A Captain's Bride (Book 3 of Eddington Series)

Bombay Castle, 1862

Jared Eddington stood next to his brother Ben as they watched their father being honored. After the fall of his leader, he led the men into what turned out to be the winning battle of the war. Their mother, Lilia, stood with ladies as she held a five-year-old Kiera. Shawn Eddington had been promoted General. Jared had stood tall and proud, as he and Ben knew nothing but the military. Jared stood as a captain at seventeen years of age. Ben stood a solider in training at the age of twelve.

That night, they met with Shawn’s oldest friend, John Bradford, Duke of Williamshire. They had dinner with the duke and his family along with a neighboring Earl and his family. Kiera and the duke’s son, Garret ran off. Candice went upstairs to check on six-year-old Olivia. Monica and James were sitting proper and trying to impress. Ben and Jared sat proud next to their father. Lilia was shocked to learn that the reason for the dinner was to announce the engagement of Kiera and Garret. When the time was right, they would be wed. Lilia was happy, for she knew how close they were, but shocked.

The children played and the adults talked and planned. Everything was as it should be.

The next morning, Shawn took his family to London. Jared hated being here. The parties, the crowds. Ben always hated it because he had to stay behind with Kiera. He was not yet old enough to go. Jared was forced to by his mother. Shawn didn’t much care if Jared found a woman to marry and settle down with. Lilia wanted to see him happy and knew the military life wouldn’t last forever. When the Duke came to London, Jared volunteered to watch over Olivia, Garret, Kiera, and Ben, to avoid going to the parties. James was eight and stayed with Ben.

The duke would only stay about a month and attend parties before he brought his family back to the Willaimshire estate. Lilia stayed with Kiera in London and Shawn brought Jared and Ben back to the fort. This is where Jared liked to be. He loved to train, but he also taught his brother. Ben was learning fast, but he was still too young. Shawn sent him home when the king ordered the military to mobilize. Jared went to his ship and gathered his crew. Shawn went with his ground forces. Lilia always worried over them both.

A few years had passed and through his vigorous training, Ben joined his father at sixteen. Little did they know it would be the worst. Lilia and Kiera were enjoying an afternoon in the garden when Lilia received word that Shawn would be back, along with Ben and Jared. After these many years of war, it was finally almost at an end. Nine-year-old Kiera went inside with Penny for her afternoon nap. Lilia walked to the study to respond to the letter and to inform the duke of Shawn’s safety. As she walked out, the butler was on the floor in a pool of blood. There was a masked man standing over him, looking right at Lilia. Penny saw it happen and hid herself with Kiera. She stayed there with her until Jared found his mother’s body. He held his mother until Shawn and Ben came back the day after. Officials were there but couldn’t manage to get Jared away from Lilia. Shawn reached for her and kissed her head as Ben moved Jared away. Shawn looked around.

“Kiera?”

“No one knows. This is all we found. All the servants were found dead.”

“Penny?”

“No sign of her.”

“Knowing Penny, she would not leave Kiera’s side.”

“Who did this?”

“An assassin.”

Shawn stood in the hall. Jared went upstairs to clean up. As he walked into his washroom, he heard a faint sneeze coming from inside the wall. He knocked and found it hollow. He pushed the panel and it opened. Penny nearly took his eye out with the dagger she held.

“Penny, it’s me.”

“Lord Jared, forgive me.”

“My sister?”

“Jared!”

“Kiera.”

Jared held her tight as he carried downstairs. When Shawn saw her, he immediate cradled her in his arms. Penny came down behind him.

“Penny, what happened?”

“Last week, Lady Lilia received the letter that you and your sons would home soon. I took miss Kiera up for her afternoon nap. Once she was down, I went to tell Lady Lilia. I saw her come out of the study, but a masked man had already killed the butler. I saw him stab Lady Lilia and that’s when I grabbed miss Kiera and hid us in the hidden compartment in washroom.”

“you’ve been in there all week?”

“Lady Lilia said if I ever had to use, not to come out unless a person I knew opened it.”

“She almost stabbed me, father.”

“Penny, we do not deserve you.”

“I promised Lilia.”

“Thank you.”

Kiera looked up at Shawn and asked where Lilia was. Before Shawn answered, Jared woke up. He was on his ship and he had broken out in a cold sweat. When he returned, he knew he would have to take Kiera to see Garret. Even though he trusted Garret and he was his best friend, Kiera was everything to him since that day. She looked exactly like her. He began to think, can I let them go through with this?