by Vikki Vaught
Her passage contracted, and his wife opened her mouth. Leaning over her, he captured her scream with his kiss. His body tensed as he thrust into her over and over again. Harder and faster, he rode her. He exploded, pouring his seed deep into her hot, tight sheath.
He fell on her, gasping for breath. Sighing softly, she hugged him close to her. Never had he experienced such satisfaction. Gathering her into his arms, he gently kissed her temple. He had made the best decision in his life when he decided to marry his sweet Melody. Scooping her sated body into his arms, he managed to pull the coverlet down, then crawled into bed while holding her close, feeling peace and contentment, stronger than he had ever experienced before. God had given him a priceless gift when he placed him in her path the night of that ball.
Life couldn’t get any better than this.
CHAPTER NINE
Winter 1815
Christmas Eve arrived, and Melody helped decorate the house. Holly and evergreen draped the doors and the banisters. Wreaths hung above every mantel, and mistletoe adorned the crystal chandeliers. Henry and Nelson carried in the huge Yule log, so large it barely fit inside the massive hearth in the great hall.
Soon, after Henry and his brother returned, it began to snow. She clapped her hands as she gazed out the window at the falling flakes, and Henry hugged her close, laughing at her enthusiasm. They were going to have a white Christmas after all. All the guests gathered in the drawing room before dinner. They spent most of their time talking with Helen and Kathryn while they waited for Simpson to announce dinner.
That horrid uncle of her husband’s kept staring at Kathryn, and Melody did not care for the intensity in the man’s eyes. They reminded her of a hungry wolf. She touched Henry’s arm, and he turned toward her. “Your uncle keeps watching Kathryn, and I don’t feel comfortable with the way he’s looking at her. Have you noticed?”
“I haven’t been paying attention,” he replied. “Where did she go? She was here a minute ago.”
“She’s standing by the pianoforte. I think she wants us to join her.” They walked toward Kathryn as she started to move toward them. Uncle Theodore placed his hand on her arm, but she pulled away, then quickly came to stand next to her brother, grabbing his arm.
Henry looked down at his sister. “Are you all right, sweetheart? You seem nervous. Did someone do something to upset you?”
Melody watched as Kathryn held tightly to Henry. “No. I’m fine. I’m getting hungry. When will we go to the dining room for dinner?”
He patted her hand clinging to his coat sleeve. “I’m sure it should be soon. Are you growing bored with all this adult talk?” Before Kathryn could answer, Henry stated, “Ah, here’s Simpson, coming to announce dinner.”
He offered both of them an arm, and they followed the other guests into the dining room. Once everyone took their seats, the servants began to serve. Melody watched as most of the guests laughed and joked, and she even noticed the duke seemed to be having a good time. After the dessert course of lemon syllabub, various cheeses and preserves, the duchess stood and asked the ladies to join her in the drawing room, so the gentlemen could enjoy their port and cigars.
Melody sat beside Kathryn on the settee. “What was really going on earlier when you motioned for us to come over? Something had clearly disturbed you. You looked frightened.”
Kathryn avoided her gaze. “It’s Uncle Theodore. He always wants to touch me, and it doesn’t feel right. I know he’s my uncle, but I don’t care for him at all.”
Melody touched her hand. “I shall tell Henry how uncomfortable he makes you. Stay with me when the gentlemen return.”
A few minutes passed, then the men entered. Henry came over and joined them. One of his cousins—Harold, she believed—began playing Christmas carols on the pianoforte, and several gathered around to sing along.
A short time later, one of the younger cousins suggested they move into the ballroom for dancing. Melody was surprised to see Henry’s parents waltzing, since they were usually so stiff and aloof with one another.
She and Henry ended up under the mistletoe, and he pulled her close and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Shortly after midnight, everyone went upstairs to their rooms. The following day would be a full one.
When Melody awoke on Christmas morning, Henry was still sleeping. She loved to watch him. His face, relaxed in sleep, looked so peaceful and young. When she moved to crawl from the bed, he pulled her against him. “Good morning, were you going somewhere? I hope not, because I have plans for you.” He turned her toward him and gave her a kiss. It was quite some time before they came up for air.
As she reclined next to him, sated from their lovemaking, she murmured, “I was going to look out the window to see how much snow fell through the night before you distracted me.”
He laughed. “I’m sorry, my love, I can’t leave you alone. I hope you don’t mind?”
She giggled. “I love it, but can we please find out if it snowed enough to cover the ground?”
“We can do it now.” Together, they went to the window, and when they looked out, they did indeed have a lovely white Christmas. Henry kissed her, and soon they ended up back in bed, so it was much later before they made it outside to see the pretty snow.
Before they went downstairs to dinner on Boxing Day, Henry handed her a beautifully wrapped gift. When she opened it, she gasped when she saw what lay in the velvet case. A gorgeous emerald necklace, bracelet, and earbobs to match were lying nestled against the velvet lining. Tears glistened in her eyes. “These are beautiful. I have never had anything this lovely. Thank you.”
He pulled her close. “I picked emeralds because they will bring out the green flecks in your lovely eyes.”
She went up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “I’ll treasure them forever.”
“Here, let me put it on.” She turned around, and he fastened the necklace, then brushed a kiss on the nape of her neck.
Gooseflesh pricked her shoulders, and her heart thundered. If they did not need to go downstairs, she would show him how much she truly appreciated the jewels. “I shall show my appreciation later when we retire to bed.”
He tweaked her nose. “I’m counting on that. Now put on the earbobs and bracelet, so we can join the others.”
Most of Henry’s relatives stayed through the twelve days of Christmas. Kathryn stayed close to them, and she did not have any more contact with her uncle that Melody was aware of, but her sister-in-law remained withdrawn. She told Henry about her conversation with Kathryn regarding Uncle Theodore, and he must have confronted his uncle, since the man did not approach his sister again.
The day after the rest of the family left, they were ready to leave. His brother and sisters came down to see them off. After plenty of hugs and kisses, and promises to write, Henry helped her into the carriage and they departed for Canterbury. She would miss his sisters and Nelson, but she would not miss his parents.
The trip took all day, and they arrived well after dark. The vine-covered cottage Henry found was quite lovely. While the rooms were small, they were cozy. The housekeeper, Mrs. Holden, had a late repast ready for them when they arrived.
After eating, Henry stood and stretched. “I have to be at the garrison early tomorrow. I think I shall turn in. Are you ready for bed?”
“I’m ready. It’s been a long day, and I could sleep for a week. Even though the holidays were wonderful, they were terribly exhausting.”
Melody was thrilled when she realized they were sharing a bedchamber. When they entered, they found their nightclothes lying on the end of the bed. Once they were undressed, they crawled in and fell asleep right away.
The next day, Henry was already gone by the time she awoke. After breakfast, she set out to explore the town with Millie. Canterbury was a much larger town than she had realized. It was a very old place, and there were several wonderful medieval churches to visit. She looked forward to doing that in the near future.
The shops
were fascinating. Many of them were in medieval structures on narrow, winding streets. The bookshop had quite a few works by her favorite authors, and they had the new Minerva Press novel she wanted. By the time they returned to the cottage, Mrs. Holden had luncheon prepared. The food was simple country fare, but tasty. She spent the rest of the day reading, which helped pass the time while she waited for Henry. He arrived home at six o’clock, and they had a quiet meal.
As they ate their dinner, Henry shared some news. “We received information that the Congress of Vienna is not going well. Talleyrand is giving the coalition some problems.” He reached for his wine glass, then continued speaking. “I will rest easier once everything has been agreed upon. It will take years to repair the damage Bonaparte caused. How did your day go?”
“I took a walk around town, and then I read this afternoon. I love this sweet little cottage, and Mrs. Holden is so pleasant. Sanderford Park is beautiful, but this house is so much more comfortable. It reminds me of my parents’ home.”
He leaned back in his chair. “I shall be away much of the time,” he reminded her. “There may be days when I will not be able to come home at all. I hope you will not become too lonely.”
She reached over and touched his hand. “You told me what to expect. I would rather have a little of your time than none at all. All I ask is that you let me know what is going on, so I shan’t worry.” Then giving him what she hoped was a seductive smile, she added, “I trust you’ve recovered from yesterday’s journey. I know I have.”
He grinned. “Never fear my dear, I’m fully refreshed. In fact, shall we go upstairs so I can show you?” He slowly pulled her up the stairs while gazing deeply into her eyes. Once they were in bed, he tenderly made love to her, showing her exactly how recovered he was. Fully sated from their lovemaking, she fell asleep in his arms.
The days went by slowly, but the evenings passed quickly. Their nights were filled with passion and tenderness. As each day passed, she fell more in love. Henry was a considerate husband. Whenever he was not going to make it home, he would send Mansfield with a message.
She enjoyed turning the cottage into a home, spending part of her day making things for the house. Henry told her daily how much he loved the way she took care of him, and she could not remember a time in her life when she felt so content.
Shortly after they arrived in Canterbury, Melody received a letter from her parents. Lily had died giving birth to a stillborn son. The tears ran down her cheeks as she thought of Brandon and Lily and how happy they had been about the babe. She spent the afternoon crying over the sad news.
When Henry arrived home and was greeted by her tear-stained face, he rushed to her and pulled her into his arms. “My darling, what has you so distressed?”
“Oh, Henry, it’s so horrible.” She trembled in his arms, and with her voice choked with tears, she told him the news. “Lily…she…died while trying to have the b-babe.”
He rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. “I’m so sorry. Brandon must be devastated. Please write him and offer our condolences.” She buried her head in his chest as she continued to sob. “Shhh, my love. I fear you will make yourself sick if you keep crying.”
He picked her up and carried her upstairs. Laying her down, he crawled in beside her and gathered her in his arms. She took a deep, shuddering breath as she slipped off to sleep.
* * * *
Henry held Melody as she slept. His poor darling had worn herself out from crying. Brandon’s loss tore at his heart. He would never be able to survive if anything ever happened to her. While he wanted children—never at the cost of her life. He prayed she did not conceive in the near future. It would be better if she did not get with child until after he had sold his commission and they moved north, where she would be closer to her mother.
When he awoke the next morning, he gently removed her arm from around his waist. He did not want to awaken her, since she’d had several bouts of weeping through the night. Her face pulled into a frown, but then her features smoothed. She snuggled against her pillow and continued to sleep. Quietly dressing, he slipped from his room and left instructions with the housekeeper and Millie to wait until she rang for them before disturbing her.
Over the next few weeks, Melody began to let go of her grief. She wrote a letter to Brandon offering him their condolences the day after she had received the letter from her mother, but she had not received a letter in return yet. The poor man, he was probably so distraught he could not write.
Her appetite returned, and she had even laughed at some of his jokes at dinner. Although she was still deeply saddened by the news of Lily’s demise, she was making a valiant effort to recover her cheerful demeanor. One of the things he loved most about Melody was her optimistic attitude toward life.
The rest of January passed, and he loved having Melody in Canterbury. He enjoyed the way she fussed over him when he arrived from work, and she never complained if he was delayed or did not make it home at all.
As each day passed, he fell more deeply in love with her. He was chomping at the bit, more than ready to leave the Army. Now that he had Melody in his life, it was not as enjoyable. If he had not committed to stay until the end of March, he would have already sold his commission. However, his word meant everything to him, so he would have to muddle through somehow.
He was looking forward to the time when they could go north. In a couple of months, they could put this time behind them and begin their new life together. Melody would be thrilled to see her parents again.
Her birthday was on the tenth of February, only two days away. He had purchased her a sparkling diamond pendant. He hoped she would like it. She would be happy with whatever he gave her, but he wanted to give her something special, something that showed her how much he loved her.
While leaving for work on the morning of her birthday, he casually said, “I should be home at a decent hour tonight, and then we can spend a quiet evening together.” He made no mention of her birthday, because he wanted to surprise her that evening. “I will see you tonight, enjoy your day.” He gave her a brief kiss on her cheek, then pulled Mansfield aside to have a private word with him. “I need you to find some yellow roses for my wife. I do not care what they cost, just find them for me.”
“As you wish, my lord. I shall start looking right away.” He bowed and hurried from the room.
When Henry arrived at the garrison, he hurried to his meeting with Hayden to discuss some disciplinary action regarding one of the men. After he entered his comrade’s office, he took a seat. “So, what is going on with Holmes? I’ve never known him to act out before.”
Hayden leaned forward. “He received a letter from his sweetheart. I gather she told him she never wanted to see him again. He took it hard and went looking for a fight and found it with another private in Master’s company.”
“I hate this part of our job.” Henry sighed, then continued. “We have no choice, though. He will have to be punished. Do you want me to handle it, or do you want to?”
Hayden stood. “I’ll take care of it. You handled the last problem we had. Well, I might as well get to it. I’ll let you know how it goes this afternoon.”
As the afternoon passed, Henry fidgeted, unable to concentrate, but struggled through his reports. Hayden stopped by to let him know he had taken care of Holmes. After that, he paced, waiting for his valet to return. He had promised Melody he would be home on time, and it was already close to six. Mansfield still had not returned. As he straightened his desk, ready to go home without the yellow roses, his servant finally arrived.
When Mansfield entered his office, relief washed over him. “Thank God, I had given up on you. What took you so long?”
“I couldn’t find the roses anywhere in town,” he explained. “At the last place I went to, they told me the Marquess of Brentwood had a greenhouse and that he would definitely have the roses. I went to his estate, which was two hours away. He was kind enough to give me the roses. That’
s why it took me so long, along with my horse losing a shoe on the way back. I’m sorry it’s so late.”
“You went well beyond what I expected, and I appreciate your effort. Here’s two pounds for your trouble. I expected to pay much more than that, so since you were able to get the roses for free, it’s only fair to reward you. I’d better get home. I’m sure Melody must be wondering where I am.”
* * * *
By six o’clock, Melody began to worry that something might have happened to Henry. He had told her he would be home at a decent hour, yet he had still not arrived. She went to the window and looked out. Unfortunately, it had grown too dark to see anything.
He must have forgotten her birthday. Disappointed, and not watching her step, she accidentally kicked a chair and stubbed her toe. Sitting, she slipped her shoe off and rubbed it, fuming. While turning one and twenty today may be important to her, obviously, Henry must not think so.
Feeling frustrated and chilled, she went upstairs to get her shawl. She heard the front door open and hurried downstairs. Henry had finally arrived. When she entered the parlor, there he stood with a big smile on his face and a dozen yellow roses.
He bent and kissed her cheek. “Happy Birthday, darling. I would have been here sooner, but I had a hard time getting these.” He laid the bouquet in her arms. “Sorry I worried you. I bet you thought I’d forgotten your birthday, did you not? Shame on you.”
She moved away, still a little miffed. “I was beginning to wonder, since you did say you would be home on time.” Then looking at the gorgeous blooms he had gone to so much trouble to find, she let go of her irritation. “Thank you for the roses, they’re beautiful. Where did you find them this time of the year?”
