Don't miss the first in a Brand New Series....Rogues Redeemed!
ONCE A SOLDIER
Rogues Redeemed #1
Mary Jo Putney
Releasing June 28th, 2016
Zebra
ROGUES
REDEEMED
As heir to a title and great wealth,
Will Masterson should have stayed home and tended his responsibilities. Instead
he went to war. Now, after perilous years fighting the French, he intends his
current mission to be his last. But all his plans are forgotten when he arrives
in the small mountain stronghold of San Gabriel and meets her.
Knowing herself to be too tall,
strong, and unconventional to appeal to a man, Athena Markham has always
gloried in her independence. But for the first time in her life, she finds a
man who might be her match.
Two of a kind, too brave for their
own good, Athena and Will vow to do whatever it takes to vanquish San Gabriel’s
enemies. For neither will back down from death, and only together can they find
happiness and a love deeper than any they'd dared imagine...
The
tunnel was lined with damp stones and the part Will could see in the dim light
slanted upward with horizontal grooves on the bottom to provide traction to
anyone crawling through. His eyes narrowed as he evaluated it. An average-sized
man could fit in there, but Will was broader than average. Keeping that thought
to himself, he said, “Now it’s time to discover if this goes all the way to the
surface.”
“And if there are rats, scorpions, or
dead bodies,” Duval said dryly. “I’ll go first. I’m not so large as you great
hulking Englishmen, plus I speak the French of a native if I emerge outside and
encounter a soldier.”
“Those
are good reasons.” Will gestured at the tunnel. “Good luck!”
“I
don’t envy you going blind into that tunnel,” Gordon said as he offered the
Frenchman a curved, broken piece of pottery. “This isn’t much, but it might be
useful against those rats or guards.”
Duval
accepted the impromptu weapon with a nod of thanks. “I shall return to tell you
what I find.”
Will
was sure that he wasn’t the only one praying for success as Duval climbed into
the tunnel and began to crawl forward on his belly. The four remaining men
waited in silence, listening to the faint sounds of Duval inching upward. He
muttered a French curse or two at different times, and then the sounds faded
away completely.
“It
must be a long tunnel,” Gordon said. His gaze was on the floor, concealing his
expression.
“The
longer it is, the better chance we have of leaving safely.” Chantry rubbed at
his side. “I’ve cracked a rib or two. I didn’t think it was worth binding them
when I was going to be shot, but I’d better do something or I won’t be able to
crawl.”
Gordon
stripped off the shabby greatcoat he was wearing. “I’ll cut this up for the
binding.” He used another piece of broken pottery to saw the heavy fabric into
strips.
They
all worked together to bind Chantry’s ribs, the activity a welcome distraction.
Will had just tied off the last bandage when they heard sounds in the tunnel.
A
few moments later, Duval’s head emerged. “We are saved!” he said jubilantly.
“The tunnel ends in an old stone shed that is one of a cluster of outbuildings.
When I looked out, I saw no soldiers near. It is raining, so wise men stay
inside.”
As
Will helped the muddy Frenchman get his feet safely on the ground, Hawkins said
tersely, “Then it’s time we made our escape. Chantry, will you be able to make
it up there with your cracked ribs?”
“What’s
a little pain compared to fast-approaching dawn?” Chantry replied with a
twisted smile. “I’ll make it.”
“The
rest of you go first,” Will said. “If the tunnel is too narrow for me, I don’t
want to block anyone else from getting away.”
Duval
frowned as he studied the width of Will’s shoulders. “It will be difficult but
not, I think, impossible. Perhaps you should remove your coat and shirt. A
small difference might be enough. I will carry your garments up the tunnel for
you.”
“Good
idea.” By the time Will had removed his coat and shirt, Gordon, Chantry, and
Hawkins were crawling toward escape. Chantry gasped with pain as Hawkins helped
him up into the tunnel, but he didn’t complain, just started inching doggedly
upward.
Duval
wrapped Will’s garments in a tight, flat bundle, then used his cravat to tie
them to his lower back. “The tunnel is tight and somewhat damaged in places,
but I do think you will be able to get through. I will not be far ahead. If you
get into trouble, call. We will find a way to bring you to freedom.”
Will
had his doubts that would be possible, but he appreciated the sentiment. “If I
become impossibly stuck, for God’s sake, get away! There’s no point in all of
us dying.”
“I am not so easily dismissed, Masterson,”
Duval retorted. “I shall see you on the surface.” He climbed into the tunnel
and began working his way up again.
Will
took a deep breath, then followed. He was not fond of confined spaces at the
best of times, and the climb out through stifling blackness would haunt his
dreams for years, assuming he made it out. Even without his coat and with his
bare torso slick with water and mud from the damp, there were times he thought
he was lethally stuck. He learned how tightly his shoulders and chest could be
compressed, and it was barely enough.
The
tightest place was the very end, where the tunnel opened into the shed. After
two attempts, Will grimly accepted his fate. “I can’t make it,” he said flatly.
“Leave without me.”
“You
damn well will make it!” Gordon retorted. “Back up a couple of yards and cover
your head while we widen this hole.”
Will
summoned enough strength to back down a few feet and wrap his arms over his
head before debris began falling on him. It took only minutes before Gordon
said, “All clear!” Then he extended a hand into the tunnel.
Grateful
for the help, Will managed to crawl the short distance out onto a cold, muddy
floor. He lurched to his feet, then pulled on the shirt and coat Duval had
carried for him, grateful for any slight warmth.
“Quickly
now,” Chantry said. “The night is almost over and we must get away. We’re in
luck. The building to our right is a stable and Hawkins has liberated five
horses. I know roughly where we are and can lead us to open country. As soon as
we step outside, we must be swift and silent. Ready, Masterson?”
After
Will nodded, Chantry opened the door of the shed. The heavy rain made the
darkness almost impenetrable, but Will could make out the shapes of the horses
just outside. Hawkins had managed to bridle and saddle the animals, after
stealing them.
The
men swiftly mounted, Hawkins helping the injured Chantry into his saddle. They
saved the largest horse for Will. Chantry led and set the pace, a slow walk so
as not to attract attention. Will was sure the other men shared his desire to
gallop away at full speed, but he knew Chantry was right to be cautious.
Occasional
lights started showing in windows as people rose to begin morning chores. But
the houses thinned until finally they were out of the city. Chantry increased
their pace to a trot, then a canter. Cold, wet, and uncomfortable as the ride
was, Will much preferred it to the escape from the cellar. If he was shot now,
at least he’d die free.
By
the time they’d put several miles between themselves and Gaia, the sun had
risen and the rain had ended, though it was still heavily overcast. Chantry led
them into a protected thicket and came to a halt. With effort, he dismounted,
one hand rubbing his ribs. “Time for us to go our separate ways, gentlemen.”
The
other riders also dismounted, gathering in a circle as they held their horses.
Looking up at the sky, Gordon murmured, “I never thought a wet, cold day could
be so beautiful. Knowing I should be dead adds savor to the morning.”
“We
all contributed to our successful escape,” Duval said pensively. “Facing death
creates an interesting bond of brotherhood, does it not?”
Indeed
it did. As Will looked at the faces of his companions, he realized how
unselfishly they’d worked together. He knew almost nothing of any of them, yet
he truly did feel a sense of connection from shared danger. “Though we may be
self-proclaimed rogues, you’re all men I’d like at my side in any future tight
places.”
“Rogues
may be more useful in tight places than honorable men,” Hawkins said, amused.
His voice turned serious. “Facing death was simple, but now we face hard
reality again. How many of us will attempt the redemption we discussed? I intend
to.”
Gordon
gave a twisted smile. “I’ll make a start at it.”
Chantry
looked gray-faced from pain, but his voice was firm. “I said I would take up my
long-neglected responsibilities, and I like to think I’m a man of my word.”
Duval
sighed. “What is done can’t be undone. Perhaps there can be reconciliation, if
not redemption. I should make the attempt.”
After
they had shared a dark night and imminent death, it was strange to think Will
would not see any of these men again. Strange and wrong. “If this war ever
ends,” he said tentatively, “perhaps those of us who survive may meet again in
London and exchange lies about our heroic deeds and redemptions.”
“The
Brotherhood of Rogues Redeemed!” Duval said grandly. “I like the idea, but we
shall need a point of contact in London for sending messages so we might find
each other.”
Will
thought a moment. “Hatchard’s bookstore in Piccadilly. I know the owner.” In
fact, Will was a major customer. “I’ll ask him to keep any letters he receives
that are addressed to the Rogues Redeemed, and that they can be read by any of
us that call at the store. I’ll give him the names we’re all using tonight.”
Chantry
grinned. “Because we might be lying about our identities? I like your
suspicious mind.” Wincing from pain, he stretched a hand into the center of the
close circle of riders. “May we meet again in more auspicious times!”
Will
clasped Chantry’s hand. The others did the same in a five-way handshake that
made their agreement somehow more real. When they released their grips, Will
swung back into his saddle, thinking he was grateful to have met these men in
these circumstances.
He
hoped they all survived to meet again someday
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Mary Jo
Putney is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling
author who has written over 60 novels and novellas. A ten-time finalist for the
Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won the honor twice and is on the RWA
Honor Roll for bestselling authors. In 2013 she was awarded the RWA Nora
Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award. Though most of her books have been
historical romance, she has also published contemporary romances, historical
fantasy, and young adult paranormal historicals. She lives in Maryland with her
nearest and dearest, both two and four footed.
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