The Notorious Bridegroom (32 page)

This immediately riled Bryce, who pulled himself into a sitting position next to Patience. “What the devil are you talking about? That necklace was a family heirloom. I was trying to tell you that I loved you and that I was going to ask you to marry me when I returned,” his angry tones filled with disbelief that Patience would have thought of such a thing.

“But, you gave the countess jewelry when you wanted her out of your life. I thought you wanted me gone too.” Her explanation ended in a sad whisper. He pulled her into his arms to comfort her, his right hand naturally finding and caressing her soft pink nipple till it crested with his gentle ministrations.

“Never. I had a talk that morning with Lady Elverston who insisted that I marry you. I already had the marriage license in hand.”

Patience licked her way along his solid jaw, then something else occurred to her. “Colette tricked me into writing that note. She told me it was for the captain.”

Bryce raised his eyebrows in consternation. “I thought that might be the answer.”

As Patience, eager to share her part of the story, elaborated about Colette leaving the note for the captain, Bryce’s features grew troubled, empathizing with the pain his friend must have felt. He held her even more closely when she told him how the three grave robbers saved her from being buried alive. Bryce told her that the constable had informed him that those same three men had been caught by a press-gang and were on a ship, heading to Spain.

“I never knew she could be so evil. I’m never letting you out of my sight again.” Bryce didn’t care how protective he sounded. He drew her back down onto the bed, anxious to show her how much she meant to him, but the worry in her eyes halted his motions.

“What is it, Patience?” he asked, wanting to see the happiness back in her eyes.

“What was that part you said earlier? That part where you explained the necklace’s origin. I was wondering if I might hear it again.”

Bryce grinned. “You mean about the part where I say, ‘I love you, and I want to marry you’?”

Patience smiled at her only love. Her heart full, she could barely breathe. “Yes, that was the part.”

First, he had to kiss her when she did that thing with her tongue. Then he looked into those hazel eyes alight with love and professed his own. “Patience Mandeley, I love you. Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?” his heart in his hands and a most serious look on his face.

“Oh, yes, yes, yes. Those same words of love I return to you a thousandfold.”

Bryce sealed their vow with a mountain-moving kiss before beginning to pay homage to her body.

“Bryce?”

He looked up expectantly from the valley of her breasts. “I thought we were through with the talking part.”

All he got for his efforts was a cuff to his shoulder. “There’s something else.”

“Mmmm…” he mumbled as he nuzzled her arm.

Thud. Thud.
Two small sacks landed on his chest.

Bryce sat up and looked suspiciously at the brown bags. “What in Heaven’s name…?” he began.

Patience sat up beside him. “They are seeds from home. I want to start my own garden, here at Paddock Green.”

Bryce actually shivered from the powerful emotion running through him. She was never going to leave. Her love had broken the pattern of his loved ones leaving him.

She closed her eyes, a beautiful smile decorating her lips.

“Patience?”

“Not now, Bryce, can you not see? I’m trying to fall asleep.” She sounded more awake than sleepy, with laughter lacing her words.

She opened her eyes when he kissed her with such urgency, then whispered to him, “If only all of England would learn what we have been through since our marriage, I think they would call you ‘The Notorious Bridegroom.’” Patience fell asleep listening to Bryce’s husky laughter.

England’s Sea Fencibles

The Sea Fencibles were first formed in the 1790s to watch the southeastern coast of England for an invasion. These Sea Fencibles were composed of volunteers and the militia who were trained to watch and signal towers and operate available gun-boats. They were the first line of defense in case of an invasion, and they were also needed to alert nearby villages to escape further inland. In May 1803, renewed hostilities with France began after a tenuous two-year peace. From 1803–1805, the threat of an invasion from France was at its highest. The southeast coast has the narrowest Channel passage, and at some points, those on watch could actually see the flotillas France was building for their plan to invade. The Royal Navy’s victory at Trafalgar in 1805 secured the seas at home and abroad.

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Copyright © 2009 by Kit Stanford Donner

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