Fortune Knocks Once (7 page)

She nodded her head slightly, smiled indulgently at him and gently lifted her face to place a delicate, tender kiss on his rough cheek.

“I made a good bargain when I married you, didn’t I Kitten?” Colin said.

“Do you know what you have done for me Charlotte? You’ve given me a life…my life. I’ll be able to take my rightful position with my people. How will I ever thank you?” He said the last almost under his breath.

Charlotte laughed derisively, shaking her head from side to side.

Not me, my money will do that. I have nothing to do with it.

“What? What do you mean, no?”

“Your p-p-people m-m-ay n-not accept m-me..n-not a m-m-marchioness.”

“Why would they not accept you? Because of your shabby clothing? That will quickly and easily be corrected?” he replied imperiously.

I am not like other people, other women. I can’t go out in Society, meet people, talk to them. I should have been honest with you before, before you married me.

“S-sorry,” she whispered quietly and tentatively.  He could barely hear her over the roar of the ocean and wind. “I am so sorry…I can’t talk.. I am awkward…not graceful…cannot move in Society… not what a marchioness should be. I am so sorry,” she whispered with big, round tears filling her eyes.

“Come now, Kitten. Stop. You happened to be exactly what the Marchioness of Ormonde needs to be right now.” He noticed her trembling and put one arm around her shoulder and drew her close.

“We will have enough work at the estate without worry about moving in Society. Let’s not borrow trouble, eh?” he murmured soothingly.

“Believe me, I am social enough for both of us. That I can handle. It’s worried about putting everything to rights in Ireland that I am. Will you help me with that?” he asked lifting her face to look into her eyes and gently stroking her cheek with his fingers.

“Of course,” she whispered, gazing at him adoringly.

After it got dark, and the stars in all their glory decorated the sky, they leaned against a mast and she softly sang childish lullabies to entertain him and sooth him to rest.

For most of the remainder of their journey, Colin and Charlotte maintained a vigil against the railing. She held his hand, soothed his brow, and fetched him water. Or, when he felt particularly bad, she relented and brought a mug of ale. He talked to her and she listened, loving the time they were together on deck, loving hearing about his life and loving him more with each moment that passed.

~~~

The wherry moved around a curve in the River Nore and the castle came into view, prompting Colin to grip Charlotte’s shoulder lightly and prompt, “There, that’s Kilkenny.”

Charlotte gasped. “Oh m-m-my goodness, m-m-my l-l-lord,” she exclaimed.

Perched on a hill, guarding the river crossing, Kilkenny Castle dominated the countryside as far as the eye could see. A massive grey-stone, curtain wall with drum shaped towers at each corner sat nestled between large trees.

The buildings of Kilkenny City were separated from the castle grounds by a wide expanse of parkland and sat clustered along the river.

How pleasing it is! I shall love living here. No one could be mean and cross and nothing awful could occur here – I am sure of it!

As they disembarked from the wherry and walked along the river toward the castle, Charlotte could not take her eyes from it.

“M-m-my l-l-lord, it’s so – so big and ma-ma-majestic.”

“I think you should call me by my Christian name, Charlotte,” he answered.

“What is it” she whispered distractedly, taking in the vast grounds and impressive castle as more and more of it was coming into view.

“Charlotte, don’t tell me you married me without knowing anything about me, including my name?” he asked with concern. Had she been so utterly without resources as to throw her lot in with someone about whom she knew nothing?

An uneasily feeling rose in his gut. He felt the stirrings of a strongly protective penchant developing toward his vulnerable young wife. Why he was so opposed to this feeling, he wasn’t quite sure. But he distinctly did not embrace it and his first instinct was to distance himself from it and from her.

“You had no idea what you were getting with me, did you?” he asked seriously.

Their marriage had happened so quickly he hadn’t thought of anything else but his own financial relief. He had not stopped long enough to consider what the future would hold and how he would handle this new person in his life. For so many years his only family had been Gil. Whatever was he going to do with her now?

“It’s Colin,” he said turning his head to stare out over the landscape.

“Colin,” she whispered softly making it sound like a prayer. “I-I l-like that,” she quickly added with enthusiasm.

“Well that is all well and good,” he said dryly. “Heaven help us if you didn’t like my name.”

Bloody hell! What did he know about being married? Taking care of another person?

The few marriages he had observed closely were respectful but without deep feelings on either side. Marriage is a matter of realizing advantages, yet keeping distance from each other, he thought. He had always felt that he would marry eventually – a marriage of convenience undertaken out of necessity. And then they would live their separate lives.

He gazed down at her. How would he get on with her?

She looked at him innocently, without replying, causing him to shake his head in exasperation. It was unnerving somehow when she looked at him like that, eyes wide and trusting, her face full of him as if he was all she needed or wanted.

He felt as if he should be treading carefully, minding her feelings, but how the blazes did he do that? Especially when she was so enticing in bed. He wasn’t going to pull back there!

Their sweet fuck the morning after their wedding was a great promise of future delights in the marriage bed. She had definitely surprised him there, he thoughtfully reflected. He felt his disposition brightening with thoughts of their last encounter and her eager and easy willingness with him.

He glanced over at her, taking in her shabby clothes, dirty now from the hard traveling. During the entire difficult trip her big brown eyes had been bright with happiness. A gentle shy smile graced her face most times and always when she gazed at him, even during his most cantankerous moments. Hell, even Gil, who didn’t like most people, had taken to her almost immediately.

He wondered at the way he quickened when he looked at her. Remembering their quick passion for each other he ached to touch her now. He gently took her hand in his and softly stroked her fingers. She ducked her head shyly and looked away.

They were walking through an extensive parkland area at the foot of sweeping stone stairs leading to a wide veranda area outside the entryway. The vegetation and garden plots were sadly overgrown, all gone to seed, weed-infested and obviously had been left to their own devices for far too long.

But to her the area looked beautiful.

“How m-m-many ser-ser-servants d-do you have,” she asked timidly, staring at the great building, rising three stories in front of her as they approached the entrance.

“Not many left I would imagine. Don’t really know for sure. They haven’t been paid in God knows how long. Many wandered away to other employment, not bothering to tell me they were leaving. I can’t really blame them. I haven’t been much of a lord and master in the past few years.

Colin guided her up the stone stairs, carefully pointing out areas with broken or missing stones and advising her to walk with care.

“I’ll dispatch Gil back to London tomorrow to retrieve ready cash for making good on servants’ wages and laying in supplies for work on the estate. I don’t want to lose any time getting the tenants’ cottages repaired. They likely can’t last another winter like the last one and what with spring here, we have so much to do.” He sighed in contemplation of the enormous task ahead.

As they walked into the castle into a long entrance corridor, Charlotte was struck by the immensity of the structure. Her insignificance in the face of Colin’s heritage flayed her composure and she found herself hard pressed to keep walking and not betray her growing dismay.

I can’t be a proper wife to him. He needs someone who can manage this estate, who can help him take his place in Society, who can give him everything he deserves.

Colin escorted her through the building, up an enormous staircase to what was to be her suite of rooms. Walking through the medieval castle, she noticed the dilapidated condition – everything was literally falling apart around them. Very little furnishings remained and she viewed room after room almost devoid of furniture, what little was there covered in sheets and dust.

I wonder if we shall be sleeping on the floor. Will he sleep with me?

She understood that is was not generally the practice of aristocratic couples to sleep in the same bed, sometimes not even in the same house for goodness sake, but she wanted to be with Colin at night, to sleep in his arms, to belong with him.

Will he agree? Will he welcome me to his bed or stay in mine?

There were so many questions filling her mind - and all were of him. Her entire body reacted when he looked at her now. She felt the tingling of desire and an ache of need when he was near. When he wasn’t near she existed in eager anticipation for the moment he would appear and turn her world head-over-heels and make all else fade from her thoughts.

He had left her in the master’s suite two hours ago when he went to find the remaining servants, check on the estate and settle into being home again. Now he sauntered into the room, removing his shirt as he addressed her, “I have asked cook to prepare dinner and serve in here tonight.”

Charlotte had wandered around the enormous building and despite worrying that she might get lost, had arrived back in the large bed chamber just before Colin.

“We are both exhausted from traveling. We’ll have a nice meal here and then get to bed early. Tomorrow the hard work starts. We’ll have to fetch and carry for ourselves in many cases. I am afraid most of the house servants have left for better situations.”

“I am used to d-d-doing f-for m-m-myself, m-m-my l-l-lord.”

I’m no indulged miss. I mean to help you, no coddling and pampering required for me. I may not be everything you need me to be, but give me some credit. At least recognize I can be some help to you.

Colin slowly walked over to where Charlotte was standing, “Remember, it’s Colin. I don’t feel like a lord, never have really. Hard to believe it’s such a short time since you so boldly invaded my house and carried me off,” he chuckled.

A warm feeling spread slowly from his stomach forcing out all thoughts of work and repair. “No, I have no reason to believe you need coddling. And a good thing it is, too. Even with your vast fortune it will be some time before we have the wherewithal for that.” He stroked her face tenderly and she turned her face into his hand and kissed his fingers.