скачать книгу бесплатно
Betrayal
Georgina Devon
Lady Pippa LeClaire was desperate to find Philip, her twin, even posing as a boy to search the battlefield at Waterloo for the wounded.As a healer, she couldn't ignore the devastation, and did her best to help, saving the leg of Deverell St. Simon. Given the task of nursing Dev, Pippa couldn't reveal her true self to him, especially when he was told by the Iron Duke to find Philip, believed by them all to be a traitor. She had to clear her twin's name, even if it meant losing Dev, the man she'd grown to love. . . .
“Angel?”
His eyes searched her face, bringing a blush of awareness as his attention lingered on her mouth before sliding down to where her breasts would be if she had not bound them.
Pippa pushed him gently down on the pillows. “Calm yourself,” she murmured. “’Tis only me, Pip—Pippen.” She had almost said her own name, she was sure because of his blatant regard.
Dev’s eyes lost their startled look and his gaze fell away from her face. “For a moment I thought you were someone else. A…a woman.”
“What would a woman be doing in here?”
Betrayal
Harlequin
Historical
GEORGINA DEVON
has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences with a concentration in History. Her interest in England began when she lived in East Anglia as a child and later as an adult. She met her husband in England, and her wedding ring set is from Bath. She has many romantic and happy memories of the land. Today she lives in Tucson, Arizona, with her husband, two dogs, an inherited cat and a cockatiel. Her daughter has left the nest and does Web site design, including Georgina’s. Contact her at www.georginadevon.com.
GEORGINA DEVON
Betrayal
TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON
AMSTERDAM • PARIS • SYDNEY • HAMBURG
STOCKHOLM • ATHENS • TOKYO • MILAN • MADRID
PRAGUE • WARSAW • BUDAPEST • AUCKLAND
Available from Harlequin
Historical and GEORGINA DEVON
The Rake #138
The Rebel #144
The Rogue’s Seduction #150
The Lord and the Mystery Lady #175
An Unconventional Widow #187
The Rake’s Redemption #206
Her Rebel Lord #225
Betrayal #240
DON’T MISS THESE OTHER
NOVELS AVAILABLE NOW:
#903 THE DANGEROUS MR. RYDER—Louise Allen
He knows that escorting the haughty Grand Duchess of Maubourg to England will not be an easy task. But Jack Ryder, spy and adventurer, believes he is more than capable of managing Her Serene Highness.
Join Louise Allen as she explores tangled love lives in her compelling miniseries THOSE SCANDALOUS RAVENHURSTS!
#904 THE GUNSLINGER’S UNTAMED BRIDE—Stacey Kayne
Juniper Barns has sought a secluded life as a lumber-camp sheriff to escape the ghosts of his past. He doesn’t need a woman sneaking into camp and causing turmoil….
Watch sparks fly as Juniper seeks to protect this vengeful beauty.
#905 A MOST UNCONVENTIONAL MATCH—Julia Justiss
Hal Waterman’s calling on the newly widowed Elizabeth Lowery is the caring act of a gentleman. He finds himself enchanted by the beautiful Elizabeth and her little son—although he knows he can never be part of this family….
Follow Hal’s emotional quest to win over Elizabeth’s heart in this long-awaited sequel to Julia Justiss’s The Wedding Gamble.
#906 THE KING’S CHAMPION—Catherine March
Troye de Valois, one of the king’s own elite guard, has long lived in Eleanor’s heart and dreams. Dreams that are shattered when he reveals his anger at their forced marriage, and the emotions she is reawakening in him….
Drama and passion build in this stirring Medieval tale.
#239 HIS CAPTIVE LADY—Carol Townend
Chaste, yet fearless Lady Erica wasn’t part of Saewulf Brader’s plan. Her beauty was as disarming as it was captivating….
Wessex Weddings: Normans and Saxons, conflict and desire.
Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Epilogue
Prologue
Waterloo, 1815
War is hell.
Major Lord Deverell St Simon ran his hand over his face, smearing rain water and mud across his nose and jaw. It was hot and muggy, and he hated Napoleon Bonaparte’s guts. His troops were demoralized and he was close behind.
Damn Napoleon. Damn him to hell for starting this war with his plans of world rule. Damn him.
If it were not for Napoleon’s escape from Elba, they would not be here. But the Little Emperor never quit.
Even now, there were occasions when Dev could see Napoleon just over the next hillock as the bastard urged his troops to victory. Because of him, Britain’s finest were ready to give up their lives. He was the reason they had been fighting for four days, and the massive losses on both sides were devastating.
Smoke lay like fog over the churned, bloody dirt. Death was a miasma Dev waded through while stifling the urge to vomit. Bodies, human and equine, littered the ground, grotesque in their death dance.
The rain started. Again.
Still, Dev made himself grin at his fellow officer and friend, Captain Patrick Shaunessey. ‘We are almost through this, Pat. Don’t give up now.’ The words were for himself as much as for his comrade, and he was honest enough to realize it.
Pat grimaced, his carrot-colored hair sweat stained. ‘Never say die,’ he said, bitterness tingeing the words.
Dev shrugged and shook his head like a dog, sending drops spattering out from his light brown hair. ‘You’d say the same, Pat, except you are more tired than I.’
For the first time that day, a smile quirked up one corner of Pat’s mouth. ‘And I didn’t stay at the Duchess of Devonshire’s ball until there was no time to change into my uniform.’ His blue eyes gleamed as he looked pointedly at Deverell’s gunpowder-stained evening shirt.
Dev grinned, knowing his friend needed the bantering to ease the strain of battle and death. He needed it too. ‘They don’t call me Devil for nothing. I had no intention of leaving the Duchess’s ball early and cutting short my pleasure.’ His teeth formed a white slash in his exhaustion-lined face. ‘There were any number of ladies ready to console a man about to face war.’
The Captain’s snort of amusement was lost in the roar of wind ripping through the poplars. Rain pelted down, turning the already muddy ground into a morass that would impede anything that tried to move. The artillery, with their heavy guns, would have a devil of a time.
Glancing behind and to the right, Dev caught sight of the Duke of Wellington. The Duke was mounted on Copenhagen, his chestnut gelding, and wearing his familiar dark blue coat, white breeches, white cravat and cocked hat.
‘Wonder what the Iron Duke wants?’ Pat muttered, raising up just enough to see over the ridgeline of Mont Saint Jean, the place Wellington had chosen for his final stand against Napoleon.
‘We’ll know soon enough,’ Dev said.
The sun broke through the clouds, turning the damp ground into a mist-shrouded enigma. Dev considered taking off his black jacket, but thought better of it. White made as good a target as the typical British red uniform coat.
‘Dev, Pat,’ Lieutenant Colonel Sir James Macdonell yelled, ‘come here. We have orders.’ Both men exchanged a telling glance as they rose.
Macdonell was a large Highlander, with a reputation for accomplishing what no one else could. His mouth was grimly tight. ‘Wellington has ordered us to hold the Château de Hougoumont.’
‘With what?’ Dev asked, realizing that the château’s open position made it a hard place to defend.
‘He has given me command of the Scots and Coldstream Guards, the best we have. The château occupies a strategically important place. As long as we hold it, Napoleon must split his forces in order to get to Mont Saint Jean.’ Macdonell made eye contact with each man. ‘It’s our best chance to defeat Napoleon. We must hold it or die trying.’
A frisson of excitement ran up Dev’s spine. He had never been one to ignore a challenge, not even one such as this. ‘Then we will do it.’
‘I knew I could count on you,’ Macdonell said. ‘See to your men and supplies. We have to be in place before Napoleon realizes what is happening.’
After Macdonell left, Dev turned and winked at Pat. ‘This is it, old friend. We are about to earn our place in the history books.’
Pat’s face was pale but determined, his blue eyes clear. ‘You always were one for action. I hope this isn’t your last.’
Dev clapped Pat on the back, ignoring the uneasiness his friend’s words created. ‘I’ll stand you to a bottle of Brooks’s finest port when we’re through this.’
‘And I’ll hold you to that,’ Pat said.
Dev sobered as he saw the fear return to his friend’s face. Dev knew his eyes mirrored Pat’s. ‘Good luck and God go with you,’ he said quietly before turning away.
Dev made haste to round up his troops and get them positioned. Coming from the east, they passed through an orchard before entering the walled portion of the property where the château, a chapel, and a barn stood. In reality, Hougoumont was barely more than a farmhouse, its grey stone walls bleak under a sky that had suddenly turned leaden.
The men broke loopholes into the buildings and walls for their Brown Besses to shoot through and then set about cleaning the rifles. Next, they built small fires in an attempt to dry their clothes, which were soaked from the earlier rains.
Dev made his rounds, uncomfortable in his wet jacket and breeches, but unwilling to stop long enough to dry them. Macdonell counted on him, and he would not let the man down. They would be prepared for Napoleon’s onslaught.
Once, he passed Patrick and grinned. Pat gave him a brief salute and continued his preparations.
It was after eleven in the morning when they saw the French. The enemy stormed through a hedge and into the fifty feet of barren ground that stood between them and the château. Dev ordered his men to fire. The French dropped, good British lead in their chests.
Time was a blur to Deverell. His men loaded and fired, loaded and fired. Dev paced amongst them, shouting encouragement, giving direction.
