Lady Emma's Campaign by Jennifer Moore Read Free Book Online

the battles,” Emma said, even as her stomach turned. She scooted away from the side of the boat, shivering, and refrained from looking into the water.
    The small town of San Fernando upon the Isla de León was filled with British and Portuguese soldiers and mosquitoes. The men slept in tents but inundated the taverns and streets in their leisure time. William kept his sister close to his side as he led his group of marines through the town and across the sandy isthmus that joined the island with Cádiz. On her right, hundreds of white mounds shone in the sun, and upon questioning William, Emma learned that they were made of salt harvested from the sea.
    Massive gates flanked by guards and fortified by bastions barred the south entrance of the walled city. Emma’s eyes darted to the armaments above them, and she moved closer to her brother when the armed guards peered down at them.
    One of the Spanish guards approached, and William spoke at length with him, explaining their mission and asking to speak with the ambassador. The guard conferred with his associates and eventually permitted them to enter Cádiz.
    Four Spanish soldiers accompanied them through the winding, narrow streets. Emma craned her neck, looking up at the white stone buildings looming above them. Many of the roofs were either domed or flat with terraces atop them, reflecting the Moroccan influence in their design. They passed a cathedral which William told Emma was under construction. He explained that the canvas sheets covering the unfinished roof were actually sails from the Spanish Armada, which His Majesty’s Navy had all but obliterated at Trafalgar.
    The fact that the British were now Spain’s closest allies attested to the destruction wrought by Napoleon’s army in the past six years.
    “It seems that war creates and destroys more alliances than gossip among the ton ,” Emma mused, glancing up at her brother.
    “That assessment is extremely astute.” William responded with a wry smile.
    Upon reaching the embassy, William, Emma, and their company were shown into a courtyard surrounded by arches and columns interspersed with palms and greenery. Wrought iron chairs, tables, and benches clustered around a large fountain. An exotic mixture of flowers and spices perfumed the air.
    Emma sat on a bench next to William. “It’s difficult to believe that something as terrible as war can touch such a place,” she said.
    “I wish you could have seen this country before it became a battleground. It was perhaps one of the most picturesque settings in the world. But now, armies have trampled fields, burned villages and orchards. The people, once so hospitable, have become hardened and distrusting of outsiders.” William spoke softly; his voice sounded heavy.
    “It is heartbreaking,” said Emma. The sound of the fountain, the low murmur of men’s voices, and the cool breeze were beginning to take their toll upon her. She closed her eyes, just for a moment, and rested her head upon her brother’s shoulder. They were so very close to finding out what had happened to Sidney. She imagined how delighted he would be to see her. In her mind, Sidney sat upon a dirt floor in a cold dungeon. William and his soldiers would storm into the prison, subduing the guards, but it would be Emma who found Sidney. And when he laid eyes upon her, he would fall weeping into her arms declaring that the memory of her face was the only thing that had sustained him through his incarceration. He would gently lower his lips to hers—
    William stood, startling her out of her daydream.
    Emma blinked and looked around, wondering if anyone noticed the color in her cheeks, but everyone’s attention was on a man who had entered the courtyard. Though he was an Englishman, he wore a mustache in the Spanish style and, in the place of boots, buckled shoes.
    “I apologize for keeping you waiting, Lord Lockwood.” He inclined his head and shook William’s hand.
    “It was no wait at