Part 26 (1/2)

Again, she softly laughed. ”I don't feel any sense of obligation. But,” she soothed her hands down from his shoulders to his chest and rested them there, ”if you ever feel sad, sad enough where you think about...what you thought about, then tell me. We'll work on it together.”

He lifted both her hands in his and kissed them. ”I promise.”

Chapter 25.

Thank G.o.d there weren't any occupants in the house, Erva thought, after Will had had a quick scan of the place. Still, she wondered if many people had seen them stalk into the house and not leave it any time soon. Taking a quick breath, she nodded to Will to open the door, and they left.

He held her hand as they walked through the street, leading her along, his head held high and his stride a.s.sured. The sun was now hovering on the horizon. Will found the horse he'd been riding, and in too fast a move to protest, had her side sitting in the saddle, while he held the reins and walked on foot. Back in the house he'd shared so much with her. It still baffled her. It honored her. It scared the s.h.i.+t out of her.

He'd been suicidal. Maybe that was why he'd died. Maybe he'd had enough and by tomorrow had put himself in harm's way.

But now...

He found a sergeant that Erva vaguely remembered earlier meeting and talked with him about quartering the remaining soldiers that hadn't gotten a tent. The sergeant kept peeking up at her on the horse, but nodded and ran off when Will ordered him to. This was another side of Will she'd wanted to see from the very beginning, the leader. When he walked the horse closer to where a band of young redcoats were relaxing, they immediately stood at attention, yet greeted him with warmth. When Will grinned at them, they beamed back. It was obvious they respected him, even liked him.

He patted the backs of some of the British troops, praising them for their courage. Then surprising her, many of them wished her and Will congratulations on their coming nuptial. Seriously, Twitter had nothing on the word of mouth or the announcement or whatever it was that was alerting everyone to their wedding. One young man shyly approached and gave her a small bouquet of wild sea flowers. Hearty little white blooms that Erva adored.

A middle-aged man with thinning long, white hair tied neatly at the nape of his neck and a widening middle approached Will, clapping him on the back.

”I've just heard the news, good man.”

Will nodded and smiled up at her. ”Erva, darling, I'd like you to meet Lord General Charles Cornwallis.”

She tried to keep her composure, but could hardly contain her excitement at meeting one of the most feared British generals of all time. Not because the man was known as a military tyrant. In fact, his troops were severely loyal to him, almost to a breaking point. No, he was feared by the Americans for his prowess and persistence.

General Cornwallis reached a hand up to her after he'd bowed his head. While extending her fingers into his palm, she said, ”General, it is an honor to meet you.”

”The honor is mine,” Cornwallis said after kissing her hand and giving it back to her. ”I've been wanting to meet you since I've heard the rumors that there was a musical genius that accompanied Hill. And now I meet you under such glad tidings. Congratulations, my lady, you have selected the best man I know.”

”Oh, sir, you can't lie to my bride to-be.” Will joked.

Cornwallis shook his head. ”My lady, I've only known your soon-to-be husband a few months, but already I am envious of his mind. He's truly a genius of his own right as well. Why, this battle was won because of your man.” The general turned to Will. ”I shouldn't talk war with the lady, I'm sorry.”

Erva wanted to giggle or roll her eyes at the invasion of eighteenth-century manners, what with Cornwallis asking Will, not her, for forgiveness, but Will just beamed up at her.

”Cornwallis, you can talk war with my fiance, for it was her idea to pinch the Continentals as we did this morning.”

Then Erva's stomach rolled over one too many times. Oh G.o.d, she'd given him the idea to fight the Americans the way he had and to such a benefit for the British.

Cornwallis smiled up at Erva too. ”Well, my lady. Your name is most applicable then. Minerva, G.o.ddess of war.”

”G.o.ddess of wisdom too,” Will said, still smiling.

Erva tried to grin, but felt more than a little sick as she realized she'd given Will the idea for victory today. ”Thank you,” she croaked.

Cornwallis clapped Will on the back again, then looked up at her once more. ”But your soon-to-be husband is much more than a great general, my lady. He's a wonderful man, kind and patient with his troops. Now, where can I send a wedding present?”

Will smiled widely. ”We'll let you know, my lord. We haven't even spoken of our ceremony yet, but we need to. We haven't decided on wedding here or back in England.”

Cornwallis shrugged. ”Have two ceremonies, one here and another there. I'm heading back in a few months. I'm sure my wife will love to meet Lady Ferguson, soon to be Lady Hill.”

Erva tried again for a smile, but this time the effort was even greater. She knew Cornwallis's future, and the next year would be considerably hard on him.

Will and Cornwallis, the two generals, said their goodbyes, each shaking the other's hand as if they wanted to say more and smiling the way two soldiers can-knowing each other intimately, like brothers, yet perhaps because they weren't biologically bound they never seemed sure how to convey their sense of love for each other.

Cornwallis promised to do the reports for Will, so he could take Erva back to their home. It was incredibly kind and considerate, and when Cornwallis finally left, she'd held his hand, wis.h.i.+ng she could convey her sympathy to him early.

Will climbed on the horse and rode behind her, still hanging onto the reins. He said something about finding a boat at this time of the day, but Erva wasn't paying much attention. Sitting the way she was, she easily swung his direction and wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him see over her shoulder where they were going.

”Are you all right, Erva?” Will held her with one arm, but stopped the horse.

”Cornwallis is a good general, isn't he?” she whispered in his ear.

”One of the best I've ever known, yes.”

”He likes you.”

Will didn't say anything.

”He likes you a lot. He looks at you like a proud father would a son.”

”You think so? You know, he and I are much alike. He's going to retire shortly too. And for the same reasons I am. Well, not in marrying, but because he doesn't believe in this war. He's going back home to be with his wife.”

She blurted it out before she could take it back. ”She's going to die.”

Will leaned back and looked down at her, his dark brows furrowing.

”She's sick and going to die when he's home with her. His grief makes him change his mind and come back to the war, to be with his soldiers.”

Will glanced at where Cornwallis had stood. ”Good Lord.”

”I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. From what I read, he loved his wife very much.”

Will gazed at her again. ”I'm so sorry for the man. I can't imagine...Mayhap we could help her, find a way for her not to die. At the least I can talk him out of coming back to America.”

Erva nodded, getting excited about the idea. But mainly she thought of Will back in England, and not dead as history had told her. ”Maybe...mayhap.”

For a moment Will didn't say anything, but finally nodded his head. ”I-I know it's silly, but I think of him like a father.”

”Why is that silly?”

”I had a father.”

”It's perfectly normal to find surrogates, especially when our parents fail us.”