Brook listened to what Major Wellington knew about Dorothea. It was almost like hearing him speak of a stranger. Her older sister kidnapped? For what? To think that prim and proper Dorothea was mixed up with a character like this Cadeyrn man, who purchased children and had French sluts. Then again, the major said that it wasn't exactly as it sounded, but when she saw her sister next, she was not going to look for the good in this apparent new brother-in-law just to tease Dorothea.
She waited patiently for the man to finish what he had to say. "Do you know why Dorothea was kidnapped? Why would anyone hate your brother? What has he ever done to this French soldier? I have about a million other questions, but I guess I'll have to wait to see Dorothea before I get their answers. It'd probably be better to hear what she has to say anyway."
She tore off some of the dried meat, thinking while she chewed. The war had turned her whole world upside-down by thrusting her into Canada and destroying her home. Now she learned that Dorothea had changed so dramatically. She wondered if anything happened to Madison since she had left; Madison took after Dorothea in a lot of respects, and she would hate to think that something happened to shatter her little sister's innocence.
"Oh! Your questions, sorry. I'm afraid I got a little lost in thought over my sisters and what's happened to us in this war." She drank some water to stall for more time. "I knew him as well as could be expected, I guess. He was a friend of my older sister when we were kids. I played with them some when my mother made them let me play with them, and I think I may have played with you once or twice, too." She gave him a coy smile.
"Tristan is in Canada? If I had known that, I may have gone to him instead of back home here. Why is your brother going to Africa? Well, war does strange things. I was just thinking about it a few moments ago. Life is so strange these days.... I don't blame everyone for fleeing, but if everyone fled, our country would belong to someone else right now. I don't think I could leave here now. This is my home, my family's home. David says I'm being too stubborn, but I feel like I have to stay here now." She ate some more meat and stared out the window until the sudden, unexpected tears went away. Sometimes being pregnant sucked.
"You haven't told me much about yourself, Tom. How long have you been in the Marines? Tell me about yourself." She rested her head on her hands, leaning on the table, and waited to hear him out when the sound of someone walking in the woods behind the house caught her attention.
She frowned. "I hope it's not a miscreant, but it doesn't sound like an animal, does it?"