son. He’ll probably be there by tomorrow.” Her father looked at Ellie again. “You look pale. Are you all right?” he asked.
“It’s just the worry. Fire is frightening and it could happen anywhere.” Ellie forced a smile and turned her attention to her uneaten food.
Where was Ralph? She’d seen him enter the barn with Rafe. Something wasn’t right. But if she asked anymore questions, she’d be in trouble. She had get to Rafe and see for herself that he was not seriously hurt. Something didn’t feel right. How did the fire start, as an accident or started by someone on purpose? The only person in the barn besides Rafe was his brother, and he magically disappeared.
Ellie was relieved when her parents and the rest of the family retired shortly after the meal. Her body ached, and her mind raced with questions that had no answers. She’d just climbed into bed when her mother came into her room.
She sat beside Ellie and brushed her hand over her hair. “You do so remind me of my mother. Those intelligent green eyes and inquisitive nature.” Her fingers brushed underneath Ellie’s eyes. “You have dark circles. We’ll need to use cucumber slices tomorrow.”
Ellie lay quietly and watched as her mother walked to the window facing Rafe’s home. “I can see how you might see smoke from your window. I doubt Billy had that ability from our barn.” She turned and faced her daughter. “I hope you haven’t done anything to bring disgrace on our name, daughter. There were times the ton regarded my mother as not quite proper. I lived in fear she would stop me from making a good marriage. Perhaps if she’d been different, I’d have married an earl or marquis.”
Lady Upton came back to Ellie’s bedside. “Your father is a good man, but I always wanted my daughters to do better. Claudia married a viscount and Sophia a marquis. You have turned down several fine prospects. You need to make a decision about your future. Lord Marshall and Turner will be at the party we’re planning. Your father and I hope you will find one of them a favorable choice.” She bent down and brushed her cool lips over Ellie’s cheek and then gracefully walked out of the room.
Tears flowed down Ellie’s face. Her dream gone, she had to face reality. She had no more time to convince Rafe to marry her. She must choose one of these men to marry.
Yet, her heart had belonged to someone else since she was sixteen. Ellie had made her choice a long time ago. She just didn’t expect to be able to keep it.
Chapter Six
Cannons boomed in the distance, and the smell of firepower filled his nostrils. Rafe tried to step carefully around the bodies of comrades and enemies strewn throughout the battlefield. This had to be hell on earth.
The smell of death seeped up from the ground. His eyes stung from the thick, acrid clouds of smoke as the boom of the distant cannon vibrated through his body. The battle was over except for a few men fighting on that distant hill. Had they won? With all the dead, how could anyone claim a victory?
Through the smoke, he saw the outline of a man, vaguely familiar, moving toward him. A sharp blast flashed before his eyes. He felt the white-hot pain of the bullet as it creased his scalp, and he fell among the other bodies in the muddy field.
Rafe’s head pounded. The nightmare had returned, only this time he had seen his attacker’s face. Rafe heard voices in the distance. His father must be here. Crooking one eye open, he saw the figures of two men whispering in the doorway to his bedroom. How did he get to bed? He vaguely remembered Ralph visiting.
Wait. He opened his eyes again. The darkness had lightened. He saw the outline of objects and watched as the two men stepped into his room. He sat up abruptly and grabbed his head when the pain jabbed between his eyes.
The doctor rushed to his side. “Your head hurts?”
“Like demons beating the inside of it with sticks.”
“Lay back and let me examine
“It’s just the worry. Fire is frightening and it could happen anywhere.” Ellie forced a smile and turned her attention to her uneaten food.
Where was Ralph? She’d seen him enter the barn with Rafe. Something wasn’t right. But if she asked anymore questions, she’d be in trouble. She had get to Rafe and see for herself that he was not seriously hurt. Something didn’t feel right. How did the fire start, as an accident or started by someone on purpose? The only person in the barn besides Rafe was his brother, and he magically disappeared.
Ellie was relieved when her parents and the rest of the family retired shortly after the meal. Her body ached, and her mind raced with questions that had no answers. She’d just climbed into bed when her mother came into her room.
She sat beside Ellie and brushed her hand over her hair. “You do so remind me of my mother. Those intelligent green eyes and inquisitive nature.” Her fingers brushed underneath Ellie’s eyes. “You have dark circles. We’ll need to use cucumber slices tomorrow.”
Ellie lay quietly and watched as her mother walked to the window facing Rafe’s home. “I can see how you might see smoke from your window. I doubt Billy had that ability from our barn.” She turned and faced her daughter. “I hope you haven’t done anything to bring disgrace on our name, daughter. There were times the ton regarded my mother as not quite proper. I lived in fear she would stop me from making a good marriage. Perhaps if she’d been different, I’d have married an earl or marquis.”
Lady Upton came back to Ellie’s bedside. “Your father is a good man, but I always wanted my daughters to do better. Claudia married a viscount and Sophia a marquis. You have turned down several fine prospects. You need to make a decision about your future. Lord Marshall and Turner will be at the party we’re planning. Your father and I hope you will find one of them a favorable choice.” She bent down and brushed her cool lips over Ellie’s cheek and then gracefully walked out of the room.
Tears flowed down Ellie’s face. Her dream gone, she had to face reality. She had no more time to convince Rafe to marry her. She must choose one of these men to marry.
Yet, her heart had belonged to someone else since she was sixteen. Ellie had made her choice a long time ago. She just didn’t expect to be able to keep it.
Chapter Six
Cannons boomed in the distance, and the smell of firepower filled his nostrils. Rafe tried to step carefully around the bodies of comrades and enemies strewn throughout the battlefield. This had to be hell on earth.
The smell of death seeped up from the ground. His eyes stung from the thick, acrid clouds of smoke as the boom of the distant cannon vibrated through his body. The battle was over except for a few men fighting on that distant hill. Had they won? With all the dead, how could anyone claim a victory?
Through the smoke, he saw the outline of a man, vaguely familiar, moving toward him. A sharp blast flashed before his eyes. He felt the white-hot pain of the bullet as it creased his scalp, and he fell among the other bodies in the muddy field.
Rafe’s head pounded. The nightmare had returned, only this time he had seen his attacker’s face. Rafe heard voices in the distance. His father must be here. Crooking one eye open, he saw the figures of two men whispering in the doorway to his bedroom. How did he get to bed? He vaguely remembered Ralph visiting.
Wait. He opened his eyes again. The darkness had lightened. He saw the outline of objects and watched as the two men stepped into his room. He sat up abruptly and grabbed his head when the pain jabbed between his eyes.
The doctor rushed to his side. “Your head hurts?”
“Like demons beating the inside of it with sticks.”
“Lay back and let me examine
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