Redemption of a Fallen Woman(59)

Elena eyed her companion covertly, knowing now that there were questions she wanted answers to, answers about Badajoz and about Belén. This was the opportunity to find out. However, she felt apprehensive about his possible response. Not wishing to alienate him as well, she decided to test the water.

‘May I ask you something, Jack?’

He surveyed her steadily. ‘You may ask, my lady.’

She came straight to the point. ‘You were at Badajoz with my husband, were you not?’

Jack’s eyes registered momentary surprise but he was quick to recover. ‘Aye, my lady, I were there all right. It were a bad business and no mistake.’

‘The officers tried to prevent the men from looting, I believe.’

‘That they did, and His Lordship among them, but they hadn’t a chance. They were vastly outnumbered and t’men crazy wi’ drink. They were prepared to kill anyone who got in their road.’

‘I understand that they killed one of my husband’s friends.’

Jack nodded. ‘Captain Radcliffe. He were attempting to stop a group o’ rioters from looting a shop. There were nigh on a dozen of ’em. They’d have fired on him only they’d already discharged their weapons and hadn’t bothered to reload, so they used t’rifle butts instead. Clubbed him t’ground and kept on hitting him.’

‘Merciful heavens.’

‘His Lordship saw it and shot two o’ t’beggars straight off. Then he waded in t’rest to try and help his friend, but t’rioters attacked him too. I shot a couple more of ’em and t’rest ran off swearing revenge. By t’time we got to him Captain Radcliffe were already dead. Murdering brutes’d stove his skull in.’

Elena paled. ‘What happened then?’

‘We managed to get away before t’scum came back wi’ reinforcements. It weren’t easy neither. My lord had a concussion and a couple o’ nasty gashes to his head as bled like t’devil, but he got off lightly, all things considered. All t’same, he took Captain Radcliffe’s death very hard. Blamed himself, even though there were nowt more he could have done.’

She digested this in silence and then made an intuitive leap. ‘It was the same night that Belén died, wasn’t it? That’s why he couldn’t save her.’

Jack’s nodded. ‘Aye, my lady. Happen if His Lordship hadn’t stopped to help Captain Radcliffe he might have been able to rescue her. As it turned out, by t’time he’d come to properly and we’d made a detour round t’mob, her house were ablaze. Heat were that fierce you couldn’t get within twenty yards. No one could’ve got in there. Even so I had t’devil’s own job to stop him trying. So, in t’end, he lost ’em both and it’s my belief he’s never forgiven himself for it.’

Elena swallowed hard. It was worse than she’d imagined and it explained so much.

‘I’m glad you told me. Thank you for speaking so frankly, Jack.’

He nodded. ‘May I ask why you wanted to know, my lady?’

‘My husband told me much of the story but he omitted the part about trying to help Captain Radcliffe. I just wanted to understand.’

‘His Lordship were never one to boast. Nevertheless, what he did that night were brave by any standard. He knew he were outnumbered and he knew t’men were drunk an’ dangerous, but he wouldn’t leave his friend in t’lurch.’

‘I can well believe that.’

‘To my mind there were no better officer and no one I’d rather have wi’ me in a fight.’

The camp came into view and Elena paused. ‘I’d be grateful if you didn’t mention this conversation to anyone, Jack.’

‘I won’t say owt, my lady.’ He smiled wryly. ‘Besides, if His Lordship knew I’d been praising his courage I’d never hear t’last of it.’

Elena could well believe that too. Harry would never boast of such things, or indeed speak of them at all.

They walked the last fifty yards in silence and, on reaching the campsite, dumped the firewood in a pile. Then, leaving Jack to light the fire, Elena went to fetch water for tea. The conversation had given her much to think about and her heart bled for Harry. She knew how it felt to lose those she loved and to be helpless to prevent it. After such an experience pain and guilt had a tendency to turn inward. Her answer had been to seek a quiet house in the country, his to throw himself into his work. Then fate had brought them together and offered another way. Harry had once told her that he saw no reason why they could not have a future together. Perhaps he too had glimpsed the possibility of happiness. It was her failure to trust him that destroyed that chance, a failure now bitterly regretted.