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44: Feeling ill
Last Updated:
2023-04-24 03:14:42
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Promised to the father, married to the son 45: Telling him
*Ben* I wait as long as I can. When the ladies don’t return straightaway to inform me that all is well, I head upstairs and barge into the bedchamber without bothering to knock. That Minerva and Julia are sitting on either side of Skye, holding her hands, causes cold dread to wash over me. While I have never witnessed a deathbed scene, what I see is exactly how I imagine it would be. Skye’s cheeks hold no rosy hue. Her eyes don’t light up with challenge at my arrival. My father likes Skye immensely. I don’t know if my sire would survive losing her if she is to succumb to an illness and become another woman who has died too young within this residence. “I’ll send for a physician,” I bark, despising that I seem unable to react with any sort of rational thought. “I don’t think that’s necessary,” Minerva says, rising to her feet, smiling softly. The smile unmans me. “What’s wrong with her then?” “We’ll let her tell you.” As Minerva and Julia walk out, I try to take solace in the fa
Last Updated : 2023-05-01Promised to the father, married to the son 46: An heir, maybe
*Skye* Marsden’s reaction is exactly the sort that any woman would want. He is ecstatic. I am certain that if he had his clothes as well tailored to fitting his body as his son does, then his buttons would have popped off his waistcoat when Ben announces in the music room that evening following dinner that I am with child. I am surprised everyone has held the news to themselves, but I suppose they wanted a wonderful moment for Marsden. “Bravo!” He exclaims, lifting his glass of scotch. “I knew it wouldn’t take you long, my dear”. I have been noticing changes for some time now, lacking energy in the afternoons, my stomach feeling a bit queasy in the mornings, but I had kept it all to myself because it felt far too early to announce a baby was on the way. Even now, I am not quite comfortable with it, but Minerva and Julia forced my hand. I am most surprised by Ben’s reaction. His mother’s death has obviously affected him more than I realized, no doubt more than anyone thinks. I sens
Last Updated : 2023-05-07Promised to the father, married to the son 47: Collapse
*Skye* May arrives with warmer weather than usual. I can’t bear the thought of cleaning rooms when I can enjoy the sun warming my face. Kneeling, inhaling deeply, I take satisfaction in the fragrance of freshly turned earth. Except for a brief respite for lunch, I have spent the day working on bringing the garden back to life. The next time we have guests, I want to be able to invite them for tea on the terrace. So earlier this morning, once Ben left for the mines, I went into the village, visited with those who have gorgeous flowers blooming, and asked for some cuttings from their favorite plants. I have never been the beneficiary of such generosity from strangers, and I left feeling as though I were accepted by the villagers, as though I truly belong here. Then when I returned to the house I set the servants to work. The servants and stable boys are making great progress hacking at the brambles and overgrowth. The maids are pulling up the unwanted vegetation. Marsden, bless him,
Last Updated : 2023-05-08Promised to the father, married to the son 48: Back home
*Ben* I sink down into the hot water. Trapped inside the mine, surrounded by darkness, thoughts of Skye provided a light for my soul as I encouraged the other five men entombed with me to work to dig themselves out. I had never contemplated not finding freedom, never considered death as an avenue for escape, because it would have kept me from her. When I came out of the mine and saw her rushing toward me, the joy that spiraled through me had been unsettling. She is coming to mean too much, and yet I can’t quite push back the emotions, no matter how dangerous or risky to my sanity they may be. Love was not in the cards, I still do not want it to be, but I am not longer sure that I have any control over what cards I am being dealt. Now hearing the door open, I glance back over my shoulder. I shouldn’t be so grateful for Skye’s arrival, but damn if I am not. “I thought you could use a drink,” she says as she hands me a glass filled with amber liquid. “Indeed I could.” I swall
Last Updated : 2023-05-08Promised to the father, married to the son 49: New York
*Skye* A month later, as the car rolls into New York, I fight to keep my apprehension hidden. Long, slow, deep breaths have been the order of the journey. As well as a mantra commanding myself to relax. It is highly unlikely that I will cross paths with Montie, that he will discover I returned. And if he does, it is possible that he wouldn’t care after all these months. He has no doubt forgotten all about me, moved on to someone else. He has never been one to do without and he likes nothing more than a woman’s company. In order not to forgo pleasure, he would have replaced me quickly enough. I am rather certain of that fact, as I no longer have any delusions regarding what I had meant to him: nothing particularly special. In truth, Ben makes me feel more treasured than Montie ever had. “Where did you live?” At the unexpected question disturbing the quiet, I jerk my attention to my husband, who sits across from me. We have spoken very little during the journey, which suited me, as
Last Updated : 2023-05-09Promised to the father, married to the son 50: Missing her
*Ben* I have always enjoyed spending time at the Twin Dragons, especially after the owner, opened the place up to women. The establishment offers gambling, a ballroom, a dining room, a gathering room for all members, and an assortment of areas designated for only men or only women. So one can mix with the fairer sex if one is of a mind or seeks less exciting company. I opt for the less exciting company. More than that, I opt for a less exciting activity: sitting in the gentlemen’s room and indulging in scotch. I could have done the same in my own library. I gave a game of cards a go, but I had quickly become bored with the task. Generally I relish pitting my skills against others’ talents, but I found myself constantly wishing that Skye were sitting beside me. With her ability not to give anything away, I suspect she would come away with a good portion of the winnings. It is the fact that she is so good at not revealing herself that makes me know something is amiss in New York. I
Last Updated : 2023-05-10Promised to the father, married to the son 51: Rushing in
*Skye* While Ben left me feeling sated, I have been unable to fall asleep after he left. I have rung for Cullie and dressed for dinner, although I do not much like dining alone. Now feeling rather like a wraith, I wander through the hallways striving to get a better sense of the place. The difference between this residence and the country one is striking. Not a single door is locked. I don’t need keys to access anything. Every room, even the ones not in use, holds flowers. But they don’t hold what I am truly searching for: company. I miss Ben, damn it all. Something about the night makes me all the more lonely and bereft, makes me question if I should be here not so much in New York, but with him. While living in New York, I harbored so many dreams of love. Once I left, I thought I would give up on them, but they are working hard to surface. The love of my child would be enough to sustain me, or so I hoped, because I am finding myself yearning for the love of a man. I make my wa
Last Updated : 2023-05-10Promised to the father, married to the son 52: Belonging together
*Ben* She is mine. I almost say aloud the words that reverberate through my soul. She belongs to me in the same manner that clouds belong to the sky and leaves to the trees and ore to the earth, part and parcel, a piece of the whole. I am not one for poetry, yet for her I wish I had the ability to write sonnets. I wish I had met her at a ball, had courted her properly with flowers, strolls, and rides in the park. But romantic gestures are as foreign to me as love. I have never wanted emotional entanglements, yet I can’t deny that she has the ability to tie me up in knots. Sliding my mouth from hers, I graze my lips along the underside of her chin, relishing her soft moan. She is so quick to burn. I love that about her. From the beginning she has never played hard to get in the bedchamber. She welcomes me, responds, and gives back. Is it possible to love things about a person without loving the person? So many things about her brings me pleasure. The way she laughs. The way her ey
Last Updated : 2023-05-14
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Promised to the father, married to the son Epilogue
*Skye* Standing on the landing at the top of the stairs with my husband behind me, his arms circling me just below my breasts, and Marsden beside me, I couldn't be more pleased. "What do you think, Father?" I ask."Beautiful, my dear. It’s just as it was the last time that Linnie and I held a Christmas ball here. Of course, we had an abundance of guests then."I saved the tidying of the ballroom for last, and this is my gift to Marsden. Every room in the manor is now absent cobwebs and dust; every room has been set to rights."Will you host a ball here?" he asks."We thought in the new year, if you've no objections.""You're the lady of the manor. It’s your decision.""If you're not comfortable with so many people.""It'll be good to see old friends. Will you dance with me now?"I smile at him. "We don't have an orchestra."He pats his chest. "The music is here. You don't mind, do you, son?""Not as long as I get the last dance.""Will you dance with me, Papa?" Maddie asks from her
Promised to the father, married to the son Maddie
*Skye* We stayed in New York until the end of the Season. No rumors about my past circulated. Occasionally, I caught a glimpse of Beaumont, but he kept his distance. It seems to me that he always looks rather sad. I do hope that happiness is in his future. But happiness is certainly in my present. I am glad to be back at the country estate. Sitting on the terrace with Marsden, sipping my afternoon tea while he drinks scotch, I don't know why I ever thought this place was desolate. "I love it here," I say on a sigh. "It's not for everyone," he tells me. I look over at him. "It's for me, though." And it will be for my children. Here, they will know only happiness. They might climb trees, but it won't be because they are afraid of receiving an unjust punishment. I know my husband will be returning soon. He is spending less time at the mines these days. He still goes down into them, he can't seem to refrain from accepting the challenge of it. But he doesn't go as often, or so he tell
Promised to the father, married to the son Together again
*Ben* As soon as the car takes off, I drag her onto my lap, latching my mouth onto the soft skin at her throat, suckling, nipping, journeying up and down the long column, while she moans, drops her head back, gasps short breaths. "If you ever leave me again, without so much as a word of warning..." "What will you do? Spank me? Lock me in my room? There is little point in running away if you warn the person ahead of time or leave a message stating where you are." Threading my fingers through her hair, I bring her head level with mine, holding her gaze. "Never leave me again." "I did it for you. To spare you." "The agony of losing you nearly killed me." Something I'd never admit to another soul, but to her, I suddenly feel that I can admit anything. "How did you find me?" "Not as easily or as quickly as I should have. I went to see your parents." Her eyes widen. Wanting to drink in the whiskey, I wish it wasn't dark, that we weren't ensconced in shadows. "I told you I was dead t
Promised to the father, married to the son Finding her
*Skye* I hated parting with the pearls, but I didn't have any other choice. Unfortunately, they didn't bring in as much money as I had hoped, but it was enough for me to feel confident going to my solicitor, knowing that I could pay his fee. Turns out, he didn't charge me for his advice, as there was nothing he could do for me. "I can't divorce him," I say, pacing in front of the fireplace in my temporary bedchamber. "I thought infidelity was a justifiable reason for getting a divorce," Sophie says. "Yes, but I can't divorce him because I committed adultery. Only he can divorce me for my transgressions." "You can divorce him if he commits adultery, so let's say he did." Shaking my head, I stop pacing. "No. I won't have some woman he might wish to marry questioning his faithfulness. He is loyal. Besides, it's not enough for him to be an adulterer. He must desert me for two years. Yet I don't have to desert him. There are different laws applied to men than to women, which makes it
Promised to the father, married to the son Has he seen her?
*Beaumont* I've never had as much luck playing cards as I'm having this evening at the Twin Dragons. From the moment I sat down half an hour earlier, I've taken every hand. This latest one will be no exception. Fortune is smiling so brightly on me. "I need a word." Christ, I nearly jump out of my skin at the low rasp near my ear. I recognize the owner's tone as one that doesn't bode well. I snap my head around, my gaze slamming into Killian Archer's, the hazel eyes indicating a high price will be paid for any disobedience. But I'm known for my stubbornness. "I'm otherwise occupied." Do I have to sound as though my heart is lodged in my throat? Archer grabs my cards, tosses them down. "He's out." "See here." I swing back around to glare at him. There is a tenseness, a danger, to him that has no doubt led to his surviving his treks into the wilds. Not even the king of the jungle would want to tangle with a man who looks as though he'd take great delight in devouring his prey for
Promised to the father, married to the son Her parents
*Ben* I've ridden my motorbike like a madman all through the day and into the evening in order to catch up with the bus. When I finally do reach it, I discover she's disembarked in the first village at which it has stopped. Naturally, by the time I return there, she is nowhere to be found. So where the bloody hell has she gone? She isn't going to return to the country estate. Of that, I'm fairly certain. In no mood to explain the situation to my father, I've sent the cars and servants back to New York while I carry on to her childhood home. I think it's unlikely that she would seek out her parents for help, but I'm hopeful they can shed some light on where she might seek refuge. Having attended a couple of balls at Beaumont's country estate, I'm familiar with the area and seek out the parsonage near the church. After knocking on the door, I glance around, my chest tightening as I study the towering oak that brushes up against a window on the uppermost level. I imagine Skye bold, b
Promised to the father, married to the son Seaking shelter
*Skye* It's the very worst place I could come, but I have nowhere else to go. Knocking on the servants' door, I hold my breath, striving not to think about what might have gone through Ben's head other than a great deal of pain considering how much he'd imbibed when he awoke this morning to find me gone. Would he have even cared or would he have thought good riddance? A servant opens the door, blinks at me, furrows his brow, and I know he's trying to place me. "I'm here to see Miss Sophie." "What is the nature of your business?" "It's personal." In my bag, I have several calling cards that Ben had given me when we arrived in New York, in the event I made morning calls. He had such faith in me garnering the love and respect of Society, of being welcomed, of being accepted as his wife. Instead, I've merely managed to ruin his life. And I'll ruin it further if I hand over a calling card and anyone discovers that Mrs. Archer is very familiar with Mistress Row. "Just inform her that
Promised to the father, married to the son A missing wife
*Ben* I awaken with my head feeling as heavy as my heart. I rather wish that I hadn't asked Skye about her history with Beaumont because I have a strong need to go find him and pummel the man to within an inch of his life. I have catched glimpses of her innocence when she kills spiders, falls into the arms of a waiting servants, and laughs, dancing her fingers over the piano keys. I wish I had known her before Beaumont tore away her guilelessness, although I recognize that I would have considered her too pure for the likes of me, giving her little thought because she would have been likable and the last thing I wanted was a woman I could fancy. How ironic then that I ended up with one I could love. I shouldn't have come to her, should have resisted, but where she is concerned, I had no resistance from the moment I opened the door to her. I curse her for bringing a loneliness to my life that I had never before experienced. I never had any trouble sleeping alone, and now I despise
Promised to the father, married to the son Her whole story
*Skye* I lie on my side beneath the covers, staring at the pale moonlight filtering in through the windows. My life has been a series of escapes, of running away, each one leading to something worse than what had come before. Reading the gossip Magazines, I never considered the rich to be very noble. The men are womanizers; the ladies are silly chits who care only about gowns, money, and dance partners. None of them have real troubles or concerns. Through Montie, I havd learned they are a selfish lot concerned only with their own wants and needs. The other mistresses I have known saw the upper crust of society as a means to an end. Nice residence, fancy clothes, fine jewelry. And if it means giving up one's good name and reputation, they think it worth it for all they gain to be spoiled and pampered, even if it means indulging the whims of a specific gentleman anytime day or night. To be his bird in a gilded cage, to sing when prompted, to keep silent otherwise. Mistresses mistaken
