Dare To Love

by Trisha Fuentes

  What letter?! Thomas’ heart began to thump in his ears now. “The one that was addressed to you with the gift I sent for Mary. It was placed under the string with Mary’s note, did you not read it?”

  Gwendolyn then realized what he was speaking of. “Inside the treasure chest? Are you sure? With Mary’s enthusiasm—oh no—she pulled so many things out of the trunk at once, it must have fallen back in.”

  Thomas began to panic, “Good God Gwendolyn, so you did not read the letter? And your marriage—and his son—could have been prevented!”

  “My marriage? And…his son?”

  “By Mr. McMillen.”

  Gwendolyn closed her mouth and began to walk into another room. Thomas watched her tramp away and began to follow her from room to room searching for something. It was such an awkward hunt; he noted continuously, she was not able to move many things, what with the baby still in her arms. Bending down with one fluid hand she shuffled through papers, making a horrible mess and he watched her do this several times; in the parlor…and out the sitting room, in the sewing room…and out the dining area. When he finally had enough of her inelegance, he blurted out, “Slow down, you are going to drop the infant.”

  Gwendolyn spun around and offered Thomas the baby. “Here, you hold him. I need to find that letter.”

  Thomas reluctantly took the baby and uneasily held him out in front of him. His heart began to break just holding that farmer’s child within his hands. But then the babe looked up at him and with ample green eyes the son’s mirror image impaired him like a thunderbolt. Through choked emotion, Thomas carefully peeled back the blanket that draped over his head and ran his thumb over the infant’s black hair. Instantly closing his eyes, he brought the boy lovingly into his chest. His answer was here…He had it all along…His prayers were fulfilled and through tear filled eyes, he observed Gwendolyn pull out the letter from the bottom of the treasure trunk and began ripping it open. “Gwen—”

  “Not yet Thomas—” she snapped cutting him off and then it hit her. Here…all along, was the response to all her endless perplexity, the reasons why he stayed away, the motivation to all her insanity. But somehow, as she gazed up to look at Thomas now smiling down at his son, what she desired to know did not seem all that important compared to what she suspected needed to be revealed. “I could not marry him,” Gwendolyn set free, clearing her nose into her skirts. “I could not marry one man when I was in love with another.” Gwendolyn then pulled off her soiled apron and bunched it up into a ball. “I love you Thomas,” she whimpered freely, “I don’t think I have ever told you that. I love you, Lord Thomas Albert Hollinger, III. I have loved you since you rescued us on that day we drifted away from port. Loved you even more when you saved me from a tarnishing situation on my fifteenth birthday…fell head over heels for you on our wedding night…and, heaven help me… my heart is bursting with love for you at this very moment. I love you, love you, and love you Thomas…are you listening to me?”

  Nathaniel’s tiny hand had wrapped around his father’s index finger and Thomas bent over and kissed his little forehead. Upon closing his eyes, he continued to caress the baby’s head with his cheek and softly voiced, “Read the letter Gwendolyn.”

  Gwendolyn found a seat and tore the letter open immediately.

  My Darling Gwendolyn,

  I hope this letter reaches you before your joining to Mr. McMillen. I had the messenger send my gifts prematurely, in anticipation that it will arrive on time.

  My sweet, sweet girl…I have been in love with you since the day you helped me back to the manor with my broken arm. Our persistent friendship only a vantage to the affection I held for you. No second thoughts here Gwendolyn, you are the first thing I think of at daybreak, and my last attention upon nightfall. Too many years have been spent apart from the one person who always eased a smile to my lips. Seeing you again made me realize how much I need you and without you to share my life with, then I might as well have drowned.

  My pledge to Katrina will no longer be official once you have read this. I am calling off the wedding because I am without end your devoted husband. I love you, love you and love you Gwendolyn. Come back to Wilderbrand, bring our daughter and wake up in my arms.

  I wait with baited breath upon hearing your reply.

  Yours Evermore, Thomas

  P. S. The horse’s name is “Desire”, but Mary can change it if she so pleases.

  Gwendolyn dropped the letter to the floor and buried her face within her hands, crying from jubilant release, she allowed her tears to happily drop down the sides of her cheeks. “I love you too, Thomas.”

  Thomas did not bother to look her way and continued to make funny faces at the baby. “I know…”

  “You know?”

  Thomas mouthed out the words “ I know” to the baby and his son gurgled at him as he smiled.

  Gwendolyn walked over to them and shook her head at Thomas’ obvious self-assuredness; “His name is Nathaniel by the way...after my brother.”

  Thomas persisted on with his entertaining; his son reacting to his father’s every comical expression. “Nice name, I like it.”

  “But his ordained name is Lord Nathaniel Kenneth Hollinger…Earl of Suffolkshire, Marques Hollinger and Viscount of Wilderbrand.”

  Thomas grinned into the baby, “I know…those are my eyes looking up at me.”

  Gwendolyn gave up and began to smile; she stepped into Thomas and placed her hand on his back. Looking down at her bubbling boy, she expressed, “Your father is such an arrogant man, Nattie.”

  “And this arrogant man is—profoundly— in love with his mother,” Thomas adoringly expressed, meeting her teary eyes, leaning over to give Gwendolyn a gentle kiss on her lips, increasingly ardent and tenderly yielded.

  They pulled apart and stared at one another, bringing forth-longer tears. Gwendolyn then wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his throat and sniveled, “Where were you?”

  Thomas lowered his head and kissed Gwendolyn on the side of her neck. “Devin and I were detained, marooned actually, in France…where were you?”

  Gwendolyn continued to capture his intoxicating essence from his incredible warmth against her body, “…Waiting for you to wake up and realize that you were still obsessed.”

  “Who’s obsessed?” Thomas joked, pulling away from her nuzzle and gazing down at his son and nodding at him.

  Gwendolyn touched his face with her hand and then wiped away a tear that rolled down his cheek. “We are,” she could barely say through stifled sentiment. She leaned in to kiss his soft lips once more, squeezing him tightly to her breast as she did so.

  “Mummie! Mummie!” Mary stomped in, yelling, “Father is here! Father is here—” She cut off, watching her mother and father kissing. Thomas broke away from Gwendolyn and eyed Mary’s approximation. “Come here, love…go and stand by your mother.”

  “What are you doing Thomas?” Gwendolyn asked, holding the baby now with one hand and then grabbing Mary’s with the other. In total stupefaction, she watched Thomas get down on one’s knees before the three of them.

  Phyllis and Stewart came in from around the corner and then Marcus, a few more villagers, followed by a startled Charles.

  “Good, I have witnesses,” Thomas settled, looking over at all the inquiring perception.

  With a smile pasted to her face, Gwendolyn forthwith realized what was about to happen. “Thomas, there is no need—”

  “Shush Gwendolyn, but there is,” he suspended her. “Now, I am taking control of this meandering ship so allow me my address.”

  Gwendolyn bit down on her lower lip to keep from laughing, “But Thomas—”

  “Gwendolyn—please,” he cut her off, “…When we were married the first time, we did not have a choice in the matter. Now, we do,” he voiced quietly and serious now. “And I…Lord Thomas Albert Hollinger, III, 5th Duke of Norwin and Earl of Wilderbrand, want to take care of you and my family…I am in love with you
Lady Gwendolyn of Suffolkshire and I would be honored…no euphoric, if you would become my wife once again.”

  The biggest smile appeared on Mary as she looked up at her mother who was in tears. Mary wrapped her arms around her waist and gave her mother a hug. “What is your answer, Mummie?”

  Gwendolyn cleared her cheeks, before saying, “But Thomas, we are already married.”

  Thomas frowned, “What?”

  Gwendolyn reached out and touched his chin; “I have never sent the papers back.”

  “The divorce decree?”

  “Yes,” she confessed. “I still have them. I never signed them. If you wanted to marry that malevolent girl, then you would have to answer to me first.”

  Thomas stood back up again and puffed up with open-mouthed wonder, “Another trick, Gwendolyn?”

  “A challenge Thomas.”

  Thomas grinned, “Challenge?”

  “A dare to love.”

  “Still married then, eh?” Thomas accepted happily, “Then we must renew our vows, tomorrow, today…no now!”

  “Now?” Gwendolyn asked astonished.

  Thomas hushed down and whispered in her ear, “Gwen love, I wish to be present at the birth of our next child we conceive, so unless you want to continue to be my brood mare, I say most definitely now.”

  Gwendolyn’s mouth flew open wide from the obvious insinuation and innuendo in his stare, “In front of all of these people? You would drag me away? You would not dare.”

  “Try me.”

  FIVE WINTERS LATER

  Wilderbrand Castle

  Lying down, Gwendolyn was upstairs in the master bedroom with a thermometer sticking out of her mouth. Looking up at the doctor, she watched him as he recorded her examination. She gazed outside her window and awaited her husband’s arrival. Amazing, how five years could come and go so fast, they were practically a blur. She was in love with him…he was in love with her…and Gwendolyn could not help but still miss him every second he was not around.

  They did get remarried in a modest chapel in Kettlewell. With little fanfare, her second wedding ceremony to Thomas was one she would never forget. Even though just a few people were in attendance, the ceremony was both beautiful and poignant, and Gwendolyn swore she caught a glimpse of her mother in the shadows of a doorway. And when the Monsignor pronounced that Gwendolyn and Thomas were man and wife, Gwendolyn threw herself into his embrace, wrapped her arms underneath his arms and they remained intertwined and cried in each other’s neckline for nearly half an hour. Mary had to finally rip her parents apart and remind them that it was still her birthday and she had presents to open.

  Since Gwendolyn never had a real honeymoon, Thomas whisked her off to Egypt to view the pyramids, to Africa to encounter obscured wildlife and to South America to sample the best melon and passion fruit she ever tasted. They kept her Great-Aunt’s cottage for the summertime and decided not to sell Gisleham Manor and restore it back to its original splendor; concluding to give it to Mary for a wedding present, when she was old enough to marry of course.

  Moving into Wilderbrand was also an experience. She had never managed a household that expansive before, but she was up to the challenge. Thomas insisted that she hire a governess for the children as well, but Gwendolyn was adamant. She was used to raising her children without any help, but after Thomas told her that they were expected to make appearances and would be attending many social events as the Duke and Duchess of Norwin, Gwendolyn gave in.

  Their Graces, the Duke and Duchess of Norwin , she would probably never be so incredulous over that title. To be known officially as the “Duchess of Norwin”, oh heavens, so much prestige and adulation walked hand-in-hand with nobility. She remembered the first time she heard that heading being announced when they were at a social function; everyone who’s everyone was in attendance, even his Royal Highness. When Gwendolyn and Thomas were formerly introduced all eyes turned to them and a sea of gasps was heard throughout the great ballroom. Everyone knew that Thomas was about to get married, but not to Gwendolyn. Did the Duke of Norwin really marry his mistress? There were rumors flying around town about his latest exploit, but then a handful of elder guests knew the real truth, and that was what started the world of chitchat: “Of course she looks familiar!” “Remember the Drummond’s of Suffolkshire?” “Lady Mary Drummond?” “Gwendolyn was the daughter of the Earl of Suffolkshire.” “Yes, the Earl that perished at sea.” “So tragic, the whole family, lost.” “Lovely couple, we wish them all the best.”

  As the doctor took the thermometer out of her mouth, Gwendolyn pinpointed a vase in the corner of the room filled with pink roses. Pink always reminded her of one person—Katrina.

  After learning that Katrina married Henry and gave birth to a daughter, Gwendolyn thought that would be the end to her larking about. But no, Katrina made sure she was still in Thomas’ area of interest. She would visit Henry on a daily basis, making sure she bumped into Thomas every chance she got. It was over, he would remind her, he married Gwendolyn, they were extremely happy, but she never got the point. Thomas was so sick of her following him around that he gave her an ultimatum. Either she terminated her harassment or he would send Henry to America to assist him with his new venture being developed there. Katrina Barton was further distressed, she could not believe that Thomas was no longer interested. Katrina was so far gone, she even showed up unannounced at dinner one evening, crying and begging to see Thomas. Gwendolyn should have been bothered, but she just felt sorry for her. Thomas had no other choice but to send Henry to America, and last Gwendolyn heard, Henry was doing well with the new HCC in New York and Katrina gave birth to another daughter.

  And the best part of all of this would be Amy, Henry’s sister. She finally found the man of her dreams…Charles McMillen. Oh yes, Gwendolyn was totally surprised when she heard too. Disappointed that the bulls he purchased in Scarborough failed, Charles went to Manchester to purchase two additional males. Once there, he met and fell in love with a beautiful brunette. Both utterly surprised with their mutual acquaintances, they married three months later and now have two sets of twins.

  Gwendolyn continued to stare out the window and watched the sun go down. Thomas would be home soon and she could not wait to talk to him. They were going to have a family supper that evening, with no guests; guests, meaning, no Devin Hale. Oh, Gwendolyn loved Devin, how could she not? He was Thomas’ surrogate brother after all. He shared the same interests as her husband, even the same humor. Devin was a good man, Gwendolyn realized, she just wished he would find himself a wife. Gwendolyn loved to toy with him occasionally, telling him that if he was not careful he may just wake up in love. But he was still a rake though, breaking hearts throughout London, but he always found the time to come by and visit with the children. She could always tell the misguided men apart from the selfish ones, by way of their interest in the little things, like children. Devin loved playing with the boys; Gwendolyn could always find him in the nursery playing blocks with them, he even spent time with Mary, showing her tricks on horseback and how to fight with a sword. Oh Gwendolyn raised her eyebrow over that little hobby, but figured; maybe Mary would need to know one day and allowed her lessons. He was not really upset about his sister either, figured it was time to concentrate on her husband and new family and what better opportunity to have Katrina an ocean away from temptation.

  Married life was wonderful. The first time she experienced waking up in her husband’s arms was the last time Gwendolyn ever cried. Releasing tears of joy was like diving into their shared lake, inspirational and invigorating. No more looking back, only looking forward; each day, a new beginning to create new memories to share with her forever best friend.

  Thomas finally arrived at sunset from a hard day at work. Devin stayed late as well and the both of them tried to figure out how to keep up with the American’s. Seems they were building huge clipper ships, Windjammers, the Yanks were calling them, and they were even challenging Britain to some kind
of race. Up the China coast and back, who could make it the quickest? Well, Thomas was absolutely up for the challenge and he and Devin began devising a plan for their expected victory.

  After taking off his Carrick, Thomas roamed around from room to room searching for his wife. Usually, Gwendolyn was at the door receiving him with wide-open arms, but on this night, she was not? He was wounded—he had not felt that sort of pang in his heart for quite some time.