Chapter 1 A May for Mary

Mary Bennet remained a guest in a stranger’s home in Newcastle upon Tyne for three days with still no word of military leave for her intended. The Holts found the situation rather irregular, but Mrs. Holt felt pity for the young woman in such a difficult situation. Mr. Holt, however, regularly remarked on the unexpected burden that Brigadier General Fitzwilliam placed on his household beyond a normal military quarter.

Richard Fitzwilliam had hoped to receive a letter of funding for the new horses, and means of their elopement to Scotland, prior to Mary’s arrival. But the letter had not yet arrived. With such documentation, they could hie to Scotland, arrange their marriage, and take the expected amount of leave to procure the horses. Though Richard had explained the present scenario a number of times to Mr. Holt, the man still complained.

“I see no reason for the two of them to sleep under our roof when they are not married. It is unseemly,” Mr. Holt complained to his wife at breakfast before Miss Bennet came down. He held no fear of the General overhearing as Richard left his quarters early in the morning to inspect the stables and his men each day before returning back to the Holt house to break his fast.

“I find it ever so romantic. Besides, Miss Bennet is sleeping up in the attic with her maid. I did not insist on such accommodations, but the young woman insisted that her behavior remain entirely proper while in our home.”

“Proper? Ha! And you believe no maid can be paid to keep a secret,” Mr. Holt scoffed at his wife being so snowed by a fancy English lass from Town. He found it neither proper nor without reproach for a young woman of her breeding and station to travel so far with nothing more than a man and one maid. Where were her relations? Being the father of two young ladies himself, Mr. Holt did not see how he would ever have allowed either of them to travel the length of the country without himself present.

“Do hush, Charles. We have guests in our home and you know how dearly I love to have a guest.” Mrs. Holt smiled as she poured her husband another cup of coffee just as Miss Bennet entered the dining room.

Mary greeted her hosts and answered the polite questions of how well she slept. She offered an affirmative answer even though the attic was cold and sharing a bed with her maid was not her most preferred accommodation.

“However, since my father passed away a year ago last autumn, I have found my sleeping accommodations to seemingly change with the season. For a time, my mother and sisters and I were staying at my aunt’s, and then I joined my other aunt’s household in London. Later, I stayed for a time with my sister’s husband’s aunt, the Countess of Matlock,” Mary explained with a smile as she also complimented the marmalade spread upon her toast. She watched carefully as both Mr. and Mrs. Holt were very impressed to hear Mary was a guest of such an illustrious person in London.

“And the Countess of Matlock? Is she a kind woman?” Mrs. Holt asked with genuine interest.

Mary nodded. “Even if she were not, you would never hear that from my lips as she is to be my mother-in-law. She is the general’s mother.”

As Mary began to explain that she would be sure to write to the Countess about their wonderful hospitality and see about an invitation to Matlock perhaps over the summer or next, Richard walked into the dining room with a most ridiculous hat on his head. Standing a full foot higher than usual, a tall, black cylinder of fur barely cleared the door frame. Also gone was the distinctive red coat Mary had known so well.

Instead, Brigadier General Fitzwilliam was now clad in a bearskin hat, with a pale blue coat, and gray trousers with a red stripe down the side. Mary tried to hide her reaction of incredulous mirth, but Richard noticed immediately she stifled a laugh.

“There, even you find this utterly ridiculous.” He gazed down at the only portion of his uniform that had remained the same, his black riding boots. Uncomfortably, he rolled his shoulders as his new medals and regalia weighed down his left side more heavily than he was accustomed to, all a consequence of his temporary higher rank.

“I rather like the blue,” Mrs. Holt offered as Mr. Holt said nothing.

Mary nodded. “It was more of such a stark change, but I think once I am used to it, I shall find it just as dashing,” she blushed as she realized she had complimented him in front of the Holts rather personally.

“We look like the damn French!” Richard gritted his teeth, and then calmed himself and apologized. Realizing there was more than his silly uniform bothering him, Mary excused herself from the table and led Richard to his office in Mr. Holt’s study.

Richard paced like a jaguar in a cage, and Mary had long recognized his moods to know when she could offer him comfort.

“The Prince Regent has dictated these new uniforms. What the man is thinking, I cannot say.”

Mary pursed her lips. It was strange days to know where one’s loyalty should lie: with the infirm King or his son, the recently minted Prince Regent, while the King recovered?

“Perhaps General Wellesley requested—”

Richard laughed as he took the ridiculous hat off his head and set it up on his desk. His dashing auburn curls lay matted against his forehead in the same manner as the fashionable men of London who oiled their hair.

“I know exactly what Wellesley will say to this. This uniform is going to get more Englishmen shot!”

Mary frowned. She did not like the casual black humor many a soldier boasted about his own chances of survival. Her uncle had warned her that men in the army and navy used many tricks to keep their courage, yet she could not understand how such a cavalier attitude toward one’s life raised a spirit.

“What if you sent a letter, respectful of course, and explained your position?” Mary offered as Richard took a step toward her, suddenly realizing they were quite alone, which was rare.

“My dear, it would take months before the King’s committee would even address it. By then I shall be on the front in Spain. Look at how delayed my funds are for the horses we so desperately need to strengthen our ranks. What dolt reinforces a cavalry unit with more men and not beasts, I shall never comprehend.” He neared her person and licked his lips. Mary looked down and his finger tilted her chin back up. Tears glistened in her eyes and he knew why she was upset.

“We shall marry, I swear.” He said as he gently kissed her lips, sending a jolt of affection through both of their bodies.

Mary shook her head as they broke apart. “You should not swear, it is not godly.”

“Promise. Insist. Assure. Pledge. Accept any word you like madam, but you shall become my wife. I just hope it is before we deploy in six weeks,” Richard said wistfully, as he returned to his desk. The door to the study opened, but no one entered. Richard felt an annoyance at his host, Mr. Holt, for signaling his disapproval without a word.

Mary began to think about Richard’s words. “If not, then I shall go with you. We can marry in Spain.”

Richard shook his head. “Wife or not, you are not going with me to the front.”

Mary crossed her arms, as this was news to her. “Oh, why not? Plenty of wives travel with their husbands, my uncle warned me.”

“And that is fine for them, but no wife of mine is accompanying me. The battlefield is no place for a lady. My position is not one of maps and strategy in a tent a mile away. It is with my men, in the thick of it.”

Slanting her eyes, Marycould hear in his voice that not even he believed that would still be allowed with his rank, but she held her tongue.

As Richard picked up his hat to place it once more upon his head, he apologized to Mary that he must still see to other arrangements and supervise a drill.

He pecked her cheek before leaving once more, and Mary realized he had not eaten. As she hoped this meant he would return for luncheon, she took the two flights of stairs up to her room she shared with her maid. Thankfully, the room was empty as a good deal of laundry kept her maid employed since they could leave any day for Scotland.

Opening her trunks, Mary fetched her worn Bible and opened it easily to the Psalms. She began to read the fortieth one, praying especially for the Lord to see fit to send the funds for the horses so that she and Richard might wed, if it was His will.

When she was done, she knelt before her bed and fervently prayed for all of the men under the command of her intended, the safety of the men already on the front, and both the King and the Prince Regent. Richard might have thought her prayers fruitless endeavors, but Mary’s faith had carried her thus far. She was not about to abandon obedience to the Lord when she needed Him most.