Free Coming Home by Vonnie Hughes

face waiting for him.
    On nights of small moons he had often stared up at the sky, savouring the memory of those evening visits when they had discussed all manner of things – her cousins, his little sister Felicia, everything except the war. Each day he had waited for evening to come so he might bask in the muted feminine cadences of her voice.
    And oh how he had relished these past two weeks, listening to the intriguing accent and watching that imperfect little smile, the alabaster skin and the chocolate eyes.
    Yes, he loved her all right. And he would do nothing to harm her, such as proposing marriage to her. She did not seem as averse to him as he would have expected, but he would not have her share his shame.
    Suddenly he realized he had been holding her hands for far too long and hastily released them. He coughed to hide his embarrassment. ‘Um … on my return I will listen at the door before I come in.’ He bowed and left – before he said anything he shouldn’t.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
    T ONIGHT WAS THEIR last evening together. Tomorrow they would travel to Trewbridge and then the carriage would take Juliana on to Melksham. They sat in the long summer twilight, watching the comings and goings of people outside the Saracen’s Head.
    Juliana leaned forward in her chair and Colly followed her gaze. A swarthy well-built fellow melded into the crowd of people on the pavement and Juliana sat back again.
    â€˜Did you talk to Lieutenant Davidson?’ she asked.
    â€˜Yes. I think I managed to convince him that his suspicions were unfounded. I reminded him of the debt he owes us.’
    Juliana pulled a face. ‘He was a terrible patient.’
    Colly laughed. ‘That does not surprise me.’
    Juliana laughed too and his heart turned over. She looked different. Happy. During the past few days she had blossomed. Her lovely skin had regained its soft bloom and the long, long hair he yearned to drape over his body was shining with health. He would like to think it was because he had taken away her responsibilities for a short while. It was more likely that she was happy to be in England and near to her relatives at long last.
    â€˜I wonder what tomorrow will bring,’ he murmured.
    â€˜Will you visit your parents before you begin work?’ Juliana asked.
    â€˜No.’ He shifted in his chair, hoping she wouldn’t question him further.
    â€˜Will you tell me what happened?’ she asked timidly. ‘I – I’d really like to know.’
    Ah, hell. In Porto he’d burned to tell her the truth so she could see he was not as black as he was painted, and that she would be safe travelling with him. But now … what did it matter?
    Revealing his past to the Trewbridge family and telling the woman he loved his mean, pathetic tale were two different matters. Especially since he’d already demonstrated his appalling lack of self-control to
Juliana only three nights ago. Fortunately she seemed to bear him no ill-will. But he hated to have her know how stupid he’d been over Amelia Blevin, how very naïve. Lord, he’d been so young .
    â€˜Tell me,’ she coaxed.
    He shrugged as if it were of no import and tried not to slouch down in his chair.
    â€˜Amelia and her father came one day to speak to my father. After a few minutes my father called me into his study. I thought it was to haul me over the coals about some imagined problem with the stud farm as usual.’ Colly pursed up his mouth. ‘It was a never-ending battle between us. My brother managed the home farms; I managed the stud. But Father interfered so much it was difficult for either of us to get anything done.’ He gazed off into the distance, long-submerged frustration roiling in his blood.
    â€˜Fathers!’ Juliana said.
    He grimaced. ‘Well, yours and mine, anyway. John’s is a good man.’
    With a bit of luck she’d forget about his story and become