Unexpectedly Wed to the Officer--A Historical Romance Award Winning Author

by Jenni Fletcher

‘Yes. I didn’t mean to take so long.’ She closed the door and hesitated. She hadn’t expected him to be frowning. She’d expected to come back to their room and for him to reassure her, to wrap his arms around her and tell her how happy he was for her and the boys, too, but unfortunately the sense of foreboding she’d felt with her brother grew even worse. ‘David wanted to look at the boys for a while and then we talked.’

  ‘Understandable.’

  ‘Have you told the others?’

  ‘Yes. They were very pleased, as no doubt they’ll tell you themselves in the morning. They’ve gone to bed now.’

  ‘Of course. It’s late.’ She took a few steps closer. ‘I’m glad you’re still awake.’

  ‘I wanted to wait and see how you were.’ He quirked an eyebrow. ‘How are you?’

  ‘Happy.’ She smiled, though somehow both the word and action felt unconvincing. It wasn’t that she was unhappy. She had been happy, very happy just an hour ago. She was thrilled that David was back, but his obvious antipathy towards Sebastian, not to mention all of his questions about her marriage, had left her feeling tense, too. And now that she thought about it, Sebastian had been frowning downstairs, as well...

  ‘What about you?’ Something in his face stopped her from touching him. ‘Are you happy?’

  ‘Of course.’ His smile looked just as unconvincing. His eyes were completely dark, without any sparkle at all. ‘It’s just come out of the blue, that’s all.’

  ‘Yes.’ She forced her lips wider, though she had a feeling the effect looked more grotesque than genuine. ‘The boys will probably think it’s all a dream in the morning.’

  ‘Quite.’ There was a long pause before Sebastian cleared his throat. ‘Did your brother say anything about his plans? Anything at all?’

  ‘No, but it’s too soon for all that, isn’t it? He’s only just arrived.’

  ‘I suppose so.’ Another awkward silence descended before he stepped away from the fireplace. ‘Well... I’m tired. It’s been an eventful evening.’

  She nodded, avoiding his eyes as they both undressed in silence. We thought you weren’t coming back... Those were the words she’d used to explain to David why she’d married Sebastian—to explain why he’d married her, too. They’d made a conscious decision to raise her nephews together, which meant that now David was back, the very cornerstone of their marriage was gone, knocked down in one fell swoop. Their reason no longer existed.

  She still had no regrets about marrying him, especially now that she’d realised just how much she cared, but...did he regret it? His cold behaviour implied that she’d tricked or betrayed him somehow, as if he’d never really cared for her or thought of her as anything more than a pretty face, after all. As if making amends for his guilty conscience had been all that had mattered, had ever mattered... Apparently she was just as foolish and naive as she’d always feared, deep down. She’d truly thought their marriage had meant more than that.

  She lowered herself on to the stool in front of her dressing table, staring at the reflection of their bed in the mirror with a new sense of bleakness. She felt cold inside, as if her heart had just frozen. Sebastian was already under the covers, lying on his back with his eyes closed. That was different, too. Usually he sat up, waiting until she came to bed before curling up in a spoon shape beside her.

  She pressed her eyes shut to stop the tears from seeping out. How could an evening that had brought so much joy end so badly? She’d fallen in love with her husband just at the moment he seemed to have changed his mind about her.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  ‘Will your brother be joining us?’

  Sebastian threw his napkin aside, resisting the urge to glare at his mother as she smiled blithely across the breakfast table at his wife.

  ‘Not this morning.’ Henrietta shook her head apologetically. ‘He went up to the nursery first thing and...well, there was a great deal of excitement.’

  ‘I can imagine. I think I actually heard some of it. Not that I’m complaining—it was a lovely sound.’

  ‘They’re all breakfasting up there together, although David sends his thanks for the invitation. I’ll go up again shortly, but I thought I should give them some time alone.’

  ‘Harumph.’

  ‘Is something the matter?’ Henrietta twisted her head, lifting an eyebrow at the sound Sebastian hadn’t intended to make quite so loudly.

  ‘With me?’ He put a particular stress on the word. ‘Nothing at all. I’m perfectly fine.’

  ‘Oh.’ A look of confusion, mingled with hurt, flashed across her face. ‘I thought the boys might like to show David around the gardens after breakfast.’

  ‘It’s a bit cold, isn’t it?’

  ‘We’ll wrap up.’ She paused. ‘Will you join us? We could take a walk down to the lake?’

  ‘No.’ He didn’t intend to be quite so brusque, only for some reason he couldn’t seem to help it. ‘I promised to take Mother into the village this morning.’

  ‘That can wait.’ His mother seemed determined to earn herself a glare. ‘This is much more important and it would be nice for you and David to get to know each other. You’re brothers-in-law now.’

  ‘Yes... Very well, then. I’ll be in the library when you’re ready.’

  He pushed his chair back and marched out of the breakfast room at a brisk pace. It was the same pace with which he’d marched out of the bedroom that morning and the one he intended to keep using until he got his emotions under control. He was behaving badly, he knew, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. Just as he couldn’t help the seething resentment he was experiencing towards his new brother-in-law. Even towards Henrietta. Every time she mentioned her brother he felt as if she were plunging a dagger into his heart and then twisting it for good measure.

  Scowling, he threw himself into a green leather chair by the fireplace and picked up a book, reading the same page at least half a dozen times without taking a single word in.

  ‘Mr Fortini?’ The butler’s voice sounded from the doorway in a tone he was starting to resent. ‘Mrs Fortini asked me to inform you that she’s ready.’

  ‘Thank you, Dennison.’

  He sighed and marched back out through the hall, pulling on a coat and hat before walking out of the front door. Henrietta was already outside, standing next to her brother, though she took a step towards him as he approached, her expression one of trepidation.

  ‘Good morning.’ He gave David a terse nod and received an equally terse one back.

  ‘I’m so glad you’re coming with us.’ Henrietta looked relieved that he’d spoken first. ‘Although I don’t think we’ll have long before it rains.’

  ‘Father’s home!’ Michael bounced up to him, grinning so widely it looked as if his face might actually split in two. Obviously a forgiving type, Sebastian thought, stifling a rush of resentment. Only Peter looked as if he weren’t enjoying himself, standing off to one side with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. That was more like it.

  ‘So he is.’ He forced himself to sound cheerful. ‘You must be very pleased.’

  ‘Now we’re one big, happy family!’

  ‘Let’s get moving, then...’ Henrietta held out her hand when neither he nor David responded ‘...before we all freeze.’

  ‘So...’ David gave him a sidelong look as she walked ahead. ‘Peter tells me you’ve been teaching them about the navy. He says he wants to join when he’s old enough.’

  ‘It’s not a bad career for a young man.’ Sebastian set off at his earlier brisk march, vaguely irritated when David kept pace beside him. ‘Although he’s still young enough to change his mind.’

  ‘I hope he does. I don’t want any of my boys going to sea.’

  ‘Is that so?’ Sebastian gritted his teeth. ‘Any particular reason?’

  ‘I’ve just never trusted sailors, that’s all
.’

  ‘Interesting. Fortunately, I’d say your boys have minds of their own.’

  ‘Oh, look, some starlings!’ Henrietta pointed, her voice unnecessarily loud in the crisp morning air.

  ‘They can still be guided by their father, can’t they?’

  ‘Or are they blackbirds?’

  ‘They can when their father is around.’

  ‘I’m here now.’

  ‘And there’s a robin!’

  ‘For the time being.’

  ‘For good.’

  Sebastian made a snorting sound. ‘It still seems a little odd to be laying the law down so soon after abandoning them, wouldn’t you say?’

  ‘I didn’t abandon them. I left them with their aunt.’

  ‘Whom you abandoned, too. And you say that sailors can’t be trusted?’

  ‘You don’t understand anything about it.’ David glared and then veered off the path with a growl. ‘Come on, boys. I think I’d rather see those woods than the lake.’

  ‘What was that?’ Henrietta stayed where she was, her hands clenched into fists at her sides as the others scurried away across the lawn, although Peter hesitated briefly before joining them, Sebastian noticed. ‘How could you?’

  ‘How could I what?’ He squared his shoulders, feigning ignorance.

  ‘How could you be so cruel? He knows what he did was wrong. You didn’t have to make him feel any worse. This isn’t like you.’

  He felt a momentary twinge of guilt. The words had been cruel and she was right, it wasn’t like him. He was rarely cruel, but he’d wanted to hurt David; wanted to hurt him more than he’d ever wanted to hurt anyone, Captain Belton included.

  ‘He said he didn’t trust sailors.’

  ‘I heard. I’m not defending him, but—’

  ‘It sounds like it.’

  ‘Sebastian!’

  ‘At least I’m not pretending nothing happened.’

  She folded her arms, eyes flashing angrily. ‘David and I have talked about it. I don’t need to punish him as well.’

  ‘Well, maybe you should!’

  ‘Why? What good will it do?’

  He ground his teeth, silently acknowledging the truth of it. What good would it do? Nothing, except to make him feel better.

  ‘Henrietta, he abandoned you!’

  ‘You abandoned Anna!’

  ‘That was different. I would have come back if I could have, but there was nothing I could do.’

  ‘And his drinking was a sickness that he couldn’t help either. You were the one who told me that. Only you were a lot more sympathetic before you met him. Now you’re just being a hypocrite. You wanted—you got!—a second chance. You abandoned your sister and you had a chance to make up for it by helping me. Well, David’s back and he deserves a second chance, too.’

  ‘So you choose him?’

  ‘What? No, Sebastian, you’re my husband...’

  ‘A husband you don’t need any longer. Now that David’s back, you don’t need my help any more, do you?’

  ‘Is that why you’re angry? Because you think his second chance means that yours doesn’t count any more? As if it’s all just been a waste of time and effort! As if our marriage is pointless!’

  ‘No, of course not.’ He stiffened, shocked by the expression on her face. She looked more than hurt. She looked distraught. And as if she wanted to hurt him back.

  ‘I think that’s what you do think.’ Her eyes narrowed and then blazed suddenly. ‘But really you ought to be glad. You did the right thing so you don’t have to make amends any more. Now you can have your freedom back and without any guilt this time. You can go wherever you want, I won’t stop you.’

  She stormed up to confront him. ‘I’m sorry I married you under false pretences. I didn’t know they were false then, but they were. If I could turn the clock back for you then I would, but I can’t. We’re married now and there’s nothing we can do about that. Just know that I won’t expect anything from you ever again.’ She turned away from him to follow David. ‘We’ll leave as soon as I can pack.’

  Sebastian stared after her in shock, hardly able to take in the words. She was back at her brother’s side before he could even rouse himself enough to open his mouth and then he wasn’t sure what to say. All he could do was repeat her parting words over and over in his head. He could have his freedom back. He could go anywhere he wanted. She’d be leaving as soon as she could pack... She was leaving him! As if nothing they’d shared over the past few weeks meant anything to her at all!

  He turned on his heel, marching away across the lawn until he reached the lake. Unfortunately, that didn’t seem like far enough so he kept going, storming all the way around it in a large circle until he came to the top of a hill where an ancient oak tree stood like some long-forgotten sentinel all on its own. Then he stopped, relishing the feel of the cold wind biting his face. The sting of it seemed to match his mood. Hypocrite, she’d called him, talking to him as if he were the one in the wrong! Him! After he’d given up his freedom to help her! And yet...wasn’t he a little in the wrong? Hadn’t he just forced her into making a choice? Wasn’t he acting like the most boorish, resentful, jealous fool in the world?

  Jealous?

  His stomach lurched. Damn it all, he was jealous. And not just jealous, but terrified, too. It had been David who’d brought them together—more specifically, his departure—and it was David who had the power to tear them apart. That was the reason he’d behaved so badly, because he was afraid she might love her brother and nephews more than she loved the idea of being married to him. The very thought of it turned his blood to ice. Because he loved her, he was in love with her, and he was desperately afraid that she didn’t feel the same way.

  Neither of them had ever said I love you. Until that moment, he hadn’t even put a great amount of thought into the matter. There hadn’t seemed any rush to do so. He’d been happy as they were, but now the realisation of how much he cared was making him lash out, not because he was angry at what David had done, but because he was afraid of what he could do—was doing—with his help! He could hardly have made matters any worse if he’d actually pushed Henrietta into her brother’s arms!

  He slammed his palm hard against the tree trunk, sending a spasm of pain shooting through his hand and up his arm. He ought to go back and talk to her, not least because his mother had been right about the change in weather and dark clouds appeared to be closing in fast. He’d been in too much of a temper to notice before, but now he was aware of snowflakes dancing in the air around him, slowly gathering in strength.

  There was a murky-looking bank of cloud on the horizon, too, like a slate-grey wall heading towards Feversham. He definitely ought to go back. Then he could tell Henrietta how he really felt and hope that she felt the same, or something similar anyway. That would be the sensible thing to do—what he would do—and he was just about to when a voice called out to him suddenly.

  ‘That looked as though it hurt.’

  ‘Peter?’ He tipped his head back, peering up through the bare branches of the oak tree until he caught sight of the boy sitting on one of the uppermost boughs, higher than he would have expected. ‘What are you doing up there? I thought you were with your father.’

  ‘I ran off.’ Peter’s tone was petulant. ‘I wanted to be on my own.’

  ‘I know how you feel.’ Sebastian leaned his shoulder against the trunk. ‘Only this might not be the best time or place.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘See those dark clouds? They’re coming this way.’

  ‘I don’t care.’

  ‘Well, I do.’ He looked up again. ‘Want to come down and talk about it?’

  ‘I can’t.’ There was a hint of fear behind the defiance now. ‘I don’t know how to get down.’

  ‘Ah. Well, in that case, I’d better com
e up.’ He tossed his hat to one side and started to climb, moving up the trunk and swinging his legs over a neighbouring branch in a matter of seconds.

  ‘That was fast!’ Peter looked impressed.

  ‘I’ve had a lot of practice.’

  ‘Will you help me to get down?’

  ‘Why do you think I’m here?’ He gave a reassuring wink. ‘We’ll take it slowly, don’t worry.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘So... You ran off?’

  ‘Yes. I told my father I hated him.’

  ‘Ah.’

  There was a brief pause. ‘I don’t.’

  ‘I know. I’m sure he knows that, too.’

  ‘I’m just angry.’

  ‘I don’t blame you.’

  ‘Really?’ The boy looked surprised. ‘Then you don’t think I ought to forgive him?’

  ‘I didn’t say that.’ Sebastian feigned an interest in some nearby twigs. ‘Sometimes it can be hard to understand what you’re feeling. Sometimes a man needs to run away for a while in order to make sense of things.’

  ‘Is that what you’re doing?’

  He made a wry face. ‘Something like that, but perhaps it’s better to forgive and forget and concentrate on what matters. You love your father really, don’t you?’

  Another pause. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Then that’s what matters.’

  ‘I suppose so... Uncle Sebastian?’ Peter sounded anxious again. ‘Now that my father’s back, does this mean you’ll go away?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ He felt a stab of fear in his chest. ‘I hope not.’

  ‘I like having you as my uncle.’

  ‘I like it, too. Very much.’

  ‘And you love Aunt Henrietta, don’t you?’

  He smiled. ‘You’re a smart boy, but right now we need to get down before that storm hits. Put your foot here.’

  He led the way, instructing Peter where to hold on and where to place his feet as they made their way slowly down the trunk. There were plenty of footholds, enough that they would probably have made it to the ground quite safely if it hadn’t been for the rain making the bark slippery. Unfortunately for them, however, it had, a large chunk of it peeling away beneath Peter’s fingertips and sending them both tumbling through the air to the ground.