The Duke's Daughter -Wattys2014 Collector's Dream Award Winner-

Chapter Eighty

Arianna felt her blood run cold as the King's man stared at her. If his ironclad resolve, or the iron shackles he carried were anything to go by, then simple words, no matter how true, would not get them out of this.

"You are Lady Arianna Kent?" The soldier asked, a disbelieving tilt to his brow.

"I was. I am now the Countess of Trent." Arianna replied, stepping closer to the soldier.

"He forced you to marry him?"

"Nay! And that, I can prove. Ask any man aboard this ship if I wed their captain of my own free will." Her eyes dared him to disagree.

"The word of pirates will not satisfy the crown." His disdain was plain for all to see.

"Then perhaps you would like to ask my parents. The Duke and the Duchess were both present for the wedding. Captain Daniels of the Merry Kathleen performed the ceremony."

The soldiers shifted uncomfortably. However, they had been given orders and it twas not their place to play judge over the matter.

"Countess," The lead soldier spoke again, an obvious shred of respect seeping into his voice, "I was sent to arrest these men. If you would like to discuss the authenticity of the charges, I suggest you set an appointment with the King."

He then turned to his men, "Secure them in irons."

"No!" Arianna cried, taking two more hasty steps towards the soldiers, but Derek stepped before her and caught her in his arms.

"Love, causing a scene here will only see you locked up with us. This has to be Admiral Miser. Go to your father, and mine, and then to the King." A soldier stepped close, his irons at the ready as Derek released his wife to offer his arms. As the soldier clasped the iron cuffs around Derek's wrists, he continued, stressing to Arianna, "Be wary of footpads, and see us free."

"Derek, I can not.." He cut her argument short.

"You have to, Arianna! You are our only hope. Get to the King with the weight of both of our families and make him see the truth. I am counting on you, Alejandro is counting on you, we are all counting on you."

The tears finally began to fall as Arianna accepted that she was defeated. The entire crew were currently being cuffed as a few soldiers went below deck to search out any that might be hiding to avoid arrest.

As Alejandro was being shackled, Roman broke from his mother's arms, launching himself at the soldier holding his father.

Alejandro grabbed him mid air, then pulling him in close, he whispered fervently, "Take care of your mother and do what she says, son, I will be fine if I know you are doing that for me."

Roman held his father as tight as he could, as the soldier tried to pry him out of Alejandro's arms.

"What's this? A tiny pirate?" The soldier laughed at his own joke, as he wrenched Roman away and held him at arms length by his collar, while Roman kicked and yelled his frustration and anger.

Alejandro tried to intervene, but as three soldiers now had hold of him, he could only bellow out his anger. "Stop, he is only a child!"

Arianna heard the anguish in Alejandro's voice and saw the horrified expression on Carmelita's face. It snapped her last thread of composure. She stepped as close to the soldier as she dared, her jaw clenched tight and anger in her eyes, "Harm one hair on that child's head, and I will see you dead one day, very soon." She sneered at him. "Big man, threatening small children are you?"

Roman looked at her with admiration and hope as she took him from the man's hold. Turning, she took Roman to Carmelita who grabbed him and held him, crying against the boy's shoulder as she held him close.

Arianna glared daggers at the insolent soldier as she moved between him and Alejandro's family. She moved like an animal newly set free from a cage, pacing back and forth, wanting nothing more than to shred the tormentor with her claws, but still fearing the whip he carried. Though, in this case, 'twas no whip, simply a pair of iron cuffs attached to a long chain.

Carmelita and Roman stepped up to Arianna's side as the soldiers began to lead the men from the ship. Roman reached up and took her hand. Arianna took one look at young Roman's face and instead of collapsing into a fit of tears upon the Lady's deck, as she wanted to do, she squared her shoulders and clenched her jaw. Closing her eyes, she reminded herself that she was the one who had to save the men. And with her new resolve stiffening her spine, she watched stoically as they led her husband and his crew away in chains.

*****

Kathleen was becoming irate. A wagon unloading casks of rum had spilt it's load upon the street in front of them.
Mr. Green was helping round up the errant casks but every minute was wearing on her sanity. So close, she was so close to being home.

Home, finally, where hopefully her son was residing, and would be there when they arrived. She felt that if she had to wait any longer she would jump out of the carriage and run the remaining distance. The thought was very tempting.

Her impatience must have shown on her face, as William laid a hand on her arm, gaining her attention. "Easy, my love, the men are hurrying and we will be on our way again posthaste." He could thoroughly understand her impatience, as it was exactly how he had felt about getting to her only weeks ago. "Let us pray Will is at home and you will not have to wait any longer than this." He rubbed her arm, trying to console and calm her.

"Yes, I know you are right. God knows I have no patience of my own at the moment." This was said with her eyes raised heavenward. She took a mere moment to send her prayer, and the very second she concluded, Mr. Green climbed back up to the box to continue on their way.

"There we are, my dear, see?" William did his best to distract her as they moved slowly uphill away from the docks, "You have no idea how many times on this journey I have sought through prayer the help I needed and I always received all I asked for." William could feel her calming under his words so he continued speaking." He gave me patience, and at times my sanity, but most importantly, when I thought I would simply go mad with the waiting," The duke stressed this last point, "He gave me you."

He smiled that one, lopsided smile that had always melted her in a heartbeat. It was a smile that conveyed his love and total devotion to a woman that must drive him to distraction sometimes. Lord, but she had missed this man! She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, holding his other in her palm.

He continued, knowing his words were helping her to stay in the present and not worrying ahead.

"The moment I realized you had been found, but were not where I could see you nor touch you, was agony. Yet, I was so elated you were alive. I did not know how to act, nor what to do. I wanted to jump in the ocean and drag that blasted ship by a rope all the way to England!
However, my love." William held her hand that rested against his cheek, "God was good, he gave me your letters so I could have a small piece of you until we were together again. When I had read them all, and had no more to occupy me, I prayed for the patience to wait.
Believe it or not, that was the very moment you shot those cannons, Madame. Yes, indeed! God is good!" He chuckled, as he realized he had not felt this way in such a very long time. He had spent many years begging on his knees for any word of her, and now that he had his precious wife back, his faith had been restored tenfold. God had been listening to his pitiful cries all that time, keeping her alive, and safe, so that one day she could return to them and he was damned if he would not give credit where credit was due.

"Now we must simply trust, my love, that God will provide once again, and William will be there just for you." He tapped her nose lightly with his fingertip, then kissed her so simply and sweetly she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

Her head resting on his shoulder, Kathleen spoke from her heart, "I do trust in God's provision, William, I swear I do, I only fall into worry now and then and I do not think of what I should do. But I suppose that is why I have you." She pulled back a bit, a tenuous smile rode her lips as she berated herself, only to be replaced by a more confident one as she took his words to heart. "I will just sit here as patiently as I possibly can, and be thankful for you, until I am able to get my hands on him!"

*****

Will stepped into the foyer as he tucked his pocket watch back into his pocket. He had just enough time to stop by 's place and retrieve his firearms. With her being the most meek mannered of his mistresses, he naturally kept them there. With a smirk, he remembered his vow to never take so much as a blade into Scarlet's place. Just as he reached to open the front door, Bentley, the family butler, stepped into the room from the kitchens.

"Lord Ravenwood?"

Hiding his frustration, Will turned to the old butler, "Yes, Bentley?"

"Might I beg your assistance in the kitchen? Cook cannot open the pickled beets...." William quit listening. Bentley was probably a hundred, Cook easily twice that, yet his father kept them on when others had been let go. For heaven's sake, his father was the Duke of Marlborough, not some impoverished country baron, and yet he kept his homes so understaffed it was pitiful. Will sighed his frustration as Bentley finished speaking.

"Yes, Bentley, if you will lead the way, I shall help Cook."

As he stepped into the kitchen a smile crossed his face. Cook had been with them since Will was a babe, and though she may be old, she still baked the best pastries Will had ever tasted. Passing by the tray of sweets, Will lifted the lid and plopped one into his mouth. His eyes rolled in appreciation for the decadent treat.

"Ha!" Cook cackled, "You never could resist a tasty morsel, 'specially if'n it be wearing a skirt."

Will chuckled as he took the jar from Cook, "Perhaps it is they, who cannot resist me."

With one flick of his wrist the jar was opened and the smell of pickled beets engulfed Will's senses. Ugh, thank heavens I will not be here for supper.

"If your mother had not been such a sweet thing," Cook's light blue eyes sparkling with mischief, she grinned widely, revealing one missing and several broken teeth, "I would say you were the son of Lucifer himself."

Will tossed his dark head back and openly laughed at that before replying dryly, "You remember my mother as sweet? Perhaps you truly are senile, my dear."

"Oh, you, you!" Cook cackled again, picking up the unread morning paper to swat him repeatedly on the arm.

Will laughed, putting up his hands to block the paper's path as the old woman lifted it to swat him again. Will moved quickly from the kitchens, calling his good-byes over his shoulder as he went.

Finally, making it through the front door, Will descended the steps with a whistle on his lips. As he lifted his eyes to the tree his mount waited under, he found the horse was not alone.

Stroking the black's mane, a cigar sticking out from between his lips, was the runner Will had hired.

With a sigh, Will made his way over. The man's findings had better be important.

*****

It was the last corner before their lane. Kathleen was nearly hanging out the window she was so excited to catch her first glimpse of the home she had not seen in far too long.

Let him be there, was the chant running over and over in her mind. No one else could understand her feelings at this moment. No one else had been forced to abandon their family and been left to wonder how they fared for all that time, nary a word about them in her absence had been given to her to ease her worried mind.

Kathleen's heart was still completely broken when it came to her eldest child. He was her baby boy, the first miracle she had ever experienced, and the first purest sense of love she had felt emerge from within her own heart. She remembered clearly the night he was born. She had labored for two days over that child and when he finally arrived, Kathleen knew a love for her son that she had never experienced before. A love so perfect, she didn't believe, at the time, she could ever love another as much as she loved that baby boy. However, that had been before Arianna was born.

Even though she had not slept for the two days she had experienced labor, she had stayed up the entire night after his birth, simply holding her perfect boy, looking at him in awe and wonder. Touching his tiny, soft cheeks, kissing his soft, short, downy hair. Falling more in love with every tiny yawn of his sweet lips, every small sound or adorable expression until he owned her heart, lock and key.

As a toddler he had been so very smart. He spoke before any other children of his age, wanting to learn everything he might, just as quickly as he could. He talked all of the time, asking questions, wanting explanations for everything. It might have been annoying, if he had not been so very sweet and genuinely interested.

He would be found in the stables questioning the grooms on the care of horses, or in the kitchens asking cook what made the pudding so fluffy. He loved all people and they loved him. Will was one of those children who never met a stranger, who charmed all the ladies all of the time, including his own mother, and he was his father's pride and joy.

In Kathleen's eyes, he was the perfect child. After Arianna was born, he was then the perfect boy child. She was dying to know what that young boy was like now as a grown man. It seemed she would not have to wait much longer as she could see two men standing near a dappled grey horse in front of the house. And yes, she would know her son anywhere, even from the back, as he was standing now, his stance so like his father's.

She cried out as she ducked back inside with her husband, "He's home!"

"So are you, darling, so are you." William said, as he squeezed her hand gently, knowing he would have the pleasure of giving her up to their son in just a moment.

*****

Arianna stepped into the captain's cabin with Mickey in tow. A plan was beginning to formulate in her mind. First thing was first, she needed to see the Lady protected by someone other than her cabin boys.

Moving to Derek's desk she found ink and paper and quickly penned a note asking Captain Daniels for immediate assistance. She then retrieved two purses, weighed coins into each and closed them tight. She handed the note to Mickey and informed him of it's recipient and urgency.

"Aye, aye, uh.. Countess!" Mickey answered with a lopsided grin and a shrug before he turned and ran from the room.

Turning back to the desk, Arianna retrieved the quill and wrote the address of the family's townhouse. Once finished, she capped the ink and retrieved the spare key from the desk drawer, locking the cabin firmly before returning topside.

She found Carmelita and Roman near the helm. Arianna took Carmelita's hand and pressed one of the purses into it. "Take Roman, hire a hack on the docks and have them take you here." Arianna pressed the address into her other hand. "Tell my father to send Mr. Green for me."

"But Countess!" Arianna cut off Carmelita's protest.

"Carmelita, I do not know the extent of the threat we face. Please, take Roman to safety. I will join you before supper." Arianna was gentle yet firm.

Roman stepped forward placing a hand on his mother's arm, his dark, thickly lashed eyes entreated her to listen to the Countess. "We should do what she says, Mamà."

Looking back and forth between two sets of eyes that looked far more calm than she felt, Carmelita made her decision. "Alright. We will go. I should get some of our things from the cabin first I believe." Carmelita answered in a strained voice.

"Roman, you will help your mama?" Arianna gave Roman an encouraging look, reminding him of the responsibility his father gave him.

"Si, I shall, come with me Mamà." He took Carmelita's hand and led her to the stairs below deck.

Arianna was finally alone for a moment. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, held on tight and dropped to her knees on the deck next to the railing. She keened out her frustration deeply, but quietly, as sobs racked her body.

A brief moment passed before she swiped the tears from her eyes, stood up slowly and squared her shoulders, then walked to the rail at the gangplank to await word from Captain Daniels, once again the picture of the brave and stoic Countess.

*****

Kathleen knew they would be stopping in just a moment but she couldn't not see him. She stuck her head out the window again, just in time to see Will turn her direction.

She smiled a dazzling smile at him, which he returned, then he began to wave at her. However, his waving stopped after a second, and his arm was suspended in air as his eyes registered shock and disbelief.

Kathleen became concerned, Will had turned completely white as if he were seeing a ghost. She looked behind her quickly but saw nothing to frighten him.

The coach pulled up to the house and Kathleen bolted out the door. The Duke had known to stay out of her way if he did not want to end up a trampled heap on the floor of the carriage.

*****

Will turned at the sound of a carriage coming up the lane behind him. He recognized his father's coach and his heart gave a small leap of joy. Not only his father, but it seemed he had returned with Arianna, thank God, his sister was safe and sound. Unless she fell from the carriage, he thought. Will smiled back, waving, overjoyed she had been found, and seemingly none the worse for wear.

However, as the carriage drew closer, Will realized it was not his sister that he was waving at. He froze, his mind froze, his heart froze in his chest, hurting like no other pain he had ever felt. It was her! It was really her, not a dream this time, not a wish, not a drunken hallucination, but by God, it was his mother!

Falling to his knees on the walk, holding his face in his hands, Will cried and did not care who saw. He heard the coach stop and looked up through brimming eyes as the door opened and she flew to him.

She took him into her arms and held him as he sobbed out all the years he had been made to do without her.

*****

Kathleen cried tears of joy as she held Will's head tightly to her heart, her face was raised to heaven until her husband blocked her view. She managed a bittersweet smile, seeing her husband's tears falling unchecked down his face, she then bent her head to her son.

Stroking Will's hair, Kathleen spoke softly in between kisses, "Oh my sweet, sweet boy, all is well now, your mama is home for good. I promise, I shall never, ever leave you again." Her lips pressed repeatedly against his temple and her heart broke as sobs shook his solid frame. She was suddenly whirled back in time to when he would hurt himself as a child, he had always wanted his mother, he had wanted her assurances and repeated kisses. She was left wondering who had tended his hurts when she was no longer there?

Intense anger directed at Marcus Bailey welled up in her for a moment, before she consciously tamped it down, a sob rose in her own chest as the overwhelming love she felt for her son welled back up in her heart and she allowed thankfulness overtake the regrets.