The conversation around the table grew lively, yet I could not bring myself to participate. I sighed, trying to come to terms with the idea of being forced into yet another loveless marriage. I tried to cast all thoughts of what had happened with Edmund and the possible consequences from my mind.
After dinner, I was not in the mood to sit and exchange pleasantries, so I retired to my room. When I entered my chamber, I was surprised to find a warm fire burning in the hearth and despite the fact that Yuletide was nearly upon us, fresh flowers sat in a vase upon the table. But my eyes were drawn to the beautiful lace-covered white gown that hung on the front of the large dressing cabinet.
The beauty of the dress seemed to lure me to it. Intricate beading was sewn over the bodice, creating a rich and delicate pattern. “Where did this come from?” I said aloud.
“The Duke sent it.” I spun around at the sound of Mary’s voice. “Ain’t it the most lovely gown ye ever laid yer eyes on?”
“I have to say I believe it is.”
“I heard tell his mother wore it when she married the old Duke.”
“You heard that, did you?”
“Aye.”
“From whom?”
“Oh, I don’t be recallin’ at the moment, but it come with this here box.”
She handed me a black velvet box, and I took it with trembling fingers. Opening it, I found a pearl and diamond necklace and matching earrings. The memory of sitting with Edmund on the rocks of the deserted island the day he gave me the oyster and showed me its treasure stung me, and I swallowed the lump that rose to choke me.
“These are lovely,” I uttered in a hoarse whisper.
“Miss, sometimes ye just gots to trust in fate. All will be well. You’ll see.”
That night I could hardly sleep and when I did, my dreams, as always, were of Edmund. In as much as I dreaded dawn, at the same time I sought its relief. I woke in tears, knowing we would never be together. I couldn’t help but wonder if he even knew I was now going to be married to the young newly named Duke. I couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t step up to prevent it. Why hadn’t he come to me after the old Duke had died and ask me to marry him? I couldn’t help but wonder if he had lied, stolen my virtue, and most of all, if he ever really cared for me at all. Overcome by such a profound sadness, I could no longer hold back my tears.
Mary helped me bathe and dress that morning, but now standing in my room in the Duke’s keep and as she fastened the beautiful pearl necklace around my neck, tears came to her eyes.
“What is it Mary? What’s wrong?”
“Oh, it be nothin’, Miss. It’s just, well, I been takin’ care of ye since ye was a babe and well, here we are on yer weddin’ day dressin’ ye to meet yer husband. I know ye be sad, Miss, but take heart.”
“Mary, there is no need to cry. You will be with me many more years. And by the way Tobias looks at you, I’m sure we will be seeing your own wedding day soon enough as well.”
“Aye, Miss, I am overly fond of him,” she said.
“I know you are Mary, as he is of you.”
“Truth be told, just last night, he asked me to be his wife.” She blushed, then lowered her eyes.
“That’s wonderful news, Mary. I think you make a good match.” I hugged her. Tears threatened to spill again when I realized her marriage to Tobias would take her away from me, and she was the closest thing to a mother I had ever had. But I forced them back. “Now, no more tears.”
“No more tears. But Miss, the hour be now upon us, and I be certain everyone be in the chapel waitin’ on ye.”
“Well, we best not keep them waiting a moment longer.” I smiled and gave her a hug.
The chapel was located in the older portion of the house that remained part of the castle. I stood in the vestibule dressed in the beautiful white gown, fidgeting. A wave of nausea struck me. How could I have allowed this to happen? Standing here about to walk down the aisle and take vows with a man I have never even met was unthinkable. Yet there seemed no way out of it. I can’t go through with this, no matter how much my father is depending on me, no matter how much I love and respect him. No matter how much I wish to honor his wishes, I simply cannot do it. Lifting my gaze to my father, I whispered, “Father, I’m afraid I cannot go through with this.”
“Of course you can, and you will. You have nothing to fear, my dear. You have braved so much, and today you will begin a new life. A good and happy life.”
“But, Father, I do not even know this man. All I know of him is the kindness he has shown to me by allowing us to stay in his home in London and the gowns he has gifted me with, despite not ever having met me.” I still could not bring myself to tell my father I was in love with Edmund.
“Then you already know him to be a fine and generous gentleman. What more do you need know?”
“Father, you’ve met with him. Please tell me he is at least not deformed or hideous?”
He chuckled. “I have already told you he is a handsome young gentleman. Trust me, you will be pleasantly surprised.”
“Father, can you tell me his name?”
At that moment, the doors to the chapel opened, and it was time to face the stranger I would call my husband.
Walking slowly down the aisle with my hand resting upon my father’s arm, the first person who came into view was the clergyman. He was dress in bishop’s robes and looked very pious, despite his wide smile. Then my eyes shifted to the right, and I saw Tobias Smith standing there in his fine dark coat. Tobias Smith? What was he doing standing there? My gazed shifted to the man I would marry. My fingers trembled as I took in the figure of the tall man standing next to Mister Smith. The Duke stood with his back to me. His long dark hair gleamed in the light despite being tied back with a black ribbon. His dark coat stretched across broad shoulders, and the cut of the coat accented his narrow waist and slender hips. His dark trousers stretched down to cover long legs and seemed to melt into the tops of shinny black boots. I took in the sight of him, and the memory of the first time I ever saw Edmund swept into my mind and tears stung my eyes. You love Edmund. You cannot marry this man. Panic rose in my throat. Suddenly my feet felt stuck to the floor and I stopped walking. I couldn’t move. Father leaned in and whispered, “What is it, Catherine?”
“Father, I cannot. I cannot go through with this. I am in love with another man. My heart belongs to Edmund Drake,” I whispered through my tears.
“Trust me, child,” he said, and with a stern grip of his hand, he encouraged me to keep walking.
The tall man in the dark coat turned to face me. His gaze wandered over me, and a tiny grin captured just the corner of his lips when his sparkling green eyes met mine.
My heart soared. “Edmund,” I whispered. I could not contain the tears of joy rushing down my cheeks, though he had some serious explaining to do.
Despite having a few friends and family members around me, I stood there before the bishop in the beautiful stone chapel with sunlight streaming through the stained-glass windows, looking into the eyes of the man I loved and feeling that we were the only two people in the world.
“Who gives this woman to this man?” the bishop asked.
“I do,” my father answered, his words catching in his throat as he spoke.
When Father placed my hand into Edmund’s, my fingers tingled at the warmth of his touch.
I’m dreaming. I must be, I thought as I turned to accept my father’s kiss upon my cheek. Tears pooled in my father’s eyes and his lips quivered.
“I love you, Catherine. Be happy, my girl,” he said, his voice cracked with emotion and barely above a whisper.
“I love you too, Father, and I am happy, so very happy.”
I turned back to face Edmund, his green eyes dancing with excitement, and the bishop began the ceremony.
Complete joy filled me as I spoke my vows to love and cherish Edmund and he vowed the same to me. The bishop spoke to us about the sanctity of marriage, but his words became a b
lur as I gazed into the longing eyes of the man who stood before me.
Emotion choked me when he slipped the band of gold upon my finger and I could not find my voice. My fingers trembled when I slid the matching golden ring upon his hand. Unshed tears pooled in my eyes and as I lifted my gaze to meet that of my husband’s, I saw his eyes glistened as well. The sound of my fluttering heart rushed in my ears when the bishop pronounced us to be married. Edmund leaned in to kiss me. His soft lips touched upon mine with a promise of a lifetime of love.
After the ceremony, everyone gathered in the great hall of the keep and a feast fit for a king was laid out before us. Musicians played soft strains of delightful music, but when they began to play the melody Edmund and I had first danced to on the ship, I couldn’t help but smile. My husband smiled, too.
“Catherine, my love, would you dance with me, here before our family and our friends?” he asked softly.
“I would be honored.”
He swept me into his arms and holding me close he slowly swirled me around the floor. Taking my hand in his, he placed it over his heart.
“Catherine,” he whispered, pulling me deeper into his embrace. “I think I have always loved you.”
“Not always, Your Grace.”
He raised one eyebrow at my use of his title.
“From the very moment you tossed that goblet of wine in my face, I knew I loved you. Yet you must realize, my plan was never to fall in love.”
“No? Do tell, Captain Drake.”
“When word reached me that you were to be married to my father, I developed a plan to abscond with you and force my father to name me his heir apparent and allow me my title. You see when we became estranged he denounced my claim to the dukedom, so coin had never been the ransom I sought.”
“And you think Blackbeard dastardly? I dare say, Captain Drake, your action rivaled his.”
The laughter that erupted from Edmund’s chest was music to my ears.
“If you loved me from the start, dear husband, then why did you not make your feelings known to me?”
“Without my title, I had little to offer you. You deserved more than a life as the wife of a Privateer. As much as I loved you, I wanted you to have the life you deserved. I convinced myself I could let you go. Then Blackbeard took you from me, and I discovered that he had ordered the Contessa to train you as a courtesan, and that he planned to auction you off to the highest bidder. I prayed he had not compromised you in any way, and I devised a plan ensuring I was not outbid.”
“Despite his devious plan, Captain Teach was very kind to me. Although his appearance is quite fearsome, after a while I no longer feared him. My only fear was what my treatment would be once I was sold at the auction.”
“I was frantic at the very thought of it. I would have killed him with my bare hands if I had found ...” His voice trailed off and his jaw tightened.
“Husband, do tell, how did you come to know what the highest bid would be?”
“I didn’t. Because I knew my face would be recognized by Blackbeard, I was forced to send Mister Beckett in as the emissary of the Duke. As you may recall, he submitted a sealed bid.”
“I was so nervous that night fearing my fate after the outcome that I hardly recall much of the evening’s activities. Yet I do seem to have a vague memory of hearing the mention of a sealed bid.”
“In it, I promised Blackbeard that should Mister Beckett not prevail in winning the bid, the emissary of the Duke was prepared to pay double the amount of the highest bid of the night in order to win the prize.”
“Indeed a ransom.”
“And worth every penny, I might add.”
I rested my head against his heart, as he swirled me around the room. I must be dreaming. I closed my eyes, listening to the strains of the waltz, and the steady beating of my husband’s heart. My thoughts were interrupted by the rich laughter of the Contessa, which brought a smile to my lips. For all of her flamboyance and quick temper, she had managed to steal a place in my heart.
“Edmund, how is it the Contessa came to be with my father?”
“After we had taken Blackbeard, we raided his hideout and found her there. She begged asylum, so we took her with us. I knew your father was aboard the ship coming to London. I merely saw to it she was on the same ship and let nature take its course.”
I allowed him to swirl me around the room and grew thoughtful.
“What troubles you, wife?”
I smiled. “Wife. I like the sound of that.”
“As do I, yet I will not abide my beautiful wife to carry concerns.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Tell me, then.”
“I wonder how it is you are known as Edmund Drake, when you are in fact Edmund Simmons?”
“Allow me put your curious mind at ease, wife. My mother was Victoria Drake Simmons. Drake seemed the most logical choice when I became estranged from my father. I harbored such anger for so many years it pained me to be called Simmons.”
“It all makes sense now.” I grew silent for a moment and then continued. “I’m thankful you and your father reconciled your differences before his death.”
“As am I. Not only did I regain my father and my title, but I gained a beautiful bride as well.”
He danced me around the room in silence, holding me tightly. I closed my eyes and relished the feeling of being in his arms. My mind returned to the days I spent at Hartington House, awaiting the arrival of my father and my marriage to the Duke. A smile curled my lips as I recalled the empty cup of cocoa in my room.
“Edmund, was it you who enjoyed my hot cocoa in my chamber at Hartington House every night?”
“Ah, you have found me out, wife. I couldn’t stay away from you. I recalled the nights I watched you sleep when aboard The Lady Victoria and allowed myself the same privilege while you were a guest in my home.”
“It wasn’t a dream then that night I awoke on the ship? You were in the cabin, watching me sleep. Oh, Edmund, you dreadful beast,” I teased.
“Even then, I couldn’t stay away from you. Catherine, my love, will you ever forgive me for what I have put you through?” He brought my hand to his lips and planted a soft kiss upon my knuckles as the music softened and the dance drew to an end.
“Husband, I shall allow you the remainder of your days to make it up to me.”
Even though the music had stopped, he held me close and gazed into my eyes. The conversations and laughter of our family and friends embraced me, and my heart fluttered.
“Now, my beautiful Duchess, now that I have married and am settling down, perhaps we should retire to our chambers to start working on that brood of children you once suggested.” His whisper sent a thrill through me, and I smiled up at him.
“It would be my pleasure, husband, but would you kindly allow me a few moments to ready myself.”
“Certainly, my love. You go on ahead, and I shall join you once I have made our excuses to our guests and bid them all a good night.”
When I reached our bedchamber, I was surprised to find the Contessa waiting for me.
“My little’a stick,” she said and pulled me into her embrace. “I can hardly believe you a married woman.”
“Me, either. Oh, Contessa, I am so happy you are here with me,” I said, and I meant it with all my heart.
“I have a little something for you.”
She led me to the wardrobe cabinet and removed a sheer white lace garment, similar to the black one she had worn the night I sat hidden behind the curtain in her chamber.
“I also bring you something else, and I hope they survived the trip.”
She hurried to the bathing chamber and when she returned, she held an arm full of blood red roses.
“If a man no hungry, he no eat, no matter if that man is a Duke or no.”
I giggled and, smiling, gave her a hug.
She tore the petals from the roses, and I lit the candles making the room ready, just as she did that night I helpe
d her at the hideout. After aiding me out of my wedding gown and into the gossamer garment, she placed a kiss upon my cheek and said, “I know you finally happy. Now, use what I teach you to make that husband of yours happy.” And she swept from the room in a swirl of skirts and fragrance.
Lying there in the center of the bed, in a pool of blood-red rose petals, butterflies danced in my stomach. But any thoughts of nervousness vanished when the door opened, and Edmund entered the room. He had already shed his dark coat, and making his way to the bed, tossed his shirt among the scattered rose petals along the floor. Standing beside the bed his gaze roamed over me.
“One of us is very much over-dressed, Madam, but I shall remedy that.”
I giggled at his comment.
Sitting on the edge of the satin coverlet, he removed his boots and trousers and I marveled at the beauty of his strong and perfect body.
When he took me in his arms and brought his burning kiss to my lips, the heat of deep desire flowed through me.
Although we had made love that night at the ball, savagely, urgently, hungrily, tonight felt like it was our first time ... our beginning. He seemed much like a nervous lad, and I felt the sting of a blush at the thought.
His tongue ran over my lips and my mouth yielded to him, his tongue exploring its depths, dancing sensually and slowly with mine. His hands slowly drifted to the shoulders of the lace garment I wore, and he tenderly slipped it from me. His lips followed his hands, leaving a trail of warm, wet, kisses along my neck. His warm hand cupped my breast as he gently sucked my nipple into the hot depths of his mouth. Already panting with need, I ran my hands through his hair, gently encouraging him to continue.
He raised his head to look at me. “Catherine, this night, let us not hurry. Allow me to worship your body, to give you the pleasure you surely deserve,” he whispered as he ran one hand down to caress the dampness between my legs. I whimpered when he stroked me gently. His soft lips moved from my breast and followed the trail of his hand. He planted warm kisses down my body, stopping only a few moments as he licked his way down to my navel. With one hand, he gently rolled a taunt nipple between his fingers, while with the other he rolled the throbbing bud between my legs.
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