Rescued By the Captain

by Laura A. Barnes

  Thorn stood inside the door admiring Ivy in the blue dress that he had his mother send for her. She looked as lovely as she did standing in the garden all those years ago. He knows that he screwed it up with her earlier and confused her with his strange mood. He had just gotten some bad news from his crew that was sent to gather the clothes. Charles was still missing and he didn’t know how to tell Ivy. Also, he had found out from a note from his father that the Mallory’s house was being watched. He had to get Ivy off the boat without being seen and she was not going to be able to go home. She would have to come and stay at Thornhill Manor until they were to be wedded. He also had to keep her there without her trying to run off and find Charles on her own. He was counting on his mother to keep Ivy busy with the wedding plans and betrothal ball.

  “I will miss seeing you in my shirt.”

  Ivy blushed as she looked down, picking at the lace on her dress. “I will miss wearing it.”

  “Will you?” Thorn asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Well then I must make sure after we are married that it is always available to you. But then again I like it better when you wear nothing at all.”

  Ivy continued to blush more. Thorn laughed.

  “I will never grow tired of those blushes my dear, especially when I know that you blush all over.”

  “Thorn you are such a naughty tease,” Ivy flirted back.

  “You haven’t seen anything yet, but you will after we are married.”

  “Do you still want to marry me?” Ivy asked quietly bending her head; afraid to hear his answer.

  Thorn walked over to Ivy and tilted her head up so that her eyes could meet his when he gave her his answer. He wanted her to see the answer in his eyes as well as hear it from his lips.

  “Yes Ivy, I still want to marry you. I love you with all my heart my dear. I know this is not how you wanted to be asked. This is not how I wanted to ask you either. I wanted to court you and shower you with gifts, take you for rides in the park and dance every waltz with you at a ball.”

  Ivy could see the love in Marcus’s eyes as he told her he loved her. She felt more secure with his answer now, than she had this morning.

  “I love you too Marcus. But you never did ask me.”

  Marcus laughed as he picked Ivy up and swung her around in circles. Ivy clutched onto his shoulders and laughed with him.

  “So, I never asked did I, minx? Well I will just have to remedy that, won’t I?”

  He sat Ivy down in his chair. Kneeling on the floor by her knees, he reached for her hand, bringing it to place across his heart.

  “My sweet Ivy, will you do me the greatest honor and become by bride? I promise to love and cherish you forever.” Marcus asked Ivy.

  “I will Marcus and I promise to love and cherish you forever too.”

  Marcus pulled Ivy up from the chair and hugged her to him.

  “You have just made me the happiest man on earth,” Marcus told her as he leaned down to kiss her sweetly on the lips sealing his promise to her.

  He picked her up in his arms and sat down on the chair with her, tucking her in close to his body. He sat quietly with her for a time, softly stroking her hair down her back. They sat content knowing that this would be the last time for a while that they would be allowed to be alone together. He needed to tell her about Charles.

  “Ivy dear, I am sorry to have to tell you that Charles is still missing. I’ve word from your father that he has not seen Charles since the night you disappeared.”

  Ivy sat up and turned around in Thorn’s lap with tears in her eyes.

  “Where could he be Marcus? Do you think he is dead?”

  “I don’t know honey; a body hasn’t turned up; so that is a promising sign. If they killed him they would have had it displayed like a trophy. I am going to search for him as soon as I have you safely secured at Thornhill.”

  “But I want to see my father and won’t people talk about my staying with you before we are wed?”

  “You will get to see your father. The rest of the people can hang; I won’t be able to look for Charles if I don’t know that you are safe at Thornhill. Any way everybody knows how close you are to my mother and they will all be told you are planning the betrothal ball and our wedding.”

  “I want to help you look for Charles,” Ivy told Thorn.

  “No, I am not putting you in any more danger and that is final. You will not fight me on this or disobey me. I cannot have you coming to any harm. I will not lose you after I have finally gotten you back.”

  Ivy remained silent. She did not like Thorn telling her what she could or could not do. If this was going to be how their marriage worked; she was not going to say those vows to him no matter how much she loved him.

  Thorn took her silence as an act of defiance. This was not going the way he had planned. He had to convince her of the kind of danger she was in and that he only wanted to protect her.

  “Please Ivy, promise me you will stay put at Thornhill and help Mother. You are in extreme danger of Shears and whoever he has working for him. I do not know all the players involved; only Charles does. I need to find Charles and stop the terror that could grip hold of England. I don’t want to lose you in the process.”

  Thorn leaned down and kissed Ivy on the lips slow; softly nipping at her lips with his. His tongue was slowly tracing her lips, pulling her bottom lips in between his and sucking gently. Ivy opened her mouth to allow his tongue to glide against hers. Ivy was so defenseless when he started kissing her, she would allow him anything and promise him anything if he continued his persuasion with kisses.

  “Promise me Ivy,” Thorn whispered between kisses. His tongue swept in her mouth stroking in long slow strokes, a dance across her tongue. Ivy moaned and pulled his head down; her tongue mimicking his. Thorn pulled his tongue back out, holding his mouth inches from her mouth; teasing her.

  “Promise me Ivy,” Thorn whispered again as his tongue licked out across her lips; pulling back again.

  Ivy moaned wanting his mouth to devour her; needing his mouth to devour her. She hungered for his kisses. She tried to pull his head down for more kisses. But Thorn resisted.

  “I promise Thorn,” Ivy groaned as Marcus swept her in a soul-searching kiss; teasing, tantalizing her senses with his kiss. His mouth consumed hers’; drawing out her passion to join his in a sensual dance.

  He pulled her closer to him; swinging her around so that she was straddling his lap. Feeling her heat through the front of his pants, he pressed his hardness up against her core. His kiss became more desperate as she pressed down at the same time. He needed to feel her heat wrapped around him. Sliding his hands up underneath her dress, he stroked them up her thighs. His finger was inside her, sinking into her wetness. He almost embarrassed them both at that moment. He knew that he didn’t have time for this but he needed her now more than he needed to breath. He continued to stroke her heat making her climb in need for him.

  Ivy needed Marcus so badly, but she didn’t know how to tell him. She did not want him thinking her some wanton hussy that was always craving for him to make love to her. She moaned into his kisses as her body moved against his fingers with a mind of its own. She could feel Marcus’s hardness pressing into her thighs as she pressed down on this finger. She knew that he wanted her. Ivy could feel her body tighten for release and she began to move faster against his hand.

  Marcus could feel Ivy near release and his own body needed to join hers. He pulled his hand and mouth away from her body and slid her up his chest. His lips licked at the outline of her tight nipples through her dress; softly sucking them. As he sucked on her nipples, he was unbuttoning the front of his trousers and pulling out his hardened cock. He needed to slow down, he wanted to take her fast and quick and knew that it would be too much for her to handle. Ivy clutched at his head pressing them into her breasts.

  Marcus pulled back and watched Ivy as he slowly slid her back down his body and entered her in a smooth quick th
rust. He wanted to watch her reaction as he slid into her wetness and to watch her eyes darken green with a passion she has never felt before. He was not disappointed; her eyes widened with astonishment and wonderment as he slid to the hilt of her heat. He watched her eyes darken more as he slowly circled his hips grinding into her slowly, holding onto her hips as he pressed upward.

  Ivy tilted her head back in ecstasy as Marcus was pushing up inside her. She moaned loudly as her breasts pressed forward. She didn’t know that this was even possible to be done this way. It felt so magnificent. Her body craved more. She looked back at Marcus, seeing the dark heat in his eyes and she could also see the encouragement. She slowly began to rock back and forth and heard Marcus groan loudly. She took it as a sign that she was pleasing him and decided to try more. Ivy slid her body up a little and slowly slid back down. She could feel his hardness slide in and out of her as she did this. Marcus’s hands tightened at her waist. Ivy began a slow rhythm of this, feeling every inch of him deep inside her heat. She wanted more though, she needed more, and she craved more. She began to increase the rhythm, moving faster, and coming down harder.

  This drove Marcus beyond madness with distraction. He slid her dress and chemise off her shoulders and down her arms and bared her breasts to his added enjoyment. He palmed them in his hands, slightly twisting her nipples as he bent his head. He slid them into his mouth and sucked down on them; feeling the tightness in his mouth. He needed more, he needed to take control from her but knew that he couldn’t. He had to show her that she had control in this relationship too. He moved along with her rhythm letting her control the pace as she was pleasuring him.

  He could feel her body tightening around him. Her wetness was gripping his hardness, pulsing around it. He knew that she was getting close to losing control in his arms. He was ready to catch her when she did and join her in their release.

  Ivy felt like she was going to unravel in his arms. She was on the edge; she slid down and pressed her wetness feeling him deep inside her. She moved her hips around in a slow dance rocking slowly back and forth feeling a tightening in her core like never before. She could feel Marcus suck down harder on her nipple and she cried out as she felt herself explode around him, her body rocking against his as he pressed up harder inside her. She felt him explode inside her, his seed makings itself home. Ivy collapsed in his arms kissing his neck with little kisses up and down and along his chin.

  Marcus pulled Ivy in closer to him. Ivy could feel him softly touching her body making her feel secure. He had let her take control of their lovemaking this time. She now understood why, he was showing her that she was never going to lose her control; just sometimes she needed to let him be the one to have control as he had just let her have it.

  She looked up at him and kissed him. She could still feel him deep inside her.

  “I promise Marcus.”

  Marcus closed his eyes and kissed her gently on the forehead in relief.

  “You are beyond beautiful Ivy.”

  Ivy blushed at the compliment, but began to feel the beauty of their love.

  Marcus lifted her up and sat her back down in his chair; he walked over to the washstand and cleaned himself up. He wetted a towel and knelt down in front of Ivy. He slid the washcloth between her thighs and cleaned her. Ivy hands shook as she straightened her dress back over her shoulders.

  He stood up and pulled her up from the chair.

  “Are you ready to go my love?”

  Ivy nodded her head. Her legs were still a bit unsteady from their lovemaking and she was nervous to see their families. She didn’t want to shame her father or his parents with her behavior. Also, she hoped that they wouldn’t find out about what she and Marcus had been doing on his ship. She did not want to be a disappointment to the people she loved.

  Marcus wrapped his fingers through hers as he felt her nervousness. He needed to reassure her that nobody would know of their lovemaking on his ship. That the secret would stay with them if he can.

  “Nobody will know Ivy; our lovemaking is only for us to know. Everyone will know that we are getting married because I realized that I can’t live without you. Now put on that beautiful smile of yours and let us go see our folks.”

  Ivy smiled her shy, sweet smile that Marcus had fallen in love with all those years ago, and laid her arm across his as he walked her out of his cabin. As they made their way up to deck he nodded to Sammy to put their plan of action into play. His crew moved around them blocking Ivy from any seeing eyes as they made their way off the ship and into his awaiting carriage. He didn’t want anybody seeing Ivy leaving his ship; he did not want to subject her to any rumors or for their enemies to see her. He told her that he would protect her at all cost and he would.

  Chapter 14

  When Ivy stepped into Thorn’s carriage she noticed her father and Katherine waiting for them. She broke down into tears as she went into her father’s arms.

  “I am so sorry to have worried you Papa,” Ivy cried.

  “It is all right my child. All that matters is that you are safe now,” her father comforted Ivy.

  She cried into his jacket as he wrapped her in his comforting arms patting her back gently. She didn’t think she was ever going to see him again when she had been taken. When her tears had come to an end, he reached inside his jacket and pulled out a handkerchief that she had embroidered for him with an M for Mallory. He wiped away her tears like he had when she was little and would get hurt from following the boys around in their mischief trying to keep up with them. She clutched at his hand not wanting to let go as he eased her head down to his shoulder. She laid there secure in her father’s love as the carriage started off for Thornhill.

  Thorn watched as Ivy drifted off to sleep in her father’s arms. She was exhausted from her ordeal and from his selfishness. He pushed her too far with their lovemaking these past few days when she should have been recovering from her illness. In the weeks to come he will keep his distances from her, so that she can make a full recovery before their wedding. Searching for Charles and stopping the plot of treason that was about to invade the shores of England will be taking most of his time.

  Ivy will be left in the care of his mother during this time. He can’t keep his hands to himself when he was around her and that is something that he must do, especially staying at Thornhill together before their wedding. His parents would not approve of anything more than him acting as a gentleman to Ivy and she deserved no less from him. He continued watching Ivy sleep wishing that she was in his arms instead. As much as he desired her, he only wanted to comfort her now.

  Katherine reached out and put her hand over Marcus’s hand and gently squeezed his fingers. She could see the love her son had for the gentle, sweet girl across from them. For as long as she could remember, she had thought of Ivy as her daughter and knew that she would be, one day. Marcus hasn’t told them of his plans for Ivy but Katherine knew a wedding would soon be in the works. She knew that Marcus loved Ivy all these years and that he stayed away for what he thought would be a benefit to Ivy. But Katherine also knew that Ivy loved Marcus just as deeply as he did for her. She had seen the girl with sadness in her eyes through the years as she missed him. Now the sadness would be gone and Katherine could see the love in them that she had seen when she witnessed their first kiss all those years ago.

  Marcus looked down at his mother’s hand on his, giving him quiet comfort. She knew of his love for Ivy all these years; even though she never said anything to him about it. But he could hear it in her letters that she sent him; telling him of the gentlemen that would court Ivy. Who Ivy would dance with at the balls and which would come for afternoon tea bringing her flowers. He knew that she wasn’t trying to make him jealous, just trying to make him confront his feelings, to come home and act on them. He would just ignore the letters, telling himself it was for the best, knowing that it really wasn’t. Turning to his side he wrapped his mother in a hug.

  “Welcome home Son.”r />
  “It is good to home Mother, good to be home.”

  He continued to watch Ivy slumber as they made their way to Thornhill. Nobody was speaking on what needed to be said, they just watched the young girl get her rest. Each one of them were deep in their own thoughts about her.

  They were not the only ones watching the young lady. The tall distinguished gentleman leaning against the tavern watched as Thorn maneuvered Ivy into his carriage. He would have to give it to Thornhill on keeping her leaving his ship as discreetly as possible. Anyone walking or riding by wouldn’t have noticed a single place out of the ordinary; but he was watching for her. He was glad that she was safe and that no harm had come to her. When he had found out about her abduction from the sea captain he was furious. She was never to come to any harm. Her life was now at stake and she was a threat to the operation. He was going to do everything in his power to keep her out of harm’s way if he could; but it also looked if he was going to have some help in that matter. He didn’t know if it was help but more of competition.

  Strolling over to his carriage, he told the driver to get them out of there before they were seen. He didn’t want anybody to know that he was in the area until he made his initial appearance. Feeling relief that the girl was safe for now, he started to plot his next plan of action to help keep her safe.

  Chapter 15

  When they arrived at Thornhill Manor, Ivy was still asleep in her father’s arms. Thorn stepped down from the carriage, reaching back inside, he swept Ivy into his arms to carry her inside. Ivy’s father was about to protest when he felt the gentle pressure of Katherine’s hand on his arm, the shake of her head to stay quiet and to let it be. George Mallory sighed and let go of his hold on Ivy. Thorn nodded his head at George and pulled Ivy closer. Ivy snuggled into his arms not waking up. George stepped out of the carriage and helped Katherine alight from the carriage. Katherine bustled past George and Thorn and ordered directions to the staff as the entered the manor.