Ecstasy's Promise (Historical Romance)

by Constance O'Banyon

  Edward laughed. "And I thought you were the loveliest little girl I had ever met."

  "Little girl?"

  "That impression did not last for very long, because I found myself wanting to make love to you. You have no idea what a tight rein I kept on myself that night, and on many other occasions."

  "What if I had never come to Texas, Edward?"

  "Then we would never have met. In that case I would have spent the rest of my life being lonely, searching for my love. We were meant to be together, Victoria. From the day you were born fate had you in mind for me. The day we met was simply the meeting of our souls."

  Victoria nodded. "I believe that, Edward. If only we had told each other how we felt, we should have been spared a lot of grief."

  Edward turned her face to his. "You will have to understand, Victoria, love was a new experience for me, and I had certainly never met anyone like you before. I did not know how to deal with you."

  Victoria smiled. "What you mean is you never met a woman who said no to you."

  He kissed the tip of her nose. "You are impertinent. I did tell you that I loved you, though, on two different occasions."

  "When, Edward? I never heard you."

  "Nevertheless, I did. When you were injured in that fall from the cliff, I told you I loved you."

  "I did not hear you, Edward."

  "So I discovered later."

  "When was the other time, Edward?"

  "Do you recall the night of our wedding, while we stood on your balcony?"

  "How could I forget that night? You were so angry with me."

  "You asked me to translate the song Rafael was singing." Edward kissed her softly. "I did not translate what he was singing entirely. Instead I told you of my feelings for you."

  "Oh, Edward, if I had only known. I cried because you were saying the words I wanted to hear, but I thought they were only the words of the singer in the garden below."

  "And I thought you were crying because you were married to me and not to Paul." Edward lowered his head so his lips were only inches from hers. "I fought hard against my feelings. You were so young, yet each time I saw you I fell more in love with you. We have hurt each other a great deal, but I will strive never to hurt you again."

  "Hold me, Edward. Love me," she whispered.

  "With pleasure my love; with a great deal of pleasure."

  In the weeks that passed Cullem and Dorothea saw little of Edward and Victoria. The two Marshalls were content, knowing the couple who occupied the cottage were happy.

  One night after Edward and Victoria had dined with them, Cullem and Dorothea watched from the veranda as the newlyweds made their way back to the cottage. Edward scooped Victoria up in his arms, and Cullem and Dorothea heard laughter drift back to the veranda. Cullem slipped his arm around his wife's waist. "You should feel proud of yourself, my dear. You helped Edward and Victoria find each other."

  She sighed contentedly. "The love they have is so beautiful, they would have come together sooner or later without my help. I merely speeded up the inevitable."

  "I pray God they hold on to what they have," Cullem said. "They are so perfect for each other."

  "Like you and me?" Dorothea asked.

  "Yes, I believe so," he said, hugging her tightly. "They have both suffered a great deal; they will heal each other's wounds."

  One morning Edward and Victoria rode out on horseback. They rode to the site of a beautiful waterfall. Victoria dismounted, ran to the edge of the cliff, and looked at the water that cascaded down and fell below in a rush of white foam that washed out to sea. The sunlight reflecting on the mist caused a rainbow of color to burst forth. Victoria held her breath, caught up in the beauty that surrounded her.

  Edward tied the horses to a nearby tree and smiled at her. Then he remembered her falling from the cliff, and in an instant he covered the distance that separated them. He grabbed her and jerked her against him. "Damn you, Victoria, don't ever do such a stupid thing again," he said angrily. "Must I stay with you every moment to keep you from killing yourself? A child would have more sense than you do."

  It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that as a child he had fallen over a waterfall, until she saw the look on his face. He was plainly shaken. "I am sorry, Edward. It was foolish of me. I will be more careful in the future."

  "See that you are," he said, still angry with her, and turned his back and walked away.

  Victoria was wise enough to let him have some time alone. She watched as he walked down the hill away from her. She sat down under a tree, and waited for his return. It was some time before he reappeared, and when he did she saw that he was no longer angry. He sat down beside her and placed a white flower in her hair.

  "I will put diamonds in your hair, Victoria."

  She knew he had forgiven her, and this was Edward's way of saying he was sorry. "I do not want diamonds, my love. All I want is your love. It is much more precious to me. Besides, I have nothing to give you in return except myself."

  Edward shifted his weight and laid his head in her lap. "It is enough, Victoria, it will more than suffice."

  They were quiet for a long time, enjoying their surroundings. All of a sudden Edward sat up. "Let's go home, Victoria. Let's return to Rio del Lobo."

  ""Yes," she said excitedly. "I want to go home. I love our little cottage, but I want to be with you in our own home."

  Edward lay down on the cool green grass and pulled her down beside him. "We could start a family. What Rio del Lobo needs is the sound of children's laughter."

  Victoria laughed. "Once a statement like that would have made me angry, but not anymore. You are right. Rio del Lobo needs children, and who knows, maybe I am already with child."

  Edward looked at her quickly. "Do you really think so?"

  "I do not know; I suppose it is possible."

  Edward placed his hand on her stomach. His eyes grew soft. "It is funny, Victoria. Before I met you, I thought marriage was for fools, and children were necessary to carry on one's name. I said as much to Dan on numerous occasions. But now I know having a baby that came from our love would make our life complete."

  Victoria felt a prickle of fear as she thought of her mother's death while giving birth to her, but she pushed the fear to the back of her mind.

  And so the happy golden days in Jamaica drew to a close as they prepared to return to Texas, and Rio del Lobo.

  * * *

  Victoria said a tearful good-bye to the Marshalls. She had become very fond of Cullem and Dorothea, and knew she would miss them. She promised to write often, and the Marshalls assured her they would visit Rio del Lobo before too long.

  Edward and Victoria stood on deck and watched Jamaica fade into the distance. Their hearts were light, for they were returning to Texas.

  The ship they were sailing home on was much more luxurious than the Blue Dolphin had been, but their fellow passengers saw little of Edward and Victoria, as they kept very much to themselves.

  Victoria was sitting on the bed. She had removed her shoes, and had her feet tucked underneath her. "What are you doing, Edward?" she asked curiously as she watched him take a deck of cards from his valise.

  "I thought we might play cards to pass the time until dinner, unless you would rather walk about on deck."

  "No," Victoria told him. "I would like to play cards with you. What will we play?"

  Edward removed his boots and sat down on the bed across from her. He broke the seal on the deck, extracted the cards, and began shuffling them expertly. He smiled at her. "Would you like me to teach you to play poker? It is strictly a man's game, but with your intelligence you should have no trouble catching on."

  Victoria smiled at him demurely. "I am flattered you would consider teaching me, a mere woman, your game."

  He smiled indulgently at her. "Shall we begin, Victoria?" Edward dealt out the cards and proceeded to explain the rules of poker to her. She listened very attentively to his every word, asking a quest
ion every so often. "What stakes shall we play for, Victoria?"

  Victoria moved from the bed, found her handbag, and returned to her original position. "We shall play for money, of course," she told him. "Bodine gave me this fifty-dollar gold piece before we were married," she told Edward, showing him her money. "This is my stake."

  Edward flashed her a smile. "I am loathe to take your money from you, Victoria, but if you play a man's game, you must play by his rules."

  Victoria smiled at him innocently. "Perhaps I shall win your money, Edward."

  He gave her a look that clearly told her that could not happen. He removed money from his pocket. "I told you poker is a man's game. I shall not allow you to win; nor will I show you any mercy because you are a woman."

  "I can only hope you will not be too ruthless, Edward."

  They played a few hands. When it was Victoria's turn to shuffle, she was clumsy and dropped the cards often. Edward was patient with her, however, and allowed her all the time she needed to deal.

  In spite of his declaration to show her no mercy, Victoria knew he purposely let her win a few hands.

  Edward dealt the cards and told Victoria it was her bet. He had won twenty-five dollars of her money. He watched her face as she smiled excitedly at him. "I bet twenty dollars, Edward." He covered her bet.

  "You do not have a poker face, Victoria. You should never let your opponent know when you have a good hand. How many cards do you need, love?"

  "I will just play these cards," she told him.

  "The dealer takes two," he said. "It is your bet, Victoria."

  "I have five dollars left, Edward. I will bet it all." He covered her bet. "Edward, what does it mean if one has ace, king, queen, jack, ten in the same suit?" she asked innocently.

  Edward knitted his brow and threw in his hand. "That is a royal flush, Victoria; nothing will beat it."

  "If you throw in your hand, does that mean I win:

  "Yes, you won that hand."

  She gathered up the cards, as it was her turn to deal.

  "Aren't you going to show me your royal flush?" Edward asked.

  "Oh, I did not have a royal flush, Edward. I only had a pair of deuces. I merely asked you what a royal flush was in case I ever got one."

  Edward threw beak his head and laughed heartily. "It would seem you trapped me that time, my love." He pulled her into his arms and stared down at her. "You little devil, you lulled me into passiveness with your innocent looks, and then you moved in for the kill. You are very dangerous." He kissed her. "You are even now. Shall we quit?"

  "Oh, no, I am not even yet, Edward, not until I strike a blow for womanhood." She extracted herself from his arms and picked up the cards. Edward watched in amazement as she shuffled them with an expertise a professional gambler would have envied. Her hands were sure and accurate.

  Edward grinned. "When will I stop underestimating your

  "You deserve what I am about to do to you, Edward." She smiled. "A man's game, indeed. I was playing poker with my father and Bodine since I was old enough to hold the cards in my hands."

  Edward was delighted. Once again he thanked his lucky stars for sending him his love. He knew he would never be bored with her beside him. "You really tricked me, you little witch," he said softly.

  "As we would say in Georgia, you have been run through the swamps barefooted." She arched her eyebrow and looked him in the face. Her eyes gleamed as the cards she dealt out sailed expertly through the air and landed by his hand. She spoke to him with an exaggerated Southern accent: "Prepare to meet your match, Yankee. My name is Victoria Lee Hanover, and five-card stud is my game."

  Edward laughed. "You beautiful devil, you."

  They played for another hour and Victoria won almost every hand. Finally, Edward threw in his cards. "I give up. You have taught me my lesson." He drew her into the circle of his arms and smiled at her. "Did your Mrs. De Leon never tell you not to best a man at his own game?"

  "I shall never beat you at poker again," Victoria told him. "From this day forward I shall let you win.

  Edward laughed as he held her to him. "I shall never play poker with you again, for if I won I could never be sure if it was my own doing, or if you allowed me to win."

  "You are my love," she told him. "I will always want you to come out winner in all things; for when you win, I cannot lose."

  "How did you get so wise in only eighteen years?" he asked, nibbling on her ear. He smiled to himself. He would not tell her he had let her win.

  That night they walked on deck. They stood at the railing, watching the moonlight shimmer on the water. Victoria reached for Edward's hand and held it to her face. Then she turned it over and kissed the scar on his palm.

  "You will always have that scar, my love. It pains me to think you got it because of me."

  He drew her into his arms. "I do not like to think of your accident, Victoria. It scares me to think what might have happened."

  "Not with you looking after me, my love." She raised her face to him. "I feel so safe when I am with you.

  "What else do you feel?"

  "Loved."

  "Is that all?"

  "No, I am jealous of all the years you existed that weren't spent with me. I hate the thought that we will ever be separated for even one day. I want to be the kind of wife you deserve. You are gentle and kind, with such a capacity for loving and giving. I am proud to be the woman you chose to marry."

  He held her to him, resting his face on the top of her head. Edward was so overcome with emotion, he could not speak. At last he said softly: "If I am the way you see me, Victoria, it is because you have brought out these qualities in me. No one before you would have ever said I was kind or gentle."

  "My grandmother saw these qualities in you, Edward. She adores you."

  "Right now my mind is on her granddaughter. Are you ready to go to our cabin?"

  Victoria raised her head. Seeing the softness in his eyes, she took his hand. "Oh, Edward, I love you so much."

  To her surprise he scooped her into his arms and carried her to their cabin. He placed her on the bed and lay down beside her, holding her tightly to him. He did not kiss her, nor did he speak. Victoria sensed his mood and did not speak either. They held each other, not in desire, but in love. It was a moment neither of them would ever forget.

  When the ship reached Galveston, there was a cold wind blowing. Victoria pulled her fur-lined cape tightly about her for warmth. It was midmorning when the coach Edward hired moved away from Galveston toward home. The trip to San Antonio took two days, and when they arrived, Edward decided they would remain there until Estancio came for them.

  They occupied the same suite they had previously stayed in. Edward knew Victoria was tired, so he ordered dinner to be served in their sitting room. After they had eaten, Edward read the local newspaper, while Victoria wrote a letter to Cullem and Dorothea. She looked up from her writing to watch Edward. His long legs were crossed, his face intent on what he was reading.

  Victoria knew when they returned to Rio del Lobo she would no longer have him all to herself. There were many demands on the man who ran the Hanover Empire.

  She wondered if she would be expected to occupy the lovely bedroom he had prepared for her. Victoria loved waking up in the morning beside him, or snuggling in his arms at night to fall asleep.

  Edward looked up at her and smiled. He laid his paper aside and held his arms out to her. She went quickly to him. He sat her on his lap and tilted her face up to his.

  "What has caused the frown I see on your pretty face, Victoria? Is there some monumental problem I can solve for you?"

  "I was just wondering, when we return to Rio del Lobo, will you want me to sleep in the room I occupied before we left?"

  Edward smiled, unable to resist teasing her. "You do not like the room? Maybe you want it redecorated?"

  "No, it is not that."

  "I know, you would like a room with a view of the front of the house."
r />   "No, I do not want that," she said in exasperation.

  "What is it you do want, Victoria?"

  She placed her head on his shoulder. "I want to stay with you."

  He swung her around and laid her on the couch, then lay down beside her. "You do not think I would ever let you sleep where I cannot reach out and touch you, do you?"

  Joy spread over her face. "I am so glad you feel that way. I was afraid you would want us to sleep in separate bedrooms."

  Edward became serious. "I have slept alone most of my life, Victoria, but now that I have shared my bed with you, I do not think I could sleep if you were not beside me."

  Her mouth puckered into a frown. "What do you mean when you say you 'slept alone most of your life,' Edward?"

  "Did I say that?"

  "Yes, you did. I know you have had other women before me. I just do not like to be reminded of it."

  "Victoria," he said, choosing his words carefully, "I was not a monk before I met you, but I never brought one of them to my home."

  Her eyes clouded. "Perhaps I will not be enough for you, Edward. Maybe you will tire of me."

  He kissed her cheek and held her close. "My poor, misguided love. I can never want anyone but you. Other women ceased to exist for me after I met you. I have a hunger that only you can satisfy." He kissed her until she became soft and yielding in his arms.

  There was a knock on the door and Edward ignored it.

  "You had better see who it is," Victoria told him, trying to rise.

  He pushed her back down. "Let them go away. I need you."

  "But it might be important," she protested.

  Edward rose to his feet and smiled down at her. "Later, then, Victoria."

  She went into the bedroom to straighten her hair, while he answered the door. When she returned, Ray Courtney was sitting in a chair in deep conversation with Edward.

  Ray rose to his feet quickly as she entered. She welcomed him with a smile.

  "Major, how nice it is to see you again."

  He felt warmed by her friendliness. "You are looking lovely, Charley. Your vacation seems to have agreed with you."