by Lora Thomas
“Congratulations!” another well-wisher said as he shook Oliver’s hand.
The couple accepted the blessings. Madelena looked around the deck. These people were strangers, yet they had received her. They appeared to genuinely like her despite the fact they knew nothing about her. They smiled and welcomed her into their folds. Madelena was not certain how to react. Her entire life, she had longed to be accepted by her family. And each time, they had rejected her. However, this varied group of souls did not care about her past. They were treating her like she was family, and she found that it made her feel complete…yet lost.
For the remainder of the day and well into the evening, the celebrations continued. A feast had been prepared, and music was played on the deck. Several tables were brought up from the galley, and lanterns were strung about. By the time the festivities were over, Madelena felt exhausted.
The newlyweds made their way to their room, followed by the others. After a round of goodnights, everyone departed for their own chambers. When the door closed behind her, Madelena felt nervous and her heart raced. What was to happen now?
Approaching the settee, she sat and pivoted to watch Oliver. He looked quite handsome in his attire. She had seen him wear the black coat and breeches before when he had dined at her parents’ home. She had thought it looked quite fetching upon him then and even more so now. Perhaps it was his windblown auburn locks. Or perhaps it was the shadowy appearance of a beard. She could not place what it was, but something about him tonight caused him to seem more handsome.
He removed the white cravat around his neck and tossed it upon the bed. Sitting down upon the bed, he faced her. The silence in the room was nerve-racking. Neither spoke. Each waiting for the other to begin.
Oliver broke the silence. “Would you like a drink?”
Madelena shook her head. “No, thank you. I am fine.”
He accepted her refusal with a nod of his head.
She nervously licked her lips. Why did she feel so anxious? She knew Oliver would never hurt her. Yet she could not shake the feeling that he was angry with her.
“Oliver.” She spoke his name but could say no more. Her fingers nervously worked together. “I never meant for this to happen. I simply thought if I told them I was your wife, they would not force me to leave.”
Oliver’s lip twitched. “I know. I guess I should have spoken up. Jacob would not have forced you off this ship. It’s just that Aunt Charlotte…”
“I know. Chessi implied the same. Your aunt has a tendency to get what she wants.”
Oliver nodded. “She does. She dreamed of a wedding for her own daughter and forces those dreams upon others when they decide to wed.” He stood and approached a small cabinet. Opening the drawer, he removed a decanter of liquor. Pouring an ample amount into a snifter, he took a drink and turned to face her. “What happened?”
She looked down at her lap. “So much.”
“It is a long voyage.”
She raised her head but did not speak.
“Then let me ask you something. Did you know Drakos was at the ball that night? Did you know he was there when we took that walk?” Bitterness laced his words, and it surprised Madelena. She had not expected Oliver to be so emotional over their relationship.
“I did.”
“Yet, you allowed me to take you to the boathouse.”
Madelena nodded. “I did. And do not act insulted, Oliver. You knew from our first night together that I was to wed another. You knew that I was destined to marry Drakos, and it did not bother you then or afterward.”
“But when the man you were to wed is present, it makes a difference,” he snapped.
“How?”
“Dammit, Madelena. It makes you seem like—”
“A whore? Was that what you were going to say?” she shot back.
“No,” Oliver growled. “Heartless.”
“Heartless? I had only met the man moments before. And prior to that time, I prayed that he would change his mind about marrying me. You want to speak of heartless, let’s speak of your actions towards me that night afterward.”
“My actions?”
“Yes. You did not want suspicion to be drawn towards us, so I entered the home alone. And when you saw me with Drakos, you fawned all over Angela for you were all she spoke of on the carriage ride home. But let us not forget your ever so well-mannered conversation upon meeting Drakos. You might as well have called him out, the way you insulted him.”
“The man was a vile pig. But you seemed quite taken with him. I saw the kiss you gave him. I saw how you were draped over his bloody arm like his pet.”
“And I had to in order to keep you safe!”
“What?”
Madelena closed her eyes and took several deep breaths in an effort to get herself under control. She knew their conversation was growing loud, and if they kept their current conversation at this level, then all would know that they were not a couple who were madly in love.
“Sandra forced me to. She found out that you were the person I was with the night I did not come home.”
“How?”
“Signora Henshaw’s maid. She was one of my real mother’s housemaids. Sandra said that if I did not accept Drakos’s affections, then she would tell Father that I was with you that night. If Father discovered that fact, he would hurt you. I could not allow that to happen, Oliver. You were not at fault for my actions. I could not allow you to be punished for them. Sandra knew we had been visiting each other. She said if I agreed to accept Drakos, she would not speak to father.”
“You could have told me.”
“What good would it have done, Oliver? You were only visiting Rome and would eventually return to your home.”
“I could have helped you not marry him. I could have helped you leave Rome.”
“Where would I go? I have no skills. I did not have a husband. Sandra would have sent men to find me. To bring me back to marry Drakos.”
“Why?”
“Because I am a constant reminder of the love my father had for another woman.”
“Pardon?” He was somewhat shocked at her confession.
Madelena looked at Oliver. Her dark eyes glistened with moisture. “Sandra is not my mother. My mother was a woman named Francesca Demachi who died in childbirth. My father forced Sandra to raise me as her own. To tell others that Angela and I were twins.”
Oliver set his glass down and approached the settee. Sitting down beside Madelena, he listened to her speak.
“My entire life, Sandra hated me, and I did not know why. I longed to have a mother’s love, yet she kept pushing me away. As a child, I begged for her affections. I tried everything to get her to love me like she loved my sisters but to no avail.”
“Madelena,” Oliver whispered.
“She told me when I returned home after our first night together. She told me I was a whore like my mother. She told me…” The tightness in her throat stopped her words.
Oliver turned and pulled her into his arms. She buried her face in his chest. For so long, she had held in the pain. For years, she had no one but herself to confide in. Mae did not understand, yet Oliver seemed to. The comfort Oliver offered her caused her tears to flow. She felt like she could release the pain she had felt when she was in his arms. He made her feel safe and secure.
Oliver stroked her hair and pulled her in close. He could feel her fingers tighten around his shirt as her shoulders shook. How could someone be so cruel to Madelena? She was kind and caring. She had been an innocent child. Sandra had no right to treat her the way she had. If Sandra wanted to vent her anger at someone, it should have been Russo, not Madelena.
“I will never allow anyone to mistreat you, Maddie. You are a St. John now.”
Madelena raised her head. “You are too good to me, Oliver. You need a wife who will be good to you.”
“You will be.”
Madelena shook her head. “I will try, but in the eyes of God, I will not be a good wife
. My first husband is dead, and I have not mourned him properly.”
“We have not had an opportunity to speak of that.”
Madelena licked her lips. “Upon seeing me, Drakos deemed that a purity check was not needed. He said my…my…” How could she put it? She would not say what Drakos had. That upon seeing her and her tits it did not matter if she had parted her legs for all of Rome. “He said that after seeing my attributes that a purity check was not needed.”
Oliver snorted. “After meeting that man, I feel quite certain that he did not put it so eloquently.”
Madelena shook her head. “True. The purity check was not needed. I awoke one morning to find Sandra in my room telling me I was getting married…that day. I did not even get a chance to tell Mae. I was whisked to the church for a private ceremony and then taken to Drakos’s home. When he entered his bedchambers that night to consummate our marriage, he said a few crude words, clutched his chest and dropped to the floor…dead. I knew I would get accused of murdering the man, so I took what few notes I had from selling my baskets and left. I purchased a ticket to Marseille. However, before I could find my ship, I spotted Father’s men. I was not going to hang. I saw a group of people boarding this ship and followed them. I hid in a closet until I felt the ship begin to sway. The rest you know.”
“Jacob said your father’s men wanted to search this ship, but he refused to grant them access. They said you murdered Drakos.”
A gasp left Madelena as her eyes grew wide. “He knows who I am?”
Oliver nodded. “I told him.”
“Why?”
“He is my brother. Despite his threatening appearance, he is a reasonable man. I told him you could never murder anyone, but he did make me swear to tell him the truth when I discovered it.”
“You believe me?” she asked, drawing her brows together.
Oliver ran a finger over her face. “Yes.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
Madelena felt excitement when she saw Oliver come closer and disappointment when the kiss stopped on her forehead. What was she expecting to happen? It was their honeymoon, but they were far from newlyweds.
“We have both had a hell of a day. You from running from the authorities and my head is still killing me from last night’s indulgence in whiskey—despite Bob’s remedy. Come, Mrs. St. John. Let us retire for the evening.”
Madelena looked down at her dress.
Oliver removed his coat and approached the wardrobe to hang up the garment. Opening one side, his eyes widened. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“What is it?”
“Seems Aunt Charlotte has gifted you with clothing.”
Madelena approached and peered inside. It was filled with day dresses made of muslin and linen. Sliding open the drawer underneath, she was shocked to find it filled with silk stockings and shifts.
“Who? Whose? Why?”
Oliver shook his head. “Who? I assume Aunt Charlotte had her maid place them here. Whose? I have no idea. Unless she had a few trunks for my sister in the hull. Why? Because you are now family.”
“But she doesn’t know me.” Madelena still had a hard time believing that Oliver’s family could be so kind without even knowing her.
“She doesn’t have to. She knows me.” Oliver handed her a shift. Taking the article, she ventured behind the dressing screen.
Oliver continued speaking. “But it would not matter either way. You are a kind person, Madelena. Even if I were not in the picture, Aunt Charlotte would love you for you are an easy person to love. I know it is our honeymoon, and as much as my heart would love to take you to bed and ravish you, my body says differently. My head is throbbing, I am a tad drunk, and my ribs ache a bit.”
“Ribs?”
Oliver gave her a crooked smile. “Matthew challenged me for a bout. I could not refuse.”
“A bout?”
“Fisticuffs.”
“You fought that beast?”
“I did. And I lost.” Oliver’s hand came to his left side. “Matthew’s left is brutal, but his right is lethal.” A confused look came over Oliver. “Or maybe his right is brutal and his left his lethal. Fighting Matthew is like boxing a fly. You never know from which direction he will come. Glad I only received a teasing of his fists.”
“Do you need medical attention?” Concern was in her voice.
Oliver smiled. “No. Just a good night’s sleep.” He sat down upon the bed and removed his shoes. “I truly hope you will not be upset with me. I did not intend to become so inebriated nor injured upon my wedding day. Albeit, it was a most unusual wedding day, I truly did not mean for it to end this way.”
“And what way did you expect it to end?”
Oliver tossed his shoe in the corner. “With you in my arms as I made love to you properly. Now, I am afraid it will end with me trying to breathe and praying that my head does not explode.”
“Then perhaps you can have one part of your wish.”
Oliver watched Madelena approach the bed wearing a shift. She climbed into the bed. “Just hold me, and I will be happy.”
Oliver tossed his shirt to the floor and lay down. Madelena moved closer. Oliver rolled to his side and pulled her to him. Closing his eyes, he inhaled, and a contented feeling came over him. He soon drifted to sleep.
Madelena smiled upon hearing his slow rhythmic breathing. She felt safe in his arms. Her hand covered his as it lay upon her hip. This unorthodox man was now her husband, and she did not fear him. She never had. Peace settled over her, and for the first time in a long time, she drifted off to sleep…happy.
“What do you have there?” Matthew asked Chessi.
She looked up, guilt written on her face. “Nothing.”
“It appears to be something.” Matthew approached Chessi.
She tucked the paper under her leg. “Nothing.”
“Chessi?”
“Fine,” she said, removing the paper and handing it to Matthew.
He looked at the article. “It’s a boarding pass to Marseille. Are you planning on leaving me?”
Chessi stood and tried to take the ticket back. “No.”
“Then why do you have it?”
“You promise you won’t be mad at me?”
Matthew’s right brow shot upwards. “What did you do?”
“Promise me, Matthew.”
“Sweet Judas, you stole it?”
Chessi shook her head and shrugged. “Not really.”
“Dammit, Chess. You swore to me you would never steal again—”
“If you would shut up I would tell you why I did it.”
Matthew ran a hand through his thick black hair before turning from his wife, mumbling under his breath.
“If you want to argue, Matthew, I will be more than willing to oblige.”
“No, I do not want to fight. I want to know why you broke your promise to me, Chess.”
“That,” she said, pointing to the ticket in his hand, “was in Madelena’s pocket.”
“What?”
“Earlier, before her marriage, we were speaking in Aunt Charlotte’s rooms. I told her we all had complicated pasts. She claimed that hers was simple and boring. It just didn’t sound right. I spent enough years in the streets to know when someone is telling the truth and when they are not. I spotted that sticking from the pocket of her dress so I took it. Now tell me, why would she have a boarding pass for a ship named Destiny that was departing today? If she and Oliver had truly eloped, then why would she need a boarding pass for Marseille? And only one pass, Matthew. Only one.”
Matthew looked down at the ticket.
“Something is odd here, Matthew. Madelena is not what she seems. She is hiding something.”
“We all have secrets, Chess.”
“You need not remind me. My past nearly cost us both our lives. I will not allow her past to put us in danger again.”
Matthew smiled at his wife’s need to protect him. “Chessi, you need not worry about us. We wil
l be fine.”
“But she’s hiding something, Matthew.”
“I know.”
“You know?”
Matthew nodded and sat down upon the bed, removing his shoes. “Oliver said her past is unique and promised to divulge more after he had an opportunity to speak with Madelena.”
“After he had an opportunity? They’re married, Matthew. If something needed to be discussed, it should have come up well before now.”
“I agree.” Matthew removed his shirt, and Chessi watched the muscles ripple across his chest. “I tried to beat it out of him, but he is as stubborn as a mule.”
“Then you should have let me speak with him. I need to make certain my father does not discover the truth.”
“Relax, Chess. If Weston hasn’t found out who you are by now, he will never know. His mind is going. He rambles about like a mad man now.” Matthew removed his breeches.
Chessi’s eyes were drawn to her naked husband and his growing manhood. “What are you doing?”
“I am planning on making love to my wife. That is, if she will quit talking.”
“But Madelena—”
“Is a matter for the morning. If it helps ease your conscience, she and Oliver were never married until this evening. But he does love the chit. Now, come here, wife. I find that I need to love you.”
Chessi approached, and a squeak left her when Matthew twirled her around and placed her upon the bed.
“You will be the ruination of me,” Chessi said, returning his affections.
“I truly hope not. I find that I love the taste of you.”
A coy smile pulled Chessi’s lips. “Is that so?”
“Indeed.” Matthew’s fingers pulled the bodice of her gown down, exposing her breasts. A wolfish expression crossed his features as he gazed upon her. “Allow me to show you.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Despite the wind, a round of cheers could be heard echoing around the deck. There was a grunt and the sound of something being struck, followed by several shouts of excitement.
