Page 48 of The Lyon Whisperer
“Have the innkeeper saddle up my mount and wait for me on the street.” He started to shut the door.
The man went slack-jawed briefly. “My lord? Are you planning to help fight the fire, then?”
Chase frowned, tamping down his impatience. “Of course.”
The man’s expression morphed to one of near hero worship. Chase had seen such a look a time or two on the faces of his men when he’d joined them in the thick of battle. It never ceased to amaze him that many lords, many officers, held themselves as somehow above getting their hands dirty.
What commanding officer—or nobleman—would expect a man to enter into a life and death situation which he himself would not deign to enter? It made no sense.
He closed the door and pushed past Amelia, making for the bedchamber. He had no choice but to change out of these evening clothes and thin-soled shoes, both of which would put him at a disadvantage should he be forced to dismount and maneuver through thick forest.
Amelia followed at his heel, talking fast. “How bad is it? I’ll change into my riding habit and—”
He jerked to a halt and spun to face her, stunning her into silence. He grasped her shoulders. “Amelia, you will do no such thing. You will stay here and await my return.”
“But—”
“But nothing.” He spoke through clenched teeth, willing her to understand and obey without question. “Woman, I do not have time to stand here and argue with you. I will have enough to worry about without adding your safety to the list. Do I make myself clear?”
Her face went devoid of emotion. “Yes, my lord. I understand.”
He resumed his task, stripping off his waistcoat, gathering his boots and trousers while Amelia watched, neither moving nor speaking.
“If you do not want to see me dressed in nothing but my shirtsleeves and undergarments, I suggest you go into the other room.”
Without a sound, she spun on her heel, and exited the bedchamber.
Her sweet feminine scent lingered, reminding him of what had transpired not ten minutes ago, and he paused in the act of removing his shoes. Good God, why did he feel guilty now? He’d done nothing wrong. He was merely keeping her safe. He shook his head.
A moment later, prepared to depart, he stepped into the antechamber.
Amelia stood erect at the window, facing out. “The sky is thick with smoke. You will be careful?”
“Amelia.”
She did not turn around.
He had no time to waste. He needed to leave, now. Somehow, he found himself behind her, grasping her shoulders to turn her to face him.
He expected anger. Instead, her creamy complexion had gone ashen. Worry furrowed her fine brows, and her eyes were wide as saucers.
She was afraid—for him.
An odd constriction tightened his chest. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips and ran his knuckles along her jawline. “I’m sorry we got interrupted. More than you know. I’ll be back as soon as I’m able. Count on it.”
A small smile played at her lips. She wrapped him in a brief, warm embrace, then just as quickly, released him. “Go.”
The sun wasfully over the horizon by the time they got the fire doused. The flames had taken another chunk of forest, but the damage could have been much worse.
For one thing, no one had died, though a few men suffered with hoarse voices and singed lungs. The fact Briggs had caught the blaze relatively quickly thanks to his patrols, coupled with a lucky shift of the winds, and the fire’s proximity to the river all helped.
Chase took in the smoldering logs and the blanket of ash on the ground. He breathed in the acrid scent in the air, swatted white ash flakes falling like snow, and felt coldly furious. Someone had deliberately started these fires, putting men, women, and children at risk, and wasting valuable, needed resources. By God, he would catch the person or persons responsible and make them pay.
“What now, Lord Culver?”
He glanced at the beleaguered, soot-covered man who’d asked. His foreman, Mr. Briggs.
He raised his voice so it could be heard by Briggs and the rest of the men. “You should all go home, clean up, eat, and get some sleep. Know that I thank you for your efforts. You saved the forest, and your swift action protected your friends and family, your homes and businesses.”
