A Gentleman's Kiss (18 page)

He chuckled and tucked it back into his vest. “I know it’s a bit hasty, but I don’t want to risk anything or anyone else coming between us.”

She shook her head and glanced down at her plain gray traveling dress. “But this is not what I’d imagined I would wear on my wedding day. And what about my grandfathers and—and your family. You know your mother will be furious if we—”

“Claude!” Cameron exclaimed softly, cupping both her cheeks gently. “Do you love me?”

Claudia looked into the deep green of his eyes and saw her own feelings reflected there. “Yes,” she whispered breathlessly. “I do love you, Cameron.”

“And I love you, Claudia,” he declared in a low voice while his thumb caressed her cheek. “I want you to be my wife. I want us to dream together and do the work of the Lord side by side. I want us to have babies with your eyes and see them bounced on their Grandpa George’s knee.”

Tears filled Claudia’s eyes as she envisioned his beautifully spoken words. “I’d like that, too.”

“Then marry me, Claudia. Today, in your gray dress and ribbonless bonnet.” He teased with a grin, but then his expression turned very serious. “I don’t want to spend another day without you.”

How could she resist that? “All right, I’ll marry you.”

With a triumphant smile he reached inside his coat pocket and took out his grandmother’s ring. After slipping it on her finger he bent to kiss it. “I had planned to give you this ring the night of your ball.”

Claudia’s gaze flew from the sparkling ring to his eyes. “I had wondered. . . ,” she murmured. “Helen had said that was what you wanted but—”

He leaned forward and kissed her so gently and sweetly that she didn’t open her eyes for a few moments, even after he’d stopped. When she finally did look at him, he was smiling at her.

“Do you know that every time you’ve kissed me, you’ve interrupted me in midsentence?” she said, her head still spinning a little from the kiss.

He thought a moment. “You know, I believe you are right. Odd, that!”

She narrowed her eyes at him with a mock frown. “Are you trying to say I talk too much?”

He bent to give her another quick kiss. “Absolutely not. It’s just that I am too impatient to wait until you are finished talking to act on my feelings.” He grinned at her and pointed toward the deck. “Well, shall we go to the captain and bind our lives together forever?”

She threaded her arm through his. “Absolutely. Lead on!”

They both chuckled as he led her up to the top deck. She was about to ask him why he thought the captain would be there when something else caught her eye.

There crowded on the deck were her grandfathers, Helen and North, and Cameron’s parents and sisters.

“What—,” she started to ask but couldn’t find the words as they all looked their way.

“It is a good thing you agreed to marry me, or else all these people would leave sorely disappointed,” Cameron whispered to her, leading her to them. “You have a choice. After the ceremony we can disembark with everyone else, or we can sail and visit your parents. I am ready for either.”

She looked up at him and thanked God again for leading Cameron back to her. “I’d like my parents to meet you,” she said without having to think about it too much.

Cameron put his other hand over the one on his arm. “Then that is what we shall do.”

They greeted the captain, and as he was instructing them where to stand, Cameron’s mother came rushing up to them.

“Oh, Cameron, must you forever break my heart with such unconventional ways of doing things?” She dabbed at her eyes and sniffed daintily. “What will everyone say when they hear you did not marry in a church? And what happened between you and Aurora? Did you know she has eloped with a
farmer
?” She quickly looked at Claudia and said, “I mean no disrespect to you, dear. But the entire ton will be abuzz with gossip, and I promise none of it will be pleasant.”

“Mother, if I pledge to you we will have our marriage blessed in a church on our return from America, will you
please
let us continue?” Cameron asked, clearly anxious to get on with the ceremony.

“What?” she gasped, clutching her handkerchief to her chest. “You are bound for the colonies? And what other secrets am I to discover today? I cannot believe—”

“Margaret!” his father called out as he walked up and seized his wife’s arm. “You can scold him later. Can’t you see the poor boy is eager to marry?” He tugged her away.

“Shall we begin?” the captain said, bringing her attention back to Cameron and their ceremony.

As she and Cameron exchanged their vows in front of their family and friends, Claudia couldn’t take her eyes off the man she had believed she’d lost forever. Gazing at him, reciting the words to love, honor, and cherish, out on the sea with the beautiful blue sky as their canopy, felt so appropriate. She could even imagine God looking down upon them and smiling.

As they neared the end of the ceremony, Claudia was thankful Cameron waited until the captain had given him a cue to kiss her, instead of interrupting her vows. She heard a ripple of sighs as he kissed her gently and then placed another one on her cheek in a loving gesture.

Once the captain announced they were man and wife, Helen hurriedly stepped forward to hug her. “Before you ask, I did not know about this until we’d walked back to our carriage and were met by Lord Kinclary!” Helen stood back and beamed at her. “But isn’t this the most romantic gesture you’ve ever beheld!”

Claudia laughed. “Undeniably the most!” she agreed, and then the reality of it all seemed to rush back to her. “Can you believe it, Helen? I am married to Cameron!”

“If I did not witness the wedding I would not believe it!” she said with a grin. “So,
Lady
Kinclary!
Will you be going to Louisiana after all?”

“Yes, but don’t worry. It will be a quick visit to see my parents and to show Cameron my home. We will come back to England in no time at all.”

Helen sighed and then smiled tearfully at her. “Please give my regards to your parents and sister!”

Claudia assured her she would and hugged her one more time.

Because the captain was in a hurry to set sail, she was only able to say quick good-byes before everyone had to disembark.

They stood on the starboard bow and scanned the shore as the ship slowly drew further and further away. They waved to Helen and North who stood watching them from the pier.

“Helen told me how God had brought her and North together by quite miraculous means,” she mentioned as they stood there, arm in arm, with the sea air blowing their garments and hair.

Cameron nodded. “Perhaps, like them, we will appreciate each other more since we went through so much to be together.”

She looked at his handsome profile, and her heart swelled even more. “Have I told you yet, Cameron Montbatten, that I love you with all my heart?”

He looked at her and appeared to be thinking on her words. “Yes, but I think I should like to hear it again.”

“I love you,” she whispered to him.

Cameron looked at her and shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t hear that.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I love you,” she said a little louder.

He cocked his head to the side as if trying to hear her better. “No. No, I’m sorry, but I still didn’t hear you.”

Claudia rolled her eyes. “I love you!” she then declared as loudly as she looked out to the sea.

Cameron glanced around, and when she followed his gaze she noticed the crew and a few of the passengers had stopped to stare at them. “Well done, my dear. Now everyone can be certain as to where your feelings lie.”

Claudia covered her face and groaned. “Oh, no.”

“There is only one course of action to take now.” She was about to ask what action that was when he swooped down and kissed her right on the lips.

“Cameron!” she gasped, breaking the kiss and leaning away from him. “Everyone is watching.”

“Yes, but there it is. After hearing your words of love I had to do
something
.”

She giggled and peeked about to see that only a few were watching them now. “You are a gentleman. And gentlemen do not go about kissing their ladies in public. It is not the
done thing,
” she scolded because she felt she needed to. But then she confessed, “It was your first kiss, though, that made me realize I did have feelings for you.”

His brows rose in surprise. “But you seemed quite vexed with me. And, as I recall, you delivered a slap that kept my ears ringing for days.”

“I’ve already explained it was my duty to slap you, whether I liked the kiss or not.”

He nodded as if it all made perfect sense. “Right you are, my dear. I expected no less.”

He put his arms around her and held her back to his chest as they continued to watch the shrinking buildings of London. “I still can hardly believe you are in my arms, Claude. Just thinking of all we’ve been through, I feel I’m truly a blessed man,” he said after a long moment, his voice solemn and humble.

Closing her eyes, she leaned back against him and felt him place a gentle kiss on her head.
We’re both blessed,
she thought.

And to think it all started with a kiss. . . .

About the Author

Kimberley Comeaux is a pastor’s wife who wears many hats, including choir director, women’s ministries leader, and Web designer for her church. Her first love, however, remains dreaming up and writing inspirational romances for the wonderful Heartsong readers! She lives in Cajun, Louisiana, with her husband, Brian; teenage son, Tyler; and their two dogs.

Dedication

To my dearest friend since eighth grade, Julie Canterbury Everett. When I needed inspiration for Claudia and Helen’s friendship, I thought of you.

And to my aunts, Judy Lamb and Alicia Nichols, who are always full of fun and a big supporters of my writing.

A note from the Author:

I love to hear from my readers! You may correspond with me by writing:

Kimberley Comeaux

Author Relations

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Uhrichsville, OH 44683