The Ice Queen

by Sasha Cottman

  The harbormaster took a little bit of convincing, and a small fee, before he agreed to have extra ropes tied to the yacht ensuring that it could not leave. It was only after Francis made pointed mention of his friendship with the Prince of Wales that the deal was finally sealed.

  “Mind you, I can only guarantee that my men will stand guard until the evening tide. Without any legal reason for keeping the boat in harbor, I am already stretching the limits of my authority,” said the harbormaster.

  With that particular task sorted, Julian’s attention now turned to that of convincing his mother that it was in her best interest to put an end to the matter of the Crusader Ruby.

  They followed the harbormaster and his men to the docks. As soon as the dockhands began to lash extra ropes over the yacht and lock them in place, an almighty row broke out.

  The captain of the yacht was none too pleased to be told he would not be sailing with the late morning tide, and went off in search of his master. The count soon returned, followed by his wife.

  “What the devil is going on?” shouted the count.

  The countess’s eyes grew wide as she and Julian locked gazes. She clenched her fists and shook her hand in his direction. “You have no right to stop us!” she bellowed.

  Her husband tried to take his wife by the arm, but she batted his hand away. The countess stood with her hands on her hips and glared at her son.

  Julian smiled back. “Mother dearest, you have it all wrong. I am not here to stop you leaving; I am here to invite you to my wedding, which is taking place here this morning.”

  She huffed angrily. “Don’t be ridiculous, Newhall. Nobles do not get married in Brighton! And even if you do, I won’t be coming.”

  Julian pointed toward the harbormaster and the crew. Despite the protests of the yacht’s captain, the extra ropes were being locked in place.

  “You will if you wish to sail today. The Bishop of London and his niece are waiting for us at St Nicholas’s church,” he replied.

  Francis sidestepped the furious Countess of Lienz and walked directly up to the count. He bowed low and introduced himself. “My name is Francis Saunders. I have travelled through the night with my family and friends in the cause of love. Love that has seen my sister Caroline give up her long-held dream of a wedding at St Paul’s cathedral in order to support the man she loves. Your highness, I ask that you intercede on behalf of both that love, and the sense of justice that I know a man such as yourself would understand.”

  The count looked to his wife, who vehemently shook her head.

  “Wait here,” said the count.

  When he turned and headed back to the boat, the countess scuttled after him, huffing loudly.

  Until that moment, Julian had never fully appreciated Francis Saunders’s negotiating skills, but his opinion was forever sealed when the count returned a few minutes later, holding a box in his hands.

  Julian held his breath and hoped.

  “It is time to end this disgraceful row. My wife and I would be honored to attend your wedding,” said the count. He handed the box to Julian, who took it with trembling hands.

  Julian unlocked the box and peeked inside. He closed it again and held it tight. “Thank you.”

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  “Not exactly the place I expect you ever thought you would find yourself getting married in.” Hugh Radley had spoken with the minister of St Nicholas’s, and arrangements for the wedding were moving ahead with speed. It was not every day that the Bishop of London arrived on the doorstep, special licence from the Archbishop of Canterbury in hand, and asked to perform an impromptu wedding service.

  The minister’s wife had offered her services and helped Caroline pin her mother’s tiara back into place. She had also kindly cut some red roses from her nearby garden and fashioned them into a small posy. Caroline tied the flowers off with a cream ribbon she had brought with her in her travel bag.

  With everything at the church now all in readiness, she sat quietly in a pew and contemplated the fact that very soon she would be Julian’s wife. “I wonder how Julian and the others have got on. I, for one, cannot see the countess coming quietly.”

  “But she is, and I have the necklace,” replied Julian.

  She turned to see him, along with Francis and James, march into the church. In Julian’s hands was a box. Trailing behind them were the Count and Countess of Lienz. The countess had a face like thunder.

  Caroline turned away and indulged in a private grin. Julian had succeeded against his mother.

  With everyone now in attendance, the bishop called them all to gather at the front of the altar.

  “Now this will not be a conventional wedding service. The groom has asked that I keep it simple so that their royal highnesses may sail with the next tide.”

  Francis took hold of Caroline’s hand, assuming his father’s place in giving away the bride. “Well done, Caro. Julian is a lucky man. I know you will make both an excellent countess and wife.”

  She could have sworn that she saw a tear in his eye as he placed her hand in Julian’s and stepped back to stand alongside James. Caroline looked across at Julian. He grinned at her and her heart soared. Knowing he was happy made the sacrifice of not having her parents in attendance and a full cathedral wedding worth it.

  Partway through the short service, her uncle stopped and looked up from the common book of prayer.

  “I don’t suppose anyone thought to bring a wedding ring, did they?” he asked.

  The Countess of Lienz huffed. “That is what happens when you don’t do these things properly.”

  Caroline bit down on her lip as Julian pulled the box containing her grandmother’s ring from his coat pocket.

  He handed it to the bishop. “Our families are in full support of this union, so of course we have a ring. A Saunders family heirloom, which will sit perfectly next to the betrothal ring I chose for my wife.”

  The countess said nothing at the obvious insult directed at her. Julian did not consider his mother to be part of his family.

  The bishop blessed the ring and handed it back to Julian. When Caroline held out her hand, he turned it over and lifted it to his lips kissing the scar. It would always serve as a reminder of how their love had first begun.

  Caroline watched through tears as Julian placed the ring on her finger and offered his vow. “With this ring, I thee wed. With my body, I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

  “I now pronounce you, man and wife.”

  Before anyone could step forward to offer their congratulations, Julian held up his hand. He retrieved the jewel box from a nearby pew then, turning to his mother, he offered it to her.

  With a loud, indignant huff, she stepped forward. Julian opened the box, and after a moment’s hesitation, the countess took out the diamond- and ruby-encrusted necklace.

  As she caught sight of the Crusader Ruby, Caroline finally understood why her new husband had been so insistent upon securing its return. The version of it she had seen in the painting paled into insignificance against the magnificence of the real jewel.

  The sunlight which streamed in through the upper windows of the church caught the rubies, and it was as if they had been set alight. Red fire glowed deep within them. A hum echoed in the church as the small gathering took in the sheer splendor of the ancient piece.

  The countess lifted the Crusader Ruby and, as Julian stepped back, she placed it around Caroline’s neck, securing the double clasp.

  As the heavy weight settled on her chest, Caroline touched the main ruby with her finger. “I have never seen anything like it,” she murmured.

  “It is yours to keep and protect for our family,” said Julian.

  The necklace had returned to its rightful place in the hands of the Earl and Countess of Newhall. A priceless gift to his new wife.

  “I expect you consider this a victory over me, but you will ne
ver do the rubies justice the way I did whenever I wore the necklace. You will always be a poor imitation of me,” said the countess. As always, she had her thoughts centered on herself.

  But Caroline’s heart lay elsewhere. “You have it so wrong. None of this was ever about you. Everything that I have done today was for Julian. For my husband, and our future children.”

  The countess scowled, then turned her attention to her son.

  Chapter Fifty-Seven

  Julian waited. His mother would no doubt be determined to have the last word. She lifted a gloved hand to his face and rubbed her thumb on his cheek. He steeled himself for a motherly kiss, one purely for public consumption.

  “You look so much like your father that I cannot abide it,” she said. Her hand dropped and she turned to her husband. “Now can we leave? And if those ropes are not gone from the yacht by the time we return, I shall take a knife to them myself.”

  The Count of Lienz gave a perfunctory nod toward the newly married couple, then took hold of his wife’s arm. They walked from the church in silence. But as soon as they were outside, everyone heard the countess as she began to tear strips off her husband for having handed over her most valued prize.

  “Safe journey,” Julian muttered, as a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. If his mother had thought to disappoint him one last time, she had failed.

  The countess was gone, and with her went the memories of that small boy who had never known his mother’s love. The grown man that boy had now become had an adoring and devoted wife by his side. Someone who would give her love to him unconditionally.

  Together they would fill Newhall Castle with children, and its walls would echo with their laughter. Lady Margaret would be his children’s paternal grandmother. And his home would finally be filled with happiness.

  “Righto. So now all that is done and dusted, can we please go and have some breakfast?” asked James.

  Francis chuckled. “And some champagne. In fact, Papa’s best French champagne awaits us. He always said he was saving it for our weddings. It is not my fault that he won’t get to partake in any of it this morning. Come on Caroline.”

  Julian held out his hand, offering it to Francis with a mischievous smile. “You should address my wife as Lady Newhall from now on.”

  Caroline kept a straight face for all of two seconds as Francis bowed low before his sister. “The one and only time, Lady Newhall,” he said.

  Hugh Radley ushered everyone out of the church, leaving Caroline and Julian to a moment of privacy.

  Julian ran his fingers over the precious jewels of the Crusader Ruby. “It suits you. Especially with the color of your hair.”

  “It is heavy. Could you please take it off?” she replied.

  He reluctantly took the necklace from his wife’s neck and placed it back in the box. “Only if you wear it to bed tonight,” he growled.

  From the moment he had set eyes on it, Julian had been making plans to strip Caroline naked on their wedding night, leaving her wearing only the necklace. The thought of watching the firelight reflect in the diamonds and rubies as he brought his new bride to completion had him licking his lips in anticipation.

  She wickedly smiled back at him. “We are in church, my dear husband. Behave yourself.”

  Chapter Fifty-Eight

  Julian bent and placed the half empty bottle of champagne on the sand, twisting it so that it sat upright and none of the precious bubbles were lost.

  Caroline stood on the water’s edge, staring out to sea. He placed his arms around her and kissed the back of her neck. She lay against him and they stood for a time, silently watching the boats out in the harbor.

  The Count of Lienz’s yacht had already been far out to sea by the time the newlyweds made their way down to the beach. When it finally disappeared from view, Caroline gave a soft sigh of relief. Lienz was a long way from London, and she would count that blessing every day.

  “So now what are we to do?” she asked.

  Julian nipped the top of her ear with his teeth and murmured, “Well, my beautiful bride, we do have a hotel room at our disposal. And I am sure the others can find something to amuse themselves with while you and I discuss the matter of your role as Countess Newhall.”

  She turned and placed a soft, inviting kiss on her husband’s lips. “Well then, husband of mine, let us take our champagne and adjourn to the hotel. Though I promise that once I have you all to myself, there will only be one topic of discussion.”

  Julian pulled Caroline into his arms and kissed her deeply. Her body was warmed by the morning sun, and she luxuriated in his embrace. His love had given her the strength to leave her cold and lonely existence.

  She was the Ice Queen no more.

  Epilogue

  James held the bottle to his lips and took a long appreciative drink. His uncle Charles certainly knew his champagne. After he had finished, he offered the bottle to Julian who politely declined.

  “Caroline and I are going to head over to the hotel and get settled in.”

  He looked at his new wife and smiled. James averted his gaze for a moment. It was wonderful that the newly weds had succeeded in their plans, but he felt his dark mood descending once more.

  “The best of luck to the two of you. Will we see you later for supper?” he asked.

  Caroline stepped forward and after placing a soft kiss on her cousin’s cheek, she whispered in his ear. “Yes, but not before then, and it will be a very late supper.”

  As Julian and Caroline made their way from the beach toward the hotel, James lifted the champagne bottle and saluted them.

  “Congratulations Lord and Lady Newhall, may you have many long and happy years together.”

  He turned and went back to staring out to sea. The empty beach was the perfect place for him. Away from people he could find solace in the waves as they washed back and forth to the shore. The odd small boat bobbed up and down just off shore.

  His father and Francis had decided a second visit to the port authority office was in order after the assistance they had received earlier that morning in dealing with the Count and Countess of Lienz. James did not accompany them, being more than content to remain on the beach and drink champagne.

  He pulled a cheroot out of his coat pocket and lit it. With a smoke in one hand and a bottle of the finest French champagne in the other, any man would feel on top of the world. But not James Radley.

  While he was happy for Caroline in having secured the future of her choice, he admitted to himself that he was more than a little envious of his cousin.

  “At least someone has found happiness,” he muttered.

  At the sight of his father and Francis returning to the beach, he quickly stubbed out the cheroot and stuck the remains of it in his pocket. His father did not hold with such vices.

  “Hey ho! Did the love birds abandon you on the beach?” said Francis.

  James mustered a smile and offered Francis the bottle of champagne. “They left only a few minutes ago. Promised they would see us at a late supper. How did things go with the port master?” he asked.

  Francis took a swig of the champagne. “Very good. He was most understanding. Especially when he discovered who the gentleman was that had accompanied me.”

  Hugh Radley chortled. “People are suddenly on their best behavior when they are introduced to me. All the nannies in the land must tell their small charges stories of the frightful Bishop of London, and the terrible things I will do to them if they misbehave. It’s either that, or no one has ever thought to tell me that I look like a ferocious highland boar.”

  James smiled at his father. Behind his professional façade there was a warm and loving man.

  “So, what are our plans? Caroline and Julian look likely to stay on in Brighton for a few days, but I doubt if they would want our company,” said James.

  “Back to London first thing tomorrow,” replied Hugh and Francis in unison.

  James nodded, it was to be expected. And
much as he wished it, he couldn’t hide out in Brighton forever. Four days from now he was to host a bachelor dinner for Guy Dannon on the eve of his wedding. Five days from now he would be standing in the church to support his best friend as he prepared to marry Leah Shepherd.

  Leah Shepherd the odd girl who James had struggled to accept was the right woman for Guy. From the first time he had met her, she had done everything to gain his friendship. Yet no matter what she did, it tore him to see her and Guy together.

  Something inexplicable had always made James wish she was someone else. That Leah Shepherd had not been the woman Guy had chosen for his bride. When the truth of his discomfort finally surfaced, he was faced with an impossible situation.

  A bright light had sparked within him and now lived deep within his soul, warming him to his core. He knew it intimately. He even knew its name. That one heartbreaking little word.

  Love.

  While Francis emptied the last of the champagne, James made a silent vow to drink himself to the bottom of many bottles over the next few days. Anything that would dull the pain of having to stand up in church and watch his best friend marry the woman he loved.

  Thank you so much for reading this story and I hope you loved it as much as I did when I wrote it.

  Sasha xxx

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