Free Once a Soldier (Rogues Redeemed) by Mary Jo Putney Page B

someday England!” Though heaven only knew if she’d ever make it back there. She sipped appreciatively as she gazed at the fields and terraces and the distant glint of the river. “It’s a luxury to relax and enjoy a beautiful day. Most of my time recently has been spent jumping from one crisis to another. Dealing with trees and missing the forest.”
    “Metaphorically speaking,” he said with a wave at the mostly treeless valley.
    “Metaphorical trees,” she agreed. “But touring the valley has reminded me of just how much needs to be done. We barely made it through last winter. If more fields aren’t planted soon, next winter might be even worse.”
    Will cut a slice of cheese and laid it on a piece of bread. After swallowing a bite, he asked, “If you could wave a magic wand, what would you ask for?”
    “Money and men,” she said promptly. “Money for seed and equipment and to pay laborers hired to do the work.” She frowned as she considered other needs. “I’d also wish for really good vine stock to replant the vineyards. There will be few grapes harvested this year, and if we don’t start planting, the future will be no better.”
    “I assume the French drank or carried off most of the wine,” Will said. “How much is left for the Gabrileños? Clearly, it’s vital for morale.”
    “Actually, the French didn’t get much of our wine, but most of what’s left isn’t accessible,” Athena said. “The local vintners have always stored wine in the caves because the temperatures are so steady. A troop of French cavalry was on the verge of capturing the two main storage caves when an avalanche sealed them off.”
    Will’s eyes widened. “I’m guessing that wasn’t an accident. Or else the patron saint of your valley is very, very good at his job!”
    Athena chuckled. “You’re right, it was no accident. Sofia and I were visiting the Benedictine convent when we heard the warning bells from Santo Espirito. I had a spyglass with me and I could see the French pouring into the valley from the west. They moved at amazing speed. They’d obviously planned the invasion and sent in spies to learn the lay of the land because the cavalry troop was heading right for the storage caves. The convent wasn’t far off, so Sofia and I were able to get there first.”
    Will stared at her, appalled. “The two of you thought you could take on a troop of French cavalry?”
    “Not directly, of course. But a violent storm earlier in the summer had washed away the soil around a group of boulders above the storage caves. The vintners had been arguing about whether the hillside could be stabilized, or if it would be necessary to move the wine barrels into new caves, which would be a huge job. I’d inspected the damaged area a fortnight or so earlier and I knew it was unstable.” Athena smiled wickedly. “So with the help of the horses, some levers, and the basic laws of physics, Sofia and I triggered a landslide.”
    “You’re an intrepid pair,” he said admiringly. “Then what? I assume you raced off at top speed.”
    “Exactly. We took shelter in a small cave higher up and hid for several days. That’s why Sofia wasn’t taken by Baudin as her father and brother were.” Athena made a face. “Baudin was enraged that she escaped, but he couldn’t take the time to search for her because he was retreating from Wellington’s army.”
    “I suppose he declared Prince Alfonso to be regent because he wanted to leave the country weakened,” Will commented.
    “Perhaps. No one disputed the appointment since there was no other senior member of royal family available and Sofia is too young to rule.” Athena shook her head. “We were all too busy recovering from the damage Baudin caused to think about his motives. At least we could take pleasure in depriving the French of their loot, but, of course, the caves are sealed off from us, too. I’m sure they can be dug open, and I think that most of the wine barrels