Falling Hard For The Royal Guard: Because Of You

Chapter 1

GUARDSMAN GUILDFORD had long been in the sentry box this morning, his view obscured by the bearskin that he has to wear when on duty guarding one of the towers inside The tower of London.

Often, he would see a young woman or two often enough, but the one he really wanted was that strange looking one with bright ginger hair. She never said her name, but he remembered her face so he could not stir from his regimental position.

At 8.00 on the dot, she appears " Morning"! The young woman said as she went by, but Freddie could say nothing to her.

To everyone Margaret Moore was a stranger, barely anyone bared her attention but except for a particular guardsman every morning she saw him every morning she would say hello and good morning as she did now, how was it that Freddie had seen her before? There was something in her that he could not place.

It was a bright Summer's day within the tower, and the young woman passed him by again " evening"! She said, and like that Freddie did not move, he was stoic and stone faced unflappable.

" Oh fuck how much longer"? He thought he had been standing there watching the tourists make faces at him taking pictures but still he just wished he could move his limbs. This wasn't the only place you found the grenadiers you would find them, at other royal palaces and this week Freddie and his garrison were at the Tower of London.
He often thought about the young woman who passed his way. She was a mystery who she was? Where did she work within the tower"? He thought he secretly made it his mission to find out.

Freddie Guildford was one of two boys, and he was from a wealthy family. What would they say if he had fallen for a young woman, not of his breeding? Freddie did not care.

Two hours later, another detachment of guards marched his way, " Off you go Guildford"! Freddie gave the Sargent a salute, and he marched off toward the garrison house.
Once there he opened the door, silence greeted him thankful for the silence he went inside and changed out of his guardsmen uniform and into something a little more to see taste. A button-down shirt with a pair of smart trousers, feeling more relaxed, he stepped into the bright sunshine.

As he often did when not on duty, he found himself at rare moments touring the tower of London he often had seen other real palaces with other fellow soldiers.

Freddie was searching something on his phone when he heard  the yelp of a young woman, looking up from his phone he quickly tucked it in his back pocket and went over to help the young lady who was on the ground groaning in pain.

" Jesus! You took quite the bang there! Are you okay? Here allow me"! He offered the young woman a hand. As she stood up, she felt something warm trickling down her left leg …. It was bleeding. " No, it's fine. I'm fine. I really ill manage a bit. Thank you anyway!" The young woman spoke, he recognised her ….. it was her, the woman that passes him every morning.

" No, I insist, come! Let's get that leg sorted! I will not let you walk home or wherever you're heading with a bleeding leg, put your arm around me! " The young woman vainly did as she was told by the soldier. She hobbled toward the garrison house, holding onto the soldier. He led to the sitting room.

" Here we go, wait there. I have the first aid kit round here!" The young woman watched the soldier  himself about the house, his muscles taunting through his white button-down shirt. She had to bite her lip at the thought of him. She had only ever seen him under the bearskin and in uniform.
" Ah, here it is!" She heard him say, his voice was like molten chocolate, he seemed nice enough, she looked ahead of her like she wasn't thinking about anything, she watched him with  intention as he bent on one knee, to her he must have easily 6ft 1 inch or 2 maybe at a pinch he was strong too with biceps loaded bulging out his shirt at the top. " Can you stretch out your left leg for me?" The young soldier asked with his smile of perfectly white teeth. The young lady did as he bid, and she winced as she did it, " owww!" She grimaced contortions her face into a screwed up one, the young man soldier, " how on earth did manage this hmm"? He asked then, and she looked at him with a slight smile. " I…I'm naturally clumsy"! She offered an explanation for how she ended up with him treating her leg. Though she was thankful he was there, he grabbed one sterile strip from the first box and an antiseptic wipe.

He tore the top of the wipe, and he looked up at him, "  This might hurt a little hold still!" Instructed the friendly young guardsman. The young woman he regnoised braced herself for the sting. He held her leg in place with just right-hand long fingers caressing the back of her carve. He looked at her again, his blue-green gaze gazing at her, " Hold still now, this might sting for a while!" He tentatively set the wipe to the blood-soaked knee.

He felt tense at the sensation he briefly looked up, seeing her hands turn ashen white on the ends of the couch. He was concentrating on cleaning the wound on her leg. The sting came first, then began to subside every time she looked at his handsome face.

The blood quickly stopped, and then he grabbed a gorse and tape, folding it with complete gentleness. The warmth and gentleness made her heart warm toward him even more.

The young woman felt a redness appear on her cheeks, at the thought of his long, gentle, thin fingers touching her bare cold skin.

Her eyes were trained onto him, cutting a bit of tape to keep the gorse in place. " There's a  brave soldier! That should do it! " Said the young man she recognized as the young man she sees every morning. " Would you like to drink tea or coffee?" He asked. She half expected him to  hear out the garrison door, but no. " Tea, please, two sugars!" She smiled at him as he returned to his standing position.

She watched him walk off into the garrison house kitchen to make the tea. She looked about the house. There were framed photos along the mantle piece of the young man that was her saviour, smiling with the older man's arm around him.

" Do you live here alone?" She asked with a smile, silence greeted her at first but then he answered " no I live with my other comrades'! Smiling the young soldier back, she had it in his voice. " You're a Grenadier, aren't you?" She asks. '' Yes I am as are my comrades! ", the kettle clicked off into comfortable silence.

She stood there watching him in silence, thinking  what to say next!She saw him turn round carrying a tray with two cups and saucers on the tray along with a plate of biscuits. " Go on, don't be shy!" He encouraged her, and she took the chocolate bourbon. The next thing she did was add 2 sugars to her tea that he had made.

He came around the coffee table and sat beside her on the couch, picking up his cup and saucer. " clearly highly educated"! She thought.

She pushed herself back on the couch, " Wait a minute, the cushions askew!" She watched him straighten it with one hand. Freddie felt something was amiss with this young woman. He gave a little cough before he smiled that perfectly white teeth smile. " What caused you to fall?"

Freddie asked, The young woman smiled back with a small chuckle. " My boss, he's a bit of a …. How am I supposed to say it without swearing? He's a bit of an idiot shall we say? Freddie widened his eyes at the young woman, " idiot Lord!
He must be a bad boss! Does he not treat you well? " The guardsman asked with a tentative smile.

" And he bloody does not treat me nicely! He's a complete and utter  "! Now, this made Freddie laugh. " I haven't that one in a while goodness me!"

Maggie sat opposite him lost in his handsome smile, " how the fuck can be this handsome and good looking"?, she thought. Freddie thought that she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. " Christ! Look at her, she's a beauty"! Thought Freddie.

Freddie turned to get his cup and saucer back, into hospitality huge hands when he caught Maggie smiling at him. " May I say you have the most beautiful smile!" Freddie complimented his beaming smile, firing on all cylinders.