“My mother, however, had great strength of character, and having lost her own father who refused to communicate with her although at the time he had not disinherited her, she set out to win over her husband’s relations which she did. My birth was quickly followed by that of my next two brothers, our two sisters, and a final brother. Although my family was comfortable we were not rich, nor were we influential, and so we were all fortunate enough to grow up at home in Dorset.
“When I was twelve my maternal grandfather informed my father that he would make me the heir to Glinshannon, and to his wealth, on one condition, I must come to Ireland immediately to live with him, and I must renounce my claim to my father’s estates and title. The choice was to be mine alone, but once made could not be rescinded. My grandfather sent along as a present to me the most magnificent stallion I had ever seen. I had one month from the receipt of my grandfather’s letter which was personally delivered by one of his servants to make up my mind. At the end of that time the servant would return to Ireland with or without me. There was no room for bargaining.”
“And so ye came to Ireland,” said Aidan. “Was it a hard choice to make, my lord? I do not think that I could give up
Pearroc Royal
easily for anything.”
Henry Sturminster smiled. “My father was terribly upset, and wanted me to refuse my grandfather, but my mother rejoiced, and begged me to accept. She said that it was only fair my grandfather was given me as his heir as my father had taken my grandfather’s heiress from him when my father and mother married. My mother said that my father had three other sons, and now at least one of the others would be settled, and then when my grandfather died, and I inherited his wealth, I could settle something upon my two youngest brothers thereby allowing them to find suitable wives. It was then that my father saw reason, and agreed to let me go if I so desired it.”
“Which ye obviously did,” remarked Aidan.
“Oh, I wanted to stay in England,” said Henry Sturminster, “but I kept thinking about what my mother had said. How my future wealth could help provide opportunities for my two youngest brothers who without it would have little, not to mention my sisters whose dowries I increased thereby ensuring them of
very
good matches. At twelve, however, it seemed too great a responsibility for my shoulders, but I nonetheless for love of my mother took it upon myself. Do not, however, Lady Bliss, feel sorrow for me for I have never once regretted my decision. I fell in love with Glinshannon the moment I laid eyes on it, and my grandfather and I were great friends until he died when I was nineteen.”
“And is there a Lady Glin?” Aidan inquired curiously.
The handsome man smiled now. “Ye sound like my mother,” he chuckled. “I am scarcely thirty.”
“My husband is yer junior, and we already have one living child,” she scolded him.
“Now ye really do sound like my mother!” and this time he laughed, “but as by this time my mother is rejoicing in England at the news, let me share it with ye, Lady Bliss. I will be wed on Michaelmas to Maire O’Hara.”
“Marriage is good for a man,” said Aidan primly, but her eyes were alight with laughter.
“As I have already noted, Lady Bliss, yer a formidable opponent. However I shall no longer do battle with ye for I hear my servants in the passageway outside which means that our meal is here, and so if we are not to enrage Monsieur Paul, then we must now eat.”
“I accept yer gracious surrender, my lord,” she told him in bland tones, and Henry Sturminster laughed as he gave his staff leave to reenter the apartment.
They came in an orderly parade, each bearing some dish or other which was presented to the diners, now seated at the table. There were two egg dishes offered; fluffy pale golden eggs scrambled with heavy cream, tiny green onions and bits of chipped ham, as well as a silver platter with perfectly poached eggs in a sauce of cream and rich marsala wine. There was another platter that held a tender pink ham which the servant holding it sliced the thickness desired by the hungry diner. There were delicate little individual loaves of crusty bread served with sweet butter, and a choice of fresh wildflower honey from the castle hives, or an outrageously rich plum jam. There was a small wheel of delicious cheese with a sharp, biting taste to it that Aidan found excellent, particularly when eaten with a marvelous fruity golden wine that was served.
Hungry, she filled her plate twice, and finished it all to the amazement of Lord Glin who had never seen a female eat with so healthy an appetite. He was glad now that Monsieur Paul had done the two egg dishes for she had single-handedly finished the scrambled eggs herself, as well as cleaning up the entire supply of bread save for his first small loaf.
Satisfied now she sat back in her chair, her look one of a large, well-fed feline. “How,” she said with genuine awe in her tones, “how do ye keep such a treasure in yer kitchens in this godforsaken place, Lord Glin?”
Henry Sturminster laughed. “By paying him too much,” he answered, “and allowing him the outrageous concession of returning to France for two months every two years. Unheard of, isn’t it, but I am afraid my father accustomed me to good food due to his own stay in France years ago. My grandfather, God assoil him, had an old woman who cooked for him for years. I gratefully retired her to her own cottage with a fat pension upon coming into my inheritance. The woman boiled everything, mutton, vegetables, puddings, and all in the same pot!”
Aidan laughed. “Well yer Monsieur Paul is an artiste,” she agreed.
Lord Glin arose. “Ye must be very tired,” he said, “having walked all the night, and in this weather. Rest now. I will set a watch on the castle heights for both yer husband, and the FitzGeralds. I give ye my word that ye are perfectly safe here. No one can enter Glinshannon without my consent. It is virtually impregnable.”
Aidan was grateful for his reassurance, and the truth was that she was exhausted. Checking on Nan and the baby she found them sleeping soundly, the remains of a good meal on a tiny table in their chamber. She knew that it would not be necessary to ask after her four men for they had undoubtedly been taken care of as well. Henry Sturminster was a gracious host. Going into the spacious bedchamber with its beautiful rose velvet draperies and bedhangings she removed her chamber robe, and slipped beneath the lavender-scented sheets to fall quickly asleep.
How long she slept she did not know, but as she lay cradled in the wonderful comfort of the large bed she became gradually aware of a delicious warm languor, a feeling she had never thought to experience ever again, beginning to ooze slowly through her body.
“Aidan,”
she heard her name breathed softly into her ear.
“Aidan, my love.”
Slowly, ever so slowly, she opened her eyes to meet the gaze of her husband.
“Conn!”
His mouth descended upon hers in a blazing kiss that left her feeling happily breathless. “Can ye never stay put where I leave ye, sweetheart?” he teased her as he feathered gentle kisses across her brow. Then his lips traveled lightly across her eyelids, her nose, and her mouth again, easily parting her lips again to plunge his tongue within the delicious cavern.
Aidan shivered hard, and their glances met surprised. Slowly he rolled over onto his side, and reaching out fondled one of her beautiful breasts, finding it already firm, the nipple rigid with desire. She watched him with big eyes, a sudden dawning realization insinuating itself into her consciousness. “Conn,” she whispered, “Conn, I think it is again as it once was with us!”
“Indeed, I believe it is, sweetheart.” He smoothed his big hand down her body.
“How did ye find me?” she sighed happily.
“Lord Glin signaled the ship,” he said, “and when I came into the chamber ye looked so delicious sleeping there I could not help but take off my own clothes, and join ye.”
“Conn!” she exclaimed half-shocked, yet thrilled by his bold actions, “what will Lord Glin think of us?”
“Far more than if I had simply bowed, and kissed yer hand, sweetheart. Ye’ve far more interesting parts I should rather kiss, my darling!”
“Oh, yes!” she cried, and lowering his head Conn began a delicate and delightful exploration of his wife’s superb body with his lips. He didn’t understand it, but she was suddenly blooming beneath his touch as she once had in the early days of their union before Cavan FitzGerald had almost destroyed their happiness. His mouth wandered across her smooth torso, and down her faintly rounded belly. Her skin was so silky and sweet that the very touch of it on his lips excited him unbearably. Brushing his mouth lightly across her lower belly he began to move upward again, but suddenly Aidan was gently pushing his head lower.
“Please, Conn,” he heard her say to his great surprise, “love me
there
! I like it when I am loved there.” Oh, God! she thought. I hope that Skye was right, and that husbands do not mind being told of what a woman likes.
For a moment he was shocked. He had loved other women in that tender, and tempting spot, but never had he touched his wife in such a manner. Wives were different, were they not? Then it came to him, and he almost laughed at himself. Wives were women like all women. Why had he not realized that before? Then another, darker thought intruded into his consciousness. He had not loved her
there.
Then who had? Then once again his common sense raised its head. What did it matter now what had happened in that year in which they were apart? They were together again, and she seemed to be whole once more.
Conn lowered his dark head, and gently began to love his wife in that most secret of places hidden upon a woman’s body. Her soft cry of pleasure filled him with satisfaction, and he felt his own eyes tearing at the thought that she once again could feel the heavenly pleasure that she always offered to him.
Unbeknownst to herself Aidan was weeping also though the sounds she made were only those of happiness. She had never understood why the pleasure feeling that is between a man and a woman had left her when she had been returned to Conn, but that it had returned, of that there was no doubt now in her mind. Skillful little fingers of pure fire enveloped her body as the pleasure overwhelmed her, and she slid into that wonderful half-conscious floating state that passion had always evoked in her.
She was totally aware of everything he was doing, and yet she felt for the moment as if her limbs were paralyzed. She felt him leave that sensitive little jewel of hers, and move up again to play with her lovely breasts. Gently he fondled her full flesh, but when he dipped his head to suck upon her nipples Aidan felt as if she had been struck by a bolt of pure lightning. His lips tugged upon the sensitive tips of her breasts, sending a corresponding jolt of feeling to the place between her legs.
“I love ye, my darling wife,” he said softly as he slid his large body over her. “I love ye, Aidan,” he whispered as with one smooth movement he filled her passage with his great shaft. “I love ye, sweetheart,” he murmured as he began to move upon her, and suddenly all the terrible memories that had filled her soul began to fade away as Conn’s deep and abiding love for Aidan began to make new memories for her to dwell upon.
And afterward as they lay contented, and happy in each other’s arms she told him of what had happened at Ballycoille, and he was once more amazed by her fortitude and her bravery. But he was also unhappy that she should have been put in such a position so soon after her ordeal in Turkey. Still she was none the worse for her adventure, and she had overcome whatever it was that had prevented her from enjoying their passion.
“Yer certain ye killed Cavan FitzGerald?” he asked her.
“His body was cold before we even made our escape,” she assured him. Then suddenly she was aware of something. “The storm is gone!” she said. “Jesu! The FitzGeraids will be upon us if they’re not already here! Get up, Conn! We may yet have time to make our escape!”
“Nay, sweetheart, we will remain here, and face them down.”
“Conn, are ye mad?”
“Nay, Aidan, I’m not mad, but unless we can disabuse that damned old man, yer grandsire, of his wild notions, God knows what he’ll try next to get his hands on yer wealth.”
“Conn, don’t ye understand? He’s ready to kill ye!”
“Well, we’ll have to convince the old man otherwise, won’t we?”
She didn’t know how that could be done, and she decided that he was mad for even trying, and she was madder yet for listening to him, but she knew better than to change his mind, and so laughing ruefully Aidan said, “I think we can convince him better if we have our clothing on, Conn, my husband!”
With a chuckle he was up, and dressing. Her own clothing she found laid out, clean and dried, upon a chair, and following his lead she quickly restored order to her person.
“Leave yer hair loose,” he said softly, and with a smile she nodded. He had always liked her hair free and flowing about her shoulders. Conn reached out and stroking his hand down her tresses he tenderly fingered a lock. “It’s a mixture of molten gold and orange fire, sweetheart. No one has hair like yers.”
“Valentina will,” she said. “Have ye seen her yet? I did manage to rescue our daughter.”
“ ’Twas the second thing I did after I assured myself that ye were all right. Who’s the little lass with the baby?”
“The wet nurse Cavan found in Cardiff. ’Tis a long and sad story, Conn, but I’m bringing Nan back with us to
Pearroc Royal
. For one thing I need her to nurse Valentina because I had to dry my own milk up, and now Wenda’s nose will be very much out of joint so I’m afraid we’ll have to have another baby very quickly so we may give our faithful Wenda her own charge to care for again. Besides Nan is a good girl as I’ll explain later.”
“Another bairn so soon? Are ye certain yer ready for another baby, Aidan?”
She laughed, and the sound was pure happiness. “Conn,” she said, “my father raised me as he would have raised a son had he had one. I can read, and I can write, and I can keep books. I know all about my family’s London business, and if I must I will continue to control it, but it is not what I want.”