Another tear, hot and salty, spilling over down the other cheek while others burned in the back of her throat.
I could have loved him.
And now it was too late.
The British flag flew from the warships in the harbor. She didn’t know much about ships, really, but she could tell which one was the admiral’s flagship, and she thought she recognized a frigate. What was Dorian’s ship like? Which one was his?
Are you thinking of me, as I am of you?
Do you miss me, as I do you?
Do you have any regrets? Because I certainly do.
Her heart weighed like a millstone in her breast, dull and heavy. She dried her eyes, knowing the futility of tears. They threatened to return as she made her toilet, brushed out her hair and pinned it up beneath her cap. Outside, the town was waking, a few carts beginning to pass beneath the window, a woman sweeping dried mud from her doorstep just across the street. The odor of frying eggs and toast drifted up from downstairs and Mother came in to help lace up her stays, chattering about how lucky they were to have escaped Concord, how good it was to be safe in town here with her sister under the protection of the king’s troops, and just what had become of Lord Dorian?
“He’s gone back to his ship, Mother.”
“Such a pity, Mercy. I came to think that the two of you were well-suited.”
“You sound like Elias.”
The boy came into the room, crunching a piece of buttered toast. “He would have made a fun uncle.”
“Brother-in-law,” Mercy corrected, irritably.
“He taught me about knots. And about how to protect the ones you love. Why isn’t he here, Mercy?”
“Because I sent him away.”
“Why on earth would you do that?” her mother asked, raising her brows.
Mercy told them both how he had offered for her, how he had quite impulsively stated his intentions in the warm, dry loft in which they had taken refuge, and how she had refused him.
“You’re crazier than a rabid fox,” her mother said, shaking her head. “That man was in love with you. You could see it in his eyes. You go breaking a man’s heart like that, especially a proud man like Lord Dorian, you don’t get a second chance.”
Outside, the sun climbed higher and miserably, Mercy tied on her outer petticoat and shrugged into her still-damp calico short gown. She couldn’t speak. The tears were too close, and she had her pride, too.
Especially when her decision had been made to protect the ones that she loved. Her mother. Her little brother. Their futures.
Oh, damn these tears. She knuckled her eye and turned, hoping her mother didn’t see, but of course she did. Mothers saw everything.
“Why did you refuse him, Mercy?” Gentle hands turned her around until she was forced to look into her mother’s eyes. “Why?”
“Because of the treasure, Mother.”
“That makes no sense to me at all.”
“We barely know Lord Dorian. I don’t know what his financial situation is, with him being a second son. I don’t know what naval captains are paid, I don’t know if he would have balked at the idea of taking a bride who came with a dowry, of sorts, of what can only be called—” her breath hitched on a sob —“pirate treasure.” The tears were coming hard now, flooding over her fingers, and she brushed furiously at her cheeks with the back of her hand. “Lord Dorian is a man of honor. It causes him no small degree of mortification to know he’s descended from a pirate whose epithet he now bears. Can you imagine his reaction to the idea of pirate treasure?”
“Mercy, you’re being quite ridiculous.”
“No, Mother, I’m being realistic. He asked me what was under that floorboard. I caught him trying to peer under there after you and Elias had gone to bed, and I didn’t trust him enough to tell him.” At the pain in her mother’s eyes, her mouth tightened. “You didn’t either.”
“Oh, Mercy....”
“How do I know what his reaction would have been? If he’d have taken the treasure and left, therefore denying us all the chance to rebuild our lives, our home, with the money that just one of those jewels, one of those doubloons, would have brought?” She sniffed back the tears, and reaching into her pocket, found the velvet bag. “I could not risk your and Elias’s future. Your well-being. It’s one thing to risk my own ... but I could not do that to my family.”
Her eyes tragic, Mother held out her arms and Mercy, giving way to the sobs, went willingly into him. Her mother folded her in her embrace while Mercy, her heart breaking, sobbed uncontrollably against her shoulder, Elias staring mutely a few feet away.
Nobody heard the banging at the door. Nobody heard Aunt Lizzie coming up the stairs, a tall and commanding visitor in tow, and nobody knew they were there until Elias let out a squeal of excitement.
“Lord Dorian!”
Mercy leaped backwards, her face streaked with tears, and there he was, entirely different yet very much the same as she’d last seen him. His hair, neatly combed and clubbed, his face freshly shaven, his broad, bulging shoulders filling out the most handsome uniform she had ever seen, a splendid uniform of blue and white and gold with epaulets on the shoulders and buttons that each sported an anchor, of snowy white breeches and polished, buckled shoes, a sword at his hip and a gold laced hat under his arm.
Elias was staring with wide eyes. Mother and Aunt Lizzie exchanged knowing glances. And Mercy, the words struck dumb in her throat, could not speak.
“Hello, Mercy,” he said, and bowed.
She gulped and swallowed, horrified that he was standing here in the bedroom witnessing her weak display of tears and snot and sorrow, seeing her look like a disheveled mess when he was the epitome of finery.
“L-lord Dorian.”
He stepped toward her, pulling out his handkerchief and offering it to her, and when she filled up with tears all over again at his kind and gallant gesture, he reached down and tipping up her chin, tenderly dabbed at her eyes himself.
“You’re making me cry,” she stammered.
He smiled, his teeth straight and white. “Then it’s about time you stopped, isn’t it?”
“Give me one reason why I should.”
He brushed away a tear rolling down her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “Because there’s a man standing in this room who is in love with you. Because that man is prepared to take on your mama and your brother and all your supposed secrets. You see, Mercy, I already know what’s in that silly velvet bag—”
“How can you—”
“I had already seen what was in it when you came downstairs and found me fiddling with that floorboard. I was putting it back.”
“Putting it back? You saw it ... and left it there?”
“It was not mine to take.”
“It’s pirate treasure, you know,” she said defiantly. “You want nothing to do with pirates. You’ve distanced yourself from your ancestor. You told me so, yourself.”
“So I did.”
“My grandfather lived on the Isles of Shoals. He was fishing one day when he noticed glitter in the rocks. It was a chest. Blackbeard used to visit those islands, and everyone used to say that he buried a treasure there but nobody ever found it, and eventually the rumors became legend. But I’ll tell you why nobody ever found that treasure, Dorian. They didn’t find it because it had already been found.”
He just looked at her, smiling patiently, while behind his broad shoulder Mother and Aunt Lizzie exchanged another glance, and Mother’s hands went quickly together in a plea to the Almighty above that her daughter see reason.
“Over the years, Grandpa and then my parents had to sell the silver, but inside that bag are gold doubloons, Spanish emeralds, a half dozen rubies, and a diamond as big as the nail of my pinkie finger.”
“I know. I saw them.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t trust you, Dorian.”
“I’m sorry you didn’t, too, Mercy.”
He looked at her, a sad little smile on his handsome
face, and Mercy sucked her lips between her teeth, the pain suddenly too great to bear.
“You came to say goodbye, didn’t you?” she whispered.
“Yes,” he replied, and something died inside of her heart.
She looked down at her shoes and squeezed her eyes shut against the sudden flood of fresh tears. They burned her sinuses and the back of her throat, and she trembled with the effort of holding them in, desperately wishing that he would leave so that she could sob out her heart and kick her feet and wail with grief as his friend’s betrothed must have done when she’d received the news that her loved one was never coming back.
She wished he would leave so she could dive into her pain.
She wished he would stay. Forever.
“I couldn’t leave without thanking you for what you did for me,” he continued. “I owe you my life.”
The tears, damn them, were dripping down her cheeks once more, and Mercy’s lower lip began to tremble like a baby’s until she bit savagely down on it to quell its movement, to hope the pain would keep her from going to pieces in front of this man she now knew, without any shadow of a doubt, that she loved. She folded her arms to her breast and hugged herself, trying in vein to contain the pieces of her heart before they shattered into a million little bits and fell on the floor at his feet.
“The tide turns in less than two hours. I’m on my way to England to carry news of Concord and Lexington to London,” he said quietly. “It will be a fast voyage, as the provincials will surely send someone to London themselves with their version of what happened.”
“Like two miscreant children, both running to their mother to get to her first,” she blubbered.
“Yes.” He stepped closer, put two fingers under her chin, and tipped it up until she was forced to look into his eyes. “I came to say goodbye, Mercy. But I also came to claim what’s mine.”
“The treasure,” she said miserably.
“Yes.”
“I’ll never let you have it, Dorian,” she said, sniffling. “It’s all that my family has.”
“Your mother has already given me permission to take it.”
“My mother would never give it up.”
“Well then, that depends on what treasure she’s speaking of, does it not?”
Frowning, she gazed up at him, at his clear, handsome eyes now glowing more blue than brown, more green than blue, and saw the teasing mirth in them. The slight upward quirk of one corner of his mouth and the little crinkle-lines at the corners of his eyes.
“You, Mercy ... you are the treasure. I don’t give a damn about emeralds and rubies and diamonds, I care not a whit for doubloons or cold pieces of stone no matter what they are or where they came from. There is only one treasure that’s worth having, and I’m standing here looking at it.”
“Oh, Dorian....”
“You have my heart, Mercy. You’ve had it from the time we met. I cannot live without you, nor do I want to.” He got down on one knee, took her cold, wet fingers in his own, and raised them to his lips. “And this time I’m not taking no for an answer.” He looked up at her, and she thought she might drown in his eyes. “Will you marry me, Miss Payne?”
“Say yes!” Elias screeched.
The tears came dribbling down her cheeks once more but this time they were ones of relief and joy. “Yes, Lord Dorian. Yes ... I will marry you.”
“Gather your things, then,” he said with a grin, and turned to her mother and Elias. “All of you. And you too, Mrs. Howland, if you’re inclined to go. The tide waits for nobody.”
He pulled Mercy to her feet and swept her up into his arms and kissed her, uncaring that her family was watching, her mother blushing wildly and her aunt murmuring “oh, my!” over and over again and Elias’s mouth dropping open with no words coming out. And when he finally released her and the breath struggled to find its way back into her lungs, he offered his arm. Mercy took it, her fingers all but clutching the fine blue uniform, and as her mother gathered up the velvet bag and Elias scampered happily ahead, the three of them left the room and headed downstairs.
On the horizon, the sun rose in a blazing ball of gold.
It was going to be a beautiful day.
The End.
Many of the characters you met in HEART OF THE SEA WOLFE have their own stories: the dashing and wily Brendan Merrick is the hero of CAPTAIN OF MY HEART, the brazen Irish Pirate Ruaidri O’ Devir stars in THE WAYWARD ONE, broken-hearted Juliet is the heroine of THE WILD ONE and Dorian’s nephew Damon is the unlikely hero of the beauty-and-the-beast themed WICKED AT HEART. If you enjoyed this story, please consider posting a review on either Amazon, Goodreads, or whatever other forums you think are appropriate. Only a few lines are needed. Reviews help authors enormously and are very gratefully appreciated; thank you!
About the Author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Danelle Harmon has written eighteen critically acclaimed and award-winning books, with many being published all over the world and translated into numerous languages. She and her family make their home in New England with numerous animals including several dogs, an Egyptian Arabian horse, and a flock of pet chickens. Danelle enjoys reading, spending time with family, friends and her pets, and sailing her Melonseed skiff, Kestrel II. She welcomes email from her readers and can be reached at [email protected] or through any of the means listed below:
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KEEP READING FOR A SPECIAL SNEAK PEEK OF THE WILD ONE!
* * *
MORE BOOKS FROM DANELLE HARMON!
introducing:
THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING, AWARD-WINNING, CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED
DE MONTFORTE BROTHERS SERIES:
“The bluest of blood; the boldest of hearts;
the de Montforte brothers will take your breath away.”
Meet the dashing and aristocratic De Montforte Brothers by Danelle Harmon (best read in order):
# 1 Kindle Store download: THE WILD ONE (free on Kindle!)
(read below for an excerpt!) - Book 1 - Lord Gareth de Montforte’s story
THE BELOVED ONE (Book 2) Captain Lord Charles de Montforte’s story
THE DEFIANT ONE (Book 3) Lord Andrew de Montforte’s story
THE WICKED ONE (Book 4) Lucien, the Duke of Blackheath’s story
THE WAYWARD ONE (Book 5) Lady Nerissa de Montforte’s story
Novellas set in the de Montforte world:
THE FOX AND THE ANGEL - a Christmas tale
THE ADMIRAL’S HEART - a story of second chances
MY FIRST NOEL - a Christmas story of faith and inspiration
— all available as audiobooks, too! —
MORE BOOKS BY DANELLE HARMON:
PIRATE IN MY ARMS
Danelle Harmon’s debut novel, based on the true story of the pirate ship WHYDAH and an old Cape Cod legend about two ill-fated lovers. A swashbuckling tale of romance, courage, disgrace, and true love against all odds, available for the first time since original publication in 1992!
A mass market paperback bestseller!
An Amazon bestseller!
Winner of a Romantic Times K.I.S.S. Award!
and...
from Danelle Harmon’s popular and bestselling
HEROES OF THE SEA SERIES:
MASTER OF MY DREAMS
(Heroes Of The Sea Series, Book # 1)
Sweeping from the shores of England to Boston on the eve of the American Revolution, this is the emotional and unforgettable story of a tough Royal Navy captain and the beautiful Irish stowaway who teaches him how to love once again.
An Amazon KINDLE Top Ten Bestselling Historical Romance!
An Amazon KINDLE #1 Bestseller (Sea Adventures)!
# # #
CAPTAIN OF MY HEART
(Heroes of The Sea Series Book
# 2)
Thrilling romantic adventures aboard the 1778 Yankee privateer schooner Kestrel, captained by dashing Irishman Brendan Merrick — who meets his match in the outrageous shipbuilder’s daughter, Mira Ashton!
An Amazon KINDLE Top Ten Bestselling Historical Romance!
An Amazon KINDLE #1 Bestseller in Sea Adventures!
# 8 on the New York Times Bestseller list as part of FOUR IRRESISTIBLE ROGUES!
# 11 on the USA TODAY Bestseller list as part of FOUR IRRESISTIBLE ROGUES!
ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN audiobook!
# # #
MY LADY PIRATE
(Heroes of the Sea Series, Book # 3)
The sexy, swashbuckling tale of Pirate Queen of the Caribbean Maeve Merrick (daughter of Captain Brendan and Mira Merrick from Captain Of My Heart) and the powerful English hero who is determined to win her heart at all costs. Continuing the schooner Kestrel saga!
Winner of Romantic Times Magazine’s Reviewers Choice Certificate of Excellence!
Winner of Romantic Times K.I.S.S. Hero Award!
An Amazon KINDLE Bestseller!
# # #
TAKEN BY STORM
(Heroes Of The Sea Series, Book # 4)
Disgraced naval hero Colin Lord wants only to pursue his new career as a London veterinarian and put his tragic past behind him. But when fugitive heiress Lady Ariadne St. Aubyn convinces him to help get her prized racehorse to Norfolk before every reward hunter in England can catch her, Colin finds himself swept up into an adventure he could never have imagined. A treat for animal lovers everywhere!
An Amazon Kindle Regency Bestseller!
# # #
WICKED AT HEART
(Heroes Of The Sea Series, Book # 5)
A Beauty-and-the-Beast tale of love and redemption between a dark and brooding marquess and the woman who is determined to heal his tortured heart. Continuing the schooner Kestrel saga!
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