Love's Captive Heart

by Phoebe Conn

  Surprised by his candor, Celiese reached out to give his shoulder a comforting pat, and he took her hand in his, bringing her palm to his lips for a sweet kiss. “We have never had the time to become friends, have we? So much has happened to us, so many terrible things, and we’ve never had the time to simply get to know one another as we should have in the beginning.

  “It might have happened when we were on my farm, if only I’d not kept insisting you were my slave. I was such a fool then, and obviously I am still one today.”

  “You are no fool, Michael, please don’t think so, for the evidence was always against me, and you cannot help that your mind is a most logical one.”

  That she would not insult him even when he deserved it pleased him greatly, and he reached up to pull her down across his lap and he hugged her tightly. “I should not have left you as I did, but I thought it was my only choice that morning. You seemed to delight in tormenting me with problems I thought you created yourself, but when I chose to leave you, I found it impossible to go.”

  “What do you mean? You were gone, when I went down to the beach your ship had simply vanished.” She knew that for a fact.

  “That’s true enough, but the second day of our voyage we ran into a fog bank that seemed endless. I tried not to think about you, but I couldn’t keep your striking beauty from filling my mind. Finally I gave in to my memories and began to wonder how things might have been different for us. When it dawned on me that if I had accepted all you told me as the truth from the beginning, then everything would have fallen neatly into place. I came back as fast as I could make the Falcon fly through the waves. I swear to you that in the very instant I decided to change our course the fog lifted and the wind grew brisk to give us the speed we’d need. A very minor miracle perhaps, but one for which I am sincerely grateful.”

  Celiese hesitated to comment for a long moment. The silence between them was not an awkward one, however, but quite comfortable. Finally, she spoke, “Please do not misunderstand me, but I think the days we’ve been apart have helped us both to see our lives more clearly. I have been a very poor wife; whether you considered us married or not, I failed you in so many important ways.”

  “Oh, Celiese,” he argued impatiently. “The fault was all mine, every damn time.”

  “It takes two to argue, Michael, and you must admit we had fights aplenty.” She was ready to argue this point, too.

  “At least you remember my name now, that is an improvement.” He had missed her so terribly, and yet now merely holding her in his arms filled him with a contentment he had feared to be lost forever.

  “Thank you. I am attempting to change for the better, truly I am. I know I do need to be more thoughtful, and to curb my temper. You were the one who convinced Robert to let me reclaim my estate, and I did not even take the time to thank you for your help. That was why I came to the convent, to learn how I might be a better person, because I knew you would come back some day, and I didn’t want to lose you again.”

  Mylan pulled her close, kissing her temple softly, “Would you have remained shut up in that drafty old place until I finally had the sense to return?”

  “The convent is far more comfortable than it appears to be from the exterior, but no, actually I did not plan to stay much longer.” She blushed, her cheeks filling with a burst of color she couldn’t suppress, but she could think of no way to confide her suspicions.

  “Celiese?” He wound his fingers in her lustrous curls to force her gaze to his. “What is it, tell me. I don’t care what you’d planned to do, it could not have been nearly so silly as battering down the door of the convent. You were sweet enough not to laugh at me for that folly, and I will not laugh at you now, I promise.”

  She looked down at his hand, that held hers so firmly. His skin was deeply tanned, his grasp warm, as comforting as his words, but her eyes filled with tears as she explained, “No, I am not afraid you will laugh, nor be angry; it is only that I did not want a child until you were proud to call me your wife, and I was uncertain that day would ever come.”

  Thrilled, he turned her gently in his arms, kissing her damp eyelashes sweetly before he spoke. “I adore you and will never call another woman my wife.”

  Celiese smiled, her eyes sparkling with the affection she no longer had to hide. “You are the only man I have ever loved, only you, and no matter what you choose to call yourself, I will love you still.”

  He hugged her tightly, returning her enthusiastic embrace with a satisfied grin. “Now is there still some doubt as to the depth of my pride in you, my beloved bride?”

  She shook her head, too happy to respond in words when she would be moved to tears with joy. She kissed him instead, her obvious pride in him making her gesture irresistibly appealing.

  “I hope this babe is only the first child of many for us, for a woman as loving as you will be the best of mothers. I helped to raise my three younger brothers, and I don’t think I’ll do too badly as the babe’s father, do you?”

  Astonished that he would ask such a question, she hastened to reassure him. “You are so very clever, you’ll be a marvelous father. You have sailed to so many exciting places and know how to raise abundant crops, as well as hunt with a skill any man would envy. I could ask for no finer man to help me raise a family and rebuild my home. Our home.” She corrected herself quickly and was relieved to see by his amused glance that he was not offended by her unintentional slip.

  “The first thing I am going to do is teach your countrymen how to use a sword effectively, for I certainly don’t want to have to depend upon them to form our defense armed with no more than their pitchforks.”

  Surprised by that prospect, Celiese gripped his hand tightly, “Do you think we will need to defend ourselves now that our province is the property of a Dane? Surely Robert’s name alone will keep other Vikings from attacking us.”

  “I am certain it will, but skill with weapons will give the men the confidence they lack, and they’ll be better farmers as a result.”

  She understood his reasoning well, for in the months they had been together Mylan had again become the man he had once been, courageous and proud, and she liked to think it was her belief in him that had made the difference in his attitude toward life. She reached out to touch the shiny silver hammer he wore suspended around his neck, but did not ask him to return it, for she wanted it to again be his gift to her.

  As if he could read her mind, Mylan took the silver chain from around his neck and slipped it over her head. “Forgive me for taking this. I only wanted something of yours to keep.”

  She gripped the tiny hammer in a firm grasp. “Thor has brought us both good luck today, hasn’t he?”

  With a deep chuckle, he helped her to rise, then got to his feet and brushed the leaves from his clothes. “Well, let us hope his magic works with my mother-in-law, as well. I will have to rely upon you to translate my words into something she will understand and admire, and then I will see to the new door.”

  His mind suddenly filled with tasks that needed to be accomplished without delay, and he continued, “When we get back to your home, I think we should give the reconstruction of the house more thought. I think we should build a larger one.” He took her arm, hurrying her along toward the convent. “I do not want our children to lack for room in which to play and grow.”

  “Larger, Michael? It was of considerable size; perhaps you cannot visualize it as well as I can, but it was an enormous house.”

  “You were a child when you last saw it, and I’m certain houses must seem larger to children. No, I am right, you will see.”

  She opened her mouth to argue that the proportions should not be changed, but then she began to laugh with a delicious giggle that made him laugh as well. “I am certain you can build a magnificent home, and as long as you agree to reside there I will be content. You have changed your mind about not living with me, haven’t you?”

  “You must have known I could never have kept that
vow,” he admitted with a rakish grin.

  “I only hoped that you would not wish to,” she teased playfully. “May I tell you again that I love you? I know I cannot hear it too often from you.”

  Mylan pulled her around to face him, his slow, deep kiss the only response he cared to give. She truly had changed, but so had he. She was no longer the high-spirited young woman he had wanted to tame, but the wife he adored. He pressed her close, wanting only to savor her nearness to the fullest before they joined the others, but when he drew away, her eyes were bright with mischief, not tears.

  “My mother was so terribly frightened by your arrival I doubt she has had sufficient time to recover, and I can hear the sounds of hammering, so your men must already be working upon the door. Must we go back just yet?” She raised her hands to his chest, then his neck, as she whispered seductively, “Must we?”

  They had made love in the forest near his farm, as well as all along the coastline on their journey to France, so it seemed quite natural to take her hand in his and lead her back to the soft bed of leaves in the small clearing where they had stopped to talk. “I believe I fell in love with you the moment we met, and if it takes the rest of my life to make up for taking so damn long to admit that truth, I will gladly do it.” He sent hungry kisses down her throat as he peeled away her silken garments. She was so precious to him, and he had had no hope the reception she would give him that day would be such a warm one.

  “Had I known how dearly you love me, Celiese, I would never have left you, never.”

  She returned his playful kisses before she replied, “Now you do know, but I know how much you love to sail, so I do not expect you to be content to stay at home. All I ask is that you make your journeys brief ones, so I will not perish of loneliness while you’re away.”

  “That is a risk I’ll not take.” He pulled her into his arms, lost in the enchantment of her tender affection, and he knew, even though she did not, that he had sailed solely for the thrill of discovering new worlds. It had been an exciting quest, but it was over, for no adventure he could have would ever equal the thrill of knowing her love. It was a secret he would keep for the moment, but with one thing or another, he would be unlikely to have the time, let alone the inclination ever to leave her side. He would be more than content with being a husband and father for the time being, and perhaps he might even learn to love farming with the assistance of his charming bride. Hagen would be eager to help him handle Robert’s trade, and his brother was clever at arranging high profits, so the duke would present no more problems.

  Celiese snuggled against him, her fingertips tracing the scars crossing his chest, as she wondered what he might be thinking. “Do you realize that had that bear not cut you to shreds you would be married to Estrid? And I shudder to think where I would be now.”

  “I will remember to thank God for creating bears every night in my prayers, but now that you are with me, I plan to make the most of it.”

  Celiese hummed softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and soon lost in his delicious kiss, she planned to make the most of each and every moment they had the good fortune to share.

  The End

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  Page forward for an excerpt from

  SAVAGE DESTINY

  The Hearts of Liberty Series

  Book One

  ~

  Accustomed to waking early, Alanna’s late night vigil did not prevent her from following her usual routine and going out to the stable shortly after dawn. She swung open the door and nearly tripped over Hunter, who lay asleep in the straw piled just inside. She hesitated a moment, thinking the sudden burst of light would awaken him, but he continued to sleep undisturbed.

  He had impressed her as being a proud man, and she wasn’t surprised that he hadn’t wanted to sleep in the house. Melissa had undoubtedly dismissed him with a remorseless vigor that had to have left him feeling both abused and bitter. His happiness wasn’t her responsibility, anymore than Melissa’s probable cruelty, but she could not help but feel sorry for him.

  She knelt in the straw and reached out to touch his shoulder. “Hunter, it’s morning, wake up,” she urged.

  Exhausted, Hunter came awake slowly, and because it suited his dreams, he mistook the blond woman silhouetted against the open doorway for Melissa. He reached out to grab her arm, pulling her off balance and into the straw beside him. He closed his eyes as he kissed her and her initial reluctance to respond inspired rather than discouraged him. Peeling away her cap, he wound his fingers in her curls so she’d not escape his eager kisses, and he tried with a tenderness he’d not shown her at midnight to rekindle the passion they had shared all too briefly.

  Taken completely by surprise, Alanna was so shocked by the Indian’s sudden passion for her that she didn’t have the presence of mind to struggle. Instead, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed against him with such a light touch it went unnoticed. Whenever Graham leaned down to kiss her, she turned her cheek, and therefore she was unprepared for a man who lacked such elegant manners, and instead took what he wanted. His insistent kisses weren’t in the least bit unpleasant though, and her initial dismay gradually turned to a ready appreciation of what Melissa must have liked about him.

  She savored the sweetness of his adoring kisses until she realized he had transferred his affections from Melissa to her with unseemly haste, and, unwilling to be a substitute for her cousin, she summoned the anger to shove him aside. “Yesterday it was Melissa you wanted, and now it’s me? I had no idea men could be so fickle.”

  Finally realizing his mistake, Hunter let out an anguished moan. He sat up quickly and handed Alanna her cap. “You must forgive me,” he begged. “I didn’t see you clearly, and I thought you were Melissa.”

  For a few magical moments, Alanna had believed Hunter’s enthusiastic affection was real. To learn that they were both victims of a silly mistake filled her with a sickening sense of disappointment. That the love which had flavored Hunter’s kiss had been meant for her cousin, hurt far more than what she had interpreted as mere fickleness had.

  “If I’m supposed to be flattered by that, I’m not,” she blurted out as she struggled to stuff her hair under her cap.

  Hunter watched her beautiful green eyes fill with tears and gestured helplessly. “What should I have said? Most people say my English is good, but there are times when I choose the wrong words.”

  “Or the wrong woman?”

  “Please, don’t laugh at me.”

  It was Hunter who now looked ready to cry, and Alanna feared she was treating him as badly as Melissa had. “I’m not laughing at you, certainly not. But even if I had been Melissa, you ought not to have grabbed me like that. What if she had come to tell you goodbye and brought Ian with her? At the very least he would have yanked out a handful of your hair, pulling you off her. I shudder to think what he would have done next. It’s too dangerous for you here, Hunter. You’ve got to go.”

  They were both kneeling in the straw, but when she made no move to rise, neither did he. As before, her concern seemed real, and he longed to confide in her, to make her understand he had every right to be there, but he hadn’t forgotten Melissa’s threatened accusation of rape. He had not the slightest doubt that she would tell such a damaging lie either. It would not only be Ian he would have to fight then, but Byron and Elliott as well. If by some miracle he did survive the combined fury of their anger, he knew his claims that Melissa had willingly lain wi
th him would never be believed in court. He did not know what the punishment for rape might be, but he was positive he didn’t want to risk finding out.

  “Melissa married the wrong man,” he said instead.

  “You were here only a few days in April. How could you have thought she might marry you?”

  Again, Hunter dared not speak the truth, but despite the fact that neither he nor Melissa had made any promises, he had believed in the unspoken vows of her love. Now all Melissa displayed toward him was contempt, but in April, he would have sworn she loved him. He sighed unhappily. “I have money to pay for the bateau. Will you give it to your uncle?”

  “No, you needn’t pay for a boat. We have several, and one more or less won’t be missed.”

  “I forgot how rich you are.”

  Alanna recoiled at the resentment in his tone. “My uncle has worked hard for everything he owns, and he’s known for his generosity to others. Won’t you need some food to take along? Come with me. Let’s go to the kitchen and see what provisions we can find.”

  “You won’t take my money?”

  “No, of course not. You’re Byron and Elliott’s friend.”

  Hunter rose to his feet, and with a graceful tug pulled her up beside him. “Have I ruined things with you, so that we can’t be friends?”

  That his passionate kisses had been meant for Melissa no longer seemed important in light of his obvious pain, and she responded with a smile. “Yes, I’d be proud to be your friend. Elliott has nothing but praise for you, and I believe it’s well deserved.”

  “Byron thinks I have a wild streak, and had he seen us a few minutes ago, he would know he was right.”

  He flashed a charming grin but there was definitely a wildness about Hunter that went far beyond his buckskins and long flowing hair.

  ~

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