Romancing the Rogue (168 page)

She shook her head and bit her lip, too distracted by what he was doing to her to respond.

No more words were spoken as John made love to her again, going slowly and showing no sign of the urgency they'd both had before.

When they were done, she laid her head on his chest and twirled his chest hair between her fingers. “I never doubted you were coming today, John,” she said a while later when their breathing had returned to normal.

“I know,” he said. “But I think you’ve already forgotten who you've married.”

“No, I haven't.”

“Good. Then you should know, your ploy to extract the details from me about your surprise tomorrow is futile.”

She groaned. “You do know me well.”

“Indeed. But I look forward to getting to know you even better over the course of the rest of our lives.”

“And I look forward to discovering all of your tricks and schemes.”

“That's not going to work, Carolina. Go to sleep.”

Sighing, she said, “Just as I said before, none of
my
plans ever work.”

He chuckled and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Don't worry. A few years in my company and you shall be a grand schemer, indeed.”

Grand schemer apprentice or not, she couldn't hardly wait to spend every day for the rest of her life in his company.

John could hardly sleep in anticipation of what he had planned for Carolina today. This, of course, was a scheme he'd been unable to make work without help and was pleased when Edward agreed to provide it. His chest constricted for a moment. After Edward returned to England next week, he might never get to see him again.

He shoved the thought from his mind. As Carolina had said the other day, the Lord works in mysterious ways, and perhaps one day they'd reunite.

But that wasn't important because today was for Carolina.

And Bethel.

“Wake up,” he whispered. “It's time for your surprise.”

Her eyes snapped open and he chuckled. “Is it here? Do you have it?”

“No. We have to go out to get it.”

She sighed and leaned her head back against the pillows. “Can it wait?”

He picked up his pocket watch. “No. We only have an hour.”

“All right,” she said with a wide yawn.

He helped her out of bed and into her gown. “You don't mind if a few others join us, do you?”

She eyed him curiously. “No.”

“Good,” he murmured. “I didn't think you'd mind seeing Bethel on her first day as a free woman.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, planting a kiss on his cheek. “I know you used your brother's title as leverage for her freedom, but to me, it was still you who made it possible for her to be free.”

“Even if I used ungentlemanly methods?” he teased, pulling his shirt over his head.

She flicked her wrist. “I wouldn't consider it ungentlemanly if it was for the greater good.”

“You're so forgiving it's frightening,” he said, not even half-jesting. “Come on, let's go.”

“Where are we going?”

“You'll see.”

“Why are we at Reynolds Ridge?” she asked flatly when they arrived, by way of a rented team and wagon. “And why is Bethel dressed like a queen?”

He didn't answer her right away; he just pointed to where Silas was standing by a tall oak tree, dressed in one of Edward's nicest costumes.”

“What's going on?” she repeated.

“I's ta git married,” Bethel said, leaning in to give her a hug.

“Bethel, you don't have to. If you need a place to stay until you can find employment, I'm sure we can find something.” She looked to John for agreement.

“But I's wants ta,” Bethel argued, shooting her a big smile. “Rem'ber I's tolds yous if I's e'er free, I marry Silas?”

“Yes,” Carolina said, nodding. “But you don't
have
to if you're not ready.”

“Oh, I's ready, Miss Lina. I's been ready s'nce I first met him. Jist like you,” she added with a giggle. “'Sides, af'er wes marry, wes both be werkin' here at Reyn'lds Ridge. For pay.”

Tears filled Carolina's eyes. “I'm honored to be a witness, Bethel.”

“Excellent,” Edward said. “Now, we just have to wait for the judge.”

“Thank you,” Carolina said with a slight hitch in her voice.

Edward obviously knew she was thanking him for the trouble he'd gone through to find someone who'd actually marry the pair, because he bowed and said, “It was no trouble. I was glad to do it.” He frowned. “I just hope he didn't change his mind.”

“He didn't,” said a masculine voice.

“Mr. Murphy?” John and Carolina said in unison, snapping their heads in the direction of the new voice.

Mr. Murphy removed his hat. “Mr. Thaddeus Murphy, at your service.”

“But we thought...”

“You were an impostor,” Carolina finished for him.

Mr. Murphy laughed. “No. The impostor is right where he belongs: in a holding cell awaiting trial. I am the real Mr. Murphy.”

Neither John nor Carolina spoke. Nor did they move. Just stood there, staring at the man as if they had no idea what to believe.

Wordlessly, Mr. Murphy pulled a thick piece of vellum from his pocket and handed it to John.

John scowled and opened the thick paper. He blinked at the scrolled text. “We've been married this whole time,” he breathed, handing the paper to Carolina.

“But you never gave us a certificate,” she protested after she'd finished reading it for herself.

“I was playin' cards,” he argued with a scowl. “And winnin', too. I didn't have time to fill out all the papers just then. I had to get back to my cards.

Carolina stared blankly at the man, much the same way John imagined he was doing, too.

“I went to deliver it the next day, but you weren't at the inn I suggested. I didn't know how else to reach you,” Mr. Murphy continued.

“That place wasn't fit for a man to take his new bride,” John said through clenched teeth.

The older man shrugged. “By the looks of you two that night, I thought it was the best you could afford. Besides, all you really needed was a b—”

John quelled the man's words with an icy stare he'd perfected from years of seeing his father give it to anyone who dared cross him. “If we were married this entire time, then...” He trailed off and looked to Bethel.

“She's still free,” Gabriel said, coming up behind them; Mr. Ellis rolling along next to him. “Even
you
couldn't have been so devilish to have planned this.”

“No,” John agreed. “I sincerely thought we weren't married.” He frowned. “Well, not originally, but later. After you showed me the newspaper article about the man who'd been jailed for impersonating a judge and marrying couples, that is.” And now that he knew they
had
been married that whole time, he'd be lying if he didn't admit he was a little disgruntled at not being able to spend those four grueling nights in Carolina's bed instead of alone in his.

He glanced at a laughing Carolina and the thought was gone. Giving up four nights of passion was an easy price to pay for the smile on her face at seeing Bethel granted freedom and marrying a man who loved her as much as John loved Carolina.

“Just think,” Edward said, grinning. “Not only did you get to enjoy two wedding nights, but each year you'll also get to have two anniversary celebrations.”

John liked the man's logic. “Or, if I forget one, I'll get a second chance to redeem myself,” he mused.

“Oh, if you plan to celebrate twice, you'd better remember a gift for each occasion,” Carolina said, wagging her finger playfully at him.

April 1812

London

“And just where do you think you're going?” Carolina asked, as her gentle hands fell on John's shoulders.

He tried to push her hands off. “Did you see who your daughter just left with to go to the gardens?”

“
My
daughter?” Carolina asked, grinning; her hands still firmly in place on his shoulders.

“Yes, she's your daughter when she does something scandalous, such as leave the ballroom with a man who has somehow earned himself the nickname of the Dangerous Duke.”

Carolina rolled her laughing brown eyes. “I wouldn't worry overmuch about them. Neither of them have that look about them when they see the other.”

He groaned. “Carolina, please. I cannot have her outside with that man. Eyes speaking or not, she
cannot
marry him.” He grimaced. “I won't allow any of my daughters to marry a gentleman like him. They all need quiet country vicars.”

Carolina's throaty laughter filled the air. “You'd have to pay such a gentleman a hefty price to take one of our daughters; and I daresay, even the amount of money you saved from when Edward was still trying to give you money, won't be enough to buy all three of them quiet country vicar husbands.”

He scowled. “How unfortunate.” He pulled his wife close to him and led her into the first steps of a waltz.

“You can't blame that on me.”

He looked down to where their bodies were closer than was proper, even for a waltz. “No? I do believe it is their scandalous American behavior that will present the most challenge in their quest to find husbands.”

She lifted her brows. “Oh, do you now? I think it's their stubbornness.”

“That's another trait they get from you, too,” he protested.

A grin took her lips. “Perhaps, but they also get their scandalizing tongue from your brother.”

He heaved an exaggerated sigh. “That seals it. They're destined to lives of spinsterhood. Scandalous behavior and stubbornness on both sides, they're hopeless.”

That sweet smile he'd spent the last twenty-four years adoring spread her lips. “You never know. There might be hope for them after all. There was for both of us.”

He nodded as a movement along the back wall caught his attention. He frowned. “What do you make of that?”

Carolina craned her neck to see. “Hmm, he doesn't look very pleased, does he?”

“No; and neither does she,” John commented about the stony look on their eldest daughter Brooke's face as she entered the ballroom and went to stand with her youngest sister Liberty. John pulled his wife closer to him as he sought out his forlorn middle daughter Madison, who was turning down yet another gentleman's request for a dance. “I do wish things had worked out for Madison and that Leo fellow.”

“I know you do,” Carolina said, sadness for her daughter's lost chance at love lacing her voice. She offered him a watery grin. “And so do I.”

“Is that because his eyes spoke of love or you wanted your daughter to have the same experience as you and forever love an English bounder?”

“Both,” she admitted. “But mainly because the love was mutual, and for as much as she might deny it, I think she still loves him and always will.”

Silence engulfed them. Carolina was likely right, as she always was where their girls were concerned. She might not have the most genteel and eloquent way about her, but even after all these years, she was still genuine. And that's what he loved most about her.

“Not to worry, love,” he said softly. “We'll stay here as long as we need to in order for her heart to mend.”

“Of course,” she agreed with a swallow.

“Just think,” he said, trying to lighten the unease that had settled over them at the mention of Madison and the string of misfortunes she'd suffered. “With three daughters as...er....spirited as ours, I doubt there'll be an unexciting moment.”

“Including this one,” Carolina said, her eyes flaring wide as their oldest daughter's voice drifted to them from across the ballroom.

“Just so,” he agreed, letting her go.

He walked over to a nearby column and leaned against it, shamelessly watching his wife walk away. Ironic that when he was younger, he'd have never been able to imagine his life with a woman like her; and now, he couldn't imagine what his life would have been like without her.

Author Note

One chilly December afternoon when I was eighteen, my best friend and I decided to marry. Instead of having a large church wedding with me in a flowing white gown and him in a tuxedo surrounded by hundreds of our closest friends and family, we thought it would be better to go to the courthouse in a neighboring city.

We were not, however, married at the courthouse by a judge but rather were lured across the street and married in this “quaint”, if you will, building. Following the quick wedding, where I wore a see-through dress sans slip and he wore a nice suit with borrowed (and dirty) shoes and socks, we were assured our wedding license would be mailed to the courthouse to be put on record.

Being the diligent worrier that I am, I needed to ensure it was received and insisted I'd bring it to the courthouse myself. When I brought it in to have it stamped and recorded, the lady behind the counter puckered her brow and declared that she'd never heard of such a man performing weddings, but that didn’t mean he wasn't licensed to do so...

That was a few years ago, and to this day, I still find myself checking court records on occasion, waiting to discover that this fellow has been imprisoned for fraud and I'm not really married.