the door without letting Ellis reply.

Scrubbing one palm over his face, he blinked and stared at the closed door. His brother saved his life? He didn’t remember that. And, when had he told Spencer he loved Callie? He’d forgotten than too.

Did he still love her? How could his heart survive rejection twice in one lifetime by the same woman?
God… what a mess
.