Jillian Chantal

This week’s word for Tuesday Tales is pale. I am still working on the Regency story where my heroine is disguised as a man and fighting in the Peninsular War in 1814. This scene is after a battle.

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As the sun came closer to setting, as if by some unspoken agreement, the armies began to disburse away from the battlefield.

Maud followed the young corporal who’d led her to the cavalry unit that morning. He turned and called out, “Retreat.”

Grateful the day’s fighting was all but over, Maud did as ordered and guided Khan back to the area where they’d mustered earlier.

The colonel, still on his own steed, addressed his men. “Well done, soldiers. Get some rest this evening as I’m sure we’ll be engaging the enemy again at dawn.” He saluted them. “Dismissed.”

As soon as the colonel uttered the word dismissed, Maud was eager to return to her quarters and wash the dirt of the day off herself.

She left Khan in the care of the stable men and rushed toward her tent to check on her friends.

She neared and was surprised to see William, pale and shaken, hurrying toward her.

“Come with me to the medical tents. We have to see if Robert is there.”

Her stomach plummeted to her knees. “What happened? Was he wounded?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she wanted to recant them. Of course he was injured if William thought he was in the medical tents.

“It was awful. Awful.” William grabbed her upper arm and practically dragged her along. Not that she was slow but he was desperate.

“Tell me about it as we go.”

“We were in the middle of the fray and the horse directly in front of him was shot. When the animal went down, it threw its own rider. Robert’s mount reared up and let out a horrific scream”—William’s grip tightened—“like nothing I’ve ever heard before.”

“What about Robert?”

“He couldn’t hold on, his horse went wild. The next thing I knew, Rob was on the ground and his steed was running as fast as it could away from the battle. There was nothing I could do for Robert. He was soon surrounded by some of the French infantry. I’m hoping he survived.”

Maud’s stomach turned again and it was all she could do not to vomit. “Oh no. I know he’s good with close combat. Let’s pray we find him not too badly injured.”

“I’ve been praying all afternoon that he’s not dead.”