Fortune's Bride (37 page)

“I guess it realizes we have no more food,” Esmeralda said,
directing Boa Viagem toward Robert, who was now mounted and coming out of the
wood.

He thought she sounded disappointed, too, but he made no
comment on that, merely asking whether she wished to go down the track ahead of
or behind him. She said behind, and Robert turned Hermes into the path,
suppressing an urge to call out to the bear. Nor did he permit himself to look
back to see if Esmeralda was following. Naturally she would be following, that
would only be an excuse.

Although somewhat less steep than the upward route, the
descending track was equally bad and full of sharp bends. Robert kept Hermes to
a slow walk, and half the time he would not have known that Esmeralda was
behind him if it had not been for the sound of Boa Viagem’s hooves. He was not
sorry the road was so narrow. Although he had missed any chance to woo
Esmeralda as he had intended, he was not now, for some reason, in the mood for
it and was glad of the excuse not to ride side by side. He thought sourly that
the day had not even provided any useful military information. The path they
were on could only be used by infantry and even then only in the direst of
need.

However, they came at last to a flat area, and Robert forced
his lips into a smile and turned to urge Esmeralda to come alongside. Instead
he stared and then began to laugh most heartily. About thirty feet behind, down
the last turn of the road, as if it had always patiently followed riders, came
Bear.

“Merry, look!” Robert said.

“I know it’s there,” she replied.

“Why the devil didn’t you tell me?” he asked.

“Because I thought you might not want it along,” she said,
somewhat guiltily.

Robert burst out laughing again. “I don’t—I mean, I
shouldn’t.”

But suddenly he was in a good mood again. “What the devil
are we going to do with a bear? Good God, Merry, no commanding officer will
ever let me loose again. First time off on my own I come back with a wife. The
next time with a bear. What will people say?”

“That you have an extraordinary proclivity for picking up
strays, owing to a very soft heart,” Esmeralda said.

It was an excellent opening to say that the first stray he
had found had brought him extraordinary happiness, but Robert could not follow
it up. Down in the open valley, he could not pretend to himself that the sun
was not a good deal lower than he had hoped, and it was getting cold. He knew
that it was still a long way to the meeting of the roads and that there was
another mountainous area to cross before they came to the village where the
roads met. Despite his relief that Bear had followed, the creature would slow
their pace now that they were out of the hills and could expect the track to
improve. Furthermore, it had to be fed.

He said nothing of these concerns to Esmeralda beyond
mentioning that they had better move on, but she knew he was troubled. And, in
a little while when they came to a river, which the road forded, she pointed to
a track that ran down the side they were on.

“Robert, do you think that might lead to a farm? Look out
there.” She pointed. “I think those are cultivated fields.”

Esmeralda’s guess was correct, but the warm welcome extended
to Robert when he rode ahead and asked for shelter for the night was somewhat
cooled when he mentioned the traveling companion they had acquired. In the end,
it was necessary for Robert to walk the last half mile, leading Bear by a thong
through its nose, but there was plenty to feed the animal and a shed in which
to lock it. Robert had been worried that Bear might not be willing to stay
alone, but he found that as soon as it was tied it settled down peacefully.

Then, over a plentiful if plain meal for themselves, they
obtained an additional bonus. One of the farmer’s sons thought he recognized
Bear. He believed that he had seen the animal performing in Béjar, but that had
been months ago, before the French left that part of Spain. The bear had been
with a small group of foreign jugglers and acrobats.

This sounded right to Robert. Such a small group might well
make a pet of their only performing animal. It was disappointing that they had
been in Béjar so long ago, but Robert still thought it worthwhile to go there.
He felt that the bear must have been valuable to the group and they might have
remained in the vicinity or returned to it in hopes of getting news of their
lost pet. Further questioning elicited the information that there was a way
across the valley to the village of Belena, and from there a good road to
Béjar. The farmer’s son would guide them.

They reached Béjar in two days. Several people recognized
Bear, and Robert learned, again to his disappointment, that the animal had been
with the troupe when they left. One young man remembered hearing that the
performers intended to go west, to Ciudad Rodrigo. Since Robert and Merry had
found Bear wandering in an area somewhat to the north but roughly between Béjar
and Ciudad Rodrigo, he could not help but feel that some accident had overtaken
the group on the road. He would have liked to follow the route, but knew they
would not have time enough before his leave was over. All he could do was leave
word in each place they passed as they went back north to Salamanca that the
lost performing bear should be inquired for at the headquarters of the British
army.

Robert and Esmeralda had found that, aside from the
excitement Bear generated, it was no trouble on the road, and once leashed it
was completely docile. The chain Robert purchased seemed to give the bear a
sense of security, and it would remain wherever it was fastened without
attempting to get loose. Within two days the horses became quite accustomed,
too, and Bear could be accommodated with them in a shed or a corner of a barn.
All this was very well as long as Robert and Esmeralda were free agents, but
there was a good chance that Robert would be ordered to get rid of the animal
when they returned to headquarters in Salamanca. Although he would have been
happy to restore it to its original owners, Robert had no intention of handing
Bear over to those who might use it in one of the cruel sports so popular in
Spain.

The hubbub when Robert and Esmeralda rode through the
streets to the headquarters area leading the bear was quite as great as Robert
had foreseen. It was even great enough to draw Sir John himself out to investigate
the cause of the disturbance. Fortunately, stimulated by the crowd and the
attention, which seemed to please the animal, Bear chose to give a spontaneous
performance. After Esmeralda dismounted, Bear placed one clumsy paw on one of
her shoulders and its chin on the other, and it waltzed her solemnly around,
whining and grunting in a travesty of singing that was irresistibly funny.

Everyone roared with laughter and applauded. A few jokesters
even threw coins, which brought more laughter and applause when Bear carefully
picked them up with its mouth and dropped them into Robert’s hand. Later, when
Robert reported for duty, Sir John told him that it was the first time in
months he had laughed so heartily. Then Moore frowned slightly, as if he
realized that he had trapped himself. It would be ungracious after such a
statement to order Robert to get rid of the bear. But Robert knew it was only a
suspended sentence. Sooner or later, Bear would have to go.

He discussed this with Esmeralda as they were undressing for
bed, and she promised to make every effort to find some solution to the
problem, but it was only later, after they had made love that Robert realized
that Bear had created quite another problem. So much time and thought had been
expended on the animal that he had quite forgotten his original purpose for
taking leave. Not one word of love had been said to Esmeralda during the whole
five days. Robert sighed softly. He would have to find another way.

The next day, however, Bear and all other inessentials like
love were driven from Robert’s mind. During the night of November 28, Sir John
received news of another great disaster for the Spanish armies. There was now
no organized force, aside from the fifteen thousand men—and they were all
infantry without either guns or cavalry to support them—Sir John had to oppose
more than eighty thousand French. It was, in Moore’s opinion, impossible that
Baird could possibly join him before he was confronted by the enemy. Therefore,
he wrote at once to Baird to retreat to Corunna. He wrote also to General Hope
to retreat, but by way of Ciudad Rodrigo. This might still permit a conjunction
of his men with Hope’s.

The reaction of the general officers to the idea that they
should retreat without making a single attempt to confront the French was such
strong surprise and dismay that, uncharacteristically, Moore was forced to
inform them curtly that he had not called them together to request their
counsel. But even his own staff officers were appalled. Robert found a free half
hour to tell Esmeralda that she had better pack any large items they had
purchased to be sent back to Lisbon with the heavy luggage.

Esmeralda’s breath caught. “Are you going into action,
Robert?” she asked.

“No, curse it!” he snarled. “We’re going to back off like a
bunch of whipped curs with our tails between our legs.” And he stormed out of
the apartment.

Grateful that he was gone, for she was not sure whether she
could have concealed her relief even in the face of his rage and
disappointment, Esmeralda considered what should be sent back. She was
surprised, as she looked around, at how much she had accumulated over the
period of the march and their stay in Salamanca. Then she smiled. It was
Robert, really. Now that he had a little money, she had only to look at
something and he would buy it for her. So different from her father. Could it
be because Robert loved her and Papa had not?

That was a most seductive notion, but Esmeralda was too
aware of Robert’s general kindliness and generosity to allow herself to bank
too much on it. Mentally she called herself to order. She had better send
Carlos to get Molly to help her. Involuntarily she smiled as she thought of
Carlos. He, of course, had been speechless with joy when the bear allowed him
to pet it and lead it about. He had run all over town to find out what bears
liked best to eat. Esmeralda had to remind him several times that Bear was only
a visitor and that it would have to be returned to its owner as soon as the man
was found.

“But a found thing,
senhora
, can belong to the
finder,” Carlos protested.

“Sometimes that is true,” Esmeralda admitted. “But you know,
Carlos, that Captain Moreton is a soldier. A bear is not a proper animal to
have in an army. Luisa has her work, you have yours, I have mine. In an army
all must be useful in some way. Bear only eats. While we are here, and there is
plenty of food and no danger, Bear may stay. But if we should need to move
quickly for any reason, Captain Moreton might be ordered to…to dispose of Bear.
He would not wish to do it, but…but a soldier
must
obey orders.”

Carlos’s eyes had rounded in horror, and Esmeralda had
hurried to point out that the reason Bear was so friendly and tame was surely
because its original owners had been kind. Thus, it would be best if those
owners should be found as soon as possible. And, she had added, if Carlos paid
too much attention to Bear, Luisa would feel neglected and sad.

As she recalled the conversation, Esmeralda’s smile faded.
Would this retreat mean they had to be rid of Bear? She decided to say nothing
to Carlos about the reason she wanted Molly and to warn Molly not to mention
the packing to him. Perhaps if the retreat were leisurely, they could manage to
keep Bear out of the way. She was sure that if no one mentioned the animal to
Sir John, the general would not be likely to remember it in the midst of his
other concerns.

It was necessary, of course, to explain the cautious retreat
fully to Molly or she would not be able to help competently, but Esmeralda was
surprised when Molly breathed a huge sigh of relief. Her maid seldom showed
much emotion, even when she felt a good deal.

“Is there something wrong?” Esmeralda asked.

“Ah, weel,” Molly said, smiling, “‘tis no bad thing, onny
that Oi’m growin’ a bit heavy fer long marches.”

“Heavy?” Esmeralda repeated blankly.

Molly laughed. “Did ye no know Oi’m carryin’ a child?” she
asked incredulously.

Esmeralda’s mouth dropped open and then worked wordlessly.
Her eyes fixed on Molly’s figure, but even knowing, she did not see what she
expected to see. Esmeralda had chosen Molly as a servant partly because she was
a big, strong woman. Now that she looked carefully it did seem that Molly was
thicker than she had been, but she had naturally put on heavier clothing as the
weather grew colder, and when working in the kitchen she enveloped herself in a
loose outer garment to save her dress from splatters of grease and dirty water.
Still, Esmeralda was appalled that she had not noticed.

“Oh, I am so sorry,” she gasped, when she could speak. “How
dreadful.”

Molly looked indignant. “‘Tis no dreadful,” she said
angrily. “Bein” Oi’m no so young as Oi were, Oi’m glad t’ give M’Guire a babe.”

“No, no,” Esmeralda cried. “Not the baby! I meant that it
was dreadful I hadn’t noticed. Oh, Molly, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have let
you—”

But Molly interrupted her with renewed laughter. “Ye’re
hardly more’n a babe yersel’,” she said indulgently. “Th’ fault’s moine fer no
sayin’, but Oi thought ye were too leddylike t’ ‘see’ sich a thing.”

“No, just too stupid.” Esmeralda sighed. “But don’t you
think it would be better for you to go back with the heavy baggage and the sick
to Lisbon? Robert thinks there will be a retreat, and those marches may be
dreadful.”

“Oi’ll think on ‘t,” Molly said, “but fer now, let’s git on
wit’ th’ packin’.”