All the Sweet Tomorrows (97 page)

“I do not mind your dabbling in trade, madam, but I will not give you shelter and then have you use your O’Malley ships against me.”

There was a time when Skye would have rebelled against such an edict, but not now. She was wonderfully content with Adam and all her children, and she wanted peace in her life at last. She wrote to her brothers in Ireland telling them of her decision to appoint Michael the O’Malley. To Michael and to Anne, she wrote the reasons for her decision. To her three younger brothers, she explained her decision simply by saying that they had too much to do rebuilding their wealth to be bothered with the care of their people. With her letters went the Queen’s patents for privateering that the O’Malley brothers had desired.

Several days after Twelfth Night Skye and Adam had left London with Deirdre and Velvet to travel to their new home. Bran Kelly intended to sail in convoy with Robbie to the Far East, a voyage that would keep them out of England for two to three years. Daisy, therefore, decided to stay with Skye, and packing up her two sons and her elderly mother-in-law, she came
along. Dame Cecily, also getting along in years though she vigorously denied it, was persuaded to close up Wren Court and come to live with the de Mariscos.

“Haven’t you always been mother to me and grandmother to my children since I arrived in England?” Skye had demanded. “I would worry myself to death if you stayed alone down in Devon.”

“I have stayed alone most of my life, dearest Skye,” the old woman protested weakly.

“But I need you, Dame Cecily,” Skye replied, and she smiled coaxingly.

“Well, if you are sure you need me …”

“Oh, I do!”

“We both do,” Adam had said, putting an arm about Dame Cecily.

Skye now smiled to herself as she remembered how the tears had filled Dame Cecily’s eyes. They were all so fortunate to have each other! She stood before Queen’s Malvern, and she knew with certainty that she had at last come home.

“You’re happy,” Adam said quietly.

“Yes,” she answered, taking his hand. “I’m happy, Adam, my darling. Do you realize that this is our first
real
home? We are home at long, long last, my Adam!”

“Yes,” he replied.
“Our home!
Our home for now, and for all the sweet tomorrows!” Adam de Marisco bent and kissed Skye with a deep and passionate kiss. Then sweeping his wife up into his arms, he carried her through the open door of Queen’s Malvern and into their home. Their home for now and all the sweet tomorrows.