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Valiant Soldier, Beautiful Enemy
Diane Gaston
SOLDIER’S SECOND CHANCECaptain Gabriel Deane has known his fair share of pain, but he’d take a dagger to the chest rather than relive the torture of rejection from the woman he loves. Saying no to Gabriel broke Emmaline Mableau’s heart. She wears his ring around her neck: a reminder of the life – and the man – that can never be hers.Two years later, Emmaline’s hand trembles as she goes to knock on Gabriel’s door. Now she has a proposal for him, but will he say yes?
âBonjour,Gabriel.â
Emmaline.
She looked even more beautiful than the image of her that inhabited his dreams at night. Her lace-lined bonnet of natural straw perfectly framed her flawless face. The dark blue of her walking dress made her eyes even more vibrant.
Good God. After two years she still had the power to affect him.
âWhy did you come to see me?â
Her lips trembled before she spoke. âOh, Gabriel. I need you.â
The hard earth heâd packed around his emotions began to crack.
She swallowed and went on, âI need your help.â
He came to his senses. âHelp with what?â
She met his eyes. âI need you to find Claude.â
âClaude.â The son whoâd driven a wedge between them.
About the Author
As a psychiatric social worker, DIANE GASTON spent years helping others create real-life happy endings. Now Diane crafts fictional ones, writing the kind of historical romance sheâs always loved to read. The youngest of three daughters of a US Army Colonel, Diane moved frequently during her childhood, even living for a year in Japan. It continues to amaze her that her own son and daughter grew up in one house in Northern Virginia. Diane still lives in that house, with her husband and three very ordinary housecats. Visit Dianeâs website at http://dianegaston.com
Previous novels by the same author:
THE MYSTERIOUS MISS M
THE WAGERING WIDOW A REPUTABLE RAKE INNOCENCE AND IMPROPRIETY A TWELFTH NIGHT TALE (in A Regency Christmas anthology) THE VANISHING VISCOUNTESS SCANDALISING THE TON JUSTINE AND THE NOBLE VISCOUNT (in Regency Summer Scandals) * (#ulink_272efac7-c7ba-5e1a-9712-63c32a96865e)GALLANT OFFICER, FORBIDDEN LADY * (#ulink_272efac7-c7ba-5e1a-9712-63c32a96865e)CHIVALROUS CAPTAIN, REBEL MISTRESS
* (#ulink_3cd5b110-9b49-5470-84a2-8dc2e814dfe9)Three Soldiers mini-series
And in Mills & Boon
HistoricalUndone!eBooks:
THE UNLACING OF MISS LEIGH
Look for Claudeâs storyTHE LIBERATION OF MISS FINCHcoming soon inMills & Boon
HistoricalUndone!eBooks
Did you know that some of these novelsare also available as eBooks?Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk
AUTHOR NOTE
Here is the final book in my Three Soldiers series, Valiant Soldier, Beautiful Enemy, Gabriel Deaneâs story. Unlike the heroes of Gallant Officer, Forbidden Lady and Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress, Gabriel Deane was a career soldier, a man who believed the army was where he belonged. Like so many other men and women, both in history and in todayâs world, Gabriel gave up a normal conventional life for service to his country. He went where his government sent him and valiantly did what he was ordered to do, no matter how difficult or dangerous.
While the Three Soldiers series has focused on the effect of war on the soldier, specifically the effect of one horrific event, the theme of this book is how war affects everyone, the soldier and civilian alike. The more important message of all the books is that, in spite of war, love can still flourish and lead to happy endings.
That is my wish for all the soldiers
and their families in todayâs world: Love and a happy ending.
Look for Claudeâs story THE LIBERATION OF MISS FINCH coming soon in Mills & Boon
HistoricalUndone!eBooks
Valiant Soldier, Beautiful Enemy
Diane Gaston
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Dedication
In memory of my cousin,
Lt. Commander James H. Getman, who lost his life at age 31 while on active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard. And to all who lost their lives while serving their country. We are grateful.
Prologue
Badajoz, Spainâ1812
A womanâs scream pierced the night.
Countless screams had reached Captain Gabriel Deaneâs ears this night, amidst shattering glass, roaring flames and shouts of soldiers run amok. The siege of Badajoz had ended and the pillaging had begun.
The marauding soldiers were not the French, not the enemy known to live off the bounty of the vanquished. These were British soldiers, Gabeâs compatriots, prowling through the city like savage beasts, plundering, killing, raping. A false rumour saying Wellington would permit the plundering had sparked the violence.
Gabe and his lieutenant, Allan Landon, had been ordered into this cauldron, but not to stop the rioting. Their task was to find one man.
Edwin Tranville.
Edwinâs father, General Tranville, had ordered them to find his son, whoâd foolishly joined the marauders. Once inside the city Gabe and Landon had enough to do to save their own skins from drunken men in the throes of a bloodlust that refused to be slaked.
The scream sounded again, not distant like the other helpless cries of innocent women and childrenâthis womanâs cry was near.
They ran in the direction of the sound. A shot rang out and two soldiers dashed from an alley, almost colliding with them. Gabe and Landon turned into the alley and emerged in a courtyard illuminated by flames shooting from a burning building nearby.
A woman stood over a cowering figure wearing the uniform of a British Officer. She raised a knife and prepared to plunge its blade into the British officerâs back.
Gabe seized her from behind and wrenched the knife from her grasp. âOh, no, you donât, señora.â She was not in need of rescue after all.
âShe tried to kill me!â The British officer, covering his face with bloody hands, attempted to stand, but collapsed in a heap on the cobblestones.
At that moment another man stepped into the light. Lieutenant Landon swung around, pistol ready to fire.
âWait.â The man raised his hands. âI am Ensign Vernon of the East Essex.â He gestured to the unconscious officer. âHe was trying to kill the boy. And he attempted to rape the woman. I saw the whole thing. He and two others. The others ran.â
The two men who passed them? If so, it was too late to pursue them.
âThe boy?â Gabe glanced around. What boy? He saw only the woman and the red-coated officer she was about to kill. And nearby the body of a French soldier, pooled in blood.
Gabe kept a grip on the woman and used his foot to roll over her intended victim. The manâs face was gashed from temple to chin, but Gabe immediately recognised him.
He glanced up. âGood God, Landon, do you see who this is?â
Ensign Vernon answered instead. âEdwin Tranville.â His voice filled with disgust. âGeneral Tranvilleâs son.â
âEdwin Tranville,â Gabriel agreed. Theyâd found him after all.
âThe bloody bastard,â Landon spat.
Vernon nodded in agreement. âHe is drunk.â
When was Edwin not drunk? Gabe thought.
Another figure suddenly sprang from the shadows and Landon almost fired his pistol at him.
The ensign stopped him. âDo not shoot. It is the boy.â
A boy, not more than twelve years of age, flung himself atop the body of the French soldier.
âPapa!â the boy cried.
âNon, non, non, Claude.â The woman strained against Gabeâs grip. He released her and she ran to her son.
âGood God, they are French.â Not Spanish citizens of Badajoz. A French family trying to escape. What the devil had the Frenchman been thinking, putting his family in such danger? Gabe had no patience for men who took wives and children to war.
He knelt next to the body and placed his fingers on the manâs throat. âHeâs dead.â
The woman looked up at him. âMon mari.â Her husband.
Gabe drew in a sharp breath.
She was lovely. Even filled with great anguish, she was lovely. Hair as dark as a Spaniardâs, but with skin as fair as the very finest linen. Her eyes, their colour obscured in the dim light, were large and wide with emotion.
Gabeâs insides twisted in an anger that radiated clear to his fingertips. Had Edwin killed this man in front of his family? Had he tried to kill the boy and rape the woman, as the ensign said? What had the two other men done to her before it had been Edwinâs turn?
The boy cried, âPapa! Papa! Réveillez!â
âIl est mort, Claude.â Her tone, so low and soft, evoked a memory of Gabeâs own mother soothing one of his brothers or sisters.
Fists clenched, Gabe rose and strode back to Edwin, ready to kick him into a bloody pulp. He stopped himself.
Edwin rolled over again and curled into a ball, whimpering.
Gabe turned his gaze to Ensign Vernon and his voice trembled with anger. âDid Edwin kill him?â He pointed to the dead French soldier.
The ensign shook his head. âI did not see.â
âWhat will happen to her now?â Gabe spoke more to himself than to the others.
The woman pressed her son against her bosom, trying to comfort him, while shouts sounded nearby.
Gabe straightened. âWe must get them out of here.â He gestured to his lieutenant. âLandon, take Tranville back to camp. Ensign, Iâll need your help.â
âYou will not turn her in?â Landon looked aghast.
âOf course not,â he snapped. âIâm going to find her a safe place to stay. Maybe a church. Or somewhere.â He peered at Landon and at Ensign Vernon. âWe say nothing of this. Agreed?â
Landon glared at him and pointed to Edwin. âHe ought to hang for this.â
Gabe could not agree more, but over fifteen years in the army had taught him to be practical. He doubted any of the soldiers would face a hanging. Wellington needed them too much. General Tranville would certainly take no chances with his sonâs life and reputation. Gabe and Landon needed to protect themselves lest Tranville retaliate.
More importantly, Gabe needed to protect this woman.
âHe is the generalâs son.â His tone brooked no argument. âIf we report his crime, the general will have our necks, not Edwinâs.â He tilted his head towards the woman. âHe may even come after her and the boy.â The captain looked down at the now-insensible man who had caused all this grief. âThis bastard is so drunk he may not even know what he did. He wonât tell.â
âDrink is no excuseââ Landon began. He broke off and, after several seconds, nodded. âVery well. We say nothing.â
The captain turned to Vernon. âDo I have your word, Ensign?â
âYou do, sir,â the ensign readily agreed.
Glass shattered nearby and the roof of the burning building collapsed, sending sparks high into the air.
âWe must hurry.â Gabe paused only long enough to extend a handshake to the ensign. âI am Captain Deane. That is Lieutenant Landon.â He turned to the woman and her son. âIs there a church nearby?â His hand flew to his forehead. âDeuce. What is the French word for church?â He tapped his brow. âÃglise? Is that the word? Ãglise?â
âNon. No church, capitaine,â the woman replied. âMy ⦠my maisonâmy house. Come.â
âYou speak English, madame?â
âOui, un peuâa little.â
Landon threw Edwin over his shoulder.
âTake care,â Gabe said to him.
Landon gave a curt nod before trudging off in the direction they had come.
Gabe turned to the ensign. âI want you to come with me.â He looked over at the Frenchmanâs body. âWe will have to leave him here.â