Rescued By the Captain

by Laura A. Barnes

  “I’ve put her in the Rose Room Thorn,” Katherine directed Thorn where to go.

  Thorn climbed the stairs to the bedroom wing of the house. Katherine followed at a discreet distance. They had to follow the correct protocol now, so that there would be no rumors attached to Ivy. As much as Thorn wanted to be alone with Ivy, Katherine was not going to allow it, until they were wed. Katherine followed Thorn into the bedroom, watching as he laid Ivy on the bed, pulling the quilt up over her and gently tucking her into bed. Katherine stood looking out the window, giving Thorn a moment alone with Ivy.

  Thorn understood why his mother had to stay in the room with him and he thanked her for whatever privacy she could give him. He sat on the edge of the bed, brushing the hair from Ivy’s forehead and leaned down to kiss her. His lips brushed her lips softly, lingering but for a moment. He watched Ivy’s eyelids flutter open. Seeing the slight confusion, he reached for her hand. He saw her about to speak and squeezed her hand Putting his finger to her lips, he nodded over at Katherine and saw that Ivy understood. He opened her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. His lips lingering, then he closed her palm, bringing it to his heart and then to hers, hoping that she understood the meaning. He saw that she did when she smiled sweetly at him and could feel her hand close tighter around the kiss.

  Katherine turned around and witnessed the exchange of love between her son and Ivy. She hated to end this, but Thorn had been in here long enough. It was time for him to leave, before the staff began to talk. They needed to quell the rumors that were floating around about Ivy, not create new ones.

  “Thorn, your father and George will be waiting for you in your father’s study, I will see to Ivy dear,” Katherine reassured Thorn.

  Thorn nodded his head, walked over to his mother, and wrapped her in his arms.

  “Thank you Mother for everything that you have done.” Thorn turned and walked out of the room.

  Ivy watched as Thorn exited the room. She wished she could call out for him to stay with her, but knew that she couldn’t. So much was going to happen and she wanted his comfort through it all. She could feel that he was putting distance between them. Opening her hand that she was squeezing so tightly, she starred at it like she could actually see the kiss that Marcus had left. She raised her palm up and pressed it to her heart feeling the power of the kiss to her soul.

  She raised her eyes to see Katherine watching her; she quickly lowered her hand and swept it under the quilt that Marcus had laid over her. Katherine walked over to Ivy and sat down next to her, pulling her into her arms, softly stroking her hair. Ivy relaxed in her arms, feeling the love of a mother that Katherine was always able to give to her. They didn’t talk and Katherine continued to comfort Ivy, waiting for Ivy to confide in her like she always did. But Ivy felt sleepy at the gentleness of Katherine’s touch and could feel herself drifting back to sleep. She wanted to tell Katherine all that had happened but just felt so overwhelm with emotion that she didn’t know where to begin. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply.

  Katherine could feel Ivy dozing off in her arms. She laid her back against the pillows and smiled down at her sleeping form. She knew that Ivy must have been through quite an ordeal. Drawing the quilt back over Ivy, she went to sit at the chair near the bed. She would watch over her, like the daughter she was never able to have and protect her with her heart and soul. She would be here for her when Ivy awoke, ready to listen and comfort her as she was needed.

  Thorn made his way down to his father’s study. The last time he had been in this room, was the last time he had seen his father. It would also be the about the same subject that they had argued about all those years ago. Ivy. He now understood what his father was trying to tell him. It didn’t make it any easier, but he was no longer angry with him.

  His father had thought that Ivy was too young for him. He wanted Thorn to wait a few years, when he was more settled with this life before he persuaded Ivy to marry him. His father said that Thorn still had a few wild oats to sow and that it wasn’t fair to put Ivy in the middle of it. She was too young, sweet and innocent for the wildness that Thorn was living in his life at the time. He knew that both of his parents considered Ivy the daughter they never had.

  Also, he did not want his deep friendship with Ivy’s father George ruined because of a brief infatuation that Thorn was feeling for Ivy for the time being. He argued with his father that what he felt for Ivy was real and not an infatuation. But his father had seen how Thorn was with women and would not let him anywhere near Ivy to even hurt her. He said that Ivy deserved to enjoy the London season, to be courted by many men and to have her own choice.

  Everybody had known how Ivy felt about Thorn. She had worn her heart on her sleeve, but she was too young to truly know her feelings and it wasn’t fair for Thorn to build upon those feelings then to leave her. Because leave her he was going to in the end. He had already made his commitment to his country, he was leaving to fight in the war that was tearing his country apart. He wanted Ivy to wait for him, even though he knew it wasn’t fair for him to do so. That is why he had found her in the garden; he was angry with his father from their fight and wanted her gentleness to soothe his soul before he left. After the kiss they shared it only enflamed him to want more. But it was also the kiss that made him realize that his father was right. It was his anger at his father that made him hurt Ivy like he did; when he rejected her love.

  He knew that when he walked into his father’s study he would see the same disappointment in his eyes, but he was his own man now and he would make the decisions for Ivy and himself. Pausing outside the door, he drew a deep breath as he laid his head against the heavy oak door.

  It was hard leaving Ivy like he did, not telling her how he felt. He wanted to reassure of his love, but didn’t want his mother to listen to what he had to say. Before he could whisper words of his love, he remembered the promise he made to himself in the carriage about giving her the time to heal. Time that he should have on his ship, but that he didn’t. He would let Katherine see to her comfort while he tried to find Charles and end the treason that was coming to their shores. Shoving open the door to the study, he strolled in to confront his and Ivy’s father.

  His father was standing near the fireplace with a glass in his hand and was talking to George Mallory who was sitting in a nearby armchair. Both men stopped talking when he walked into the room and watched him come closer to them. His father reached behind him and lifted another glass off the fireplace mantle and handed it to him.

  “You look like you could use one of these Son,” Hamilton Thornhill noted.

  Thorn reached for the glass and drank the fiery whiskey down in one shot. He moved to the liquor cabinet, poured himself another and carried it over and sank down in the chair opposite of George. He nursed this drink a little slower as he waited for the questions to start.

  “Thank you Father, I guess I did.”

  “How is Ivy?” George asked Thorn.

  “She is resting; Mother is staying with her. She will take good care of her.”

  “What happened to my girl and how did you get involved in all of this? There is talk and now she is ruined.”

  “She is not ruined and will never be. We are getting married and that is all there is to it.”

  “Explain yourself Thorn,” Hamilton said.

  “I have asked Ivy to marry me and she has consented.”

  “You have yet to ask me; to get my permission. You are not what Ivy needs. She needs somebody who will be home with her and make a family. Not somebody who is out there facing danger on a ship at any opportunity that he gets.”

  “I am what Ivy needs and what she wants. We love each other. I am resigning my commission after this last assignment and I will always be there for Ivy; for the rest of our lives. Anyway, it is too late to ask for your permission, what’s done is done and there is no time to delay.”

  “What do you mean it is too late?” George and Hamilton asked at the same time.
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  “I mean that she is mine and I have made her so.” Thorn smiled secretly to himself as he remembered how he had made her his.

  George came out of his seat, red in the face and advanced towards Thorn. He reached out and pulled at Thorn’s cravat pulling him towards him.

  “Are you saying what I think you are saying? Did you ruin my precious daughter?” George asked Thorn angrily.

  Thorn sat there not answering George. He was not going to tarnish Ivy’s reputation. He did not see it as ruination; he saw it as a precious gift of their love for each other. Also, George deserved his anger towards Thorn. Ivy did deserve better. The man had to have been worried sick about Ivy and he was still worried over Charles. Only one of his children had been brought home to him.

  “George, let him go. This is not solving anything. You know more than anybody here that those two were going to get married eventually. Well it looks like the time has finally come. Was it done the proper way? No, but Ivy will get the wedding she deserves. Hell old man, we have been planning this since the day she was born.” Hamilton said as he pulled George off Thorn.

  Thorn rose and walked to the windows, loosening his cravat. He starred outside as he thought of the right words to say to George, to ease his mind. Running his fingers through his hair, he rubbed the back of his neck. He turned around and walked back over to George.

  “George, I love Ivy with all my heart and I promise to make every day of her life happier than the day before. Will you please give us your permission to marry?” Thorn reached out his hand for George to shake.

  “Yes, and if you don’t hold on to that promise; I will make your life miserable in any way that I can.” George shook Thorn’s hand.

  Thorn nodded his head at George. Hamilton joined them in the hand shaking and offering congratulations.

  “What a homecoming this is turning out to be. It is good to have you home son. You have been away too long.” Hamilton hugged Thorn.

  “It is good to be home Father.”

  “Well now that we got that bit of business done about finally making Ivy my daughter; let’s get to the rest of this nasty business. What do you know about Charles’s disappearance?” Hamilton asked Thorn.

  Thorn sat down again and explained to them on what Ivy had told him about her disappearance and how the last time she had seen Charles alive. They discussed how Charles had yet to be seen and that a body had not been discovered. Thorn told them about the run in with the sea captain Shears and his threats about Ivy. He told them how he wanted Ivy under guard always and that she was never to be left alone. They all agreed that staying at Thornhill Manor was for the best thing for her. Thorn outlined the places he thinks that Charles might be hiding at and that at first light tomorrow he would set out to find him. They discussed the treason that was happening and the steps that the Crown was taking to bring it down. Thorn found out more on how Margate had become a central location because of its ports.

  “What is the Crown doing to stop this from happening now that Charles is missing?” Thorn asked.

  “As soon as we knew that you were in port, I sent a message to the other agent involved in this and he will be here in a couple of days. When he arrives, we will put together a plan to bring down Shears and the other traitors involved in this conspiracy,” Hamilton explained to Thorn.

  “Who is this other agent and can he be trusted?” Thorn inquired.

  “We don’t know who he is, but Charles trusted him with his life. We sent word to the War Office to have him located, to be sent here immediately. He is the only other one that knows where the shipments are being held and the names of the families involved,” George explained.

  “Well until he shows, I will try to locate Charles. Did you bring his papers with you George? I will look through them and see if I can find out any clues.”

  “No, I didn’t think about that. I was too concerned over Ivy to think about anything else. I will return home now and be back for dinner. When I return, I will have Charles’s papers, some clothing for Ivy and her maid.”

  “Sounds like a good plan gentleman. How about we enjoy a good cigar before you leave, to celebrate and you can tell us your plans for after the wedding Thorn,” Hamilton stood and walked over to his desk for his cigars.

  Chapter 16

  When Ivy awoke again, her room was dark with shadows. The sun had set and the moon and stars were shining in through her open window. Ivy sat up in bed and looked around the familiar room. This was her favorite room at Thornhill Manor. It was called the Rose Room, because it looked over Katherine’s rose garden. In the summer time you could always smell the fresh roses from below. Ivy inhaled in the fresh fragrance and felt herself relax for the first time in days. This room, this house always calmed her and she felt safe here. She relaxed back against the pillows and noticed for the first time Katherine sitting in the chair next to her bed. Katherine was smiling at her.

  “This has always been your favorite room, hasn’t it my dear?” Katherine asked Ivy.

  “Yes, I’ve always loved this room.”

  Katherine got up from the chair and sat down next to Ivy on the bed. She reached for Ivy’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She brushed the hair back from Ivy’s face.

  “How are you feeling dear? You have been through such an ordeal.”

  Ivy overcome with emotion of the last few days catching up with her and the gentleness of Katherine’s touch, started to cry. Too choked up to speak, she laid her head on Katherine’s shoulder continued to cry. Katherine pulled her in close and let Ivy give away to her emotions. Katherine knew only a few of the details that Ivy had endured and knew that she needed time to heal. She held her until Ivy calmed down. When Ivy pulled away, she wiped her face with her hands. Katherine held out her handkerchief for Ivy to dry her eyes.

  “Start at the beginning my dear and take your time,” Katherine soothed Ivy.

  “I don’t know where to begin and where to end. So much has happened. So much is going to happen. I’m frightened but so happy at the same time. Is that even possible?” Ivy asked.

  “Yes, it is all possible with what you have been through.”

  “Before I even begin, I want to tell you how sorry I am that I deceived you in London. I was desperate to get word to Charles and I should never have left you like I did. I never meant to worry you.”

  “Oh, Ivy all is forgiven. I am just glad that you were found safely and that Thorn was able to bring you home.”

  Ivy blushed when Katherine mentioned Thorn’s name. It brought back all the memories they shared on his ship. How was she to tell Katherine everything, when most of those moments were private? She knew that Katherine was going to guess; with the way that Ivy kept blushing.

  Ivy began to tell Katherine of when they were at the ball the conversation that she overheard about the threat to Charles’s life. She told her how she made it back to Margate and the fight she had with Charles that led to her being kidnapped. Ivy told Katherine the horrors of being held on Captain Shears’ ship. Then she told her about the young boy Tommy that helped saved her life.

  “I don’t know what the fates had in store for me, but they were looking out for me when Thorn found me. If it wasn’t for him I would have died out there at sea. He even nursed me back to health on his ship.”

  “He was at the right place at the right time.”

  “Katherine, did you know?”

  “Know what dear?”

  “That he has loved me all these years.”

  Katherine nodded her head, “I had a feeling he did.”

  “Why did you never say anything to me?”

  “He never confided in me. But I always let him know how you were. He was fighting his feelings towards you, but I wouldn’t let him win.”

  “He asked me to marry him and he told me that he loved me.”

  “And what did you say?”

  Ivy smiled shyly, “I told him yes and that I loved him too.”

  Katherine let out a deligh
tful laugh and pulled Ivy in for a tight hug.

  “Well finally you are going to get to be my daughter at last. I didn’t think that boy was ever going to get around to it.”

  Ivy laughed along with Katherine. She felt such joy sharing this with Katherine. She was the mother that she never had.

  “I promise I will take good care of him Katherine. I will make him so happy.”

  “Oh Ivy dear, don’t you know that you’ve always made him happy. I know how much you love him and I take great comfort from that. Now don’t you think we can stop this Katherine business and you can start calling me Mother?”

  “Yes, Mother.”

  “Well we have much planning to do then my dear. We have a betrothal ball and a wedding to get planned. How exciting this is going to be.”

  “We have to find Charles first. I can’t get married without knowing where he is.”

  “Of course my dear; but we will leave that to the men and we will keep ourselves occupied with our plans. You just leave everything to Thorn; he will find Charles and settle all this unrest happening.”

  Ivy stayed quiet and let Katherine discuss the plans for the ball and wedding. She was not going to stay out of the men’s way and not help them find Charles. She knew just as many of his hiding places that Thorn did. She couldn’t stay put and not help, that made her feel so helpless. She could ride over the lands and look for Charles. If she didn’t leave the estate grounds, then she wouldn’t be in any danger of Captain Shears and his men. Thorn couldn’t get mad if she just went for daily rides, nobody had to know what she was really doing. Then she would feel like she was helping.

  “Well since we are on the subject of weddings. Now is better time than any since we are alone to talk to you about what happens on the wedding night. It is a very beautiful thing that happens.”