“I…” Colour rushed into her cheeks as she gazed into his eyes.
“I’m sorry.” He raised a hand and touched her chin. “I won’t do it again.”
“I’m sorry too,” she sighed. “I would probably have felt the same, had our roles been reversed.”
It was a wrench, but he stepped back, widening the distance between them. “I will dress myself today…” he held up his hand, “and I promise to call you if I can’t manage.”
She nodded. “All right. Your clothes are…”
“I know, I saw them. Thank you.” He tilted his head toward the bedroom. “We will have to leave as soon as we can, so it’s time we find out what I am capable of, in the way of moving around, and possibly travelling.”
“If you say so,” Willow sighed. “I’ll make breakfast. Decisions like these are best made on a full stomach.”
Turning away, she walked to the stove, and he returned to his room, determined to dress himself in real clothes. He had a duty, and it was urgent. Yet there was something wistful in the realisation that this little sojourn, just the two of them in a small cottage by the sea, was coming to an end.
*~~*~~*
“This is the best breakfast I can recall having,” said Harry, leaning back in his chair. “I didn’t know you could cook, Willow.” He picked up his cup and sipped appreciatively.
“Why would you?” she answered, keeping her voice level and calm. “I can manage simple dishes. Mama insisted that we all learn, even Ashe. She said one never knew when such a skill might come in handy.”
“She was right,” he nodded. “And the tea is lovely, too. Thank you.”
She placed her own cup carefully on its saucer, and then rested her arms on the table, leaning forward a little. “So you are the man that Madame was waiting for. The painting…some sort of code, was it? The VDV to confirm you had the right place?”
He blinked. “You surprise me.”
“Why? Because I’m a woman and should be busily embroidering and simpering at eligible gentlemen?” Her snort was emphatic.
“Not at all,” he replied, a little grin curving his lips. “You are pure Trease, my dear. You have all the intelligence of your family, which is considerable. Every one of you is a damn sight smarter than you’d like people to think.”
“Since that is your opinion, and one with which I cannot but agree, you’ll have no difficulty explaining your current situation to me, will you?”
He rolled his eyes and sighed, then pushed his cup and saucer aside as he, too, leaned his forearms on the table and met her gaze.
“Yes, this was indeed the house I was referred to after my return from France.”
She swallowed, expecting as much, but still concerned. “You were there? In the fighting?”
He shook his head. “No, not this time.” He paused. “There have been others, but they have no bearing on this conversation or this situation.”
“I see.” She didn’t, but could wait for an explanation.
“My trips to France have been in conjunction with the Duke’s need for cavalry horses.”
The Duke.Wellington…
Willow managed not to gasp, but it was a close thing. “You’ve been provisioning the Duke himself?”
Harry’s eyebrows rose. “You surprise me. Yes, that is exactly what I was doing.”
“But…”
She had so many questions that her mind blanked for a moment, unable to organise them sufficiently for speech.
“I’ve been across the channel several times on this matter,” he continued, “and I’m happy to think that my expertise has been of some use to our forces.”
“Did you buy horses here and transport them?”
