Seacrets (25 page)

Maura did
not know what to say. She was embarrassed. "I must look the fool to ya, Quinn. I'm so naive I couldn't notice the subtle hints Aiden was sendin'.  I'm not knowin' anything about men a’ tall, Quinny. I'm feelin' a blush comin' on."  With her head hung low, Maura started to leave the room when Quinn asked her to sit down.

"Maura ya are not knowin' about men 'cause ya are not with experience. That 'tis fine, lass. Ya are not supposed ta be knowin' until ya are with the right person and that person is Danny. I just know it. You give yourself ta him, lass. You will not regret it. I never regretted one minute of one day since I decided on Aiden.

Maura had a strange look on her face, a look of disbelief.

“That's right, lass, you are the decidin' one. Men think they are the ones in complete control, but don't ya be believein' all o' that malarkey." Throwing her hands to the air.

"We are the ones that hold all the power in the relationship and don't ya be thinkin' otherwise. Women think with their hearts and their minds. Men think with their trousers, if ya get my meanin'. They’re very easily led by a good strong minded woman. They’ll be the first ta tell ya they could most likely topple a mountain quicker than tamin’ a woman" She winked in Maura's direction and squeezed her forearm. "Go now, lass. Go ta him. It'll be fine, I promise ya." Quinn sent Maura off with a kiss to the forehead.

Maura left Quinn's bedchamber a little wiser and a lot less unsure of her future with Daniel.
She slowly descended the staircase keeping Daniel in her sights. But off to the right she spied Kilern waiting at the front entryway. He must not be allowed to escort her back to her cottage, as she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck beginning to stand on end. She knew something was awry with that one. He frightened her to her core.

When Maura reached the bottom of the staircase Kilern took a step toward her, but Daniel stepped in front of him and took Maura by the forearm
, and led her away from the foyer.

Kilern
possesed a look that could kill, laid across his face. Maura noticed it and was instantly at ease with Daniel so close by.

"Mr. Kilern ya are excused." Daniel stated firmly. "I shall be escortin' Miss McCoveny to her quarters
this evening."

"As ya wish
Captain." Kilern said, grudgingly, backing away bobbing his head, hat in hand. To that end Kilern made his departure from the main house. He was furious inside but took special care not to show his distain in front of his employer. He was definitely in a tare, though, as he dug his heels deep into the sides of the poor beast he rode away on.

"How dare he dismiss me! I'm runnin' out o’ time, I am. If he takes her tonight it will be to the detriment of my future wealth
." He ranted to himself as he galloped from the house. "I'll not be forgettin' this Captain Hargendon. You will surely pay for ruinin' my plans. Yah!" He screeched as he disappeared into the darkness of the forest.

Ӝ

Chapter
Twenty-One

Maura felt instant relief once Kilern was out of sight. She also sensed he was irritated by the fact he would not be returning her to her quarters. But why she felt that way was still a mystery to her. She was distracted from her thoughts when Mary approached her in the foyer.

"Child, you look utterly exhausted." She motioned to Daniel to come over to them.

"Danny, take Maura back to the guest house. She's had quite enough of all this meetin' and greetin', I think." She handed Maura over to Daniel then turned to Aiden and said,

"And you, young man, had better take ya self up ta be with ya wife" she motion to Aiden pointing toward the staircase. "Quinn is not feelin’ well, I understand?"  Mary gave her younger son a wink and a smile, and then she walked into the dining hall to direct the help in tidying up.

"I'll take care of things down here." Mary was happy to take over the role of lady of the house for one night, so her sons would be free to care for their women.

Daniel and Maura walked outside to the front porch. The air was balmy and thick with humidity. The
sweet smell of mayflowers and lilacs filled the night air. The two scents, combined, created an ambiance that was both calming and intoxicating all at the same time.

Maura closed her eyes and took in a deep breath then slowly
set it free. "Mmm, the smells in the air are wonderful, are they naught?"

Daniel had the urge to wrap his
muscular arms about Maura's waist and run his mouth along the length of her soft ivory neck, while immersing himself in her clean scent. But he hesitated, not wanting to startle her or rush the progression of his passion for her..

"Yes I agree. The scents out here are wonderful, indeed." He came to stand along side her.

There was a long awkward silence between them.  Oddly tense and at a loss for words, Daniel cleared his throat and nervously blurted out, "I'll go out back ta the carriage house and bring the rig around. Wait here." He started down the porch steps.

Maura
, equally as nervous from the unnerving silence, began to sweat and her throat suddenly went dry. She clumsily descended the porch steps and asked, "M-may I accompany you out to the carriage house? 'Tis such a beautiful night for a walk, is it naught?" She was shy in her forwardness toward Daniel.

He could see the blush on her cheek, as she spoke to him.
"If ya wish, lass, but I warn ya, now, 'tis quite a walk. At least a thousand yards back from the house."

"That be just fine, Daniel. I'm not a weakling school girl, now, am I?" Maura stated firmly
. Maura bent to remove her shoes for the walk.

Daniel, preoccupied in his thoughts of having her finally alone and to himself, seemed not to notice.
With each passing day he was learning just how much different Maura was from Mallory. Mallory fancied herself somewhat of a princess to be pampered and fussed over.

Whereas, Maura was more rugged and tempered, but with just enough delicate femininity to give ballast and still make her every bit as appealing as any finely born lady.

Maura noticed Daniel looking oddly in her direction, when she removed her shoes.

“Alright, so I like walkin' barefoot in the dirt and grass.
There is a fresh earthiness about it. What's more, my feet are killin' me from the tightness of those new slippers" She breathed in deeply and then wrinkled her nose and curled her toes in response to the exhilaration she felt when her warm swollen bare feet touched the cool grass. "Oh my, but this does remind me of home." Maura remarked as they strolled along the carriage path.

"Tell me about home, Maura." Daniel's tone was compassion
ate for her obvious homesickness.

With her shoes in one hand and
placing her forefinger to just aside her lips, Maura began to tell Daniel what it was like at this time of year in her home village. They conversed for quite some time, not realizing how quickly the time had passed. Daniel was constantly amazed how he and Maura could just go from one conversation to the next with such ease. He had never experienced this with any other woman. Once he’d bedded a woman, he generally had no other real interest in her.
What would be the need
, were usually his after thoughts.

But this woman was so very different. He respected her intelligence
, revered her honor. In fact the only other woman that he had ever respected or revered was his own mother. He was just beginning to understand the gravity of importance this woman would have in his life. He knew he had finally fallen in love. That she was the woman he had been meant for all along.

Daniel's attention was averted from Maura as he caught sight of the carriage house. He walked a few yards ahead of Maura, instructing her to be careful in the dark, as they had lost their moonlight a ways back. "I'll be along in a minute or two with a torch to light the rest of the way to the carriage house." Daniel called out to Maura, while pulling back the heavy oak post from the carriage house doors.

While awaiting Daniel's return, Maura was playfully balancing on a rotted out birch log. She called back to him from the dark, "I'll be fine here Daniel, don't ya be worryin' about me."

And just as the last words were out of her mouth she let out a loud shriek.
“Dammit!”

Daniel raced back to where he
had left Maura to wait for him. "Maura!" Daniel shouted out from the dark.

"Oh Daniel, I'm afraid I've injured my foot." Maura's voice was shaky.

"Stay put. I'll get the torch lit and come to you."  Daniel was at her side in an instant. "Can ya not stay out o' trouble for five minutes, lass?!" Daniel's voice sounded as annoyed, as ever. "Can ya stand?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, but I'll not be able ta walk very quickly." Maura limped a little and with each step
she winced a bit. "I think I may have cut the bottom of my foot, as well." Maura was determined not to cry. She did not want Daniel to view her as a weak quisling.

Daniel knew she was putting up a front
. That she was in agony. "Here, hop up on my back and I'll carry ya the rest o' the way." On the count of three she was upon Daniel's back as if he were a grand stallion. The bottom of her gown was now up around his shoulders. Her long legs draped over his forearms and her arms were wrapped tight about his chest.

As soon as they made their way into the carriage house, Daniel set Maura down by the horse trough.

"Godsey! Where the hell are ya at, man!" Daniel walked to the back of the carriage house but Godsey was nowhere to be found.

"I think my ankle is beginin' to swell, Daniel." Maura's voice
was a bit shaky.

Daniel wasted no time. He did the only thing he could think of to keep Maura's foot from swelling. He lifted her up into his arms and walked her over to the horse trough.

Maura screeched. "Don't you dare throw me inta that tub o' water again, Captain Hargendon!"

Daniel bent to one knee and placed Maura's injured foot into the icy cold water of the trough.
As he did this, they both looked into each other’s eyes and realized she had remembered he had thrown her into the tub of steaming water, aboard his ship. There was another long silence between them. Then Maura spoke of that night for the first time.

"Daniel, I remember being on your vessel. I remember I was dressed in a fine gown and I was very intoxicated and you picked me up and dropped me inta the tub o' steamin' hot water, ta sober me up, I suppose."
With her eyes cast downward as if ashamed of her own thoughts, she said, "I remember...what...h-happened next, as well."Maura was seated upon Daniel's knee, with her leg dangling in the icy cold water of the horse trough. She was so intent on her own thoughts of what had taken place between them aboard the Arabella she hardly noticed Daniel had his arm underneath the waterline and was messaging her foot.

Daniel removed his hand from the trough and placed it beneath her chin
. He tilted her face to meet his. She could not look into his eyes for not knowing what he must think of her for being a complete wanton, as she remembered it.

"I remember, as well, love." He turned her face to meet his. "Look ta me lass. There be no reason for ya ta be showin' a shameful expression ta ya face, now." His voice was deep and comforting. He leaned in and kissed her cheek in
a most gentle and loving way. "I am glad ya are rememberin' our time together. I've been so alone in my remembrance of our lovemakin'." He had moved on down to her neck, his breath felt hot and his voice was muffled against her warm skin. The sound of all those R's rolling off his tongue in his thick Irish brogue was driving her wild for him to continue onward. Maura was quickly forgetting about the pain in her foot.

He reached back down below the waterline and caressed her calve.

She was beginning to find it difficult to breath.

He could also feel the changes in his own breathing. He ventured up a little further and stopped, just inches from her most private area. Maura sucked in her breath and then just stopped breathing completely.

Then she heard Daniel's deep seductive tones in her ear, gently coaxing her into breathing again. "Don't be frightened, love. Just breathe. I willna go any further than ya tell me is alright." His voice was intoxicating to her senses. Maura slowly began to breathe again.

Daniel let out a barely audible moan to the side of her neck. "That's better, love, breath." He ventured a bit further and discovered he was not meeting with any resistance. His mouth trailed down toward her décolletage area, just above the swell of her breasts.

When he left his kiss upon her breast, she breathed in heavy and deep. Her heart was racing and she felt as though he were branding her with his hot wet kisses.

Once more, Daniel was at the side of her neck and then continued upwards, to just behind her ear.

Maura recoiled, ever so slightly, in her response.

Daniel nuzzled her neck, once more, and then pulled away.

Maura opened her eyes to find Daniel's mouth just inches from her own. She could feel his breath in her mouth. It was like the sweetest nectar, to her.