Chapter 186 - A Revelation And A Journey

Vincent headed for their bedroom and Delaney glanced outside to see if Ian was coming yet. The carriage was still sitting with the door closed. She hesitated, wondering if she would be saying goodbye to her friend now. She wanted to follow Vincent so she would have to find out later.

In their bedroom, she found things were still in a state of disarray from the morning's events. She paused in the doorway picturing the royal soldiers dragging her husband away. Just thinking about it made her breathing come quicker and her heart pound.

"Delaney?"

She jumped and turned to find Vincent sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace. She shook her head to clear it of the terrible memories and closed the door behind her. Vincent held out a hand to her so she went to him, taking it and letting him pull her down to the seat next to him.

"Are you alright?" she asked, studying his face and the raised red scars.

"I will be once we're safely home in Edgewood."

"Your marks... they are so angry-looking."

He sighed and looked at the floor, "I don't know what happens to them but when they're hit they react like that. Sometimes my skin gets so hot I feel like I'm... like I'm there again... in the dragon's mouth with his fangs piercing me."

Delaney swallowed hard and bit her lip, tears stinging her eyes as she looked at her dark, handsome husband with the webs of angry scars. He still wore the tattered shirt so all the marks webbing across his chest were exposed as well.

"Why have you never told me that?" she asked quietly, "I slapped your face that night at Edgewood when we were fighting and I ran away... why didn't you tell me it hurt you like this?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, "It wasn't this bad then... It hurt like the devil. It always hurts when too much pressure is on them... but then I was able to recover quickly and that's how I was still able to go after you."

Delaney felt her stomach tie in knots, "So they're worse now? The pain is worse?"

Vincent ran his hands over his face and up through his hair. He didn't meet her gaze and she felt her heart sink.

"I suppose the pain has been getting worse... I haven't wanted to think about it."

She stared at her husband, her heart hurting hearing the words.

"I know you asked Harris if he thought my marks were getting worse," he admitted quietly.

Delaney blushed and dropped her eyes from him, "I'm sorry. I just thought I noticed some of them growing. I didn't want to ask you and upset you. I didn't want you to think I was going to be any less in love with you because of them..."

"They are growing," he cut her off.

They both fell silent and Delaney stared at him in shock. After her talk with Harris, she had thought she was foolish for thinking they were worse or that there was anything wrong. Now though it was clear Harris hadn't been honest with her. Or he had let her believe she was wrong. Either way, she had ignored the truth that had been right in front of her.

"They're growing?" she repeated, her voice rough now, "And the pain is getting worse?"

He stared hard at the floor with an expression of defeat. He didn't reply but after a moment he slowly nodded.

A choked cry escaped Delaney and her hands flew to cover her mouth as tears began to slip down her cheeks. Vincent closed his eyes against the sight of it.

"W-What does that mean?" she asked urgently, "Why are they getting worse?"

"I don't know," he replied quietly, "I think it's just from the poison. Perhaps I've been pushing myself too much. The more I do the more pain I end up in."

"This is my fault," she said, shaking her head, "I wanted us to go to the ocean house. You were pushing yourself every day just trying to make me happy! If we had stayed at Edgewood..."

"No Delaney," he turned to her with a serious expression now and caught her hands, "No this isn't your fault. I didn't tell you the pain was getting worse and honestly it wasn't until recently. I thought the marks... Well, I thought maybe they were just going to continue growing forever. I didn't want to talk to you about them."

"But why not?" she demanded, "You know how much I love you. Why would you not tell me if you thought they were growing in case something was wrong?"

"Because my love, what if I'm right? What if they do just continue to grow? If I'm ugly now can you imagine how beastly I will look when they wrap around my entire face?"

"I don't care about that," she shook her head, "You are so terribly handsome even now with the marks. My love for you won't change just because your appearance might."

"You deserve better than this," he said quietly, "I let you convince me I'm enough for you but I'm not. I can't protect you. I can't keep up with you. I can't give you a baby... You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen Delaney and you shouldn't be trapped with me."

"I'm not trapped," she said loudly, reaching out to touch his cheek, "I am with the man I love and none of these physical things you're worried about will change my love for you. I promise! And we will have a wonderful life together."

"But if we reach one year without..."

"Don't say it," she cut him off, "We will have a baby. I know it. You have to trust me."

He nodded and looked down. He knew better than to try to argue with her about that anymore.

"We'll be alright," she assured him, "We'll go home to Edgewood and everything will be better. We'll be safe and you won't have to push yourself too far. The pain will ease off again and you'll feel better. And I don't care at all if the scars do grow as we grow older. You say I'm beautiful but that won't last forever either."

She giggled with her last words and he turned to look at her with a sad smile.

"Things will be better my love," she continued, smiling at him, "Today has just been a horrible day and you have been hurt by Daniel. It is just upsetting you. It's making everything seem darker just like the night we argued after your mother said those hurtful things at dinner."

"Delaney," he sighed, "Just because things are hurtful doesn't mean they aren't true. I know you want what you say to be true but it might not be. Reality might hurt us."

"Shh," she shook her head, "I know things will be fine. I promise. You just have to believe it too."

A knock came at the door then and Delaney leaned forward and kissed him quickly on the cheek.

"Come on," she smiled, "That will be Ms. Bird and Harris. Let's get ready so we can leave this awful place and go home."

He didn't move for a moment, looking down at his lap. He turned to her and lifted her hand to his lips to press a kiss to it.

"Alright," he sighed, standing and then helping her up, "Let's go home."

-

Vincent had stayed true to his word and they left within the hour. The servants were not completely finished so some would stay behind and head to Edgewood in the next day or so but the majority continued on with some of the guards.

Ian hadn't said much after his father had left but he told Delaney and Vincent that for now, he would travel on with them if they wished it. Both the Duke and Duchess were quick to assure him they would be happy to have him with them.

They rode in the carriage to the next city where Win's club was. The ride had been hard on Vincent but he told Delaney they could still go and play a few hands of cards. She saw the exhaustion on her husband's face though and said she would rather just have an early night with him.

Ian was eager to get out of the Inn they were staying the night in so Delaney gave him a note for Win and directions to the club. She told him to tell the man at the door that she had sent him and there wouldn't be any trouble.

The next morning when they prepared to leave Ian came down looking terrible which made Vincent and Delaney chuckle. They guessed correctly that Win had treated him to a full night of drinking and gambling and now he was paying the price both physically and financially. He gave them a crooked smile and said it had been worth it.

Vincent had been quiet since they left the city house and that did not change over their next day of travel. When they arrived at the home of Felicia and Rose, it was only little May running out to hug him that made some life flicker back into his eyes.

He was in too much pain from the ride to pick her up but he kneeled down so he could hug her back. As soon as he was finished she grabbed his hand and dragged him off towards her gardens, not at all bothered by the hard limp he walked with or the slower pace.

Both Felicia and Rose had come out with big smiles, excited to see their guests again but now looked at Vincent with concern. Delaney explained he was just stiff from the ride like last time and it would go away. The women nodded although neither seemed like they accepted that answer. 

The subject was changed for Delaney though when the nannies appeared with the boys, Warren and William. Delaney was shocked to see how much the babies had grown in just a summer. They really weren't babies anymore at all. They were put down on the grass and both wandered over to her with arms out, giggling and excited to see someone new. Quite the opposite of their shy sister.

Delaney introduced Ian to the two women and had to bite her lip to keep from giggling at how flustered he became. Felicia especially simply swooped in and accepted him as if they were old friends. The more reserved Rose stood back and watched with an amused smile. With two beautiful women talking to him so easily Ian was taken aback.

Vincent saw this and rescued their friend by asking if he would speak to him about their plans for the guards for the night. Relief flooded the other man's face and he was quick to oblige.

"Violet told us you'd made close friends of pirates," Rose grinned at Delaney, intrigued.

"Oh, but she didn't mention how handsome and mysterious he is," Felicia giggled wickedly, making the other women laugh.

"You simply must stay longer than one night," Felicia continued, hooking her arm through Delaney's as they strolled after the babies, "I insist."

Delaney looked out at her husband smiling as May ran all around gathering flowers and leaves and dumping them in his lap. She thought about their conversation about his pain being worse when he pushed himself too hard and she knew their traveling was pushing him. Vincent wouldn't admit it but if she wanted to help him it was up to her to make sure they didn't push him too far.

"Alright," she smiled at Felicia, "If you insist."