Page 7 of A Lady's Heart Deceived
He had also been very real.
Her temper rose quickly. “What are you saying? That he exists only in my head? I am not some simpleton. You can ask my family; they met him. He dined with us at Fulham Palace.”
Captain Denford slowly shook his head. “I am not suggesting anything of the sort, Miss Radley. But the fact remains I cannot find him in the records. He is not anywhere in the muster rolls. And no regiments are based at the barracks in Coventry.”
She went to protest, but he held up his hand. “Add to that my personal knowledge of events of that time, and I think we have a real problem on our hands. HMSVille de Parisdidn’t leave England for the final campaign until May. How do I know this? Because I was onboard when she sailed.”
Maggie rocked back in her chair, stunned. She put a hand to her chest, but it did nothing to slow her rapidly beating heart.
That can’t be true. Robert wouldn’t lie. There has to be another explanation.
“Other ships must have sailed at that time. Could it be that Robert might have not made his designated transport but instead taken another vessel?”
Captain Denford’s brow knitted. Maggie took comfort in his response.
You obviously hadn’t considered that possibility.
“Yes, some ships did leave for Europe in April. But most went in May. All of them had soldiers on board. It is highly unlikely that an officer would fail to sail with his unit,” he replied, his deep brown eyes solemn.
“Unlikely, but not impossible?”
Captain Denford slowly nodded in defeat. “Not impossible. But …”
“That’s what I thought,” snapped Maggie. She picked up her papers and, after stuffing them back into her satchel, rose from the chair. It was clear that Captain Denford doubted both her and Robert, so there seemed little point in lingering any longer. “I apologize for disturbing your morning. I won’t take up any more of your valuable time. Good day to you, Captain Denford.”
A firm, but gentle hand took hold of Maggie’s arm. “I am sorry if my words or conduct have offended you, Miss Radley. I shall continue looking for any information I can uncover regarding your late fiancé. The army might move slowly, but it always finds its man.”
“Thank you; that is very kind. But I don’t know where else you could look,” replied Maggie. She pointed a trembling hand at the piles of correspondence which all but obscured the captain’s desk. “Besides, you have many more people in need of your attention. I have already used up more army resources than my case warrants.”
Gathering up what was left of her rapidly dwindling pride, she clutched the satchel tightly to her chest. “I should go.”
Captain Denford released his hold. He’d barely gotten the door open before she dashed out into the hallway. She raced for the front door. Catching sight of the guards standing at the entrance, Maggie slowed her steps.
“Miss Radley. I shall write to you if I find anything else,” he called after her.
Maggie’s strength was too fragile for her to acknowledge the captain’s words. Her focus was solely on getting out of the Horse Guards without bursting into tears. Without collapsing in front of the guards she had so recently berated.
Once clear of the parade ground, she fled. As she rounded the corner into St. James’s Park, her eyes frantically searched for the Radley family carriage. For refuge.
This morning had begun with at least a sense of hope. Of finding Robert. Now, she was faced with the heart-shattering notion that the man she had grieved for, the man whose likeness she had been making ready to have rendered in bronze, was someone she didn’t know.
The army had no record of him. Captain Denford was adamant Robert hadn’t been on board HMSVille de Pariswhen it sailed for Europe. Nothing made sense.
Robert wasn’t a figment of my imagination, and he didn’t just disappear into thin air.
Her fiancé had gone off to fight and never returned. Robert had died at Waterloo. He was a hero. But with no army history, she wouldn’t be able to commission the statue.
What would she say to people if the man she had cared deeply for, perhaps even loved turned out to be nothing more than a lie?
How will I face my family?
Chapter Six
Hugh was standing in the Tudor period forecourt of Fulham Palace when the Radley family carriage drew up. He opened the door, took one look at her, and murmured, “Oh, dear. That bad?”
The tears were rolling down her cheeks before she had even set foot on the stone paving. He quickly took her hand and towed her toward the privacy of the family’s high-walled garden. They were well out of earshot of anyone before he finally stopped to face her. “What happened?”
Maggie had managed to keep her composure for the long ride home, but its façade was quickly crumbling. She had hoped to avoid having to speak to her father for a few more hours but today didn’t seem to hold any luck for her. “I spoke to the captain who sent me that terse letter. Captain Piers Denford. It transpires that he was actually a decent chap, and he apologized for having been so brusque with me. He reassured me that he had looked into the issue of Robert’s war service. But …”
