Brooke pulled her head back, seeing Andrew’s desired intent. Her eyes filled with an emotion mixed with anger and hurt. He was taking advantage of the feelings she used to have for him, but now, she recognized that and would not let him use her again. Andrew looked at her strangely, cocking his head to the side.
“You were never shy before, Brooke,” he murmured, almost as if he was taunting her.
“I am not shy,” Brooke replied firmly. “I just do not want to kiss you.”
Before Andrew could say anything, a voice interrupted their conversation, and asked, “May I have the next dance, Miss Cunningham?”
Brooke looked to her left where a man was standing, looking at her expectantly. Was that…? Could it be…? The man’s dark hair was slicked back, erasing the center part he usually had. His dark eyes had no outline of coal engulfing them, and his facial hair was completely removed, emphasizing his strong jaw line and his high cheekbones. He was actually wearing clean clothing; a silky white tunic, and breeches. The boots on his feet were new and impeccable. Women were watching him with desire, but his eyes were focused solely on her as he waited for his response. Charlie Colt could clean up nicely.
“And who do you think you are?” Andrew asked, narrowing his blue eyes at the man who had interrupted their intimate conversation.
Before Brooke could respond, Charlie said smoothly, “I am her fiancé.”
With that, Charlie gently took Brooke’s hand within his own, and led Brooke to the dance floor. He only glanced back to narrow his eyes at Andrew with a very clear warning embedded in them.
The music began to play a slow song, and the couple got into formation. Brooke placed her hand on Charlie’s broad shoulder while he held her slim waist, and they held hands with their free hand. Charlie began to lead the dance, and Brooke followed, still incredibly baffled at what Charlie had said.
“No questions?” he chided lightly. “At least tell me that you missed me.” His gold teeth sparkled in the light.
“Do you realize what you just did?” Brooke whispered, trying to control her anger . “You just told Andrew Kramer that you were my fiancé, that we are engaged.”
Charlie shrugged as they continued to dance.
“So?” he asked.
“So? So?” Brooke asked in disbelief. “Well, it’s not true, for one thing! And now he is going to tell everyone in this room that we are engaged, and then everyone is going to think it’s true when it’s not.”
“Well, if what’s bothering you is the fact that it’s not true, then how about we make it true, ay?” Charlie asked, peering down at her.
Brooke’s eyes widened as her mouth dropped. Was Charlie Colt proposing to her? No, no, it could not be true. She remembered everything Heath had said about Charlie; there was no way this could be true. This was one of Charlie’s schemes. There was no way he could love someone romantically due to his piratical nature, let alone propose to someone.
“Why are you doing this?” Brooke asked in a low voice. Charlie could swear he detected a hint of sadness in her voice. “Is this some kind of joke, Charlie, because let me be the first person to tell you that it is not funny.”
“No joke, love,” he told her softly, as they continued to dance.
Brooke’s heart hammered with fear.
“Why do you wish to marry me?” she asked him, almost afraid of the answer.
“Because I love you,” he told her, looking her square in the eye.
Brooke stopped dancing, and Charlie stopped with her. They were the only two people on the dance floor not moving, but they did not notice their surroundings. Brooke was letting all of this sink in, afraid she was going to collapse. She did not expect Charlie to be here in the first place, and yet he was here, proclaiming his love and proposing to her as they danced across the floor. What nerve this man had, and yet she could not deny the fluttering of her heart and the sudden emptiness in her stomach, and the flush that tainted her cheeks.
“You love me?” she asked him slowly, looking up at him.
Charlie nodded curtly. “I love you with everything that I am, Brooke,” he told her in a husky voice, his dark eyes giving her goose bumps. “You have my word.”
“And you want to marry me?” she asked him in the same way she had asked her previous question.
Again, Charlie nodded. “I want to remain only yours for the rest of my years,” he told her. “And I hope you feel the same.” He paused, hesitating before speaking once again. “I am born to hang, Brooke. I cannot provide you the life that you’re used to, but I can provide you the life that you deserve. I will never stray from you, and will protect you with my life.”
“I do not know what I feel,” she mumbled honestly, her heart still racing. “I did not expect you to show here, and yet here you are, proposing to me.” She paused, and Charlie looked at her passively, patiently, waiting for her to go on. “You, although born to nobility, are currently a pirate, and I, although recently took part in piratical ways, remain a merchant’s daughter. And yet, I cannot remember a time before I met you.” She could not keep the smile off of her face, even if she tried. “I have never been happier with anyone, really. I love you too, Charlie, very much so.”
Charlie grinned, his eyes lighting up with genuine happiness.
“Is that a yes, then?” Charlie asked eagerly as his patience dissipated.
Brooke bit her lip and nodded, and Charlie pulled her into a tight hug. His arms wrapped around her, and his head dropped so that his lips barely brushed her ear.
“I would kiss you right now if there weren’t all of these people around,” he murmured, causing a shiver to run down Brooke’s spine.
“Has that ever stopped you before?” she whispered back in a low voice.
Charlie paused to think about Brooke’s words.
“I suppose not,” he told her, and then glanced at the people who were staring at them. “Well, they are already watching, aren’t they? Might as well give ‘em a show.”
With that, Charlie raised his hand to slowly caress Brooke’s cheek, causing the sensations of his rough, calloused hand against her soft, smooth skin. Charlie smiled sincerely down at Brooke, and she beamed at him. With his hand cupping her cheek, he tilted her head back and gently pressed a tender kiss upon her lips. His lips were incredibly soft, which was not exactly what she expected. One arm crept up and held the back of her neck, while another arm wrapped possessively around her waist. Gently, Charlie sucked on her bottom lip, nibbling ever so slightly on it. Brooke’s arms snaked up his tight torso to his shoulders and wrapping them around his neck, pulling him closer to her, if that was even possible. Opening her mouth even more slightly, she gave him permission to enter her mouth. Charlie did not hesitate, as his tongue seemed to be in a dance with hers. He had to taste every inch of her, for she was his, and he wanted to explore her. Once the kiss came to a stop, Brooke gazed at Charlie, and a soft sigh of content came from her. They looked at each other, Charlie resting his forehead on hers. They could not take their eyes off of each other.
“What in the bloody hell is this!?” a familiar voice exclaimed in front of them.
Brooke felt her face flush as she pulled away from Charlie to turn to her father. Charlie grinned lazily, snaking his arm around Brooke’s waist, happy with the fact that he could do that freely now.
“Oh, Father,” Brooke said quickly, placing her hand on Charlie’s chest. Nearly the whole ballroom was looking at them, including Fiona, who was smirking, and Joel, who was watching the scene oddly. “Um… this may come as an utter surprise to you… but I would like to introduce you to my fiancé, Charles Elliot.”
Chapter XVIII
It took a long time to explain everything to her father, but after two hours of thoroughly discussing everything, and making sure that her father truly believed Charlie was really Charles Elliot, her father was incredibly excited, and agreed to the engagement almost immediately. Her father was already talking about planning her wedding, but Brook
e shushed him in hopes that she did not take away from Fiona’s happy night. Fiona was incredibly happy for Brooke, excited that her friend had finally found someone to spend the rest of her life with. Joel, on the other hand, was somewhat suspicious about the whole thing. He studied Charlie thoroughly; something familiar about this alleged fiancé caused him not to trust the engagement fully, and he would not stop until he figured it out.
The next day, Brooke and Fiona met in the biggest bedroom in the governor’s house, after the governor’s of course, and began to get ready for the big day. The wedding was to take place in the back that overlooked the sea in the late afternoon. Fiona was wearing a very flamboyant white gown. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun and rested firmly on her head. A small veil covered her face, but one could see her full red lips and her blue, sparkling eyes. The corset she was wearing was embroidered with jewels, and her skirt flared out so that it drowned her legs. She was wearing matching heals with the same jewels embroidered in them as well. Her forearms were hidden by silky white gloves, and she was wearing matching jewelry that paralleled the embroidered jewels.
Brooke believed her friend looked the most beautiful she had ever seen Fiona look. However, when Brooke was to get married, she planned to have a simpler dress with less people invited, and a more homely setting. She was wearing a champagne colored gown with a high neck and a flared skirt. Her blonde hair was half-up half-down, mirroring the fashion of the French. Her face was natural, free of all make up, because Fiona knew her friend was never really comfortable with unnecessary powder on Brooke’s face. The two were both ready to leave.
“Fiona,” Brooke said uneasily, rubbing her hands together nervously. Fiona turned from the doorway and looked at her friend oddly. “I want to tell you something.” Fiona nodded, and looked at Brooke expectantly. “Well, as you know, I am to be married to Charles Elliot, correct?”
Fiona nodded, a smooth smile running across her face.
“He’s devilishly handsome, Brooke,” Fiona said mischievously. “You must tell me how you met him and why you have not told me about him until now.”
“Well, that’s what I’m trying to say,” Brooke said slowly. “I have told you before about him, just the name that he is more commonly known by today, but I ask for your complete secrecy.” Fiona nodded. “I am engaged to Charlie Colt.”
“You mean that pirate, Brooke?” she asked her friend skeptically. She turned and started to walk back toward the door. “What has happened to you?” she murmured softly as she headed out the door.
--
Charlie was sitting in a white chair, trying in vain to get comfortable, but failing miserably. The people around him were giving him odd looks, but he didn’t pay them any mind. All he was concerned about was getting this wedding over with so that he and Brooke could go in search of the treasure once again. After a moment, music started to play and people started standing up. Charlie followed suit and he craned his neck so he could watch the wedding party start to commence.
Joel was already standing up there, next to the priest and his best man. Charlie almost felt sorry for the bloke, but still held wary feelings about him due to his harsh treatment of Brooke long ago. After a moment of straining to see, he could finally make out Brooke, walking down the aisle with a bouquet of flowers in her hands. He smiled proudly at her, happy to finally be able to call her his. When Brooke caught eyes with him, she smirked, as though the two knew a secret that no one else did. Following Brooke came Fiona, led down the aisle by her father. As anyone would expect, Joel was blown away by Fiona’s beauty, as was every person in the audience. Fiona did not waver her stare from Joel, and the two smiled at each other, happy that they were able to finally be married.
Once Brooke took her place, she watched as Governor Madison kissed his daughter’s cheek, and looked at her with unshed tears. He was giving away his only child, and while he was a strong man, Fiona was his little girl. He took his seat, and the wedding began, Brooke standing a little off to Fiona’s side.
As the priest began the ceremony, Brooke began to zone out. Obviously afterward, she planned to leave with Charlie. She would tell her father goodbye, promising him she would return to him the same way she left, and telling him that they were going to search for an exotic location for their wedding. That would work, right? Of course it would.
“…and now these two have prepared personal vows,” the priest began, and Brooke tried her best not to roll her eyes.
Charlie caught her eyes, amused at how utterly bored she appeared, and made a face at her. Brooke was so surprised by it, she nearly burst out laughing, but managed to keep it together by pressing her lips together and looking away. Egged on by Brooke’s response, Charlie continued to make faces. Brooke was trying her best to avoid Charlie’s direction, and even had to clear her throat to hide a giggle that got caught in her throat. An older woman sitting next to Charlie caught on to what he was doing, and gave him a stern glare.
“…I remember the first time I met you,” Joel read from a small piece of parchment. “You had walked into my store, looking beautiful, with your father. I even remember the map you were studying; it was of Nassau…”
Something on Brooke’s face lit up at that moment. She had an epiphany; she had figured something out. Charlie could tell by the look on her face. A knowing smile slowly crawled onto his face, his gold teeth twinkling in the sunlight. He knew what she had just found out was important as well.
--
“Nassau!” Brooke exclaimed, as she and Charlie made their way back to the docks. Brooke had told her father what she had planned to, and surprisingly enough, gave Brooke his consent to leave, and making Brooke promise she would still be chaste when she got home. Because Charlie came from a prestigious family, he also trusted that the lad would provide Brooke with a supervisor so that the two were rarely, if ever, alone, and trusted that Charlie would not taint his daughter’s innocence. The sun was now setting.
“What does Nassau have anything to do with anything?” Charlie asked skeptically as the two boarded a rowboat.
“Nassau!” she exclaimed once again as she sat down. “What was the phrase on that parchment? An Assu? Simply rearrange the letters and they become Nassau. That is where the treasure is!”
“Darling, have I ever told you how brilliant you are?” Charlie asked with a grin.
Brooke pretended to think extremely hard, tapping her index finger on her chin, and glancing up at the sky.
“No, not recently,” she said, suppressing a grin.
--
They were at sea three days now. The couple had told the crew that they were to be married, but instead of being surprised, the crew had expected them to reveal how they truly felt about each other long before now. Brooke was keeping her promise to her father and to herself, by remaining chaste. She did not even share Charlie’s room with him, but that was more because of Charlie than because of her moral beliefs. In all honesty, if Charlie asked Brooke to share his room, she probably would because in the time she was injured, she had become rather accustomed to sleeping next to Charlie. She felt safe and so comfortable with him, and she knew that she was strong enough to say no, if he ever pressured her to break her promise. Of course, Charlie would never do such a thing; he was a gentleman, after all.
That night, after dinner, Brooke walked to her room, preparing to go to bed rather early. When she walked inside, she bent down to her clothing chest, wanting to change into more comfortable clothing. However, when she opened said chest, there was nothing inside. She quirked her brow in confusion; other than the chest and her hammock, her room was rather plain. She could see no trace of her clothing anywhere, and she scratched the back of her head.
“Maybe Charlie will have some sort of idea what this is all about,” Brooke mumbled to herself.
The young woman walked back out on deck to see Kenneth at the helm, which meant Charlie was most likely in his quarters. She walked to the cabin and knocked on the door. A moment late
r, the door opened and Charlie stood there in just his breeches. Brooke flushed at the sight, still not used to seeing as much of his skin despite being engaged to him. Her eyes ran over his chest appreciatively, his toned muscles, and his smooth tan. There were scars etched on his body that she wanted to kiss away, but knew that if she started doing such ministrations, she may not be as strong as she thought she was. She forced her eyes back to his face; he was grinning arrogantly as she expected him to, and was letting his facial hair grow back out. How disappointing; she rather liked his clean-shaven face, although the stubble made him look rather rugged… dangerous.
“See something you like, darling?” Charlie asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Just wait till you see me half nude,” she murmured before she could stop herself.
“I think we could make it so I don’t have to wait that long,” he said, letting his voice trail on suggestively.
Brooke rolled her eyes as she walked in, her eyes surveying his room, looking for her clothes. She crossed her arms over her chest as Charlie closed the door and watched her with amusement. She circled his room until she narrowed her eyes at Charlie suspiciously.
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