by Jackie Ivie
He stood then, holding her in his arms as he did so. Linna sighed with contentment and snuggled closer. She’d been rescued from a certain hell on earth. He’d come for her!
“Buck up,” he whispered against her ear. “We’ve still the register to sign, Madame Larket. Makes it all nice, tight and legal. That’s what was wanted, isn’t it?”
Linna’s eyes flew open in alarm at his tone. She could have sworn he was pleased, yet now, he sounded angry.
“I...I—”
“Our bargain? Remember?”
“Of course I recall our bargain, Monsieur Cordean, or Raoul or whatever-you-go-by, Larket. I already held up my end.”
“Oh really? By wedding with the first stupid cur you can find? You call that holding up your end? And, it’s Cord.”
“I didn’t marry him, did I?”
“Only because I stepped in. And quite rightly so. I can’t have just any boy claiming what’s mine.”
“What did you do with him, anyway?”
“Your other groom? I didn’t hurt him. Much. He’ll wake up.” He sniffed before finishing, “...eventually.”
“Eventually?”
“Small tap. Barely noticeable.”
“You’re barbaric. You can put me down too, Monsieur Larket.”
“Oh, I don’t think so. And it’s Cord. I don’t want to have to tell you again.”
“You promised never to touch me, unless I wanted it.”
“Oh. My mistake,” he replied and dropped her into a pew.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The priest was still smiling at them as Cord walked toward him. She tried to tell her eyes to look away, but they weren’t obeying. His pants were made of leather and fit much too tightly for any kind of work. She wondered if he wore them that way on purpose, then told herself of course he did. He needed every woman’s eye on him. He thrived on it.
Then he was at the podium, holding a quill pen above what had to be the church registry. She watched as he signed his name, telling herself that at least, he knew how to write. She winced and stood to follow him.
Fool! I could have controlled Luthor, she thought.
She noticed he’d purloined Luthor’s carriage and driver, too, when she stepped outside. He held the door open for her. He didn’t assist her in though. She tried to tell herself he was an uncouth bore, but knew the truth. He wasn’t going to touch her unless she released him to. It was a moot point. That was never happening.
The coach seemed smaller with him in it. Linna looked out at the dawn as they drove away. She wasn’t going to stoop to asking him where they were going. She was safe, wherever it was. Unlike with Luthor. Raoul—no…Cord wasn’t going to touch her. Linna glanced sidelong at him and caught him studying her.
She gasped and looked away.
His hat was of medium brown leather with a rawhide band. Very plain and yet very attractive. What is it about him? He looks wonderful in anything. She almost wished she could show him off to Rhea but shook off the thought. She wasn’t a blushing bride. She was a bought and paid for one.
Linna put a hand to her forehead.
“Something bothering you?”
“Only you, and your empty promises, Monsieur.”
“My empty promises? You’ve a narrow viewpoint, I see. I hope it changes. And the name is Cord. Start using it.”
“You were supposed to call for me. We were supposed to wed.”
“I called for you and we’re wed. Seems like I kept to my bargain.”
“You were supposed to do it three months ago!” Linna was afraid she was snarling, but she couldn’t help it.
“Three hours? Three months? I had things to do before I took a bride. I’m fairly certain I spoke on it.”
“You left me alone to face ruin.”
He was silent so long, Linna had to look. He’d tightened a nerve in his jaw, making it bulge out on one side. He wasn’t meeting her eyes either.
The coach stopped abruptly, sending her forward then backward without anything to hold onto. Linna caught the gasp before her shoulders hit. He was beside her in an instant, leaning on one arm while he reached to smooth her veil with the other. Linna swallowed around the tightness in her throat.
“You hurt?” he whispered the question.
“Of course not. I can take more than a rough coach ride.”
“Fair enough. We’re here. Watch your step. Wedding dresses don’t go well with the kind of clothing we wear around the wharf.”
He opened the door and shoved himself out, not even deigning to use the steps. Linna shook her head. The man was incredible. He wasn’t going to assist her out either?
Linna moved onto the top step and stood. Morning sun was highlighting four large ships in the harbor, any of which she could be a passenger on. Cord wasn’t anywhere in sight. She held to the side and swiveled to climb down.
“Don’t show so much leg, please. You’ve no need of the attention, and I don’t have the inclination to defend it at present.”
Cord had her trunk atop one shoulder and her portmanteau in the crook of his other arm as he came from around the back of the carriage. Linna rolled her eyes as she smoothed down her dress.
“Nice boots,” he commented. “Come with the dress?”
“Not hardly. I wore them specially.”
“Really? What for? Going riding afterward?”
He shoved her forward by pushing on her back with the suitcase.
“They were for disabling my groom should such an occasion arise.”
Cord blew the air from his amusement right over her head, making the veil flutter. “Poor boy. He has my sympathies. All I did was hit him. You didn’t like the lad, then?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Your actions do. Why were you wedding with him, then?”
“I have my reasons, and I don’t have to tell you any of them.”
“Get up the gangway, Madame. You’re holding up the line. It’s not hard. I can do it in my sleep.”
Linna sagged back against him. The thing he called a gangway was well above the waterline. It was also narrow. High, too. She was also a little nauseous from her wedding ordeal and lack of sustenance. All of which made it very dangerous at the moment.
“The little sticks going across are to hold your heels. You’ve your riding boots on. Go on. I’m right behind you.”
“Cord, I—.” Linna turned her head, almost meeting his nose.
“You’re afraid? Of this little gangway?”
“Cease calling it little and I’ll probably be fine.”
“Go on then.” He pushed her again with her portmanteau and Linna’s boots slid toward another notched piece.
“I...can’t.” It didn’t help that she slid right back against him.
“You need help?”
She nodded.
“You need me to help you then?”
She nodded again.
“I’m going to have to touch you, you know.”
Another nod.
“I may have to carry you. You want that?”
“Cord, I—.”
“Just say yes. It’s not hard.”
“Yes. I want you to carry me. I need you to carry me.”
“Now?”
She turned to face the grin on his face. “Yes, right now. I need you to carry me. I can’t get across any other way.”
“And you want me to touch you?”
Linna set her jaw and glared at him.
“I’m just making certain of my facts,” he said.
“Yes, Cord Larket. I want you to touch me. I want you to carry me. I want you to lift me up and take me across this little bridge thing. I need you to do it now. Right now. And if I have to go across anything else like this, I want you to carry—”
Before she finished, he had shoved the portmanteau into her hand and hoisted her atop his other shoulder, uncomfortably mashing her ribcage. Linna cried out and had to hold herself from him, using one arm for leverage. The line of passengers behind them were all
studiously looking anywhere but at them. She knew why. She probably looked as ridiculous being carried like a sack of wheat in her wedding finery, as she felt.
She had to shut her eyes on the greenish water below them, too. It looked like a very long way down. She was trembling when he leveled out and walked straight.
“You can put me down now,” she said.
“Narrow passage. Long drop off one side. See?”
He leaned her over the railing and Linna cried out, nearly losing her grip on the portmanteau. She knew he’d done it on purpose. His entire frame was shaking with silent laughter.
Linna kept her eyes closed to it. He was right. The passage was narrow and high up, but only on one side. She could cling to the side if she needed to.
“Cord?”
“We’re almost there.”
“You need to set me down soon.”
“One more set of steps.”
“You can’t carry me this way any further. You might harm the baby.”
He jerked to such a sudden stop, Linna lost her balance and dropped onto his back. Her portmanteau hit the deck first. Then her trunk. She watched it bounce. Then Cord had her in his arms and was staring at her with such a wide-eyed expression, she nearly laughed.
“Did I just hear you right?” he asked.
“Why else would I have been getting married?”
“You’re carrying a baby?” He sounded as stunned as he looked. He set her onto her feet but kept her in the circle of his arms.
“Yes.”
“My baby?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Linna rolled her eyes and lifted the veil. The corset had moved higher up her stomach than it was supposed to. It was pinching her in two, but not hiding what it was supposed to be hiding. It was easy to see the truth of her words.
“This is my baby?”
His voice was choking, and Linna watched as he fit his hand to her abdomen. Cord’s palm was so large it covered the small mound that was their child.
“How is such a thing possible?” Amazement colored the words, and Linna lifted her eyes up before bringing them back to him.
“You should know. You were there.”
“One night? It only took one night? Truly?”
“You’re the only man I’ve been with, Cord. Three months ago. I’m three months into carrying a child. Can’t you add?”
“I didn’t—. I, uh...it never occurred to me. When is it due?”
“You can’t add, can you? Six months from now. About mid-March. Why? You have other plans?”
He moved his gaze from her stomach then, and his eyes narrowed as he looked at her. Linna caught the strangest expression for a hint of a moment, then it was gone.
“You’re not happy about it.” His words were flat and carefully said.
“Oh yes, I’m thrilled,” she said in a sarcastic tone. “Whatever made you think differently? Everything’s exactly what I wanted. An unplanned child, a missing bridegroom, and a spineless idiot to take his place. I’ve never been happier.”
“I came as soon as I could.”
“Right. And I believe you. Why don’t you just show me my cabin now? I think I’ve had enough of your company.”
He cleared his throat. “No one said you get a cabin.”
“Where am I sleeping then? The deck?”
“In my cabin.”
“Oh, I don’t think so. It will be much too intimate.”
“That’s a bad thing?”
“It is if you don’t keep to our bargain.”
“I did keep to it. I distinctly heard you tell me to carry you any time the passage was too narrow or too high.”
“You’re not carrying me now.”
“True.”
“I didn’t say you could touch me there either.”
“Oh,” he said, and finally lifted his hand.
Linna felt the instant chill. Her entire body felt it as he stepped back away.
“If you don’t want the child, I’m sorry I gave it to you.”
“I never said I wanted it, and I never said I didn’t either.”
“True. I never said so either. I’m just a little surprised, that’s all.” He cleared his throat. “You recovered sufficiently? There’s still a pretty narrow stairway to negotiate. It’s just ahead.”
“We’re going down? Again? Your cabin is down?”
“My bunk’s not one of the finest. Sorry about the accommodations, but this is a working voyage for me.”
“Working? I thought you were rich.”
“You thought a lot of things. I may have meant it that way.”
“May have? May?” He was lifting her luggage and moving away. Linna at his heels. “May have?” she repeated. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing. You ‘may have’ said some things to mislead me. Is that what you’re saying?”
“I never said that.”
“You just inferred it though.”
“It’s narrow through here and the steps are close together. Try not to fall. You might harm the child.”
“I might harm myself, too.”
He turned to climb down the steps. It was little more than a ladder. She caught his grin. “That, too.”
“You’re enjoying this.”
“Can you climb, or will you need me to carry you?”
“I can climb just fine.”
“Don’t show too much leg then. I’ve a certain amount of interest in seeing it. I wouldn’t want to be tempted.”
Linna watched as he disappeared over the edge. She had to kneel to look at him. “Cord?” she squeaked.
He frowned. “You scared of a little thing like steps?”
“I have no trouble with steps. I climb them daily.”
“You afraid of heights, then?”
“Of course not! I ride...atop a horse and aboard a carriage.”
“But?” he prompted.
“You win! I’m not afraid, but I do hate excessive heights.”
She deserved the look he gave her. “Right. Interesting. Excessive, huh? Like more than this level or closer to two?”
“Cord—” she said, from between her teeth.
“You won’t be hard to keep an eye on. Just sit tight and don’t let these awful steps scare you. I’ll come back for you. Try to miss me. I might take offense if you don’t. Then again, if you do, I might have to take more offense. Think that through while I’m gone.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Cord took his time returning for her. He knew exactly why. He was still coming to terms with what she’d told him, his first reaction to it, and then her disdain. He was going be a father! He’d dropped her luggage because for a couple of seconds there he couldn’t hang onto it. The rush of heat to his head when she’d first said the words, felt alien and odd. Cord had thought, for a moment that he’d actually managed to hold onto his heart despite what had been done to him.
By the time he’d settled her trunk on the floor and stowed her portmanteau beneath the wash basin, he knew the truth once again. He wasn’t a fresh-faced lad. He was a hardened man. The kind of man that doxies looked at but rarely approached. The kind others kept their distance from. The kind used to corporal punishment. The kind capable of taking a beautiful, innocent girl and leaving her to face the ruin.
He was also a man that might have just gone weak at the knees with the thought of his son growing safely and securely in her.
Cord stared at his reflection. He looked the same. He pursed his lips, narrowed his eyes, and pulled the brim further over his eyes. He didn’t want any conflicting emotions. He hadn’t any training or preparation on what he was supposed to do with them. He snarled and spun away.
He’d done it for two reasons and the main one was still there. He had to have Fletcher’s gold in order to get a foothold onto his own property on Nouvelle Larroque. He had to have gold for the voyage. He had to have gold to buy into business. He had to look reputable enough that the new overseer hadn’t given him a secon
d look when hiring him to work his own fields.
And he had to have the gold to get near enough to his cousin, Marcelle Larroquette, to strangle him.
Cord’s eyes were still narrowed when he came around the corner and found his new wife trying to climb down unassisted, a tight look to her mouth and her eyes scrunched shut. It made his words harsher than he intended.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Her grip loosened as he startled her, then she clung closer. “I tired of awaiting your presence, of course. It can’t be that hard. I’m almost down. Thank you very much, for your consideration.”
The sarcastic bent of the words wasn’t lost on Cord. He whistled softly. “Actually darling, you’ve gone down three steps.”
“Impossible.”
“Look for yourself.”
She didn’t. Cord found his scowl lightening at her stubbornness. It must come with the reddish tint of her hair.
“Can’t you amuse yourself elsewhere and let me proceed as best I may?”
“I would, if I didn’t think you’d harm my property.”
“What property?”
“You’re carrying my property, lady. My son. I’ll thank you for having a care about it.”
“Your property? Yours? I can’t believe what I’m hearing.”
“Surely you know the law, Madame. A man’s wife is his property. His children are, too. You can count yourself in luck that I arrived in time to claim both. I’d have hated to dispatch your other groom and leave you widowed on the day of your wedding.”
“You wouldn’t—”
“Wouldn’t I?” he replied.
She hadn’t opened her eyes at their exchange, but she had paled. “You’re not that barbaric. You’re teasing. I mean just because you’re barbaric, doesn’t mean you’re—well, it doesn’t mean that you’re truly barbaric.”
“Would you like a demonstration?”
“You didn’t truly harm Luthor, did you?”
“That the name of your intended dupe?”
“Did you?”
“He’ll live. I already said as much.”
She sighed. “You were teasing. Thank God. You sounded so serious.”
“Lady, I am serious.”
“But, you just said—”
“I said he lived because your plotting didn’t work. That’s what I said. That’s what I meant. Are you ready to cease this nonsense and let me get you to my cabin?”