Lady Emma's Campaign (17 page)

Finally, Sidney asked Nico if he was ready to leave, and the boy nodded. The group made their way back to the farmhouse, and Emma returned the Bible to the bag she carried. Sidney wondered what else she had gathered from the house. He accompanied Emma and Nico into the barn and lit a lantern for them.

Serena continued to the house to check on Jim.

Sidney walked to the road and found Enrique, who was more than happy to leave his duty and return to the farmhouse to prepare supper. Sidney accompanied him.

Serena reported that Jim had woken for a few moments and had spoken coherently. His fever seemed to be gone, though red streaks still spread from his wound.

It was decided that Enrique would remain in the farmhouse with Jim, and Serena would join Emma and Nico in the barn for the night. Sidney would stand watch.

While Serena gave Enrique instructions for Jim’s care, Sidney took a cup of the soup Enrique had prepared out of onions from the garden and some of the salted pork. When he arrived at the barn door, he peered inside.

Emma had made a bed with some straw and blankets and was singing softly to Nico as the boy fell asleep. When she shifted position, leaning back on one arm, her hair spilled over her shoulder. Sidney thought he could watch such a scene every day for the rest of his life.

Emma looked up, and when she saw him, she stood, pulled the warm shawl closer around her, and tiptoed to the doorway. “How is Jim?” she asked.

“Better. His fever is gone, but the infection remains. Serena said he spoke to her.”

“I am glad.”

“And Nico?” Sidney motioned with his chin toward the sleeping boy.

Emma sighed. “I do not know how to comfort him. Sidney, could you teach me some things to say?”

“What do you want to tell him?”

“Reassuring things: You are not alone. I care about you. I will keep you safe.”

Sidney took Emma’s hand as was becoming his habit. Her fingers were so soft, her bones fragile and delicate. The firelight from the lantern shone in her eyes as she looked up at him. He lifted her hand to brush her cheek with his knuckles. Holding her gaze, he spoke softly. “
No eres solo. Me preocupo por ti. Voy a mantenerte a salvo
.”

Emma’s breath hitched, and her cheeks flushed.

Sidney pressed the cup of lukewarm soup into her hand. “Good night, Emma.” He took a step back, picked up the musket from where it leaned against the side of the barn, and hurried away to keep watch. It was becoming more and more difficult to remember that Emma was his
charge
. He glanced back to where she still stood, silhouetted in the rectangle of light from the barn door. He pulled his eyes away from the sight and forced his mind back to sentry duty. The sooner he got to his ship and returned Emma to her family, the better.

Emma lay in the dark
long after Serena and Nico had fallen asleep. The words Sidney had said burned inside her heart. She repeated them over and over in her mind until she was sure she would not forget them.

No eres solo. Me preocupo por ti. Voy a mantenerte a salvo.

She sighed. Something between them had shifted that day. For the first time, when Sidney looked at her, there was more in his eyes than comfortable friendship. It was something that she couldn’t name, but the mere thought of it sent butterflies fluttering in her chest and warmed her down to her toes. Her feelings for Sidney were stronger than ever, and she allowed herself to hope that he was beginning to have some of those same feelings for her too.

Nico shifted, and Emma scooted closer to him. She repeated the words once more in her mind, wrapping herself in the blissful memory of Sidney’s voice, and fell asleep.

***

When she awoke, sunlight streamed through the door of the barn. Serena and Nico were sitting on his blanket, eating a watery porridge. Nico saw her sit up and stretch, and he hurried to crawl onto her lap.

Emma wrapped her arms around him and pressed a kiss on his curls. When she inquired about Jim, Serena told her he was awake and sitting in a chair, though he became too dizzy to remain standing for very long. Emma closed her eyes for an instant, relieved they would not have to bury Jim as well and that they would finally be able to continue their journey.

After they had all finished eating, Serena offered to comb Emma’s hair. She had barely begun pulling the comb through the tangles when Sidney ran into the barn.

Emma’s heart jolted when she saw his expression. His eyes were wild, his face pale.

“French soldiers!” He ran to them and grabbed Emma’s arm, pulling her to her feet and nearly dragging her toward the door. She held tightly to Nico’s hand and was followed closely by Serena. “They have cavalry. You must run. Hide in the hills.” He pointed across the fields to the tree line and the rocky cliffs beyond.

Emma’s mouth went dry.

Serena turned toward the house. “Colonel Stackhouse!”

Sidney stopped her, and Emma grabbed on to her arm. He pushed both women forcefully toward the opening in the wall. “I will retrieve Jim. Do not hesitate. Go now!”

He locked gazes with Emma for a breathless second then ran to the house without looking back.

Emma made sure Serena was moving away from the house then lifted Nico onto her hip, gathered her skirts, and ran as fast as she could through the courtyard and across the field. Her eyes darted once to the road, and horror coursed through her when she saw a company of soldiers, some on horseback. Though they were still hundreds of meters away, she knew they could most definitely see her.

The plowed furrows of the field were uneven, and she stumbled but did not allow herself to slow. Nico held tightly around her neck and buried his face against her shoulder. He grew heavier while she ran, but she forced herself on, following Serena.

They splashed through a creek and climbed between the rails of a fence, not stopping. Emma did not allow herself to look back but concentrated on the tree line ahead of her. She prayed that they’d find a place to hide and that the others would escape before the soldiers arrived at the farmhouse. She estimated that she had seen around thirty men. There was no possible way Sidney would be able to defend them from such a large company with only one musket and one sword.

She pushed herself on, feeling as though the distance to the cliffs increased instead of lessened. Her legs burned, and she developed a painful stitch in her side. When they reached the trees, she shifted Nico to her other hip. Her arms were trembling from holding him. She struggled for air as her lungs labored and ached.

“Where do we go?” she asked Serena through rasping breaths.

Serena’s eyes darted around, and she shook her head. “I do not know.”

Emma turned her head, but the trees blocked her view of the field. Were Sidney and Jim and Enrique following them? Were the French soldiers?

Nico said something and pointed.

Serena replied quickly then moved in the direction he had indicated, calling back over her shoulder. “He says there are caves in the rocks.”

Emma followed Serena between the trees. Her heart raced, and with every sound of the forest, she was certain the French soldiers would leap out at them. How would she protect Nico? And where was Sidney?

The ground became steeper, and she moved Nico to her back, leaning forward against the slope. They reached the base of the rocky hills, and before long they spotted an opening in the rocks ten feet above them that was only accessible by climbing.

Serena scrambled over the rocks first, clutching tree roots and finally pulling herself up and over the rocky lip that formed the floor of the cave.

Emma struggled, still carrying Nico. She pushed him up onto a large rock, climbing after him. When they were close, Serena reached down and lifted Nico onto the small ledge.

“Is the cave large enough for all of us?” Emma called from below.

“Sí.”

Emma turned, straining her ears—afraid the soldiers would burst out of the trees, afraid Sidney would not. “I am going to find the others,” she said, turning to sit upon the rock and sliding back down.

She froze when she heard the blast of a gunshot. It sounded as if it were only on the other side of the trees. She felt a scream welling up in her throat but stifled it.

“Emma!” Serena’s voice carried a note of anxiety.

Emma grasped on to a partially uprooted tree to lower herself. “I will hurry. Take Nico and hide.” She slid, and the bark pierced and scraped her palms, but she did not stop to examine her hands.

Reaching the base of the hills, she glanced up quickly, relieved to see that Serena and Nico were completely out of sight. Then she ran into the trees, trying to remain as silent as possible. The sound of horses’ hooves caused her mouth to go dry. The cavalry soldiers were close.

Cautiously, she emerged into the field. Sidney and Enrique dragged Jim between them, each with one of his arms flung around their shoulders. They were nearly to the trees. Behind them, the mounted soldiers rode across the field, drawing nearer with every second. They were close enough that she could see some of their faces.

Sidney looked up at her with panic. “Emma, no! Get back!”

She stepped back a few paces and waited for them behind the tree line. “Hurry, we have a place to hide.” Another shot sounded behind her, and she ran, leading them through the trees, up the incline, and to the cliffs.

She heard the men’s footsteps and heavy breathing but did not stop to look back, reaching for the tree, ignoring the stinging in her hands and climbing up the rocks.

When Emma reached the ledge and crawled into the opening, cool air surrounded her. Nico clung to her, his body shaking.

Enrique pulled himself onto the ledge and knelt, leaning back over to grasp Jim beneath the arms and heave him up.

Sidney followed closely behind.

Emma pressed back against the cool wall of the cave as Enrique pulled Jim inside and past them. Serena helped lay him gently down upon the floor.

Emma turned to the entrance and saw Sidney hesitate for an instant. The flush drained from his face, replaced by pallor. With Nico still clinging to her skirts, she grasped Sidney’s hand, ignoring the pain as she pressed her raw palm to his. When their eyes met, she saw that his bulged with terror. She leaned back, pulling him inside and away from the entrance.

He crouched down and followed, sitting next to her. Nico climbed into her lap.

“Sidney, breathe,” she whispered in his ear quietly enough that none of the others could hear. She rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand.

He took a few deep breaths, and she could see that it was with some effort he looked over the rest of the company huddled in the small cave. They could hear the shouts of men outside.

“It is only a matter of time until we are discovered,” Sidney said, still breathing raggedly. He shifted his position to pour powder into the pan and then into the barrel of the musket, following it with a musket ball and the ramming rod. He cocked the weapon, the noise echoing in the small space. He grasped Emma’s hand again and leaned so close that his rough whiskers scratched her cheek. “When they find us, you must identify yourself as a noblewoman. It is the best protection you will have.”

Sidney squeezed her hand again and then released it. The pain from the scrapes on her palm was forgotten as dread settled heavy in her chest. They would either be captured or killed.

Sidney shifted as if to move toward the entrance when they heard a shout followed by the blasts of muskets firing outside the cave. He flung his arm in front of Emma and Nico, pushing them behind him against the cold wall.

The sounds of battle grew louder, and Emma was confused—who was fighting? Shots, screams, yelling in both Spanish and French. Emma held tightly to Nico.

“What is happening?” Emma asked Sidney.

“I think it must be a band of irregulars,” he said. Sidney’s eyes moved over the members of his company. Finally, his gaze landed upon Emma.

“Remain here, Emma. You must watch over the others.”

It took only an instant for her to understand what he was saying. He intended to join the battle. A surge of fear shot through her. She wanted to grab on to Sidney and beg him to remain with them. She searched her mind desperately for something to say that would keep him from this course.

Sidney must have seen the turmoil behind her expression. He twisted around, cupping her face and brushing his thumb over her cheekbone.

She leaned against his hand for a moment, warmth from his touch chasing away the chills of fear that spiked through her veins.

“They need you, Emma.” And with that, he was gone.

Emma scooted closer to Serena, clinging to her hand and pressing her cheek against Nico’s hair.
But I need
you
, Sidney
. The itch of tears began behind her eyes, but she squelched them. She would not sit in this cave and weep when Sidney expected her to be brave.

The sounds continued outside the cave, distorting and echoing as they reached the small group hidden within. Occasionally a musket ball hit a rock nearby, sending pebbles and dirt skittering onto the ledge, and a now and then, a shadow passed in front of the entrance. Emma’s jaw began to hurt, and she realized she was clenching her teeth. She had no inkling of how much time had passed or what was happening outside.

Which side was prevailing? Was Sidney injured . . . or worse? In an effort to push away these thoughts and keep her panic at bay, she turned her attention to her companions, taking stock of their situation. Serena’s fists were pressed against her mouth. Her eyes were wide and shining. Jim was unconscious upon the floor, and Enrique huddled in the very farthest corner of the cave with his hands over his ears. Nico’s face was pressed against Emma’s shoulder.

She wanted to say something inspiring that would ease their fears but could think of nothing. None of them knew what would happen when the battle ended. Would they be killed? Returned to a French prison? Taken by the irregulars? And what of Sidney?

Emma wondered if she was merely imagining it, or were the shots becoming less frequent? The noise seemed to die down, and suddenly it ceased altogether, followed by a loud cheer. She glanced once again at her companions, hoping her smile looked encouraging while it felt like a stretched grimace. It was the moment they all dreaded. What would happen to them?

A scraping sounded outside the cave, and a shadow moved closer. Emma swallowed against the dryness in her throat, thinking she would be ill. She held on to Nico even tighter as she waited.