Chapter Eight
“Gentlemen, thank you for waiting.” Max escorted Belinda into the enlisted men’s dining hall at the barracks.
In the sennight since the fire, the hospital’s administrative offices had been moved to the barracks, so that the offices could be turned into temporary quarters for the pensioners. A move that Max now found fitting, given the changes that were about to occur.
The members of the hospital board climbed to their feet at Belinda’s presence, but instead of sitting, she waved them all back into their places. “My apologies for our tardiness.” She turned the force of her smile on Max, whose heart jumped. He prayed he never got used to this feeling. “We were waiting on a message from London with news that you might all find surprising.”
That was an understatement. He was certain all the men present would be floored by the decision Palmerston had sent posthaste from the War Office, one Max had brought back himself, returning just in time for the meeting. So recently, in fact, that he still wore his dusty riding breeches and redingote, and his hair was mussed from the wind. Stopping only to change out horses, he’d made the trip in a handful of hours.
“What’s going on, Thorpe?” Colonel Woodhouse called out, ignoring the duchess. He was the first to sink into his chair in front of Belinda, not bothering to hide his disdain for her.
Max bit back his anger at the man’s disrespect. No matter. By tomorrow, the colonel would be on his way out of Brighton and out of their lives… to a new post in Africa. As General Mortimer’s aide-de-camp.
He glanced at Belinda, who fought back a happy beaming. Cleaning up after the fire and assessing the damage had kept her busy for the past sennight while he’d been away in London, submitting a new proposal regarding the academy. One that had her gliding through the world as if on air.
“Plans for the academy have changed,” he announced.
“I’ll say they have,” Pomperly interjected. Around the long table, the men shook their heads at the damage the fire had done. “The place is burned to the ground.”
“Not burned to the ground, Your Grace,” Belinda corrected. “Just one building, one that the War Office has given us permission to rebuild as a new dormitory for the cadets.”
“You’ve had a change of heart, I see.” Pomperly’s gaze slid knowingly to Max. As if he could see through his jacket to his breast pocket and the special marriage license resting where the letter had once been. “Whatever has changed your mind about the academy?”
“The fire,” she answered. Joy lightened her voice. “More exactly, seeing how the pensioners and the cadets worked together to fight it. I realized that is what everyone needs—to be together.”
Warmth grew inside Max’s chest at the private meaning behind her words, even as confused frowns greeted her from around the table.
“During the fire, the soldiers were taking orders from the pensioners,” she continued, trying to explain the same rationale that he’d explained to the War Office, “and the pensioners were sharing their knowledge and experience with the soldiers. Both sides were calling upon their strengths to work together to effectively fight the fire. Because of them, only one building was damaged, and the main hospital was saved. If they can do that to fight a fire, then surely they can work together to train better soldiers.”
The board members exchanged uncertain glances, then looked at Max for further explanation.
“Therefore, instead of closing the hospital and relocating the pensioners,” he announced, “the buildings will be shared. The pensioners and cadets will live together, so that the cadets can learn from the wealth of experience held by the pensioners, and the pensioners—”
“Will feel needed,” Belinda interjected, “and know that they haven’t been forgotten by His Majesty’s army.”
Whispers went up from around the table as the men leaned together to share their thoughts.
“There will be separate training and sleeping areas, of course,” Max clarified, “but they’ll share the same common areas and take all their meals together.”
“Not in separate facilities for enlisted men and officers either,” Belinda added. That had been one of her stipulations for the War Office. “But all together, in one dining hall.”
At that breach of tradition, the whispers turned into low grumblings.
“The officers will have enough time in encampments and forts to live separately from their men,” Max put in. “When they’re in training, they should learn everything they can about the men they’ll be commanding, right down to how they think. What better way to do that than sharing meals and time together between duty shifts?”
That put an end to the grumblings. The men hesitated to express their thoughts about the changes, each waiting for another to speak first.
“It’s for the best, for both the cadets and the pensioners,” Belinda asserted. “Be assured that I would not support it if it wasn’t.”
The men nodded at that, knowing her reputation as a stalwart patroness of the hospital. Their resistance was softening.
“You should also know,” Max announced, “that I’ve volunteered to remain here in Brighton to lead the establishment of this new joint facility.” He didn’t dare look at Belinda as he shared the news that he hadn’t had time to tell her. “And to lead it into the future in my new post as its governor.”
He heard her catch her breath. Her surprise crackled through the air between them like electricity.
“And I’ll be serving as the liaison between the board and the governor,” she added, her voice trembling from the news that he was staying right here in Brighton. With her. “To ensure that the pensioners will be treated as the heroes they are.”
Max nodded. “Shall we put the new proposition to a vote, then? All those in favor of supporting a joint venture with the academy as part of the existing hospital say aye.”
A round of agreement went up from the men, including Pomperly, who grudgingly voted in favor of the proposition. Then the duke stood, sketched a small bow to Belinda, and retreated from the room. Beaten.
The others stayed only long enough to congratulate Max on his new position and to wish Belinda good luck on hers.
“Governor?” Belinda repeated when they were finally alone.
“There wasn’t time to tell you before the meeting. It came after I proposed our compromise to the secretary. I had nothing to do with it.” He took her hand and raised it to his lips, placing an apologetic kiss to her fingertips. He wanted no misunderstanding between them about this. “Are you upset?”
“I’m thrilled for you.” With love shining in her eyes, she laced her fingers through his. “We did it. We found a way to save both the academy and the hospital. It’s over now.”
“Not over.” Max slipped his arms around her waist and drew her against him. “There’s another compromise we need to make.”
She stiffened warily. “Which is?”
“Since we’ll both be working closely together to run this joint venture, I suggest another joint venture. Marriage.” He caressed his thumb over her bottom lip when she stared at him, wide-eyed and openmouthed. “Seems to me the perfect way to make our jobs easier.”
Her eyes sparkled as she returned his teasing. “Undoubtedly. It would save a lot of time waiting around for paperwork and messages if we could just pass them back and forth to each other across the breakfast table.”
“Or just deliver them in person.” He nuzzled his mouth against her ear. “In bed.”
She laughed and hugged him tightly.
“Marry me, Belinda,” he murmured, all teasing now gone. “Just as soon as we can.”
“Yes.” She threw her arms around his neck. “Oh yes!”
He grabbed her and twirled her in a circle, and she laughed with happiness. When he lowered her to the ground, he followed after with a kiss, one into which he tried to pour his heart and soul, all his love for her… all their hope for their new future.
“You should know, however,” he warned when he finally shifted away, “that there is one thing about which I will never compromise.”
When she imperiously arched a brow in quick challenge, he thrilled to think how wonderful his life was going to be with this fiery woman. “Oh?”
“How much I love you.”
Then he lowered his head and kissed her again.