Viva Jacquelina! by L. A. Meyer Read Free Book Online

hope you will be safe in the coming days. I must get back to headquarters. Richard, will you walk with me a bit before I go?”
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    We walk, my blue-clad arm wrapped around his red one, along a cow path, then over a low hill, and look down upon a small river curling about below. This land of Portugal appears lush where land meets river and stream. When no water is around, the land goes scrubby and arid. I suspect Spain shall be the same. Fine for growing oranges and tangerines, so that’s all to the good, I suppose.
    â€œIt is the Maceiro River, Higgins has informed me. Is this not a beautiful view, Richard?” I sigh, leaning my head against his shoulder.
    â€œIndeed it is, Jacky. ‘Every aspect doth please,’ as the poets would have it,” he says as we pause to take in the scene. “But I’d rather look upon thee, my sweet little river sprite, as I find that aspect much more interesting. Perhaps we should ride down and have a bit of a dip in that bend in the river there. Looks like it might have a rather inviting pool. What say, Princess? For old times’ sake?”
    I blush at the thought of that and give the rogue a poke in the ribs for his cheek. I know, of course, he is referring to that delightful but ultimately disastrous watery romp we shared back there on the Mississippi River.
    â€œThat little river is not the Big Muddy, Richard,” I say sadly, thinking on those rather carefree days. “And that was then and this is now.”
    I take a deep breath and snuggle into his side. “Oh, why could we not have come here on some Grand Tour, just the two of us, to sample the joys of this beautiful land and its lovely people? A nice drink in some charming country café, a stroll with our arms about each other down some pleasant street, a picnic on the green banks of that river down there, your head in my lap as I curl your beautiful hair about my forefinger and breathe some poetry into your ear. Why not that? Yes, just the two of us, each enjoying the sweet company of the other. Some music, some laughter, some dancing, a gentle kiss and caress here and there. Why not that, Richard, instead of this?”
    I look over to the left to see rank upon rank of soldiers, legions of men lining up, muskets primed and at the ready, artillery caissons rattling down rough roads, all getting ready to do their brutal work.
    â€œThousands of men getting ready to kill each other, and me and you in the middle of it. Why this and not the other?”
    He follows my gaze and says, “I do not know the ‘why’ of many things, Princess, but I do know one thing—war is my business and I must attend to it.”
    â€œI know, Richard, I know, but please hold me and give me a kiss and make me feel better, if only for this moment, this fleeting moment.”
    I bury my face in the front of his chest and feel his arms go about me.
    â€œI’ve got a bad feeling about this one, Richard, I do. Be careful. You must not—”
    He smiles down on me. “Now, Princess. You must stop with that nonsense. Every soldier judges the odds before a battle and weighs his chances, wondering if this is the one where the bullet with his name on it finally finds its way to his heart. Ah, come on, Prettytail, it’s silly stuff. Questioning Fate is—”
    I twist around and grab him by the upper arms and gaze intently into his eyes. “No, Richard, I will not have it. You talk oh-so-flip and carefree, but I know you have your brave and careless and foolhardy ways. And I will not have it, no, I won’t! You hear me?” I give him a shake, my eyes starting to fill with worried tears.
    â€œYes, Jacky, I will be careful, I promise.”
    â€œNo charging windmills, my sweet lord?”
    â€œAh, not me, my pretty little miss. My duty and nothing more,” he says, putting a light kiss on my brow and chuckling deep in his throat. “But as for charging windmills, I