Master of His Fate

by Barbara Taylor Bradford

  * * *

  They walked through the gardens, which were truly beautiful and in full bloom. They had been landscaped by his favorite gardener, who was creative and inventive.

  “Her name is Magdalena Ellis,” Sebastian told her, “and she planned them to look like separate rooms, as she calls them. Each one is very different, as you can see, and I really enjoy them.”

  “That was a clever idea, and they are lovely,” Alexis responded as she glanced around, taken by the beauty of the areas. There were also flowering bushes and a rose garden at the far end of the garden, and beyond that an orchard.

  Taking hold of her hand, Sebastian led her across the sloping lawns to a higher spot. “Look around you, Alexis, all you can see are flowing pastures and meadows, acres of them, and wonderful trees. Not a building in sight.”

  “It’s a panorama of green, and there’s nowhere quite as beautiful as the English countryside on a bright August day like today.”

  “Only too true.”

  “Do you farm these fields?”

  “I don’t, but I lease some of them to local farmers and they are happy. It gives them a living.” He turned to her and said, “Listen, Alexis, do you hear it?”

  Surprised, she shook her head. “I can’t hear anything.”

  “That’s right. There is no sound. You’re listening to the silence, my darling girl. No noise at all out here, except for the twittering of the birds at times, and occasionally the patter of rain or the wind in the trees. Now perhaps you understand why I have found a certain contentment here.”

  “Yes. I do. It’s a great change from the hustle and bustle of London.”

  “Do you think you could share it with me? My life out here?”

  “Yes, I do. On Saturday and Sunday, I suppose you mean. I do have to go to work, you know.”

  He chuckled. “And don’t forget that I run a bank, a financial empire. Of course, I mean at the end of the week.”

  “Do Lavinia and Marietta enjoy being here?”

  “Not as much as Claudia. They like to go to Courtland, because there’s much more social activity there.” He paused, and glanced at her. “Claudia decided not to come this afternoon after all…” He let his voice trail off, his gray eyes fixed on hers intently.

  “She wanted us to be alone, didn’t she?”

  He nodded.

  “I’m glad. I want to be alone with you, Sebastian. Don’t you feel that way also?”

  “You know I do.” Taking hold of her hand, he led her back to the gardens, and steered her to an arbor just beyond the massed blue flowers. They sat down together, and he continued, “I’m playing for keeps, you know. This is not some fleeting affair I’m embarking on with you. I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?”

  “Yes, I will. I want you to be my husband.”

  “A big change in your thinking, eh?” He grinned at her, and there was a look of happiness in his eloquent gray eyes.

  “That’s because it’s you I’ve fallen in love with.” Her face filled with radiance. She leaned into him, and murmured, “You’re my first love.”

  “And you are my greatest love,” he answered. He took her in his arms and kissed her fully on the mouth for the first time. She clung to him, kissing him back, felt a sudden rush of excitement as his tongue slipped into her mouth and curled against hers. Instantly their passion soared. After a moment, she pulled away from him. “Can we go into the house? You haven’t shown me the bedrooms yet.”

  He did not reply, simply jumped up, pulled her to her feet, and together they hurried back to the terrace, through the great room, and ran up to the floor above.

  “We’ll go to my rooms,” he said, leading her down a corridor. “No one will interrupt us in here.” Opening the door, he led her into the parlor and through into his dressing room. After locking the door, he steered her into his bedroom and immediately took her in his arms once again. They kissed each other passionately, their bodies pressed close together.

  Alexis suddenly stepped back, took off her shoes, and began to unbutton her white blouse, which she took off and threw on a chair. She then unhooked her long wool skirt and stepped out of it and removed a silk petticoat.

  Sebastian stood rooted to the spot, unable to take his eyes off her as she disrobed, the heat in him rising. He was mesmerized by her beauty, her auburn hair and ivory skin, the vivid green eyes.

  The last garment she removed was her camisole, which revealed her taut breasts. There she stood, totally naked for him except for a black suspender belt and black silk stockings.

  His heart was racing as she began to pull the pins from her abundant hair, so that the auburn curls fell down onto her shoulders. As he walked toward her eagerly, his desire flaring higher and higher, he realized she was a natural redhead.

  Within seconds Sebastian had shed his clothes. They embraced, holding on to each other as they moved toward his bed. He looked into her face with wonder, and said, “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

  “And you are the most beautiful man,” she answered softly, standing on tiptoe, kissing his mouth lightly.

  “Take your stockings off, Alexis. I want to make love to you.”

  “I think you should take them off.” As she spoke she sat on the edge of the bed and stretched out her long, shapely legs.

  He did as she asked, his hands trembling as he unfastened each stocking, rolling it down her leg, and then undid the suspender belt.

  Alexis felt free and unfettered as she stretched out on the bed, opening her legs and her arms to him, her heart clattering in her chest. She was surprised at the moistness between her legs, something she had never experienced before in her life. But then she had never made love before. Oh how she wanted him inside her.

  Sebastian lay down next to her, marveling at her ivory skin, as smooth as silk, the inviting auburn hair between her legs, which he knew he must explore. He kissed her neck, her shoulders, and then slid his mouth onto one of her breasts and suckled her, felt her nipple harden.

  She moaned softly, excited by his mouth on her, and then she whispered, “I want to please you so much. What shall I do?”

  Pushing himself up on one elbow, he looked down into her deep green eyes. “Nothing … just seeing you like this gives me pleasure. I know this is your first time, and I am going to love you as you should be loved, and I will give you pleasure first, before we share a special kind of ecstasy that will thrill us both. But I must take precautions first.”

  He was slow and gentle with her, but as a forty-year-old man he was both experienced and a wonderful lover. So much so, she responded to his touch swiftly, so obviously filled with desire for him it quickened his own lust. And there was lust between them, as well as true love.

  How well suited we are, he thought, as she opened herself up to him. When he parted her legs wider and began to investigate that auburn mound, she stiffened, then relaxed and enjoyed his touching and stroking. When he intensified this she spasmed quickly and called his name. He knew he could no longer hold back, and entered her hard and fast. She gasped in pain, but he kept moving with rapidity. The bad moment passed, and she moved with him rhythmically, her legs going around his back. Their pleasure in each other escalated to a higher level; they reached fulfillment together, and with speed, were overflowing with ecstasy.

  And so it began, a union filled with enormous sexual passion and true love. Sebastian Trevalian had never known a woman like her before, one who desired him so much, who responded to him in every way. She thrilled him, made him feel young and alive as he had not been for years.

  That week in Kent they spent a lot of time with each other every day. He showed her his beloved Kent, including the White Cliffs of Dover. They took trips and walked through his land, and laughed together, became boon companions, sharing so much. He loved her for her quick wit, outspokenness, and honesty, as well as her intelligence and great beauty. And sharing time with Claudia and Cornelius made him happy.

&nbs
p; As for Alexis, she loved him for who and what he was, a true gentleman, who was kind, considerate, and elegant in every way. Sometimes she laughed to herself, thinking of her ideas of the past. She had sworn she would never give herself to a man. And now she had. Except that he was not any man. He was Sebastian Trevalian. Her first love. They would be together forever.

  Part Three

  UNIQUE RELATIONSHIPS

  KINGSTON UPON HULL–LONDON

  1888

  Twenty-one

  James Lionel Falconer had fallen in love. Not with a person, but with a town. Its correct name was Kingston upon Hull, although locally it was simply called Hull.

  It was a great seaport on the river Humber, which flowed into the North Sea, and it had been highly successful for more than a hundred years, trading with the Baltic countries and Russia.

  James had been captivated by it immediately. By the cheerful, smiling, friendly people in the hustle and bustle of the busy streets, who were all well fed, well dressed, and obviously well employed. There was an air of enormous prosperity about the town, and the people too, and, of course, this came from the shipping industry. It didn’t take him long to realize that these happy, pleasure-loving people were hell-bent on having a good time. Money. That was the secret. Everyone earned a good living. There were many rich families from the Hull merchant class, the owners of the ships, who also were attracted to pleasure and entertainment.

  Within the first week of living with Great-Aunt Marina, his grandmother’s younger sister, James had been to a theater to see a play, visited a music hall where there were dancers, comedians, and even performing dogs. And he had heard about the sumptuous suppers, the balls that went on until four o’clock in the morning, the tea dances, and the card games. Gambling was a favorite pastime in Hull, and there were even gambling clubs.

  Great-Uncle Clarence Venables, the husband of his aunt, had told him Hull was a City of Gaiety, and James had nodded in agreement, liking this very apt description.

  He was staying with the Venables family in their beautiful house on the High Street. This was the most exclusive street in town; each house had a long back garden which swept down to the sea. To live here a person had to be in the upper echelons of society. And his relatives now were.

  When Clarence and Marina had first married, he was only on the lower rungs of his family’s thriving shipping business. But after his two brothers died young—one of a heart attack, the other in a train crash in France—Clarence was suddenly and unexpectedly the heir.

  Clarence was lucky to have a father who understood he could not mourn too long for his dead sons. He knew he must put his youngest through his paces and train him to run Venables and Sons as fast as possible. Otherwise disaster might reign.

  Jacob Venables had been well satisfied with Clarence within the year, realizing that his last-born child was extremely intelligent, practical, and a true businessman. He far outshot his late brothers and would lead the company into new worlds of shipping, ensuring the future of the business.

  Clarence had taken to James at once. When he had arrived with Esther six months ago, Clarence was impressed by his height, his looks, his manners, and his general demeanor. He had not seen the boy for six years. Now James was a young man, and an impressive one at that.

  James swiftly bonded with his uncle and made a point of letting him know about his knowledge of wine, learned from his grandfather, and Philip’s many books. Clarence promised him a trip to Le Havre in the not-too-distant future, the next time he went to visit their warehouses.

  Esther had stayed two weeks in Hull, enjoying being with her sister and the Venables family, while getting James settled in with them. He was to work with Clarence and learn about the shipping business, and at the same time help Clarence to develop and refine his wine-importing division.

  Before she left, Esther took James aside and said quietly, “Behave. Don’t get into any squabbles or quarrels. Not with anyone. And protect yourself and the women you might take out. Don’t forget what your grandfather explained. Also, you must never kiss and tell. Be the gentleman you are. Always.”

  He had given his promise, and she had kissed him good-bye at the railway station and gone back on the train to London and Regent’s Park and the grand house where she worked.

  There were moments when James fell down into sadness when he thought of Denny. His friend had never recovered from his injuries, and then died quite suddenly a few days after James had left King’s Hospital. The attack on them still came back to haunt James, even though it was nine months ago already.

  Like his grandmother, the word “WHY” loomed in his mind from time to time. There was no answer. Even Scotland Yard had come up with nothing, and the people at Tango Rose had been of no help. They were as mystified as everyone else.

  As best he could, James always tried to put these sorrowful thoughts to one side and attempted to get on with his life. He was to stay a year in Hull, and then he would return to London. He still had his plan in his head and aimed to put it into operation when he was nineteen. He would go and see Mr. Henry Malvern and inquire about the possibility of a job at the Piccadilly office of the Malvern company. By then he would have a year’s experience with Great-Uncle Clarence, from whom he expected to learn a lot.

  * * *

  Within the first few weeks of living in Hull, James had made quite a few friends. He was rather chuffed that people seemed to like him so much. The one person he cared about most was his cousin William Venables, the eldest son of his great-aunt and great-uncle. William still lived at home because his fiancée, Elizabeth, had died of a rare blood disease three years earlier. He had been brokenhearted, had not yet linked up with another woman, and liked the comfort of being with his parents. William was twenty-six, quite a bit older than James. Albert, the younger son, was twenty-two. Albert was married to a nice young woman called Anne. They lived in a small house on the outskirts of Hull. But James found Albert somewhat remote, a rather taciturn young man. Their paths did not cross too often, which pleased James. Albert was antagonistic, obviously disliked him.

  James and William worked together in the wine division of the shipping company, and they learned from each other as the weeks went by. They also spent their free time together, attending events, going to dances, parties, and the theater, but only on Saturday and Sunday. They were similar in disposition, putting work before pleasure. James had soon realized he was not exactly a party animal.

  James’s mind, as always, was focused on advancement. He had drive, ambition, dedication, and determination. His aim was to reach the top. Only then, when he was a merchant prince, would he be truly happy.

  For someone as good-looking as he was, he was not at all vain nor was he a dandy. But he had been trained by his grandmother always to look stylish in an underplayed way, neat and clean, and no flash. And so tonight as he stood in front of the cheval mirror in his bedroom he eyed himself intently, making sure he looked appropriate for the supper ahead.

  Nodding to himself, he stepped away from the mirror, went over to the desk under the window, sat down and wrote notes to his siblings, Rossi and Eddie. He did that every Saturday and also wrote letters to his parents and grandparents, who appreciated hearing from him on a regular basis. He noticed the date on the calendar. It was Saturday, April 14, 1888. He had been here in this house since November of 1887. How time flies, he thought as he went back to the mirror, straightened his cravat, and left the room. Six months in Hull. Certainly he had enjoyed every minute.

  Tonight his aunt and uncle were giving a small supper, and he was looking forward to it. Afterwards, he and William would go out on the town, as most young men did, maybe to visit a music hall, attend one of the dances, or simply have a few cups of champagne at one of the many bars or cafés.

  They lived in a male-dominated culture. All men had strong friendships with other men, and their wives were usually left at home to look after the children. Hull was slightly different in that it was a town
dedicated to gaiety and fun. Women were certainly needed when it came to the dances, parties, and balls. Nonetheless, many men went around in groups, especially those who gambled and frequented the gambling clubs. He did not gamble, and neither did William. They mainly kept to themselves, just the two of them, only occasionally joining with a couple of like-minded friends. James and William had become confidants and would remain close all of their lives.

  On the landing at the top of the stairs, James paused for a moment and settled into his jacket, thinking how happy his grandmother would be if she could see him tonight. He looked smart in a quiet way, just the way she wanted him to be. It would please her that he was considered to be quite the gentleman by the hostesses who invited him to their suppers and dances. How lucky he was to have relatives like the Venableses. His aunt and uncle were warm and loving and William was his best friend. Pretty young women chased after him, and he even had one woman who was extremely infatuated with him. Lucky me, he thought. And then added under his breath, “And I know I have a dangerous enemy in these parts, one I must be extremely wary of at all times.”

  Twenty-two

  William was the only person in the drawing room, standing in front of the fire, warming his hands. He swung around when he saw James out of the corner of his eye, and a huge smile spread across his face.

  “There you are, old chap, on time as usual. No one else here yet, though.”

  After a quick handshake, James said, “How did your day go? It was nice for a good ride, wasn’t it?”

  “Indeed, and I’m going to get you up on a horse one day, my lad, because I know you’d enjoy it.”

  James grinned at him. “One day. Perhaps.”

  William stepped closer and said in a low voice, “Did you know that Mrs. Ward is coming to supper?”

  Shaking his head, James answered in the same low tone, “No, I didn’t.” He shrugged. “But why does it matter?”