Besieged (40 page)
Authors: Bertrice Small
Accepting the official-looking document, Kieran opened it and read it. It was indeed a warrant for the arrest of the convicted felon, Jane Gale, also known as Comfort Rogers, female, aged sixteen, hair flaxen, eyes blue. Folding the warrant back up Kieran returned it to Master Sharpe, and turned to Captain O’Flaherty. “You have my wife’s letter for her mother, the duchess. We will see you in the spring. I hope the tobacco sells well on the London market. Godspeed.”
The two men shook hands.
“The family will be delighted to learn of the new bairn,” the captain said. “God bless you all Kieran, and my love to Fortune.”
“So Ualtar has sailed for England with Comfort Rogers in chains,” Fortune said as her husband finished his tale. “God help her.”
“You can say that after all the trouble she caused?” he said wonderingly. “Your heart is much too good, sweetheart.” The others about the trestle murmured their agreement.
“I am no fool, Kieran, as you know, but see how auspiciously fate has dealt with us. Until we came to Mary’s Land each of us was besieged in our own passage through life, and yet we kept moving forward. That was what Comfort Rogers was trying to do. Move forward. Be loved. But, alas, she did not know how. I have been loved my whole life, and you, despite your mother’s death knew that your father and siblings loved you, even if your stepmother did not. What kind of a life did that poor creature have, I wonder, that caused her to become so wicked? Babies are born innocent. It takes terrible deeds to turn them into evil people. Aye, she tried to kill me, and to steal my husband, but tonight I am safe at Fortune’s Fancy with you by my side, while she is on her way back to England to be hanged. God help her, Kieran. God help her!”
He looked at her with his dark green eyes filled with love and admiration for this woman he had found to be his wife. Lady Fortune Mary Lindley Devers was truly amazing. “I love you,” he said. “I loved you yesterday. I love you today, and I will love you forever though time itself ceases to exist. We are home, Fortune. Home in our Mary’s Land.
Home, and besieged no more!”
He stood, drawing her up, and took her into his arms. Then he kissed her with all the passion in his Celtic soul, and Fortune knew he was right. They were home.
Home, and besieged no more.
It was a good feeling!
Home, and besieged no more!”
He stood, drawing her up, and took her into his arms. Then he kissed her with all the passion in his Celtic soul, and Fortune knew he was right. They were home.
Home, and besieged no more.
It was a good feeling!
Author’s Note
M
ary’s Land is, of course, the state we know today as Maryland, and its founder, George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, was a man so far in advance of his time that we haven’t yet caught up with him. He dreamed of a world where all people could worship as they chose to worship. Freely, and without being constantly besieged by intolerance. Human nature being what it is, we aren’t there yet, but like George Calvert, I have hope, because I believe that with God, or the Creator, Yahweh, Allah, or whatever you choose to call the Celestial Actuary, all things are possible.
ary’s Land is, of course, the state we know today as Maryland, and its founder, George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, was a man so far in advance of his time that we haven’t yet caught up with him. He dreamed of a world where all people could worship as they chose to worship. Freely, and without being constantly besieged by intolerance. Human nature being what it is, we aren’t there yet, but like George Calvert, I have hope, because I believe that with God, or the Creator, Yahweh, Allah, or whatever you choose to call the Celestial Actuary, all things are possible.
If you have comments on
Besieged
that you want to share with me, please feel free to drop me a note at P.O. Box 765, Southold, NY 11971-0765, or at [email protected]. I’ll eventually answer. Good reading, and God Bless from your most faithful author, Bertrice Small.
Besieged
that you want to share with me, please feel free to drop me a note at P.O. Box 765, Southold, NY 11971-0765, or at [email protected]. I’ll eventually answer. Good reading, and God Bless from your most faithful author, Bertrice Small.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bertrice Small lives in the oldest English-speaking town in the state of New York with her husband, George. She is the author of thirty-two novels of history, romance, and adventure, as well as four erotic novellas. Longtime readers will be happy to learn that her dearest companions are still Pookie, the long-haired greige and white cat; Honeybun, the little orange lady cat with the cream-colored paws; Finnegan, the long-haired bad black kitty; and Nicky, the cheerful cockatiel. She invites you to visit her websites at The Romance Club and Writerspace.
KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
850 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
850 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Copyright © 2000 by Bertrice Small
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
ISBN: 978-0-7582-7294-2
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