Part 47 (1/2)

”You will catch cold,” he said, standing and laying the quill aside.

He had a night's growth of beard upon his jaw, his ruffled s.h.i.+rt was open at the throat and lower, and it was also rumpled. Virginia's heart skipped a beat or two. He looked dangerous, disreputable and terribly seductive.

She came into the room and went to stand before the fire, her back now to him. She felt his gaze upon her, dared not look back, and then heard him walk over to her. She finally glanced up at him; he glanced down at her. She saw that he held a throw in his hands. ”May I?”

She nodded, her throat now constricted, and he settled the dark red wool rug over her shoulders. The fire was hot and she was considerably warmed.

”What is it you wish to speak about at five-thirty in the morning?” There was some dry amus.e.m.e.nt in his tone.

”Our marriage,” she managed.

He nodded, his jaw tight, the light in his eyes flaring.

She hesitated. Her parents had based their marriage on the truth. ”I debated running away again and decided against it.”

He leaned on the mantel. ”Go on.”

”Therefore, my intention is to make the best of our situation.”

”That is reasonable,” he nodded.

”How shall we get along? Once, we were almost friends,” she blurted, more nervous than before. She swallowed hard and reached for his hand. As she took it, he tensed and she felt it. ”We can be friends. I am certain of it. I have been very angry these past weeks, but I have thought a great deal about this, and now I wish to start over. Tomorrow is our wedding day. What better foundation for a marriage than friends.h.i.+p?”

He simply stared as if mesmerized at her.

”Devlin?”

”Is this a ploy?” he asked carefully.

”No,” she said quickly. ”But I cannot be married to a man I cannot laugh with and speak with. I cannot be married to a man and bear his children if we cannot stroll in the park and ride horseback together and in general, engage in a pleasant camaraderie. We are going to share our lives, Devlin, and that is worthy of friends.h.i.+p.”

For a moment he was silent. ”I do believe you asked me for my friends.h.i.+p once and I failed you miserably, Virginia. It is very bold of you-and brave-to ask me yet again.”

”But is it too much to ask?” she cried. ”Are you saying you have no wish to be friends? That you only wish to share my bed and sit across from me at supper? That is not acceptable to me, Devlin,” she warned.

He stared. ”So this is the criteria for our marriage, then? Laughter, conversation, long walks and hacks across the countryside?”

With great dignity, she said, ”I cannot live in a cold, barren union, Devlin. Surely you know me well enough now to know that.”

”I doubt it will be cold or barren,” he said swiftly.

”You are avoiding my question,” she said as calmly as she could.

”Yes, I suppose I am.” His jaw flexed. ”You seem to think I am a gentleman of leisure, that I will be home and at your beck and call. I am a military man. Two days after our union I am going to war, Virginia, and my tour will last six months.”

She felt crushed.

”But when I return,” he said seriously, ”we will take long walks and horseback rides, if that is what you wish. And if you say something amusing,” he said, his gaze intent, ”I will make every effort to laugh.”

Relief overcame her. Her knees buckled. ”Thank you, Devlin.”

He smiled just a little and then he shook his head. ”You remain unpredictable, Virginia.”

”Then you shall not be bored,” she replied. He was going to try to be a real husband to her! Her elation began, swiftly increasing. He wasn't willing, oh no, stubborn man that he was, but he had given in, he had conceded, he was going to try.

He smiled a little at her. ”I do want you to know this. In this marriage, your every need will be met. I have already made it clear to my steward that you will lack for nothing, and if there is ever any problem, there is Adare to turn to, or Tyrell or Sean. And you have yet to meet Rex or Cliff, but they are as n.o.ble.”

Some of her elation vanished. Her every need would not be met, not unless Sean was right and she was the woman who could save Devlin's soul. But she had won enough that day and she refused to dwell on that.

”Thank you, Devlin,” she said. She smiled at him and turned to go. Her bare feet were numb from the cold stone floors.

”Virginia?” His tone had softened remarkably and she whirled.

”Now that I have had time to consider it, I am not displeased about our union. I think we will do well together, in the end.” He smiled a little at her, his gaze searching.

Stunned, she met his gaze. His smile was small but genuine and it reached his gray eyes, and somehow, it stole her breath away.

He seemed to flush as if embarra.s.sed with his small confession-or perhaps he was merely a bit warm from the fire.

Virginia turned away. She remained in terrible danger. One small smile, one soft look, and she was as hopeful as ever. To enter a union so one-sided, to love a man who refused to ever return her feelings, a man obstinately dedicated to hatred and revenge, was surely madness on her part. But then, the human heart knew no reason.

Virginia knew she would not give up on him, not ever.

THE WEDDING MARCH BEGAN.

Devlin felt his heart lurch and then it picked up a maddening beat. He stood before the altar in the chapel at Harmon House, his brother Sean acting as his best man. The only guests present were his family-Tyrell, Rex and Cliff stood in the front row with Mary and his stepsister, Eleanor, who had just returned from Bath. He turned, strangely breathless, and it was as if time had somehow become suspended.

Virginia was coming down the aisle, escorted by his stepfather.

He could only stare. And suddenly he was terrified of his bride, the most beautiful woman he had ever beheld, her violet eyes huge and bright and riveted upon him as she slowly approached. He could not breathe. He was about to be married and his life would never be the same.

The tumult in his heart increased. Terror ran rampant. He need not fall victim to her allure, he told himself in panic, nothing need really change. He had promised her long walks and country hacks and conversation, but in two days he was going to war, and it would be six months before he returned.

He was relieved; insanely, he was even more disappointed.

She was a vision in the glittering white gown, a sheer veil covering her face, her long hair braided with diamonds and curling riotously about her shoulders. He simply could not look away. There were so many memories. Virginia, standing at the rail of the Americana, aiming a pistol at his head. Virginia in his cabin, proud and defiant, demanding to know his intentions. Virginia at Askeaton, too lovely for words, offering him her body, beseeching his love with her eyes. Virginia that morning in her nightclothes, as slender as a child, offering him a truce and a real marriage if he dared accept it.

He did not deserve such a woman. He never had and he never would.

But it was too late to back out now! He closed his eyes, sweating. He would play her game, follow her rules. He would honor her, be her companion, her lover, father their children, but he needed neither joy nor love.

Virginia paused at his side, while Edward moved away. She gazed up at him expectantly. He was too stunned to even offer her the smallest smile. Instead, he nodded at her. Appearing uncertain, she faced the priest.

Father McCarthy gestured and they both went down on their knees as the ma.s.s began.

Devlin heard not a word the priest said. Instead he was acutely aware of his bride, and as acutely aware of the opportunity being presented to him. He was at a crossroads. It was glaring at him. There were two directions his life could take.