by Alisa Adams
"I will be back later." He kissed her hands and left quietly, but Alexa suddenly felt bereft and wished she could make him come back. Now, why did she feel like that?
* * *
Auguste, having ensured that Alexa was in no danger, was happy to go back to his own room for a while, but sleep eluded him.
Alexa sat for a while dozing, then got out of bed and cautiously crept downstairs. A few servants were already bustling about, and she ordered a breakfast of plain porridge and goats' milk from one of the kitchen maids.
As Kennethina had predicted, what was left of her headache went away, and she felt invigorated and replenished. She went to fetch a few kitchen scraps for Jenny, but when she got there, she discovered that Auguste was visiting her too.
His face lit up when he saw her.
"You are supposed to be in bed," she said, as stern as Kennethina had been.
"So are you," he replied in the same tone but smiling. "Are you angry with her?" He was stroking Jenny's velvet nose.
"No." Alexa hugged her. "I have no doubt it was an accident."
Auguste took a deep breath and cupped her face in his hands.
"We kissed here once before," he reminded her huskily. "But perhaps I was not ready for you, or you for me. Now I am. Are you?"
She was. The certainty was waiting for her to step into it.
"Yes," she whispered.
For one more moment, they looked into each other’s eyes, then she took his hand and led him upstairs to the room they had left earlier. It seemed like a different place now.
"I have never been with a man." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I never wanted to be till now."
"It has been a very long time for me, and I thought that I could resist you. But there is just one problem." He growled. "I keep wanting to do this."
His mouth swooped down on hers, and she had neither chance nor inclination to resist. She simply abandoned herself to it with a deep, satisfied sigh.
She heard his ragged breathing as he strained her closer to him. She knew what was going to happen but could not have stopped herself even if she had wanted to.
Her whole world now was Auguste and his hands roaming over her body, his husky voice in her ears, the smell of his male musk mixed with cinnamon and citrus. She wanted something, and her body was telling her so, but she was not aware of what it was till he guided her hand to his manhood and touched her intimately.
The sensation made her cry out with delight, and a moment later, she knew what it was that her body had been craving. She felt a pressure inside her, a sharp point of pain, then peace for a moment as she trembled in his arms, unmoving.
"Tu es bien, Alexa?" he murmured, gazing into her eyes. "Are you alright, Alexa?"
She nodded against his shoulder, unable to speak. Her body spoke for her, though, moving upward against him, laughing in delight as he took her further and further towards ecstasy with every movement of his body against hers.
It seemed unreachable for a moment. She hovered on the edge and then screamed as it hit her, wave after wave of it, like no feeling she had ever experienced before, almost painfully exquisite.
For a moment, she shuddered against him helplessly before falling, like a feather in a breeze, into a delicious lassitude. She lay, recovering her breath for a few minutes while he held her close again.
There was no more analysis of motives, purposes, and destinations. No more 'why' and 'wherefore' – just this Auguste and this Alexa locked in the most primitive embrace of all. All their reasoning and thinking had brought them to this place, back to the beginning of what it meant to make human love.
Auguste knew now that all his stubborn reluctance had been in vain. He was meant to be in this place, with this woman, at this time, and whatever journeys he would embark upon in future would be made with her at his side, or they would not be made at all.
He might never get to China, the one place he had always wanted to visit, because unless she was by his side, there was simply no reason to go there.
She had relaxed against him now, and her eyes were closed. For a spell, he thought she had passed out again, and he felt a second of sheer panic, but as he watched, her eyes flickered open, and she smiled at him. Her whole face was transformed.
"Oh, God," she whispered. "I can't believe it, Auguste."
He kissed her forehead and chuckled.
"Is it always like that?" she asked, incredulous.
"No. Sometimes it's better."
She frowned.
"But—"
He put a finger over her mouth.
"Shhh," he murmured. "Listen to me, ma chèrie. I have spent the last week telling myself how and why I should not be with you. I have pushed you to the back of my mind, tried to fill it with other things and cram every moment that I could with work, talking to Shona, and spending time with Annabelle. I have done these things so that I did not have to think about you.
"But when I saw you on the path – when I thought I might have lost you – oh, God, the pain was unbearable! I knew then that I could not live without you!" He shrugged helplessly. "If you feel the same, please tell me."
For a moment longer, she looked at him, then she smiled at him lovingly and pushed her fingers into his thick dark hair.
"I have been doing exactly the same thing," she replied, "and it seems so stupid. We both wanted the same thing, but we were too scared to want it together, Auguste. We chose to be lonely. And you're right. If I thought now that you were going to walk away from me, I would go mad. I would rather travel with you and be seasick every day than stay here and be well without you."
He laughed.
"Shall we be together then?" he suggested. "In sickness and in health? Please say that you would like to be with me, Alexa. I love you. I love you so much it hurts my heart."
"Yes," she whispered, "I would. And I love you too, Auguste, with all my heart."
And then there was no more talking, and the only noises were the satisfied murmurings of lovers.
41
Alexa's Letter
When Moira received Alexa's message, she sent immediately for Lorraine.
"I think you should sit down," she told her friend, "and prepare yourself for a shock."
The tone of Moira's voice suggested to Lorraine that it was not a bad shock, so she sat down and waited.
"It's Alexa," Moira informed her, trying not to laugh.
She gave the parchment to Lorraine and watched her face change from one of interest to amazement, to delight.
"Auguste Chevalier," she breathed out. "My God, Moira. I cannot believe it! But I told her so!"
"And I told her so." Moira laughed. "And, apparently, Shona told her so too. And she did not believe any of us. Not one. But I am afraid it's going to take a while before we can say it face-to-face. Look at the rest of the letter."
By the time you read this, My Dear Sister, my name, as you predicted, will no longer be Alexa Montgomery.
Lorraine gasped and put a hand over her mouth, her eyes round as she looked over the top of the paper at Moira. She read on:
I am sorry not to have invited you to the wedding, or even told you about it, but there simply was no time. My beloved rescued me when Jenny and I had an accident, but in truth, we had been falling in love ever since we met. You and Lorraine, and perhaps even Mairi, can all have a wonderful time laughing at me – since by now my name will be Alexa Chevalier.
You would be even more amazed by the way we met, but then you both know me very well – maybe you won't be!
"Alexa Chevalier sounds very classy," Lorraine admitted, nodding as she read the next part of the letter. Then her mouth shaped into an 'O' as she read the description of how Alexa had ambushed her future husband on the road and ended up being hog-tied onto a horse and carried into Castle Ness like a piece of baggage.
"Alexa – will you never stop?" Lorraine was almost weeping with mirth now. "I cannot believe it! No, wait – this is Alexa, I can believe it!"
>
Just then Iain and Graham came in.
"We had a message from Alexa," Moira said, trying not to laugh. "She is married."
Iain and Graham exchanged glances.
"You are jesting," Graham said doubtfully. "Aren't you?"
"No." Lorraine handed him the parchment and both men read it together, eyes wide in disbelief.
"I told her so." Iain laughed, reading the last few sentences.
I will not deny that I fought against him, and he against me. We were just about to part – I to go back to you and him to embark on his ship – when we both suddenly saw what we each wanted: each other. Unfortunately, not one of you will be able to say "I told you so", except for Shona, because we will be leaving for Genoa in two weeks, and are setting off from here the day after tomorrow.
It will be a combination of both business and pleasure, and a chance for me to see my husband's merchandising skills in action, and to get to know him even better.
I am hoping that I may have a chance to see North Africa where they say there are strange animals called camels which have humps on their backs and can walk through the desert sands without drinking. I am so excited!
Yes, I know you all told me that I would meet the right man and I denied it, partly because I didn't want to, but mostly because I did not believe he existed! But I am so happy to be wrong.
Auguste is the most wonderful, charming, generous and giving man I have ever met, and I am SO much in love with him. I do not have any experience in the bedchamber except with my darling Auguste, but I am satisfied and happy. I have discovered that there is more than one kind of freedom!
Moira and Iain, you have always supported me. Thank you both very much for everything you have done for me, but now I am Alexa Chevalier, not only standing on my own two feet but with another strong pair of feet beside me!
Lorraine, you are the very best friend I could ever have wished for, and Graham, please forgive me for all the grief I gave you.
Auguste thinks that our trip should last about six months, so hopefully, I will be seeing you some time in the late summer. In the meantime, please kiss little Iain for me and make sure he knows that I am coming back to see him.
Well, my Darling Sister, I must go – since Auguste is calling for me. Isn't it strange that I go to him so willingly and so hastily? I never believed it was possible to be so happy!
* * *
Look after yourselves and keep well till I see you again,
* * *
Au revoir, Ma Soeur, Mon Frère et Mes Amis,
* * *
Alexa Chevalier
* * *
They all sat, stunned, for a moment.
Iain was the first to recover.
He poured them all a glass of spiced wine and raised his glass in a toast.
"To Auguste and Alexa!" he cheered. "May they always be as happy as they are now!"
Then he drained his glass, waited till everyone else had done the same, and filled them up again. He looked around the little group and smiled mischievously.
"To Auguste," he said, lifting his glass. "May the Good Lord bless him and keep him in the palm of His hand. Auguste is going to need all the help he can get!"
A gale of laughter followed the toast.
Later that night, wrapped up cozily while the first blasts of a newly born blizzard were blowing outside, Moira laughed softly while she remembered the letter.
"She must be so glad we couldn't say 'I told you so', but I wish I had been there to see my only sister married." She sighed.
"Don't worry, lass." Iain kissed her forehead. "There will be an even better chance to tease her when she gets with child!"
Moira sighed.
"I wish I could have seen her," she said wistfully. "She must have been such a lovely bride."
"She probably got married in breeches!" Iain said, laughing.
Moira cuffed him playfully around the ear.
"She wore blue," she said with certainty, "to match her eyes."
"She is a beautiful woman indeed," Iain agreed. "And blue would make her look like a princess, but my wife wore a dress of simple white, and she looked like the Queen of Heaven!" He smiled at her. "And if you had been wearing rags, I would still have been the proudest man in Scotland!"
Moira put a finger to his lips.
"Shhh – no more talking," she whispered. "Only loving allowed!"
42
'I Told Ye So!'
Shona really said 'I told you so' with her eyebrows. Alexa and Auguste were together as a couple as they had always meant to be. It was as though each had been sitting slightly out of their allotted space in a puzzle and some divine hand had slotted them in properly.
As she watched, Auguste took Alexa's hand, raised it to his lips and kissed it.
The look she gave him in return brought tears to Shona's eyes. It was like the look Lachlan had given her when he had stepped into her bedchamber the night they had made love for the first time.
As she entered Alexa's bedchamber, they were smiling at each other, then Alexa looked at Shona, slightly abashed.
"Well, children." Shona folded her arms as she looked at them enquiringly, "d'ye hae somethin' tae tell me?"
Auguste looked at Alexa, who blushed and looked at the counterpane, giggling. She felt like a naughty child.
"I think we might have accidentally." Auguste cleared his throat slightly. "Em – fallen in love."
Shona passed a hand over her eyes.
"Is that all?" she asked, looking disappointed. "I thought ye were gaunnae tell me somethin' I didnae already knaw!"
Shona shook her head despairingly, then looked at Alexa with a gleam of mischief in her eyes. Then she raised her chin and cocked one eyebrow.
'I told you so!' The look said plainly.
"Well…" She poured out some wine for them and raised her glass. "I think a weddin' is in order!"
She sat down comfortably by the side of the bed, and Alexa and Auguste looked at her searchingly, wondering what was coming next.
Alexa always hated it when Shona's eyes looked at her the way they were looking at her at that moment. They always made her feel as if her thoughts had been shaken out and thoroughly sorted through.
"Shona," she said suspiciously, "what are you thinking?"
"I am thinkin' that ye two—" She pointed to each of them with her goblet, "—hae the look o' two people who cannae keep their hauns aff one anither! So I think maybe that weddin' had better be soon."
Alexa felt as though her cheeks were on fire.
"Shona," she said indignantly, "don't say things like that!"
"It's my hoose an' I'll say whit I like," Shona said flatly. "So. Weddin'. When?"
"This is so romantic," Alexa said with sarcasm.
"I have to leave within the week," Auguste said regretfully. "Day after tomorrow? Then we can have a few days together here as Monsieur et Madame Chevalier. Oui?"
There was a sharp tap on the door, and Shona stood up to open it. Lachlan's tall form filled the doorway. She wrapped her arms around him and raised her face for a kiss.
"Hello, Big Lump!" she said cheerfully.
"Hello, Wee Wifey!" He smiled at her with fondness.
This was obviously a greeting that happened every day.
"I came to inquire about Alexa's health," Lachlan said, "but it seems that I have interrupted a business meeting."
"We are havin’ a weddin'" Shona informed him as she poured him a mug of ale. "The day efter tomorrow, so we must get the faither oot tae meet Auguste an’ Alexa."
Lachlan stood looking baffled for a moment, then turned to Alexa.
"I think I must have missed something," he said, frowning. "I thought neither of you wanted to get married – to anyone."
"That was yesterday," Alexa said. "Today is different."
"Congratulations," Lachlan said, although still sounding somewhat doubtful. "I think."
Alexa looked around her. Apart from its dramatic setting on a cliff
right on the edge of the loch, Castle Ness was no more or less interesting than any other castle, but she had heard it called 'The Castle of Hearts' because so many people had met and married there. Now it looked as though she would be one of them.
"Why do so many people get married here?" Alexa asked Lachlan.
He flapped his hands as if to shoo away the nonsense she was talking.
"They don't," he replied in a slightly irritable fashion. "But people love to make up fantastic stories around here. There is no monster in the loch, but everyone has seen it!"
"Ye've seen it!" Shona interjected.
Logan gave her an exasperated look.
"I dreamt about it. I did not invent the legend, nor have I ever met the alleged creature, despite rumors to the contrary. But stories grow by themselves. A woman saves a man's life. They fall in love and get married, and now suddenly every man and woman who passes over the threshold takes one look at Shona and me and heads for the chapel!"
"I think, Lump, that ye are gettin' a wee bit carried away," Shona observed dryly.
"That reminds me," Auguste said, "ma chèrie, I haven't given you a ring yet." He smiled at Alexa with tenderness, then he took a tiny gold ring off the little finger of his right hand and knelt down in front of her.
"Will you, marry me, Alexa?" he asked softly.
There were tears in her eyes as she answered him.
"Yes, Auguste, of course I will."
He slipped the gold ring, which had a tiny ruby in it, onto her wedding finger.
"It was my mother's," he murmured. "I will get you a finer one soon."
Alexa kissed him.
"This is fine enough," she replied and kissed him again.
I’m marrying my Frenchman, she thought happily.
* * *
Later that day, Alexa was sitting by a bay window as she looked out over the loch, waiting for Auguste to come in from the stables.
