by Dawn Brower
It was the day for odd statements apparently. “Alys is living in the 1800s.” Time to snap her mother to the present. “This painting isn’t the only proof I have.” She handed her mother Alys’s letter.
Her mother snatched it and read it quickly. “Well, I’ll be.”
Regina studied her mother. She’d expected disbelief, not quiet acceptance. Her mother stared back up at the portrait. “So this is my granddaughter? Oh, I wish I could have met her.” She started to walk around the room and stopped by another portrait and gasped. “It can’t be.”
“What is it?” Regina asked concerned.
“Why, it’s Captain Jack.”
Regina stared at the portrait. A handsome man with golden-blond hair and sea green eyes filled her vision. His smile held a wicked gleam to it, and the woman next to him looked like a grown up version of Elizabeth. She still resembled Alys, but she wasn’t an exact replica. “The mythical Captain Jack you used to tell us stories about?”
“The very one.” She smiled. “I’m so happy he survived.”
“I thought he was fictional,” Regina replied. How had her mother known a rakish pirate? “I think there’s a lot you’re not telling me. You’re accepting all of this too easily.”
Regina didn’t know what to make of her mother’s acceptance of Alys’s jaunt to the past. She expected disbelief—not whatever the hell this was. Her mother seemed so blasé about the entire thing, as if time travel was an everyday sort of thing. Who was this creature and what happened to her mother?
“As it happens, I know a little about time travel.”
Regina’s mouth fell open. Her mother held back a lot. So much that she was beginning to wonder if she ever knew her mother at all. What did she know about time travel, and more importantly how had she come by the information? “Tell me everything,” she demanded.
“Another time,” her mother said. “All you need to know right now is that your sister is happy.”
She narrowed her eyes and studied her mother. How could she be so dismissive? Regina was bubbly with excitement. She wanted as much information as her mother had inside her pretty head. There had to be a way to make her mother talk about it.
“No. I want details.”
Yes, she was acting like a spoiled child, but this was huge. Her mother could explain about time travel and tell her so much, and she was holding it back. That was wrong. She wanted to know it all.
“Fine. I’ll tell you a tiny bit,” she said. “But we don’t have time for more. Your father is meeting with Bradford and then we have to go back to the states. This is what your father refers to as a pit stop.”
If Bradford wouldn’t listen to her, she’d at least have a way to escape. She’d have to stall her parents long enough to have a heart-to-heart with him. “Tell me.” For now, she could forget her own woes and get lost in a fantastical tale.
“I was born at the start of the eighteenth century,” she explained. “Your father, with a little help from Captain Jack, saved me in 1722.”
Of all the things she thought her mother might admit to, that wasn’t at the top of her list. She’d traveled through time, the same as Alys. Why hadn’t she gotten that lucky? It would be amazing to visit another time.
“I believe that, in some instances, we’re able to time travel so we meet our one true love.” She stared at the portrait of Jack and Elizabeth. “I’d love to have been there to see Jack fall. He was such an arrogant man.”
Her mother’s theory made sense. Alys found her James and the love of her life. Regina hadn’t time traveled because her soul mate was in her own time. That meant she had to do everything in her power to fight for him. She’d been a fool to let her uncertainty stand in the way of happiness.
“One day you’re going to sit down and tell me everything, but right now I have a few things to take care of.”
“It will be a pleasure to finally share it with you.” Her mother smiled at Regina. “Go do what you need to. I’m going to go through all these portraits and familiarize myself with them all. They’re our family too now.” She gasped. “It just hit me that makes Bradford family too. I’ll have to let your father in on that. He’s incredibly hard on the duke.”
Regina scrunched her nose up. “I don’t think of him in that way.”
He might be distantly related to Alys, but that didn’t make him her family, at least not the way her mother referred to him. She loved the damn man and intended to spend the rest of her life with him. Nothing was going to stand in the way of that.
Her mother laughed. “He’ll be family regardless soon enough.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Her mother made way too many cryptic statements for her liking.
“I’m not blind,” she replied. “I know you’re in love with him, but you had to realize that for yourself.”
Regina shook her head and frowned. She’d always done things the hard way. Falling in love wouldn’t be any different. Her mother knew her too well. It was a little eerie how much her mother managed to figure out. It made for rather difficult teenage years. Her mother always seemed aware of what she had planned before she did. Perhaps that was the way of mothers though.
“Then you won’t mind me taking off to tell him that.”
She didn’t wait around to hear what her mother had to say. Bradford was going to listen to her, and then she’d tell him that he was going to marry her. He’d asked, damn it, and she wasn’t going to let him take that back. They belonged together.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Bradford had been surprised to find Paul Dewitt waiting for him in his study. The solicitor must have seen himself out, not that he’d care to find out. The last thing he wanted was to deal with Regina’s father. He’d laid it all out to her and she’d pushed him away. Regina said she couldn’t marry him. What the hell did that mean? It was either yes or no, not “I can’t.” After her rejection he couldn’t stay. If he remained in her presence, he would’ve started begging. He loved her, and she clearly didn’t feel the same. It was much better to make a clean break.
“Hello, Paul.” He crossed the room and greeted the older man. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I stopped to pick up the contracts. Regina said you were going over them. I hope they met with your approval.”
The damn contracts—they’d been so important to him at one time, and he’d forgotten their existence. He’d signed them ages ago and left them in a folder on his desk. “I’ve already read through them and signed them. I was going to give them to Regina to take back with her when she left later today.”
Not the entire truth. He’d probably not have realized they were still on his desk for quite a while, but it sounded good to say he’d been prepared to send them off. Paul’s appearance might even be to his benefit. He could take his daughter with him when he left. Then Bradford could get back to the normalness of his life, and do everything in his power to forget about the blonde vixen that’d disrupted his life.
“Excellent,” Paul said. “I didn’t realize Regina planned on flying home today.”
Bradford couldn’t very well admit the reason behind her sudden departure. It might disrupt their future as business partners. It was best to keep the peace as much as possible. The contracts were important to his company’s future.
“It’s a sudden decision. She accomplished everything she came here for.”
He wondered if breaking his heart was one of the goals she’d sent out to achieve. If so, she’d done a damn good job of it. No one had the power to destroy him quite like she did. She’d had him fooled. He thought they had something, but he’d been wrong.
“She found Alys?”
So her father had known about Regina’s other project. At least she didn’t lie to one male in her life. She’d been brilliantly good at it where he was concerned. Her father must hold her respect more than Bradford did. “Not exactly, I’ll let her explain it to you.” He glanced up and found Regina standing inside the
doorway. He ached inside at the sight of her. Why the hell wasn’t she in her room packing? Did she find out her father was here and come to seek him out?
“Hello, Daddy,” she said. “Momma can fill you in on Alys. I need to have a conversation with Bradford. Can you give us some privacy?”
Her father studied her a moment and then nodded. Bradford wanted to argue with her proclamation. As far as he was concerned, they’d said everything they needed to. She could go and he’d be fine without her.
“All right,” her father said. “Come find me when you’re done.”
“I will,” she agreed.
Once her father was gone Regina turned to him. She was quiet as she crossed the room to stand beside him. “You didn’t let me explain before you rushed away from me. You do that a lot, jump to conclusions and think you’re right. News flash, that isn’t always the case.”
What could she possibly have had to say that would’ve made a difference? “I can’t” had seemed pretty damn clear to him. That was all he’d needed to hear to walk away and not look back. Why stay behind and let her rip him to shreds?
“There was nothing left to discuss,” he said in a clipped tone. “I trust you’ve packed and are ready to leave? You’re parents’ arrival was rather serendipitous to your departure. You can now travel with them.”
He turned away from her and sat down at his desk. The journal Zane had given him sat nearby. It was unnecessary to finding Alys now. He could return it to Seabrook the next time he traveled there. Bradford picked it up and flipped it open in an attempt to ignore Regina. He read the first line and froze.
My brother married Alys today.
If he’d opened it sooner he might have gotten the answers quicker, and Regina would already be gone. Why had he avoided opening it before now? Maybe he’d been hoping for a better outcome between them. Now he knew better. He glanced up and met Regina’s gaze. “Why are you still here?”
“I told you we needed to talk. I’m not leaving until you hear what I have to say.”
Regina stared at him with purpose shining within her beautiful blue eyes. He wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms, but that would end up in a torment he didn’t want to succumb to. She had to leave, the sooner the better.
“Nothing you could possibly spout out of your mouth would be worth hearing.”
She glared at him and tapped her foot impatiently. Why did she have to be so bloody beautiful? He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless, but he had to resist the urge. It would just extend the inevitable. She was leaving him, why give her more ammunition to hurt him?
“Why are you so stubborn?”
He had to be strong, and as obstinate as possible. It was the only way he’d survived in his mother’s household. Weakness wasn’t tolerated. He raised an eyebrow mockingly, and snorted. “You have no room to criticize, my dear.”
She smiled. “We’re two peas in a pod then.”
“Fine. Say your piece so I can be rid of you.”
It would be easier to give in to her now. He knew her well enough to realize she wouldn’t let this go. Whatever it was, he could dismiss it after she was done. Then after she left he could drown his sorrows in a bottle of his favorite brandy.
She placed her hands on his desk and leaned in. Their faces were so close he could incline his head a little and kiss her. He refrained from doing it, but oh he wanted to. He craved her taste, the touch of her lips against his, and the smell of her sweet skin. Why was she torturing him?
“Yes,” she said.
He scrunched his eyebrows together and frowned. “Yes what?”
“I’ll marry you.”
He had to be hearing her wrong. She’d already said no. Hadn’t she? He heard her say she couldn’t...
“I believe that discussion has already ended. I’ve moved on.”
She laughed. “As if you could.”
Hell, she was right. He’d never be able to forget her. Why was she toying with his emotions? Bradford clenched his hand into a fist and pounded it on the desk. “Go. Now.”
The smile fell from her face. She didn’t move for several seconds. Then when she did he was afraid she’d listen and walk away from him. He stood to stop her, but she met him halfway. Bradford pulled her into his arms and crushed his mouth over hers. She’d said yes. What was wrong with him? He should’ve pulled her into his arms sooner. He was such a fool.
He lifted his head and stared into her beautiful blue eyes. A small tear was falling down her cheek. “Why are you crying?” he kissed her cheeks trying to erase the hurt. Had he done that to her? Regina didn’t cry, at least not that he’d ever witnessed.
“I was afraid it was too late. That you’d truly send me away.”
Bradford had been ready to do exactly that. He’d started to build the walls around his heart. If she’d left him he’d have reinforced them so no one could get past them ever again. It was amazing she’d been able to breach his defenses.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “When you said you couldn’t marry me—I have no excuse. I was totally gutted and lashed out.”
She lifted her hand and caressed his cheek. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you more than words can say, but I can’t live with all these doubts. Please tell me that, from this point on, we’re going to talk things through. We’ll never make it if we don’t learn to communicate better.”
Regina loved him. She’d admitted it, finally. He’d thought he would never hear those words from her lips. Relief filled his heart, and a lightness that he’d never felt before. His future suddenly looked a whole lot brighter. Mere moments ago he’d been planning to drink away the rest of the day—hell maybe even the week. Who knows where his drunken stupor would have led him.
“I love you, my darling incredible woman,” he said as he trailed kisses over her face. “I promise from this moment on we will discuss everything. I don’t want there to be any doubts between us either.”
She laughed. “Thank God. I thought you were going to be unreasonable.”
“You have to forgive me. I can be a total arse sometimes.”
“I know, but I love you anyway.”
He laughed and pulled her closer to him. “I want to get married right away. None of that fancy nonsense.” He couldn’t bring himself to say the words, “like your other wedding.” That first one didn’t matter. The one they would have was the one that would count as far as he was concerned. Regina would be his wife.
“That sounds reasonable to me.” She grinned. “My parents are even here. We can get married as soon as you can arrange it.”
Yesterday wasn’t soon enough for him, but even he couldn’t work that kind of magic. It would take several days, maybe even weeks, to plan even the smallest of ceremonies in England. “Maybe we should fly to the states for the ceremony. I hear Las Vegas is lovely.”
Regina laughed. “Yeah, if you’re partial to bright, flashy lights.”
“As long as you’re there the rest are minor details.”
“In that case,” she said as she leaned her head on his shoulder. “Let’s go to Vegas, baby.”
This was a moment he would remember for the rest of his life. The beginning of their life together, and when she finally told him she loved him. He’d not been joking. The wedding itself wasn’t important, as long as the end gave him what he wanted. Regina as his wife, his duchess, and the only woman he’d ever love.
EPILOGUE
Regina flipped through the journal Bradford had brought back from Seabrook. They were on their way to Las Vegas for a spur of the moment wedding. She still couldn’t believe she’d agreed to the impromptu wedding, but she didn’t regret it. Bradford was her future and her home. She didn’t want to be anywhere he wasn’t.
He’d given her the journal as a wedding gift. She laughed at him. It wasn’t his to give away, and she’d reminded him of that fact. To which he’d said, “Zane can kiss my behind. He’s not getting it back.”
She didn’t want to upset him, but once she was done reading it she fully intended to return it to its rightful owner. Regina didn’t believe in keeping something that didn’t belong to her. The journal was a Seabrook heirloom and belonged at the estate. She’d read a good portion of it. The marchioness had begun an amazing adventure and she wanted to see what happened to her. This journal told the tale of how she’d fallen in love with her husband, and the path that led to their coming together. It was terribly romantic, and fully of so much love.
She glanced next to her and smiled, it wasn’t unlike her and Bradford really. They’d both fought their love every step of the way. Regina wondered if a lot of couples did the same thing. Love was a scary thing, but incredible with the right person.
“I’m so glad you’ll be my last first kiss.” Regina told him.
“Ditto, darling, but where’s this coming from?”
She’d read about Rosanna’s first kiss with her Dom. He’d been the only man that had ever kissed the lady. Regina couldn’t be Bradford’s first kiss, but she could be his last.
“I love you, and sometimes I wish I’d have met you before I made all the mistakes of my past.”
“They made you who you are. Don’t regret what’s made you the woman I love.” He lifted her hand and kissed her palm.
When he said things like that she wondered why she fought so hard to keep him at a distance. They had been attracted to each other from the very beginning, but lust wasn’t love. They had to spend time together to build that emotion into what it had become. Regina leaned her head back and closed her eyes. The trip to Nevada would take a while, and she was tired.
“It’s about bloody time,” Eve exclaimed.
“I thought I was done with you.” Regina glared at her. Eve sat in the seat next to her. She didn’t question how she’d come to be there. At this point she was used to the woman invading her thoughts. “Didn’t I tell you to stay out of my head?”