Persuasion Read Free Page A

had recently eloped with Bedford, and she had just given birth to their daughter in London, where they lived. Amelia shook her head, bemused. Her radical sister was now the Countess of Bedford—and madly in love with her Tory husband.
    Her brothers’ lives had changed because of the war, as well. Lucas was rarely at Greystone Manor now. Because they were but two years apart in age, and because they had taken over the roles of their parents, they were close. Amelia was his confidante, although he did not tell her every detail of his affairs. Lucas had not been able to sit idly by while the revolution swept over France. Some time ago, Lucas had secretly offered his services up to the War Office. Even before the Terror began sweeping France, there had been a flood of émigrés fleeing the revolutionaries—fleeing for their lives. Lucas had spent the past two years “extracting” émigrés from the shores of France.
    It was a dangerous activity. If Lucas were ever caught by the French authorities, he would be instantly arrested and sent to the guillotine. Amelia was proud of him, but she was also so afraid for him.
    She worried about Lucas all of the time, of course. He was the anchor of the family—its patriarch. But she worried about Jack even more. Jack was fearless. He was reckless. He acted as if he thought himself to be immortal. Before the war, he had been a simple Cornish smuggler—one of the dozens making such a living, and following in the footsteps of too many of his ancestors to count. Now Jack was making a fortune from the smuggling of various goods between the countries at war. No game could be more dangerous. Jack had been outwitting and outrunning the Royal Navy for years. Before the war, a prison sentence had awaited him if he were ever captured. Now, however, he would be accused of treason if the British authorities caught him defying the blockade of France. Treason was a hanging offense.
    And from time to time, Jack aided Lucas in smuggling people across the channel.
    Amelia was grateful that, at least, Julianne was comfortably settled and preoccupied with her husband and daughter. She met Lucas’s probing regard. “I worry about you and I worry about Jack. At least I don’t have to worry about Julianne now.”
    He smiled. “On that point I agree. She is well cared for and out of all danger.”
    “If only the war would end! If only there was good news!” Amelia shook her head, thinking how Lady Grenville had died, leaving behind an innocent newborn daughter and two small boys. “I can’t imagine what it would be like, to live without war.”
    “We are fortunate we do not live in France.” He wasn’t smiling now.
    “Please, I cannot listen to another horrible story. The rumors are bad enough.”
    “I was not going to burden you with one. You do not need to know the details of how the innocent in France suffer. If we are fortunate, our armies will defeat the French this spring. We are poised to invade Flanders, Amelia. We have strong positions from Ypres to the Meuse River, and I think Coburg, the Austrian, is a good general.” He was quiet for a moment. “If we win the war, the Republic will fall. And that will be liberation for us all.”
    “I am praying we will win,” she said, but she was still thinking about the Countess of St. Just and the children she had left behind.
    Lucas took her elbow. When he spoke, his tone was low, as if he did not want to be overheard, although there was no one except Garrett, the servant, to really overhear them. “I came home because I am worried. Did you hear what happened at Squire Penwaithe’s?”
    She met his gaze, tensing. “Of course I did. Everyone heard. Three French sailors—deserters—appeared at his front door, asking for food. The squire gave them a meal. Afterward, they held the family at gunpoint and looted the house.”
    “Fortunately they were apprehended the next day and no one was hurt.” Lucas was grim.
    Amelia was well aware of