Page 22 of The Forbidden Love of an Officer (The Marlow Family #7)
Captain George Montgomery bowed over Ellen’s hand. ‘Will you dance with me, Mrs Harding?’
Ellen glanced at Paul, who smiled to give his consent. ‘Go along, have fun.’
Looking back at Paul’s best friend, she agreed. ‘Of course.’
His hold firm about her fingers, he stepped back a few paces, pulling her away from Paul.
His hand lifted hers and his other arm came about her to provide the secure frame for a waltz.
Her heart thundered. She had danced the waltz more than a dozen times.
Paul had taught her in their rooms. It was the thing here, the rage.
Everyone danced it, and at the lieutenant colonel’s parties he insisted it was the only dance.
Her heartbeat thundered as they began to move.
She was not comfortable being on show in a room full of people, nor with the intimacy the waltz created with a partner as it made her feel awkward.
Yet the steps were swift and there was something enchanting about being spun through the dance, so she did have fun once she forgot who she was with and where she was.
She glanced at the other couples dancing and those looking on.
Brussels was as busy as Ostend, Bruges and Ghent, or perhaps even more so. There were people everywhere. When she had imagined her role as a camp follower, she had imagined she would be one of a small number, but there were thousands of people here to support the army.
The army was not based in Brussels, though.
It had been dispersed over miles around the city.
Paul had told her that outside the city, there were over a hundred thousand of the Duke of Wellington’s army in makeshift camps, and even more than that in Blücher’s Prussian army that were camped about the city too.
All of these men sought food and lived on depleting local resources, while their rich audience of tourists lived lavishly in the heart of the city and danced waltzs.
Paul had said the way people lived here outdid even the rash extremes of the London life he had experienced during the season last summer. She had never known anything like it. But of course, she had only lived in her father’s house, sheltered from all this.
There were balls and parties daily, picnics, and the theatre continued as if there were not two hundred and fifty thousand men camped in an arc about the city preparing for war.
During the day, these fashionable people walked about in the parks, laughing and thoroughly enjoying themselves. Women flirted with the soldiers in the city, and men thought themselves something important because they were here, absorbing the atmosphere. But they would not be the ones who fought.
They had been here weeks, though, and there was no news of when Napoleon might come or when the army would invade France.
The 52nd, Paul’s regiment, was camped five miles outside the city, in the direction of Nemur, and each day, while the hordes of novelty seekers sought entertainment, Paul rode out to his men, and Ellen waited in Brussels for his return.
He had told her his men and others had been exploring the local terrain, learning every hill and hollow so they would have the advantage if Napoleon brought the battle to them.
She felt surplus. There was nothing she could do to help him except love him, and be a companion for him when he returned, to take his mind from the preparation for war.
In the evenings, they generally avoided entertainment like this.
But they did walk through the parks, along paths edged with early flowers, and a few times Paul had taken her to the theatre.
They had seen the Duke of Wellington once, in a box at the theatre.
Paul had pointed him out, and she had felt in awe of the nation’s hero.
She had said a prayer that night – that the Duke of Wellington would be wise. Because Paul’s life lay in his hands and the skill of his decisions.
‘It is a rare treat to have you in my arms, Mrs Harding…’
Ellen merely smiled at Captain Montgomery. He was always flirtatious.
Paul had urged her to participate more in the city’s social life, for her own sake.
At the first party, the lieutenant colonel had offered his arm and walked her about the room, introducing her to everyone, as though she was something special to him.
Afterwards, his guests had invited her to afternoon teas and picnics.
She had not accepted. She did not think all this merriment right, and she knew Paul did not.
Even though he had wanted her to attend to fill her time; she would not, because it would feel disloyal to him and his men.
‘You would just be entertaining yourself while I work. I would not mind, Ellen,’ Paul had said, but still the thought of spending time among those cold-hearted, shallow people she did not really know, and certainly did not care for, did not appeal.
She was not unhappy to sit and wait for him.
Jennifer was with her each day and Paul had bought her books and sewing threads, and she walked outside, perhaps along the river.
It was not an unbearable life. She had a roof over her head, a comfortable bed to sleep in and food in her stomach, even though they were now living upon credit as the army had not paid Paul’s wages…
and every evening Paul came home to her.
But then there were nights like this, when the lieutenant colonel hosted a lavish dinner party in the house he had rented, a very pretty and rather large town house, and the officers and his guests would be expected to dance almost until dawn.
‘I never realised until I came to Brussels that ostriches came in every colour of the rainbow. Have you ever seen a blue or pink one in a zoological garden?’
Ellen focused on Captain Montgomery and bit her lip to stop herself from laughing, though she knew he must see the humour in her eyes.
She understood why Paul liked him, because he was always light-hearted, and always making jokes.
‘You are naughty…’ But even as she spoke, her gaze passed over his shoulder glancing at a dozen ostrich feathers waving like the regimental flag on its staff, from the highly coifed hair of so many over-dressed women. They did look a little silly.
She smiled at him, and then for the rest of the dance they talked, mostly about others in the room – the pleasure-seeking people she thought fools.
But then perhaps her view was coloured by Paul’s, who continually called them fools.
When the dance was at an end, Captain Montgomery bowed swiftly, lifting her hand and kissing the back of it.
‘Paul is a very lucky man,’ he said, before giving her a swift smile.
He had said the same at the end of every dance they had shared in Brussels.
Paul knew he said it too, because he was forever telling Paul how lucky he was to have her.
She smiled broadly, even as the heat of a blush warmed her cheeks.
‘Come, seeing as you have a husband, and he is my friend, I am duty-bound to return you to him. I had better do so.’
‘Paul,’ she acknowledged as they neared him. He stepped forward and took her hand. Paul’s smile passed from her to his friend.
‘I have just said to your wife, again, you are a lucky devil. I cannot believe you have the pleasure of looking into those fine eyes for hours at a time. I am so very envious of you.’
‘Well, you may remain envious, because this lady is mine.’ The two of them laughed.
‘Are you warm now, Ellen?’ Paul asked her. ‘Shall we fetch you a glass of punch?’
‘Yes, please.’
Both men walked beside her to the refreshment table.
As she walked, with her hand on Paul’s forearm, looking from Paul to his friend as they talked, her gaze was pulled to look further away.
The lieutenant colonel was seated at a card table in a room beside the one in which they danced, watching her.
She smiled, it was how she had learned to manage his interest. He smiled in return, then looked away.
She had become more accustomed to his measured stares, but perhaps that was because she did not have to endure them overmuch.
Since they had reached Brussels she rarely saw him.
It was only when the officers were invited to his parties, or to dine here that she encountered him.
She looked at Paul, listening to him speak with his friend.
He had not noticed her exchange with the lieutenant colonel.
Paul had told her the lieutenant colonel had submerged himself in the hedonistic life here. He socialised and was constantly playing cards, gambling, as he was now, until the early hours. He encouraged his officers to participate. Paul had excused himself, giving Ellen as his reason.
She and Paul were happy here, living their quite way of life, spending all their time together when he was not working. If only there were not a war looming like a dark, swirling storm cloud.