Kane, Samantha - Brothers in arms 7 (3 page)

“Are you sure, Sarah?” Her father reached out and touched her hand. Sarah turned in surprise. He was a kind father, but theirs was not an overly demonstrative affection.

“You needn’t marry him if you don’t want to, Sarah girl.”

“Why would I not want to?” she asked with very real bewilderment.

Her father cleared his throat. “You don’t know him. We know
of
him, of course, and we know his business, but that’s not the same.” He sighed. “I worry, my dear, that I might not be doing the right thing to let you marry a stranger and go far from us.”

“Oh, Papa.” Sarah impulsively took his hand and squeezed it, and he squeezed back. “I’m sure, Papa.” She looked around at the pasture and back up to the house, content with her decision. “I can be happy here, I know I can.”

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Love’s Fortress

“I don’t want you to feel that you’re being forced into this.” Her father rubbed his cheek. “I know that your stepmother… Well, she doesn’t mean harm.”

Sarah felt sorry for him. He was in the middle, wasn’t he? It wasn’t that Sarah disliked her stepmother, but she disliked being replaced as the woman of the house.

Suddenly it wasn’t Sarah who was making the household decisions or caring for the children. And her stepmother was uncomfortable around Sarah. She tried to hide it, but Sarah’s mark upset her. It was best for everyone that she leave. “I know” was all she said.

She turned on the bench and looked at her father. “I have wanted this all my life, Papa. A place of my own, a family of my own. It is my decision and I think I have chosen wisely.”

Her father nodded. “I believe so.”

She looked away. “He could have anyone.” She was trying so very hard not to let her weak confidence ruin the day.

“Yes, he could.” Her father tugged on her hand and Sarah turned back to him. “But he was smart enough to wait for the perfect woman. He has chosen quite wisely as well.”

Sarah blushed with pleasure. On impulse she kissed his cheek. “Oh, Papa, I
will
be happy. I will.”

He patted her hand and they sat and watched the horses together until it was time to leave for the church.

* * * * *

The wedding ceremony was short and practical. Mr. North, Sarah thought with amusement, would have it no other way. She was almost giddy with relief when she realized the guests were few and seated behind them. She didn’t need to face his friends. She was pathetically grateful.

He had given her one more chance to politely bow out of the marriage. He’d asked to speak with her alone right before the ceremony and Mr. Matthews, the vicar, had offered them the small office next to the church.

“Miss Whitley,” Mr. North said, “I wanted to assure you that if you have had second thoughts during your absence, I will not hold you to our agreement.” For a moment Sarah panicked, thinking he was the one who had changed his mind.

Then he moved, ungainly on his crutches, to stand directly in front of the window, the bright morning sun on his ruined face. Sarah knew it was deliberate. He wanted her to see what she was getting. She looked at him in his somber wedding clothes of black coat and gray trousers, the width of his shoulders stretching the fine material, and the pinned-back trouser leg emphasizing the muscular thigh filling out the other leg. His look was direct, his mouth a harsh slash, the one corner turned down. She knew exactly what she was getting.

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Samantha Kane

She made sure he knew too. Before answering him she removed her bonnet and moved to stand in front of him in the sunlight. She smoothed her hair back and raised her face to his and saw a look in his eyes that could have been fear before he could tame it. When she answered, his face wore its usual mask of bland unconcern, all emotion leashed. But Sarah knew differently. She knew there was more underneath his calm.

And she understood it.

“Mr. North,” she answered firmly. “I do not wish to release you from our agreement. Indeed, I will not.”

He seemed taken aback for a moment and then an amused gleam entered his unusual eyes. It struck her that as composed as he appeared outwardly, his eyes would always give him away. They burned with a spirit that was anything but tame. A spirit that called to her own.

He nodded slowly in acknowledgment. “Very well, Miss Whitley,” he said. “Then let us get this business over with.” She nodded briskly, the picture of practicality. But when she walked back to the church beside him, slowing her steps to match his unsightly gait, she was rather sure he could hear the wild, nervous beat of her heart.

By the time they signed the register after their brief vows, the other guests had left the church for the wedding breakfast at Ashton Park. Sarah was breathless and excited and trying not to show it. She was a married woman. Married to the taciturn, scarred man who moved by her side. Chained to him for all eternity. Now, why didn’t that alarm her more? She grinned foolishly.

“I am glad to see that you are still smiling, Mrs. North,” a voice called out to them.

Sarah was startled. She’d thought they were the last ones to leave the church. She glanced over and saw Mr. Borden waiting for them beside the carriage that had brought her and her father to the church. He was smiling at them both but his look was guarded.

Mr. North stopped abruptly at the sound of Mr. Borden’s voice. He started walking again without acknowledging the other man. Sarah moved with him.

“And why would I not be smiling, Mr. Borden?” she answered, curious at the undercurrents between the two men. Here was the most unfamiliar ground in her new life. What was their relationship? They were inseparable it seemed, and yet continually at odds.

“Gideon’s unsmiling demeanor has been more than enough to wipe the smiles from many faces,” was Mr. Borden’s wry reply as he turned to open the carriage door.

Mr. North didn’t like that one bit, judging by the stiffening of his shoulders. Sarah wasn’t sure she did either. “Mine shall not be one of them, Mr. Borden,” she responded coolly. “Unlike others who maintain a wary distance, I am close enough to see the smile in his eyes.”

Mr. Borden spun back around to face her with an expression of shock on his face.

Mr. North stopped again and so did Sarah. He turned his head slowly to gaze at her with narrowed eyes. “My eyes smile?”

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Love’s Fortress

Sarah snorted. “You may frighten small children and animals, Mr. North, but you do not frighten me.” She raised an eyebrow, hoping she wasn’t taking her teasing too far. “Your eyes give you away. If you do not wish me to know how you feel, then I suggest you make every attempt not to look at me.”

Mr. North actually chuckled and a real smile crept across his face and then fell away. “Now why would I deny myself the pleasure of looking at you, Mrs. North?” he asked quietly. “I begin to have doubts that I will be able to retain any secrets from you, no matter what precautions I take.”

What an odd answer. Sarah felt herself blush at his insincere compliment. Pleasure looking at her, indeed. She humphed impatiently in response, earning another smile from Mr. North. She was learning. He appreciated her rather starchy, practical façade.

No weak-kneed, whimpering ninny for Mr. Gideon North. So when she felt that way, she had best conceal it well. “I am not a mind reader, Mr. North,” she told him crisply.

“I dare say a great many of your secrets are safe from me.”

Strangely enough he turned then to glance at Mr. Borden. But when Sarah followed the direction of his gaze, Mr. Borden had turned away. They resumed their uneven pace to the carriage.

“My apologies, madam,” Mr. Borden said rather stiffly. He refused to look at them.

“I didn’t realize you had come to know Mr. North quite so well yet.”

Sarah couldn’t contain her slight, rather wild laugh at his comment. Mr. Borden looked at her then, unusually enigmatic. “Mr. Borden, I do not know him at all. That is what marriage is for.”

He reluctantly smiled. “Ah, now the mystery is explained.” His face blanched as he realized how his comment could be taken as an insult. Sarah did not take offense. She knew he hadn’t meant it that way, as if Mr. North’s reasons for marrying her were a mystery.

“Is it?” she replied, amused at his consternation. “Then you must explain the mystery of marriage to me as well. For I believe I have gotten myself into a situation in which I have no practical experience to fall back on.”

They had reached the carriage and Sarah could see Mr. Borden’s eyes gleaming with amusement as he grinned widely, and beside her Mr. North tried to cover his laughter with a discreet cough.

“In the case of marriage, Mrs. North,” Mr. Borden said, offering his hand to help her into the carriage, “no experience is preferred.”

* * * * *

Sarah’s nerves were frayed to the breaking point. Mr. North’s friends and acquaintances had been extremely pleasant to her, but being the center of attention in a large group was not a comfortable situation for her. She had carried herself well thus far, she thought, but she knew she had to get away if only for a few minutes to gather 17

Samantha Kane

her composure. She did not wish to embarrass Mr. North by running screaming from their scrutiny, her skirts over her face.

“Would you care to walk through the garden with me?”

Sarah turned to see the Duchess of Ashland standing next to her, smiling in invitation. She nodded eagerly. “Yes, please. That would be lovely.”
Reprieved
, she rejoiced inwardly. The duchess locked their arms together and led her off down a well-used path, waving at Mr. Haversham as they went past him. Sarah watched Mr.

Haversham as his eyes followed the duchess. She knew he was the duke’s closest friend and obviously was close to the duchess as well. The two times Sarah had stayed here Mr. Haversham had been in residence, and from conversation she had overheard, Sarah understood that he lived here at Ashton Park with them.

The sunlight glinted off the duchess’s dark, curly hair. Sarah hadn’t said anything, but in the three weeks she was away the duchess had grown. She was clearly with child and yet still very attractive. She turned her smiling face and caught Sarah staring. Sarah blushed but the duchess just laughed.

“Yes,” she answered the unasked question. “We are expecting a new arrival sometime in October.”

“How wonderful,” Sarah said sincerely. “I am very happy for you and the duke.”

“Hmmm, yes, we are all very happy,” the duchess answered, looking away with a wistful smile.

Sarah got the feeling she was missing something, and she felt quite awkward and gauche. The duchess turned back, her ever-present smile in place.

“But today is your day, my dear,” she said, squeezing Sarah’s arm affectionately.

“Are you happy with North?”

Sarah blinked several times, confused by the question. “I have only just married him, Your Grace. I didn’t expect happiness quite so soon. He still has time to come up to snuff.”

The duchess laughed delightedly. “Oh, you will be good for him.”

“I hope so.”

The duchess pulled her to a stop in front of some garden chairs tucked away in a small bower protected from the sun by a rose-covered arch. She sat down and gestured Sarah into the other chair. “I find myself tiring rather easily these days.”

Sarah sat down. “I’m sorry. I should have taken your condition into consideration. I do appreciate your thoughtfulness, Your Grace.” The duchess looked at her inquiringly.

Sarah swallowed nervously and continued. “I know you must have seen my

discomfort. I do not often mingle among strangers, much less find myself the center of attention. It is…disconcerting.”

The duchess reached over and patted her hand. “You must call me Anne. We are neighbors now. We spend most of our time here at Ashton Park. So you see, we shall see a great deal of each other from now on.” She settled back in the chair rather 18

Love’s Fortress

inelegantly, her hands unconsciously going to her stomach. “And you mustn’t feel nervous about being around us, Sarah. We are very happy for North.” She was leisurely looking around the garden but turned then and snared Sarah with a serious expression.

“You must give him time, Sarah. North is… Well, he takes getting used to. But he means well. He tries to drive people away, you know. You mustn’t let him.”

Sarah laughed softly. “How odd. I always thought someone would be having this conversation with my future husband. ‘You must forgive Sarah, she simply avoids people. She is different, you know’.” The situation was turned backward and Sarah wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She still felt different, vulnerable, weak. North was the strong one. She shook her head.

Anne smiled. “You are different. But not in the way you think, Sarah.” She ran her finger along the arm of her chair. “You were not the first.”

Sarah was confused again. “The first what?”

“The first to answer his advertisement.” Anne clasped her hands over her stomach.

“The others, however, barely made it past the front door before Mr. Borden was ordered to usher them right out again. You are the only one he gave serious consideration to.”

Sarah wasn’t sure what to make of that. Because of her birthmark? She focused instead on something else the duchess had said. “What is the relationship between Mr.

North and Mr. Borden?”

Instead of answering Anne stood and held out her hand to Sarah, who rose and followed her as they began to walk back to the house. They walked in silence for a time and Sarah thought Anne would not answer her question. She was startled when Anne finally spoke.

“They met in the war.” Anne stopped and so did Sarah. They were on the edge of the garden, partially hidden by low-hanging branches and the curve of the path. They could see everyone in the garden, however. As if they sensed her presence, the duke and Mr. Haversham turned and scanned the trees for Anne. When they saw her they smiled and returned to their separate conversations. “Most of the men here met during the war, on the Peninsula.”

Anne paused as if waiting for Sarah to say something. “Is that where Mr. North served, on the Peninsula?”