Corsets & Crossbones (27 page)

“What in the bloody hell is this!?” a familiar voice exclaimed in front of them.

Brooke felt her face flush as she pulled away from Charlie to turn to her father.  Charlie grinned lazily, snaking his arm around Brooke’s waist, happy with the fact that he could do that freely now.

“Oh, Father,” Brooke said quickly, placing her hand on Charlie’s chest.  Nearly the whole ballroom was looking at them, including Fiona, who was smirking, and Joel, who was watching the scene oddly.  “Um… this may come as an utter surprise to you… but I would like to introduce you to my fiancé, Charles Elliot.”

It took a long time to explain everything to her father, but after two hours of thoroughly discussing everything, and making sure that her father truly believed Charlie was really Charles Elliot, her father was incredibly excited, and agreed to the engagement almost immediately.  Her father was already talking about planning her wedding, but Brooke shushed him in hopes that she did not take away from Fiona’s happy night.  Fiona was incredibly happy for Brooke, excited that her friend had finally found someone to spend the rest of her life with.  Joel, on the other hand, was somewhat suspicious about the whole thing.  He studied Charlie thoroughly; something familiar about this alleged fiancé caused him not to trust the engagement fully, and he would not stop until he figured it out.

The next day, Brooke and Fiona met in the biggest bedroom in the governor’s house, after the
governor’s of course, and began to get ready for the big day.  The wedding was to take place in the back that overlooked the sea in the late afternoon.  Fiona was wearing a very flamboyant white gown.  Her hair was pulled into a tight bun and rested firmly on her head.  A small veil covered her face, but one could see her full red lips and her blue, sparkling eyes.  The corset she was wearing was embroidered with jewels, and her skirt flared out so that it drowned her legs.  She was wearing matching heals with the same jewels embroidered in them as well.  Her forearms were hidden by silky white gloves, and she was wearing matching jewelry that paralleled the embroidered jewels.

Brooke believed her friend looked the most beautiful she had ever seen Fiona look.  However, when Brooke was to get married, she planned to have a simpler dress with less people invited, and a more homely setting.  She was wearing a champagne colored gown with a high neck and a flared skirt.  Her blonde hair was half-up half-down, mirroring the fashion of the French.  Her face was natural, free of all make up, because Fiona knew her friend was never really comfortable with unnecessary powder on Brooke’s face.  The two were both ready to leave.

“Fiona,” Brooke said uneasily, rubbing her hands together nervously.  Fiona turned from the doorway and looked at her friend oddly.  “I want to tell you something.”  Fiona nodded, and looked at Brooke expectantly.  “Well, as you know, I am to be married to Charles Elliot, correct?”

Fiona nodded, a smooth smile running across her face.

“He’s devilishly handsome, Brooke,” Fiona said mischievously.  “You must tell me how you met him and why you have not told me about him until now.”

“Well, that’s what I’m trying to say,” Brooke said slowly.  “I
have
told you before about him, just the name that he is more commonly known by today, but I ask for your complete secrecy.”  Fiona nodded.  “I am engaged to Charlie Colt.”

Charlie was sitting in a white chair, trying in vain to get comfortable, but failing miserably.  The people around him were giving him odd looks, but he didn’t pay them any mind.  All he was concerned about was getting this wedding over with so that he and Brooke could go in search of the treasure once again.  After a moment, music started to play and people started standing up.  Charlie followed suit and he craned his neck so he could watch the wedding party start to commence. 

Joel was already standing up there, next to the priest and his best man.  Charlie almost felt sorry for the bloke, but still held wary feelings about him due to his harsh treatment of Brooke long ago.  After a moment of straining to see, he could finally make out Brooke, walking down the aisle with a bouquet of flowers in her hands.  He smiled proudly at her, happy to finally be able to call her his.  When Brooke caught eyes with him, she smirked, as though the two knew a secret that no one else did.  Following Brooke
came Fiona, led down the aisle by her father.  As anyone would expect, Joel was blown away by Fiona’s beauty, as was every person in the audience.  Fiona did not waver her stare from Joel, and the two smiled at each other, happy that they were able to finally be married.

Once Brooke took her place, she watched as Governor Madison kissed his daughter’s cheek, and looked at her with unshed tears.  He was giving away his only child, and while he was a strong man, Fiona was his little girl.  He took his seat, and the wedding began, Brooke standing a little off to Fiona’s side. 

As the priest began the ceremony, Brooke began to zone out.  Obviously afterward, she planned to leave with Charlie.  She would tell her father goodbye, promising him she would return to him the same way she left, and telling him that they were going to search for an exotic location for their wedding.  That would work, right?  Of course it would.

“…and now these two have prepared personal vows,” the priest began, and Brooke tried her best not to roll her eyes.

Charlie caught her eyes, amused at how utterly bored she appeared, and made a face at her.  Brooke was so surprised by it, she nearly burst out laughing, but managed to keep it together by pressing her lips together and looking away.  Egged on by Brooke’s response, Charlie continued to make faces.  Brooke was trying her best to avoid Charlie’s direction, and even had to clear her throat to hide a giggle that got caught in her throat.  An older woman sitting next to Charlie caught on to what he was doing, and gave him a stern glare.

“…I remember the first time I met you,” Joel read from a small piece of parchment.  “You had walked into my store, looking beautiful, with your father.  I even remember the map you were studying; it was of Nassau…”

“Nassau!” Brooke exclaimed, as she and Charlie made their way back to the docks.  Brooke had told her father what she had planned to, and surprisingly enough, gave Brooke his consent to leave, and making Brooke promise she would still be chaste when she got home.  Because Charlie came from a prestigious family, he also trusted that the lad would provide Brooke with a supervisor so that the two were rarely, if ever, alone, and trusted that Charlie would not taint his daughter’s innocence.  The sun was now setting.

“What does Nassau have anything to do with anything?” Charlie asked skeptically as the two boarded a rowboat. 

“Nassau!” she exclaimed once again as she sat down.  “What was the phrase on that parchment? 
An Assu
?  Simply rearrange the letters and they become Nassau.  That is where the treasure is!”

“Darling, have I ever told you how brilliant you are?” Charlie asked with a grin.

Brooke pretended to think extremely hard, tapping her index finger on her chin, and glancing up at the sky.

They were at sea three days now.  The couple had told the crew that they were to be married, but instead of being surprised, the crew had expected them to reveal how they truly felt about each other long before now.  Brooke was keeping her promise to her father and to herself, by remaining chaste.  She did not even share Charlie’s room with him, but that was more because of Charlie than because of her moral beliefs.  In all honesty, if Charlie asked Brooke to share his room, she probably would because in the time she was injured, she had become rather accustomed to sleeping next to Charlie.  She felt safe and so comfortable with him, and she knew that she was strong enough to say no, if he ever pressured her to break her promise.  Of course, Charlie would never do such a thing; he was a gentleman, after all.

That night, after dinner, Brooke walked to her room, preparing to go to bed rather early.  When she walked inside, she bent down to her clothing chest, wanting to change into more comfortable clothing.  However, when she opened said chest, there was nothing inside.  She quirked her brow in confusion; other than the chest and her hammock, her room was rather plain.  She could see no trace of her clothing anywhere, and she scratched the back of her head.

“Maybe Charlie will have some sort of idea what this is all about,” Brooke mumbled to herself.

The young woman walked back out on deck to see Kenneth at the helm, which meant Charlie was most likely in his quarters.  She walked to the cabin and knocked on the door.  A moment later, the door opened and Charlie stood there in just his breeches.  Brooke flushed at the sight, still not used to seeing as much of his skin despite being engaged to him.  Her eyes ran over his chest appreciatively, his toned muscles, and his smooth tan.  There were scars etched on his body that she wanted to kiss away, but knew that if she started doing such ministrations, she may not be as strong as she thought she was.  She forced her eyes back to his face; he was grinning arrogantly as she expected him to, and was letting his facial hair grow back out.  How disappointing; she rather liked his clean-shaven face, although the stubble made him look rather rugged… dangerous.

“See something you like, darling?” Charlie asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Just wait till you see me half nude,” she murmured before she could stop herself.

“I think we could make it so I don’t have to wait that long,” he said, letting his voice trail on suggestively.

Brooke rolled her eyes as she walked in, her eyes surveying his room, looking for her clothes.  She crossed her arms over her chest as Charlie closed the door and watched her with amusement.  She circled his room until she narrowed her eyes at Charlie suspiciously.

“I went into my room to find my clothing missing,” she told him.  “Do you happen to have any idea of where they could possibly be?”

Charlie shook his head, shrugging his shoulders sheepishly.

“Not a clue, love,” he replied.  “However, if you are looking for more comfortable clothing to sleep in, which I’m sure you are, you can borrow some of mine, in that chest.”

Brooke looked hard at Charlie, knowing that he knew where her clothes were, but deciding to humor him in hopes of speeding the process along.  She walked over to the chest Charlie indicated, and crouched down.  Opening the chest, her eyes widened.  These were her clothes; all of her clothes.  She looked up at Charlie questioningly.

“I was hoping that maybe you’d like a change of scenery of sorts,” Charlie said as he walked over to her.  She stood, some clothing in her arms.  “Of course there will be no questionable behavior on my part, but if you wish to partake in such activity, I can assure you that I will not stop you.”

“Um… are you sure?” Brooke asked quietly, tilting her head to the side.

“Have I told you that you ask way too many questions?” Charlie chided lightly, pulling Brooke towards him and kissing her forehead.  “Of course I am sure.  I have never been surer of anything in my life, save for marrying you, of course.”  He threw her a grin, which she could not help but return.  “So, what say you?”

“I say…” Brooke said, glancing down at the clothing in her hands and then back up at Charlie.  “I say turn around so I can change.”

Charlie’s face fell.  “Love, you realize I am going to see you in your
starkies sooner or later?” he told her as he turned around.

“Of course,” Brooke said as she proceeded to remove her clothing and replace them with looser clothing.  “However, once you see me naked, you will have always seen me naked.  Prolonging the event will only make it that more special.”

“Well, you’ve seen my chest, how ‘bout you let me see yours?” Charlie asked teasingly.

Brooke, now dressed, turned to face Charlie, whose back was still facing her.  She walked over to him and curled her arms around him, standing on her tiptoes and kissing his neck.

“Were you always this romantic?” she murmured against his neck.

Charlie tilted his head so he could look down at Brooke as best as he could.

“You seem to be my muse,” he murmured back.  “Now let’s go to bed before you keep kissing my neck and I can’t keep my hands off of you, ay?”

“Okay, Brilliance, we’re at Nassau,” Charlie said to Brooke, glancing down at the piece of parchment as they stood on the dock.  The crew had gathered behind them, each with some sort of digging tool in their hands.  “Good to be back at New Providence, will definitely see the relatives, but most importantly, where should we dig?”