Chapter Eighteen
And so, Anna and Louis were married by the Prince of Benevento, the Bishop of Autun, duly witnessed by Captain Alban and Lady Arabella, who signed the document Talleyrand made in their real names of Alban and Arabella Lamont. For Anna, although she was desperate to remember the whole ceremony as a comfort in the coming months, it passed in something of a blur. She saw only Louis’s face, heard only his voice.
And nothing in her life had ever seemed so right.
When it was done, Talleyrand blessed them with a mere hint of sardonic humor and Bella led them to a nearby empty cabin.
“You can be private in here to say your farewells,” she said practically, lighting the lamp by the bunk. The cabin was barer than Talleyrand’s, but there were sheets and blankets on the bunk, and water and towels by the night stand to refresh themselves. There was even a light supper spread on the table. Anna realized she hadn’t eaten all day.
“I won’t sail until high tide,” Alban said. “I’ll have someone take you ashore in a couple of hours. Feel free to use the ship as your own until then.”
As the door closed on them, Anna turned slowly to face her husband. “Am I really Madame Delon?”
“I don’t know,” Louis said, incurably honest with her. He shrugged off his coat and threw it on the chair, standing before her in his shirt sleeves. As though he were too hot on this wintry night. “In any way that matters to me, you are my wife.”
“I feel the same,” she whispered. “I will miss you, Louis.”
“Hush.” He took her in his arms, smiling into her hair. “We have ages before we need to miss each other.”
“Two hours,” she said in despair.
“Then let us make the most of them,” he said hoarsely, and dragged his open mouth across her jaw to her lips.
This time, there was a strange urgency to the melting of her bones. She didn’t just want the thrill, the pleasure to go on forever. She wanted more, she wanted to be as close to him as she could get, and she wanted it at once.
Gasping into his mouth, she kissed him back with fervor, instinctively pressing her breasts and hips against him. And that felt so good, she pushed harder, dragging him closer yet, writhing against his exciting hardness.
He swept her off her feet, striding the two paces to the bunk before falling with her. His weight landed on her, the most thrilling sensation she had ever known, and yet she was helpless under him. He caressed her with his whole body, making her moan with delight and need, before he lifted her from the waist, unfastening her gown and stays and drawing all that black crepe from her body. And then her chemise vanished, too, and she was naked in his arms, bathed in the warm glow of the lamp.
“Oh, let me look at you,” he breathed, his eyes wondrously hot as they devoured her from head to toe, and then he lowered his lips to her breasts, and his hand stroked everywhere, learning her every curve. Only when she plucked with increasing annoyance at his shirt, did he remove his own clothes, revealing all his own distinctive beauty. She smoothed her palms against his chest and back as she had so wanted to do since she had first seen his wounds. He wore only a light bandage around his shoulder now, so there was a lot of hot, velvet skin to caress and kiss.
“I want this, I want all of you,” she whispered desperately. “Take me as your wife.”
“Oh, I will,” he got out before claiming her mouth once more. He wrapped her hand around his hard shaft, and she felt only awe as she stroked it.
She loved his hands, the way they played her body like some delicate musical instrument. And it seemed he would give her no time to be afraid, for his fingers slid up the inside of her thigh and played there, too, so softly and sweetly that she moaned and arched and gasped and let the sudden ecstasy engulf her.
“That is what I’ll give you,” he whispered through the pleasure. “Only more. More intense, more urgent, more…everything.”
And then it was no longer his fingers which pushed and caressed, and he was inside her, not hurting beyond the one jolt of discomfort. In new wonder, she held on to him, her eyes locked to his as their bodies moved in the age-old push and pull of love. His eyes were clouded, lost in lust, and yet they worshipped her with the rest of his body.
“Anna, my sweet Anna,” he whispered shakily as he kissed her mouth and the pleasure built and built and the ecstasy swept over her once more, just as before only different, deeper, harder. He fell on her, groaning and she clutched him to her, knowing she was his at last, as he was hers.
*
She did not weep as she stood with him on the deck of The Albatross while the sailors lowered the boat into the water. Hand in hand with him in the cold night, she gazed at the moon and the stars, knowing they would always be above both of them, however far apart they were. It was a comfort.
“My men will land you at Braithwaite Cove,” Captain Alban said, “and see you safely back to the castle.”
“Thank you,” she answered. She cast a smile over her shoulder at Lady Bella. “I hope we can be friends one day.”
“We already are,” Bella said. “Good luck to you, Lady Anna.”
“And to you, Lady Bella.” She turned to Louis and lifted her face for his last, brief kiss. Their true farewells had been made in private, with her tears well hidden behind genuine joy and laughter. “Au revoir,” she breathed. “Be safe, my love.”
“Au revoir,” he said hoarsely. “Stay out of trouble if you can.”
She managed a smile. “Of course I can’t.”
And then she climbed down into the boat and the sailors’ respectful hands helped her to her seat. She didn’t even know she was crying until she could no longer see the ship in front of her. She wiped at her eyes.
“Long parting, Miss?” the coxswain asked with simple sympathy.
“I fear so,” she answered as lightly as she could.
“Rough.” He was silent for a long moment while the oars pulled and splashed, and Anna shivered, drawing her cloak closer around her. Then the coxswain said, “I thought the foreign gent married you.”
Anna nodded, and he nodded sagely back.
“Not always easy to stay together at sea,” he acknowledged. “Even married.”
She gazed at him, frowning slightly. She was going home to inflict herself on Rupert and Serena, who would be just as happy without her. Or to go to London with Christianne and Henry. Christianne missed her, but increasingly less as Henry took over her life. And there would be children. She was sure that was Christianne’s news, saved up for when they were alone.
But I have a life of my own now. I have a husband, a lover. I don’t need Henry’s tasks to give my life meaning. Louis is my meaning…
She stared at the coxswain as they drew closer to the beach beneath the castle. Two of the men jumped out into the shallows to haul it ashore.
“What am I doing?” she said aloud. And then she laughed, breathless at her own stupidity and how close she had come to wasting even more of her life. She threw herself forward. “Wait! Come back. I’ve changed my mind. Would you please be so good as to row me back to The Albatross?”
*
Louis watched the boat grow smaller and smaller as it neared Braithwaite Cove. Letting her go had been the hardest thing he had ever done. But it was a selfless, honorable decision to keep her safe at home with her family until he could come to her.
And what if I have just given her a child?
They had already discussed that possibility. She was to announce her secret marriage to Sir Lytton Lewis, immediately, just in case.
“It might get confusing later,” she had joked, “when we have to merge Madame Delon with Lady Lewis.”
He was leaving her alone to try and rebuild his life, betting on Talleyrand’s success, which was not entirely assured, whatever happened to France.
Walking blindly toward his cabin, he encountered Captain Alban striding toward his. Frowning, Louis said abruptly, “Alban, you married above you, did you not?”
“Undoubtedly. I suspect you have done the same.”
“Even more undoubtedly. But Lady Bella sails with you.”
He shrugged. “Most of the time. We spend time at home, too, of course. But for reasons the rest of us cannot fathom, she prefers my company to the lack of it.”
Louis frowned. He said slowly, “Leaving Anna to make my fortune, as it were, seemed perfectly sensible until she stepped into that boat.”
Alban regarded him. “It seems to me, in your line of work, your lady would be quite an asset.”
Louis smiled crookedly. “Even on different sides.”
“It did you no harm in saving the late conference.”
“True,” Louis allowed. “But she has family in England who care for her…” And didn’t he have an identity in England already, one that could be built on? Sir Lytton Lewis, husband to Lady Anna, the Marquis of Tamar’s sister. No one would doubt him. There were things he could do for Talleyrand here, surely, that would compromise no one’s honor, and even if not, he could find other employment.
He became aware he was staring at Alban. “Launch another boat. I’m going back with her.”
Alban stared back. “And Himself?”
“Tell him I’ll write.” And he pushed open the hatch and bolted back on deck.
Behind him, he was grateful to hear Alban shouting orders. It took only a few minutes to get the smaller boat in the water and organize a crew.
“I must be going soft,” Alban commented. “Either that or I’ve lost my mind. I’m putting everyone out just to help a French enemy abduct an English noblewoman.”
“No, you’re not,” Lady Bella said behind him. “You’re helping a man be with his wife.”
Louis gave her a quick, grateful grin over his shoulder, and began to lower himself down into the waiting boat.
“I can’t wait long,” Alban called after him. “My men will return in an hour, with or without you.”
“Understood,” Louis said, getting comfortable. It was cold and spray from the sea pattered against his face. He barely noticed. Nor did he feel his wound. His whole being strained toward the shore with boundless energy. He wanted to snatch up the oars and row himself, just to get there faster.
But Alban’s men had their own strict way of doing things. So all he could do was sit and watch, staring into the darkness in the hope of seeing her boat ahead, or her figure climbing the path from Braithwaite Cove to the castle. He should have known when his whole being cried out against it, that leaving her was wrong. But she had had to physically go before he let himself even think that what seemed the honorable thing wasn’t necessarily a good thing. For Anna or for him.
They had rowed about half way from the ship to Braithwaite Cove when he saw the bobbing shape on the water approaching them.
“It’s the first boat,” one of the sailors said. “On its way back.”
Louis scowled. To be returning so quickly, they must have left her to walk up to the castle alone. Of course, she had probably insisted and his Anna generally got her own way by one means or another. So did he.
As the boats drew nearer, the sailors from each crew began to call to one another. Louis opened his mouth to shout his own questions, when he saw the small figure huddled among them.
“Anna,” he whispered. He stood abruptly, rocking the small boat, and suddenly Anna was on her feet, too, waving madly.
“Louis! I’m here, I’m coming with you!” she shouted.
The crew of her boat tried to make her sit, but she was speaking to them urgently and refused. Louis shook off the man trying to yank him back on his own seat.
“You’ll tip us all in the sea!” one of them yelled. “Oh, God’s teeth, what’s she doing, now?”
Louis’s attention snapped back to the other boat, for as they came alongside, the men had to draw in their oars, and Anna was holding on to the side and climbing. Louis felt the blood drain from his face in fear. He threw himself to the side of his own boat, opening his mouth to tell her not to be an idiot. But one of her crew was already throwing a rope to him and he caught it and hauled. And Anna leapt.
She won’t reach! Dropping the rope, he made a grab for her, just as her foot slipped and she began to fall. But he’d grasped her wrist, and her other hand clung to his and he pulled with all his strength until they both fell backward into the boat.
The sailors swore as the boat rocked dangerously. But Louis knew they were safe. They had to be now. Somehow, he dragged her with him onto the seat.
“You fool,” he uttered, crushing her to him, his hand tangled in her hair. The veil had vanished, no doubt into the sea. “What were you thinking? You could have drowned!”
“I had to tell you,” she gasped, clinging to his wrist. “I’m coming with you, wherever you go.”
He frowned, tilting her head back to stare down into her face. In the silver glow of the moon and the weaving lamp on the boat, she was bedraggled and smiling, and more beautiful than he had ever seen her. He said, “I was coming to tell you that I’m staying in England.”
She laughed, her cold fingertips caressing his face, his lips with something very like wonder. “Well, we’re about half way between the ship and shore. Which will be more fun?”
He searched her face, seeking his way. “England will be safer.”
“For me. Not for you. Besides, safety isn’t fun.”
He didn’t mean to smile, but his lips were curving of their own volition. “You’re just a little mad, you know.”
“I know,” she whispered, and kissed him.
Louis lifted one hand and pointed back toward The Albatross.
*
Talleyrand regarded them with a frown, but Anna thought he was more amused than annoyed. However, his gaze was speculative as it lingered on her.
“As a couple, certainly, there may be more opportunities,” he said. “Opportunities that might not be open to a single man in Basel.”
“I do not, however, work for you,” Anna pointed out.
“I am sure you will find a way to pass information to your brother-in-law,” Talleyrand said dryly. “And do you know, I believe Lord Castlereagh himself may turn up in Basel before too long. At this stage, your country and ours has increasingly little difference in aims. Can we agree on the peace of Europe as our goal?”
Anna nodded.
“Then we may all look after our own countries as best we can within that greater goal. Do I have to bless you a third time before you go away and let me sleep?”
“No,” Louis said. “Good night.”
They made their way back to what was now their own cabin. They had nothing but the clothes they stood up in, but Anna had never been happier.
“What of your family?” he asked.
“I’ll write to them. They’ll understand,” Anna said optimistically. “They’re used to my mad starts. Even Serena. She loves my brother, after all.” The word love rolled off her tongue more easily now.
She sighed with contentment, melting as he took her into his arms. “What changed your mind?” she asked at last. “Why did you come after me?”
“For the same reason you came back. We are meant to be together. I would have come back for you as soon as I could, you know I would, but…it came to me, finally, that abandoning you here for however long might not make you happy.”
She pressed her cheek to his. “It didn’t. It wouldn’t. That’s why I came back. I know you need me. You’re the only one who truly needs me as I need you.”
His arms tightened. “You will drive me to distraction. I’ll worry and fret and probably shout, trying desperately to keep you out of danger. But we will have fun.”
She laughed, already eager to face her new life in all its aspects. “I know. And I will go my own way and interfere in yours. But I trust you, Louis, and I’ll always love you.” Her smile lingering, she turned up her face and he kissed her mouth long and hungrily.
“I know we’ll be happy,” he whispered against her lips. “Happier even than this.”
And they were.