Born of Proud Blood

by Roberta C. M. DeCaprio

  “I believe I shall leave it down, falling around my shoulders,” she said.

  “But, my dear, all the fashion is those lovely, large curls atop the head,” Lucinda advised.

  “I know, but Gabriel likes my hair down. And besides, all the married women in his tribe wear their hair in such a way, so I will be honoring one of his traditions,” she added.

  The elder woman’s eyes glistened again. “You will be a good wife to him.” She pushed aside a curl from Riley’s forehead. “Already you are considerate of his ways, doing your best to please him. And I have nay a doubt he will be just as attentive and caring to your needs as well.”

  “I agree,” she said, her heart swelling with happiness. “I see love in his eyes when he looks at me and respect toward me in all his actions.”

  “Love and respect are very important in a marriage, but so is honesty and trust. Without these other two essentials, a relationship cannot survive,” Lucinda explained. “Above all, my dear, remember to be honest with Gabriel about the things you’re feeling, then trust him to consider and understand them. And by the same token, you must oblige him in such matters as well.”

  “I will, Auntie Cinda. I promise you, I will.”

  It wasn’t long after she shared a quiet sip of tea with Lady Lucinda that her attendants arrived. Sunny Cavendish served as her matron of honor, dressed in a burgundy gown of silk and organza. The deep plum shade against her pale curls and sapphire blue eyes was charming. Fiona Cavendish and Leah Mills served as her bridesmaids. Both of the women, toting bellies in different stages of gestation, looked lovely in gowns of forest green. Against Fiona’s auburn tresses and Leah’s golden locks, the deep green color took on a rich tone.

  “Who would’ve believed I’d be wearin’ somethin’ as grand as this?” Leah gushed, admiring herself in the mirror.

  Riley hugged the younger woman. “You are absolutely beautiful.”

  “Oh, nay, miss, ’tis ye who are the beauty,” Leah corrected.

  “You all are visions,” Lucinda commented. “However, my dear ladies, I must declare you’ve all had quite enough of this preening.”

  “You are right, my lady,” Sunny agreed. “If Riley wishes to make a stop at Tom and Anita’s grave before we reach Wade’s Landing, we must get going real soon.”

  “How generous of your father and Kaylena to offer their home for my nuptials and reception,” Riley said to Fiona.

  Fiona smiled. “They were pleased to be of service. Wade’s Landing couldn’t be more perfect, since it is built like a tiny castle. There’s more then plenty of room for a chapel-set-up in the solarium and a reception in the banquet hall, not to mention room to dance in the ballroom. Besides, Kaylena is Gabriel’s aunt, and she felt strongly about making his wedding one to remember.”

  “Not to mention she is utterly and completely controlling and would not take no for an answer,” Sunny chimed in.

  They all laughed, even Lucinda.

  “Well, in this case I appreciate her persistence. Wade’s Landing is one of the most well-designed, sophisticated, and stylish mansions in London, so I shan’t complain,” she admitted.

  “Now, for the final touch,” Jane said, making her way to Riley and placing the veil upon her head.

  Riley smiled warmly at her handmaiden. “Come the spring, you will wed next.”

  Jane’s eyes grew moist. “And ye won’t be ’ere to share it with me, miss.”

  “But I shall keep you in my thoughts that entire day and be with you in spirit, Jane.” She gave the other woman a quick hug. “Nevertheless, it shall be a glorious day, and you will be absolutely enchanting.”

  “I thank ye,” Jane whispered. “Now, ’urry on with ye cloak, least ye be late for yer own weddin’.”

  Two carriages awaited them. The smaller vehicle, owned by Lucinda and driven by Charles as always, transported Lady Collins, Jane, Addie, and Regis. The second coach, much larger, more elegant, and owned by Lord Morgan Wade, held Riley and her three attendants.

  At the family burial plot, Riley asked for a moment of privacy. Her veil and cloak billowed in the wind as she stood alone over the two graves of those she considered her parents. With tears in her eyes, she said a quick prayer and her final goodbyes.

  In two days she and Gabriel will be leaving for a three week stay in Ireland. Once in Limerick she will meet the Delaney’s. Word from Gabriel’s sister, Lady Raven Shannon also living in Limerick, explained Lord Shannon made some inquiries and discovered Riley has an uncle, her father’s brother, and three grown cousins still in residence there. They are very anxious to meet her, as is Raven and her family. From Ireland they will travel to America, which will become her new home. Though she knew Gabriel planned on returning to England in time for an extended visit, that opportunity might not be for years to come.

  So on this most anticipated day of her life, happiness was bittersweet. In marrying her one true love, she also had to say farewell to the others she loved as well.

  “It will be a long time before I am able to stand here again,” she whispered. “But deep within my heart, I will remember you both. And when the time arrives, I shall speak with love about you to my children.” Then, pulling two roses from the bridal bouquet she held in trembling hands, she placed a bloom upon each grave before walking back to the waiting carriage.

  Wade’s Landing was decorated to receive a queen. All of them gasped upon entering the solarium. The romantic glow of tall, white candles lit the large room, and bouquets of red roses were placed all about. Rows upon rows of chairs were filled with people. At a glance she spotted Lord Wellington, his wife, and Suzanna present, as was Lord and Lady Abbott. Jerome and Marietta Cavendish were in attendance, along with a countless number of Lucinda’s friends and business acquaintances.

  At the end of the aisle, Reverend Joshua Holmes stood ready to officiate. Gabriel, looking dashing and handsome, broad shoulders filling out the black jacket he wore also stood on the podium. Rafe, his best man, stood beside him, also dressed in a tux with tails. Both men wore top hats. She smiled to herself. Top Hat Tom would have fit right in.

  Sunny was the first to walk down the aisle. Simon escorted his wife, Fiona, and Oliver paired with his wife, Leah. Both men dressed in gray tuxedos and top hats to match. Then it was Riley’s turn. It was customary for a father or a male member of the family to give away the bride, but since none was available in her case, she bent the rules. Lady Lucinda Collins was the most likely candidate and the nearest to any living family Riley had. So, the two women walked arm and arm down the aisle to meet Gabriel, Lucinda giving her permission when asked, before taking a seat in the front row.

  Her heart raced through the vows, every fiber of her being sang with joy when Gabriel placed a gold divinity band encrusted with diamond chips upon her finger and kissed her. She barely tasted the roast chicken and almond stuffing, baby peas, potato casserole steeped in cheddar cheese, green beans with sausage, plum pudding, or the apple cobbler served. The wedding cake, decorated with creamy white frosting and sprigs of mint, melted upon her tongue. She danced, wrapped in her husband’s strong arms, gazing into his mesmerizing, sapphire eyes. People congratulated her, kissed her, and tears were shed. Then Jane handed Gabriel an overnight bag containing the garments she’d need for the night, and Regis supplied a satchel for Gabriel before they said their goodbyes and climbed into the coach provided again by Lord Wade.

  Off they went...just the two of them, no chaperone needed, to a quaint little one room cottage gifted to them for a night by Lady Wellington. It was a whirlwind of a day, and now came nightfall...their first as husband and wife.

  Gabriel carried her over the threshold, into the tiny enchanted-looking dwelling that would be their love nest for a time. Champagne waited for them, as did a large, canopy bed. Only one lantern, placed on a bedside table, was lit, and a fire burned in the fireplace. She removed her cloak and veil, while her husband downed his own hat and jacket. Then she watched him stoke the fire
and uncork the bottle of champagne, pouring them each a portion of the bubbly drink into crystal goblets.

  “I must remember to thank Lady Wellington profusely for such a magnificent gift,” she said, taking the goblet Gabriel handed her.

  He smiled, looking around the room, his gaze resting long upon the huge, soft-looking bed steeped with pillows. The coverlet’s corners were already turned down for their use. “It does serve a perfect purpose.”

  Her face heated. “Aye, it does at that,” she murmured, as she also took in her surroundings. The large room housed an eating and sitting area, as well as sleeping quarters. There was only one other outlet, a small water closet, which also served as a privy.

  They sipped their drinks in silence, and when he took her glass, he rubbed his finger over the long, jagged scar atop her hand. “How did you come by that?”

  “Anita sent me out for a couple of apples one afternoon after she was paid for doing a chap’s laundry, and on the way home, a couple of boys chased me. All they wanted was my apples, but such a treat was hard to come by, and I wasn’t about to give them over so easily.” She took an audible breath. “But they were big fellas, and at the time I was only a thin, small, six-year-old girl. I put up a good fight, got in a few slugs before I was cut with a piece of broken glass by one of the boys. In the end they managed to rob me of my apples. And I remember just sitting on the ground, holding my bleeding hand, and vowing that one day I would have as many apples as I’d wanted and not be afraid someone would take then from me.”

  “You never have to be afraid of anything again. I am here now, and I will protect you with my life,” he said, taking her glass from her and placing them both upon a table. “Would you prefer I step outside while you undress?”

  “I cannot—it is rather difficult, you see, to get out of this gown on my own,” she said. The thought of him helping her to undress made her cheeks burn as though they were on fire. “I am so sorry to have to ask.”

  “No apology needed,” he said, his eyes twinkling as he neared her. Then, turning her around by the shoulders, he commenced unhooking the trail of small, pearled fasteners down her back. She bit her bottom lip, remembering how frustrated buttons made him. She prayed he would not rip Lucinda’s cherished heirloom off her, as he once did her blouse in Collette’s chamber.

  Thankfully, his patience held, but his comment showed the effort of his restraint. “Why do women’s clothes have so many damn buttons?”

  His remark somehow broke the tension, and she giggled. From behind her, he joined in on her mirth, as he continued, one by one, to unhook each button. Then he slid the gown off her shoulders, and in one quick sweep, down past her hips, to around her ankles, where she quickly stepped out of it. Spinning around, she retrieved the gown from the floor and held it against her breasts, shielding herself from his eyes.

  His smile was a quirky, mischievous sort of grin that excited her. “Now might be a good time for me to step outside.”

  “Perhaps it would,” she managed to choke out, knowing what would take place once he returned.

  He nodded and reached for his jacket. Hesitating at the door, he turned to look at her. “Take all the time you need.”

  Her voice came out shakier than she liked. “Not too long, I promise. I know it’s awfully cold outside.”

  Once the door latched behind him, she placed the gown on a nearby chair and reached for her overnight bag. She rummaged through the toiletries, the fresh undergarments and outer wear for the morrow, but there weren’t bedclothes available. Was that an oversight on Jane’s part, or did her trusted handmaiden expect her to sleep naked?

  She felt herself blush right down to the roots of her hair. “Oh Jane, how could you?” she whispered.

  Well, there was little she could do about Jane’s error, assumption, or whatever the case may be. In a matter of moments, Gabriel would be coming through the door, expecting her to be ready to...

  As quick as she could, she stripped herself of everything but her chemise and climbed into bed, pulling the coverlet up to her chin.

  He entered in silence, stepped before the fire, and undressed with his back to her. She watched as he downed his jacket and shirt, his muscular back and arms sending rivets of desire pulsating through her. Off came his shoes and socks, cast aside one by one. And then his trousers, slipped down past his hips, removed from one leg, then the other. The backs of his thighs were hard with muscle. Strong legs supported his perfectly sculpted body. Lastly, he shed his under drawers, pushing them down to pool around his ankles. Kicking the material aside, he walked naked to the table.

  Riley swallowed hard as she watched him pour himself another glass of champagne, his firm, rounded backside drawing her eyes like a magnet. Slowly, he sipped the champagne, all the while standing gloriously in the nude before her.

  When he finished his drink, he set the goblet down. But before he turned around, he called to her, “Riley, I wish to come to you now.”

  “Good heavens, Gabriel. I’ve never been with...I’ve never done this...never even seen a naked man.”

  He remained standing with his back to her, his tone gentle and calm. “I am not just a naked man. I am your husband.”

  “Is there such a big difference?”

  “Yes, shi’aad, my wife, there is. And if you will allow me to turn around and come to bed, I would be glad to show you,” he said softly.

  “Aye, but turn slowly, please,” she agreed, her heart racing with a mixture of anticipation, curiosity, and a twinge of fear.

  He seemed to read the latter emotion. “You have nothing to fear, never from me, anyway. I will never hurt you. I just want to love you with my body, as I do with my heart.”

  “Then come to bed, for I want to do the same.” She pulled aside a piece of the coverlet. “But would you douse the light first?” she whispered.

  “No, it will remain lit. I want to see all of you while I love you.” As he turned to face her, he added, “And I wish for you to see all of me as well.”

  Her gaze went immediately to his sex. Try as she might, she could not cast her eyes away from his erect staff, now jutting out long and hard from between his thighs. The mere sight of him caused her already fast pulsing heart to pump passion through all her arteries.

  “Oh, my.” She sat straight up in the bed. The coverlet fell to her waist, revealing she still wore the chemise.

  “You are still dressed,” he said.

  She raised her gaze to meet his. “Not really,” she said, feeling the heat mounting in her face. “I’m not wearing any...there is nothing else but...” she stammered. Then after clearing her throat, she blurted out, “I just could not bring myself to remove everything.”

  “Will you allow me?”

  “Aye,” she whispered breathlessly. The flesh at the juncture of her thighs tingled as he neared her.

  With one knee he knelt upon the bed, his phallus only inches away as he reached to find the hem of her chemise, working it up over her thighs, hips, and then pulling it up and over her head. Casting the garment aside, his eyes feasted on her naked breasts.

  She automatically crossed her arms over her bosom, shielding them from view.

  Her actions caused him to raise his gaze, locking with hers. “You need not feel ashamed. There is nothing wrong with what we are about to do in our marriage bed.”

  “It is just a bit difficult to suddenly think differently. Just yesterday our actions would have been all so scandalous,” she said, biting her bottom lip.

  “Yesterday is gone and will never come again.” He entwined a lock of her hair around a finger. “You have hair as red as fire.”

  A nervous little giggle escaped from her throat.

  He smiled. “And your laugh lifts my spirits like it had the wings of a bird.” He arched a brow. “Redbird then, is what I have wished for a long time to call you.” His voice softened. “Do you even know, my beautiful Redbird, how perfect you are?”

  “Nay,” she managed to wh
isper, captivated by his new name for her.

  “Well, you are more wonderful then I could ever have dreamed,” he said, his eyes filling with desire. “And I can no longer hold back from wanting to kiss, touch, and taste every part of you.” He released her tresses to caress her cheek with the tip of a finger, moving it to tenderly trace the outline of her mouth. “Please, shi’aad, let this now be the first time of countless others that we will come together as one.”

  Riley opened her arms, and in doing so, fully opened her heart. He reached for her hand and placed it on his chest. Beneath her palm, his heart raced. She caressed his smooth, hot skin, marveling over the hard muscles that met her touch. Then in pure abandonment, she gave herself over to her own longings and slid her hand down his abdomen, past his navel, to rest between his thighs.

  His intake of breath, as she clasped her fingers around his thickened column, froze her advances. But with his own large, warm hand placed over hers, he encouraged her to continue...moving her grasp to glide up and down along his shaft.

  “Your touch pleases me,” he said, closing his eyes while she stroked him.

  He throbbed, his erection growing harder and slippery with her touch.

  Then, ceasing her hand with his, he opened his eyes. “Now, I will please you.”

  Gently, he pushed her to lie back upon the pillow. With feather like kisses, he favored her neck, moving lower to her breasts. When he suckled a teat, she gasped at the wonderful sensations vibrating through her. His hand moved to caress her abdomen, then the inner thigh, and finally the valley of her own sex. His finger slipped within, finding the fleshy button hidden there, and teasing it with quick, tender strokes. She closed her eyes to the ecstasy, opened her legs, arched her back, and allowed herself to become totally encompassed by the strange, yet thrilling responses her body was experiencing.

  He lifted his mouth from her breast. “Open your eyes and look at me,” he whispered.

  Closed lids fluttered open, her eyes searching deep into his hot gaze.

  “I want to see in your eyes the pleasure brought by the first glorious mounting and then release of your passion,” he said, the tip of his finger working faster to stimulate her wet nub.