A Soldier’s Heart(56)
“You must hoodwink them, Longford. For tomorrow I shall need every good man I can find. Now, Blackwood, you have your orders.”
“Your Grace, since Longford won’t be needed until tomorrow, he could transport Kendall back to Brussels.”
“See to it,” the duke barked, striding from the room.
“What has happened?” Long asked, with no trace of boredom.
“Kendall has fallen. You must get him back to Brussels and get him medical help.”
“I shall take him to Serena. She stays with Cecily and Mrs. Buckle at Lady Charlesworth’s. Those three could drag a man back from hell if they set their minds to it.”
His heart gave one single stroke. “Serena? Here? How? Why?”
“Steady, Matt. You shall ask her yourself.” The familiar mocking smile curved Long’s mouth. “But first, I believe Wellington gave you an order.”
Shocked that thoughts of his wife could make him so forget himself, Matt moved with superhuman speed procuring a wagon and driver and urging Longford toward Quatre Bras. He left him with precise directions to Kendall’s regiment while he continued on with orders for Picton.
The old man was not happy, as Wellington had foreseen. Holding his hand firmly to his two broken ribs, Picton cursed and raved, but in the end followed the orders as he’d always intended.
Weary soldiers tramped along the chausée. Occasionally a snatch of song could be heard. Matt searched for Kendall’s brigade and found them near the front, two newly appointed officers reorganizing their march. He learned Long had left only an hour before him. He spurred his horse forward, searching the mass movement for signs of a wagon. It was slow going as the army shifted their position for the coming battle. Finally he saw Long up ahead. The wagon jarred to a stop and Matt dismounted to reassure himself Kendall still lived.
His lids slowly lifted. The haze over the usually bright eyes pierced Matt like a bullet.
“Longford here. What a lark, hey, Matt?” Kendall tried to grin, but it turned into a grimace of pain.
“Easy, old friend. Long shall take you to Brussels. To Serena and Cecily.”
Slowly he rolled his head to where Long stood beside the wagon. “Long, if … if I don’t make it—” Kendall swallowed, taking a harsh breath “—Tell your sister she’s stolen my heart.”
“Tell her yourself, Kendall,” Long snorted. “And a merry dance she’ll lead you.”
“I … can hardly wait,” Kendall sighed, closing his eyes, with a shadow of his old grin.
At just that minute the threatening gray clouds overhead split, and pelting rain began to fall. Matt swept his cape off his shoulders and flung it over Kendall, protecting him as best he could from the downpour. If he developed a fever…
“Long…” Fear for his friend colored his voice. He couldn’t let Kendall die like Jeffries, Higgens, and the others.
“Never fear, Matt, I won’t let Kendall die. God in heaven, I couldn’t bear the peal Cecily would ring over me for the rest of my days.”
Grasping his brother’s shoulder, Matt stared into the hooded eyes. “I know not what tomorrow will bring. Tell Serena—”
“Good God, not you, too!” Long exploded, stopping Matt cold. “God continue to preserve me from cupid’s arrow! You shall tell her yourself. Believe that!”
Longford leapt back onto his horse, and with a wave of his hand, the wagon creaked away, leaving Matt staring after it.
Lightning split the sky, and a second later, thunder rumbled around him. The storm was at hand. If he lived through it, he would tell Serena all that was in his heart.
Her heart jumped to her throat when word reached her in the front parlor, where she sat under Buckle’s guidance rolling bandages, that the marquess had returned with an injured officer.
She raced, with Cecily at her heels, to the back courtyard.
When she saw Kendall’s ashen face and blood-soaked uniform, she clasped her hand over her mouth to still the nausea. Beside her, Cecily broke into loud, gasping sobs.
As three footman lifted Kendall’s limp body from the wagon, Aunt Lavinia, Frederick, and Buckle all appeared in the doorway.
“Lord Charlesworth, go fetch a doctor immediately,” Buckle urged, and to Serena’s surprise, Frederick instantly did as she bid.
With her owl eyes blinking rapidly, Aunt Lavinia wrung her hands. “The blue bedroom,” she finally gasped, bustling away.
When Kendall, face and uniform black with soot and dried blood, was carried past them, Cecily recoiled with horror back against the house.
“Come, Cecily, we must attend him until the doctor arrives,” Serena said gently, touching her arm.