Chapter 214 - Painful Secrets

Delaney had already gotten out of her dress and was in bed with her hair in a long braid when her husband came back upstairs.  It was only a while after breakfast but she was tired and wanted to try to get more sleep.

Vincent looked hurt when he came in and closed the door behind him.  Delaney immediately sat up and studied him.  She knew his leg was bothering him but it didn't seem worse than it had been earlier that morning.  He didn't look like anything physical was hurting him at all.  At least no more than normal.

"What's wrong my love?" she asked him as he walked towards the bed, favoring his bad leg.

"Oh, it's nothing," he sighed, as he kicked off his boots, "Just um... just thinking about what could happen if Daniel doesn't take this well."

Delaney nodded, "I know... It worries me.  I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Even if something does happen," he looked at her seriously, "when we go to the King's city or any time after.  I promise you you will always be taken care of."

"Please don't say that," she whispered, fighting back tears, "I don't want to think about you not being here.  I don't know how I would ever go on without you..."

"I know.  I don't want to think about it either.  We don't need to talk about it anymore.  For now, I just want to be here with you and not think of anything else."

"Alright," Delaney gave him a small smile, "Come join me in bed then."

Vincent smiled at his wife and his expression turned mischievous.  With his eyes on her, he reached down and slowly pulled his shirt free of his breeches and then up over his head.  Delaney bit her lip as she looked at his bare, muscular chest and broad shoulders.  He was so strong and beautiful, even with his scars crossing over his body.  They only seemed to accentuate how perfect the rest of him was.

As she watched, Vincent peeled off the rest of his clothing before lifting the blankets and climbing under them to join his wife.  Delaney giggled at the way he moved towards her like a predator hungry for its prey.  In a way, she supposed that was exactly what they were.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled her husband down, feeling her eagerness rising as his lips drew nearer to hers.  She breathed in the familiar scent of him and it was addictive.  Her heart skipped when his soft lips, at last, met hers and she tasted him, hot and sweet.  Kissing Vincent like this made her curl her toes and her whole body wound tight like a spring, waiting for him to release her.

They spent their day in bed, locked away from the rest of the world.  Vincent thought if this was to be his last day in his home with the woman he loved, this would be how he would want to spend it.

Delaney clung to her husband's beautiful muscled body, not wanting to let him go now or ever.  When he dozed off she would lay next to him just looking at him and trying to remember every bit of him.  She wanted to secure the image into her mind of him with her and happy.  If anything happened to him at the King's City she never wanted to forget these times.  She never wanted to forget what her handsome husband looked like.

The couple ate their meals when they were brought to them but no one disturbed them otherwise.  Everyone was aware of the danger Vincent would face when confronting the King and Queen with their evidence about Sophia and her attempts to kill him and poison Delaney.  It was a dangerous thing he might not survive.

The next morning Violet's things she had sent for arrived from her home in the village.  They were loaded onto the large Adair carriage along with Ian's and the Duke and Duchess's things.  A second carriage was prepared for Ms. Bird, Harris, little William, and an extra maid Delaney had decided to bring to help.  They were going to have only the very minimum servants at the City house though because they hoped not to be there for long.

Before they were set to leave, Delaney wandered through Edgewood a while before finding herself at the door to the room where her little pets from Captain Black were kept.  When she opened the door she was startled to find Ian and Penelope inside alone.  They both looked up in surprise and Penelope scrambled to gather her things.

"Oh excuse me," Delaney said quickly, dropping her eyes in embarrassment and moving to leave, "I'm sorry I didn't realize anyone was in here."

"No you're alright Delaney," Ian said shaking his head, "Penelope and I were just leaving anyway."

"No don't leave on my account," Delaney raised her hands, "I was just going to say goodbye to the boys before we go but I can come back."

"Please my Lady it's quite alright," Penelope said with a rough voice and tears on her cheeks, "I was just leaving.  You should stay."

Delaney looked from her to the pirate in concern but Ian turned away, rubbing the back of his neck.  When the door closed behind Penelope he sighed and ran his hands over his face.

"What was that about?" Delaney asked seriously, "She was crying Ian.  Should you go after her?"

"No," he shook his head but didn't meet her gaze, "I was telling her goodbye.  I thought I owed it to her after... after the sort of courtship we had."

"She seemed very upset... We're hoping to be gone less than a week."

Ian met her eyes now and his gaze was serious, "Delaney you know we may not come back at all."

Now it was she who dropped her gaze, "That's not going to happen.  Vincent will be fine.  Daniel will fix this and we will come home again."

"Delaney..."

"Please Ian," she hissed, "Please I can't even consider the possibility of losing Vincent.  My heart would be destroyed.  I wouldn't want to go on without him."

"But you would go on... No matter what happens, he would want that.  You know above all else he has always wanted to give you everything so you would have the happiest life you could have."

"I know."

"That's why he came up with that deal in the first place.  To make sure you had a full life with a family."

"I don't want to talk about this..."

"In just a few months if you haven't had any children he will want you to go on without him.  He will want you to find another man to love and have a family with.  Someone who can take care of you and..."

"Ian!" Delaney shouted at him as tears burned in her eyes, "Vincent is my soulmate!  He's the only man I will ever love.  I don't want to talk about that horrible deal.  Not now or ever!"

The young pirate looked at her with hurt chocolate eyes for a long moment before nodding and dropping his gaze.

"Yes alright," he agreed quietly, "We don't need to talk about it anymore.  You're right."

"Why would you even bring that up?" Delaney looked at him with anger and pain as she dashed the tears from her eyes, "You know I hate talking about that.  I don't want to think about it."

"I... I don't know," Ian sighed, "Someone just said something to me that's gotten into my head now and I suppose... well I suppose it's put me on edge and has me saying hurtful things."

"Did you say hurtful things to Penelope?" Delaney demanded in disbelief.

He took a deep breath, "Yes."

"Ian why?" she shook her head in confusion, "What did you say to her?"

He was silent for a moment and Delaney began to wonder if he wouldn't answer.

"She told me she loves me.... and I told her I didn't love her back and... and that I never would."

"Oh my God," Delaney clapped her hands over her own mouth, "Why would you say that?"

"I didn't want her to wait for me or to hold out some hope for a future that would never happen."

"Why couldn't it happen though?  I thought you really liked her?"

Ian rubbed the back of his neck while he stared hard out the window.

"Yes well... there's someone else I like a lot more.  I don't think I'd ever admitted it to myself really until yesterday.  But I... I love her..."

"Really?" Delaney asked him in surprise, "Why haven't you told me?  Who is it?"

"I can't talk about this with you," Ian shook his head, "Not right now.  Maybe after our business is finished in the King's City."

"But why not?"

Ian turned to look at her at last and crossed the distance between them, taking her small, soft, hands in his large, rough ones.

"Because you are my best friend," he answered seriously, "And right now the only thing any of us need to worry about is how we can all get through this alive.  We can talk about everything else after."

Delaney looked up at his sad eyes and knew he was hiding something but trusted that whatever it was, he must have a good reason.  He protected her from physical harm because he was her guard.  He protected her from all other pain he could because he was her best friend.

"Alright," she agreed quietly and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly, We can talk about it later."

Ian stiffened as he always did when she hugged him but ever so slowly moved and hugged her back.

"You're my best friend too," she whispered to him, "I love you you know."

"I know," he said quietly before hesitating for a moment, "I love you too."