Page 71 of Romancing the Rifleman
She sighed.Really, this was starting to become tiresome.“Harrington.I need you to forget all that nonsense about the silk gowns and the seed pearls.None of that is me.I am going to explain this as clearly as I can.”She looked him steadily in the eyes.“I was raised byAunt Griselda.”
She watched as comprehension flared in his eyes.His mouth fell open, and he took a staggering step back.“Oh, my God,” he said, pressing a hand to his heart.“You’re the perfect army wife!”
“Yes!I am!”She shook her head.“It’s about time that somebody noticed.”
His face was still full of consternation.“Look, Diana.This is wonderful, what you’ve done here?—”
She laughed, wrinkling her nose.“I’m not sure you’ll feel that way once dinner is served.The meat certainly doesn’t smell very good.”She raised a finger.“But it is plentiful!”
He dropped his voice low.“I need to speak with you.”
She studied him a beat.She wasn’t sure why he was so upset, but clearly he was.“All right.”She gestured to her hand, which was dirty from cleaning the game.“Give me a moment to?—”
“Lieutenant Astley, there you are.”Captain Bannister came striding up to the group.“Your wife has created a very efficient operation.”
Harrington straightened.“Yes, sir.Not that I am the least bit surprised.”
The captain’s eyes gleamed.“It appears you’ve chosen well for yourself.How did you find the Martello Tower?”
“There are about twenty men stationed there.No significant store of supplies.They’re nervous that we’ll eat them out of house and home.”
Captain Bannister nodded.“Apparently there’s a larger storehouse across the island.We’ll resupply from there tomorrow.But tonight”—he cast Diana an amused smile—“it looks like we’ll be dining on seagull.Which is where you come in, Lieutenant.”
Harrington’s brow furrowed.“Sir?”
“I’m given to understand that you’re one of the best shots in all of England,” the captain said.“I presume you brought a fowling piece with you?”
“I… Of course.”
Captain Bannister nodded toward a pile of luggage.“I had your trunk brought over.Get out there and shoot us some supper.We’ll need a good supply of birds, as we’ve over three hundred mouths to feed.”
Harrington inclined his head.“Yes, sir.”
He moved off toward the stack of trunks, but not before shooting Diana a pregnant look.
As her husband walked away, she wondered what he had wanted to discuss with her so urgently.
She had no idea.But she meant to find out.Tonight.
Chapter37
Harrington had to admit, Diana had been right—the seagulls did not taste very good.The meat was tough and had a distinctly fishy flavor.
But the soldiers and sailors were all so hungry after two days of limited rations that everyone ate the humble meal with good humor.
Diana sat next to him on a rock, gnawing on a spitted breast without complaint.They were gathered around a campfire with the other officers, who were debating the merits of sending men overland to obtain food supplies from the storehouse on the island versus sailing for the fishing town of Bearhaven.The distance to Bearhaven was trifling, but given how unreliable the winds had been of late, there was some disagreement.
Harrington heard little of their chatter.He was dreading his impending conversation with Diana when he had to inform her that there was no bed to be had.He had churned the question of her sleeping arrangements over in his mind during the hours he’d spent stalking seagulls.The Martello Tower was out, and they hadn’t brought any tents, as there were barracks for the troops in Bandon.But he could ask Captain Bannister to have some of his men row the two of them back to the ship.He hated to create extra work, but he didn’t see what choice he had.It wasn’t as if he could ask his lady wife to sleep on the bare ground.
It was fully dark when Harrington finally found a chance to pull Diana aside.“About our sleeping arrangements tonight.I paid a visit to the tower, and although they offered to put us up, I would not recommend it.”He dropped his voice low.“They seem to have an infestation of lice.”
Diana’s eyes widened.“Indeed, that is not a good option.”
Harrington nodded.“I’ll ask Captain Bannister to prepare one of the small boats to ferry us back to the ship.”
“Oh!”Before he could turn to go, she grabbed his arm.She gestured to the men, who were starting to bed down in the soft grass.“That won’t be necessary.Benjamin prepared us a pallet.”She glanced over her shoulder.“I believe he said he was going to arrange it a short distance from the main group, so we’ll have a bit of privacy.”
Harrington shook his head.“It’s out of the question.I would never expect you to sleep on the muddy ground.”
