The Prize (62 page)

She caught Sean
looking at her and she smiled at him. He smiled back and looked away, toying
with the fish on his plate. Eleanor suddenly said brightly to her, "I
heard you spent quite a bit of time at Askeaton when Devlin was in Lon-

don," she said.
"Did you like it there? I think it is one of the most beautiful places in
Ireland
."

Virginia
laid her fork down, smiling
back. "I liked it very much. And I agree, Askeaton is beautiful."

"Is it as nice
as your home in Virginia?"

"Yes."
Virginia was touched briefly with wistful longing. "Sweet Briar is a
wonderful place. But the riding trails are better at Askeaton." She smiled
at Sean, remembering all the long country rides they had shared.

Eleanor glanced
between them with confusion. "I forgot... while Devlin was away, you only
had Sean for company."

Virginia became uncomfortable.
She didn't know what to say.

Sean ignored the
conversation, concentrating on his food.

"I haven't
ridden about Askeaton in years," Cliff remarked languidly. Although he
remained impossibly relaxed, Virginia knew he meant to rescue her from an
uncomfortable moment. "Sean has some fine horses, does he not?"

She glanced at him.
He was a bit unsettling even now, and she had little doubt that he was the kind
of man to enjoy the favors of a notorious widow. But she was grateful he was redirecting
the conversation. "Yes, he does. There are some fine horses at Askeaton.
Especially Bayberry," she added, smiling as she recalled the brave little
filly.

Sean finally looked
at her. "She is yours," he said suddenly. "Please accept her as
my wedding present."

Virginia was so
overcome she could not speak.

Eleanor looked back
and forth between them, her expression stunned. "But you bred her! And
you're giving her to Virginia?"

Sean glanced at her.
"Virginia loves the horse."

Eleanor was suddenly
standing. "Excuse me, I seem to have a terrible migraine." She
hurried from the room.

Virginia blinked.
What
was that?

Sean sighed. "I
forgot...she was there the day the filly foaled. She helped me bring her into
the world." He stood, appearing grim. "Excuse me." He walked
out.

Edward looked
perplexed. "Mary, what is going on? Why is Eleanor upset?"

Mary began to smile.
"I do think your daughter is growing up."

Tyrell said
thoughtfully, "What a strange turn. Eleanor has spent her life provoking
Sean, from the time she could walk. Her favorite game used to be 'ambush'—she
would assault him when he would least expect it. Her favorite weapons were
sticks and stones." He started to grin, shaking his head.

"Indeed. She is
now jealous of Virginia," Rex said smoothly, and he saluted Virginia with
his wineglass before sipping.

Virginia began to
protest.

Cliff said calmly,
"Sean needs to kiss her. That will solve one matter—while creating a few
new ones." And he laughed, leaning back in his chair.

"That is
enough!" Mary de Warenne cried. "Benson, the next course, thank
you."

The days passed
slowly, but without a dull moment.
Virginia
rode in the early mornings with one brother or another, although never with
Sean. She made afternoon calls with Mary and Eleanor, or stayed home to rescue
Rex from the various ladies calling upon him and Cliff. It was clear that Cliff
was having an affair with the widowed Lady Arlette, as they were not very
discreet. Cliff reminded her very much of Devlin now, as he did not seem to
care about his rather notorious reputation.

Evenings were either
a family affair or spent on the town.
Virginia
found herself swiftly reintroduced into society by the

500                           

powerful de Warenne
family. There were dinner parties, charities and balls. Escorted as she was by
either the Earl of Adare and his wife or the three strapping de Warenne brothers
and Sean, she became a favorite, fawned over and admired by all. She only once
bumped into William Hughes and his wife, and polite greetings were cursorily
exchanged.

She met the other de
Warennes and learned a little of the family's history. The family's founding
father had fought with William the Conqueror. Once a landless
Norman
, he had married a wealthy Saxon heiress and
eventually had been awarded an earldom. One of his descendants had journeyed to
Ireland
to obtain lands and titles
there, the result being the Adare branch of the family. The original
Northumberland branch of the family had become too powerful for any king to
bear. Apparently those lands and titles had been forfeit in a deadly rebellion
centuries ago. Afterward, some of the de Warennes had become wealthy merchants;
a few had managed to win back some small estates, while others had emigrated
to
America
to make brand-new fortunes. It
was a most interesting family that she had married into.

And
Virginia
never stopped missing Devlin.
There was no word from him. She followed news of the war avidly, aware that
every tidbit was months old. The biggest news was the defeat of the USS
Vixen
by the HMS
Southampton,
and for a week, everywhere
Virginia
went, Londoners rejoiced. She
could not share their enthusiasm and her loyalties were painfully torn and
divided.

"I will kill him
if he doesn't write you," Sean told her in late January.

"I can't imagine
how a naval captain can post a letter,"
Virginia
replied. She missed him so much that there
were days when it hurt. One letter was all she would need to endure their
separation. She counted the days until June. He had promised her he would be
back by the middle of that month.

"Our naval ships
go back and forth between
America
and
Britain
all the time to resupply," he said.
"There is no excuse."

"He is in a war,
Sean," she said quietly.

He smiled a little at
her. "I am going back to Askeaton, I have been away too long. But you are
in good hands now, I feel certain. Everyone loves you, Virginia. You have truly
become a sister here."

Virginia
warmed with real pleasure.
"I love your family, Sean. I actually feel as if I belong here."

"You do,"
he said firmly. "And you do know that if you ever have a problem, you can
turn to any of us. I will come running in an instant, but Tyrell, Rex and
Cliff would do the same."

"I think I know
that," she said, meaning it. While Rex and especially Cliff intimidated
her somewhat, she had little doubt they would rush to defend her honor if ever
the need arose.

He hesitated.
"You and Eleanor have become friends. I'm glad. She's so young..." He
trailed off.

"Of course we
are friends. She is my new sister,"
Virginia
said softly. "And every time you look
at me she watches us like a hawk."

He seemed very
surprised and he made a face. "What? I don't think so." Then he
kissed her cheek. "I want you to promise me that you will not hesitate if
in need. You have a real family now, and no one here lacks courage, loyalty or
purpose."

"I doubt I will
need to call out the de Warenne cavalry," she teased.

He laughed, the sound
warm.

Virginia
knew then that his heart had
healed and she was happy for him.

January 1, 1813
Dear
Virginia
,

The New Year
has
come
and I hope this missive finds you in good health and good spirits. How do you
fare at Waverly Hall? I assume by now that you have become fast friends with
my mother, and I hope you will not hesitate to ask her for anything you may be
lacking. I also hope that my brothers have not overwhelmed you with their
various characters. How has the winter been? It has been freezing cold as we
sail the
Atlantic
, but that is to be expected. We
now approach the coast of
New
Jersey
, having
seen little action thus far. We turned back a single American merchantman, the
Southern
Belle,
although we seized a French privateer, which I have sent to
Newfoundland
to be outfitted there. The men
are in good spirits, although growing bored, as they are not used to such
inactivity, and they remain eager to engage the enemy. I have a new ship's
surgeon, Paul White, a gentleman I think you would find erudite and amusing
should you ever meet. He

plays the violin and
brought his instrument with him, providing the men with many hours of
entertainment. Please give my regards to my family. I wish you happy New Year.
Yours truly, Devlin O'Neill

Virginia received
Devlin's letter on the fifth of February. She was so excited she flew to her
room to tear open the sealed parchment. Her heart slammed in her chest as she
read it quickly, and then she read it again, more slowly. She wished he had
written that he missed her and could not wait to come home. But Devlin had
never been comfortable with intimacy in person, so why would he be so in a
letter, especially one written at sea, to his bride, their very first exchange
since their wedding night?

Virginia sighed and
gave up. She was happy that he had taken the time to write to her and had made
the effort to get the letter to her at all. And he had asked her several
questions, so clearly he wished for a reply.

Februarys, 1813 Dear
Devlin,

I was so pleased to
receive your letter and even more pleased to learn that all is well with you
and your crew. I have become good friends with both your mother and Eleanor; in
fact, the very day you left your mother insisted I move into Harmon House,
which I have done. I have become very fond of your entire family! Alas, Rex has
returned to duty, Cliff will soon sail off to Martinique (I did not realize he
had a sugar plantation there!) and Sean has returned to Askeaton, so suddenly
the house is so empty and so forlorn. Tyrell remains, but I only see him hi
passing, as he seems preoccupied

with his own affairs.
Your mother and stepfather remain in good health. Soon Eleanor leaves for Bath
to rejoin the Hinckleys, although there is some controversy over whether she
should be allowed to go. I do wish she would stay, as I enjoy the time we spend
together.

We missed you at
Christmastime. That eve we had a splendid family celebration. Your mother
arranged a spectacular meal with enough to feed a regiment. Eleanor and Sean
fought, as usual, over her returning to Bath, where apparently she has far too
many suitors for a young lady of her age (at least, in Sean's opinion). Cliff
invited the widowed Lady Arlette to join us, much to your mother's dismay. Have
you ever met her? She is an amazing beauty, and quite fond of Cliff. The men
spent quite a bit of time discussing the change in Napoleon's fortunes, the
state of Europe and what a peace might be like there. Everyone kindly avoided
the subject of the American war, I suspect in deference to me. After supper
Rex caught me under the mistletoe, but his kiss was a brotherly one. Sean was
so angry with Eleanor that he walked out on us all, but I do not know why or
what happened.

Your family has been
so wonderful. Your mother gave me a lovely locket with your portrait inside and
I have come to treasure it. I received a shawl from Eleanor, gloves, chocolate
and a fan from your brothers, and a book from Sean. The book is a history of
Ireland and it is fascinating. He also gave me Bayberry as a wedding gift and
she is here now, for Sean sent her down. I ride every morning, rain or shine.

I should love to meet
your new ship's surgeon as he sounds like an agreeable man. I still have fond
memories of Jack Harvey. Have you ever heard of him since he left your ship?

                             
505

I have given your
regards to your family. I wish you good health and good cheer. May God keep you
and your men safe. Your loving wife, Virginia

Virginia knew that it
might be months before she received a reply—the navy had told her that—but by
the second week of March she was disappointed that she had not heard from him.
In two more days it would be her birthday. She foolishly wished that Devlin
could be home to share it with her.

"Do not
despair," Mary said, her arm around her. It was a gray, windy day and the
windows rattled. "You will hear from him again, I have no doubt."

Virginia smiled at
her. "I do hope so." She touched her belly, an unconscious gesture.
She was beginning to think that she was pregnant. She hadn't had her monthly
since Devlin had left, and she was stunned by the possibility that she might be
with Devlin's child, as well as both thrilled and afraid. She dearly wished to
have Devlin's child, even if she hadn't expected to become pregnant so quickly.
But would Devlin be as pleased? Every man wished for a son, but their
relationship remained a new and fragile thing and it was too soon for it to be
tested in any way. He might not be ready to see their child come into this
world. And if that were so, she could not really blame him.

A horse's clopping
hooves could just be heard from outside, in spite of the wind and the rattling
glass panes. "Maybe it's the post," Virginia cried. His last letter
had been conveyed to the house by a postal rider and Virginia suddenly hoped
that the rider was bringing her another one. She rushed to the window and
looked out—and her heart seemed to stop.

The rider leaping
from his mount wore a navy-blue cloak over his blue naval jacket, a black felt
officer's hat upon his

head. The moment she
glimpsed him, even before he turned, she knew and she cried out.

"What is
it?" Mary murmured.

It was Devlin, and
Virginia could not answer.

He turned, his cloak
swirling about his shoulders, his white britches and high boots mud-splashed.
He strode toward the house and Virginia gripped the windowsill, breathless
and faint.
He had come home.

The door was flung
open. Devlin took one step across the threshold and froze as he saw her.

She could not even
smile. Their gazes locked and she could only stare, failing utterly to breathe.

She loved him so much
that it hurt.

His gray eyes blazed.
"Virginia." He swept off his hat and bowed.

She curtsied.
"We...we did not expect you...so soon."

He smiled a little.
"I decided to chase an American merchantman across the ocean."

Her eyes widened.
"How...bow utterly convenient."

And he smiled.
"I thought so."

Was he trying to tell
her that he had chased a ship across the ocean merely as an excuse so he could
come home to see her? As her mind raced with the notion, he approached and
kissed her cheek. She closed her eyes, her cheeks flaming, hollow with needing
him now. He turned and murmured a greeting to Mary.

"You wonderful
man," Mary said, hugging him. Then, smiling, she said, "I have a call
to make, in spite of the weather. Edward is not home," she added
significantly. She turned and left the front hall.

Virginia bit her Up,
her fingers curling into her palms. Devlin handed his cloak and hat to a
servant. "I received your letter," he said, his gaze moving over her
face as if he were making an inspection of her features.

"I hope it
brought you some warm comfort on a cold Atlantic night," she managed.

"Indeed, it
did." His smile flashed, brief and strained. "Although I might
behead Rex, for I doubt the kiss was a brotherly one."

Virginia flushed, as
it hadn't been all that chaste, although Rex had heartily apologized afterward.

"I thought
so," Devlin said, appearing vastly annoyed, his silver eyes flashing.

"He is the worst
flirt," she said, and then she amended, "with me, at least. He seems
to despise all other ladies."

"I do not want
to talk about my brother," Devlin said roughly.

The servant had left
the hall and they were entirely alone. "Neither do I," Virginia
whispered. Tears moistened her eyes. "I am so glad you have come
home."

He hesitated, as if
he wished to speak.

She did not move.

Then he grimaced and
walked over to her, his hands closing over her arms. "I am glad to be
here, too," he said as roughly as before.

She swallowed and
dared to say, "I have missed you, Devlin."

His expression
tightened. He pulled her close and covered her mouth with his.

She cried out,
clinging, and in his embrace, she felt warm and loved—safe. His mouth was
voracious and Virginia kissed him back as frantically, thrilled when she felt
his arousal against her hip.

Suddenly he lifted
her into his arms. "Where is your room?" he demanded.

She held on to him
tightly. "Devlin, we are in your parents' house!"

"I don't give a
damn and I cannot wait another minute to

be with you." He
pounded up the stairs with her in his arms. His eyes blazed as he said, "I
thought that once I was back at sea I would be free. But I was wrong."

She blinked. What did
he mean?

"I could not
stop thinking about you, Virginia." He seemed grim. "You have haunted
my every waking moment. You have haunted my dreams."

She was thrilled. She
smiled and said softly, "Then we are even, I think."

His eyes widened as
he reached the landing. "Which room?"

Her entire body was
already enflamed at the inevitability of what was to be. "The third door
on the right," she managed.