Shattered Moments (6 page)

July 1626

Virginia

Louisa subtly pulled up her bodice as Aloysius ‘Bloody’ Deverell’s eyes traveled over her breasts again, his rubbery lips moist with longing.  The man’s wife seemed not to notice as her odious husband ogled Louisa, his thinly disguised lust repulsive and inappropriate.  Kit, who was normally social and animated just sat quietly, answering questions like an automaton, and became more vocal only when addressed by the governor, who didn’t seem too inclined to talk to Deverell either.  The dinner party was larger than Louisa expected, boasting some of the most affluent members of Jamestown society, who were curious to meet the new arrivals and take their measure. 

Louisa
wasn’t surprised to be invited, but was surprised that it was hosted by the Deverells, who had so recently arrived from England.  She remembered them from Court, having avoided them like the plague there.  The husband was a sleazy, power-hungry opportunist, and the wife was a quiet, almost invisible woman who just nodded in agreement whenever Aloysius uttered another ignorant statement.  She seemed to have no opinions of her own, or if she did, kept them well-hidden probably to avoid being browbeaten by her husband. 
Poor woman
, Louisa thought as she took a sip of her wine,
what must it be like to spend her days with a man who clearly didn’t love her or even respected her enough to disguise his lust for others?
 

At least the food was good.  She hadn’t eaten such delicacies in a long time
, and wondered where Deverell had managed to obtain oysters on the half shell and goose liver.  This certainly wasn’t the normal fare of Virginia residents, not even on special occasions.  Deverell obviously thought he was still at Court.  She might have enjoyed the oysters more had her stomach not been twisted in knots over Valerie and Alec.  Where were they?  It’d been over two weeks since they left, and twinges of panic were beginning to come more frequently, taking Louisa by surprise as she realized that another day had gone by with no word; not that they could send one. 

Louisa was distracted from her thoughts by Aloysius
, who was speaking directly to her.  “Lady Sheridan, I apologize most profusely, but I nearly forgot to pass on his Excellency, the Duke of Buckingham’s regards.  He asked after you most specifically, given his close relationship with your husband.”  Louisa glanced at Kit, whose eyes seemed glazed with either boredom or too much wine.

“He was most envious of me when I mentioned that I was travelling to Virginia and would seek out your charming self and your husband. 
He particularly wished me to convey his love to Lord Sheridan, whom he holds in such very high esteem, very high indeed.  Why, one would almost think he was pining for him.”  Aloysius smiled, revealing his small, crooked teeth.  “Such a handsome man, dear George; why, if I were a woman…”  He let out a girlish giggle, startling Sir George Yardley out of his reverie, and making him scowl.

Louisa gave Deverell a sly smile
and matched his sugary tone.  “Why, if you were a woman, you would be most handsome yourself, my dear Mr. Deverell; no doubt the jewel of the Court and the envy of every woman there.  George Buckingham would be at your feet, burning with desire and dreaming of you alone, no doubt in a very compromising position.” 

Louisa nearly laughed out loud at the stunned expression on Deverell’s face and Kit’s look of amusement.  Sir Yardley nearly choked on his meat, throwing Louisa a warning look.  As far as he was concerned, she was still a blasphemer and a criminal, one who should keep her mouth shut unless directly spoken to. 
He was a stern man, not blessed with a sense of humor or a whit of fun.  She lowered her eyes, acknowledging that she had spoken out of turn, but the damage had been done.  Everyone was looking at Deverell and sniggering, no doubt picturing him in drag.  He would make a hideous woman, on that everyone was sure to agree. 

Louisa was only too happy when the meal finally ended
, and they could decently leave without being rude to their hosts.  She practically skipped to the waiting trap, eager to return to Rosewood and her bed.  The air was velvety and fragrant, the whiffs of fish from the James overpowered by the smell of sun-warmed earth, grass, and wildflowers perfuming the air.  The moon was high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the wooden houses and muddy streets, and making Jamestown appear almost beautiful; something it would certainly have no claim to during the daylight hours. Louisa was tired, worn out by worry and uncertainty, her imagination putting forth every horrible scenario it could think of just to torment her further.  Kit was silent next to her as he took up the reins, urging the horses into a dignified trot until they left the confines of Jamestown.

“What an awful man,” Louisa said, leaning against Kit’s shoulder.  “I would be happy never to see him, or his boring wife, again.  Why is he here?”

“To buy a plantation, or so I gather.  He might become a permanent fixture in the colony,” replied Kit with a look of such disgust on his face it nearly made Louisa laugh.  “He’s an absolute snake.  I wager he isn’t even acquainted with Buckingham.  George Villiers wouldn’t bother with a maggot like Deverell; he doesn’t suffer fools gladly.”

“Oh, but my dear Christopher,” Louisa intoned, mimicking Deverell, “George and I are on most intimate of terms.  Why, he barely takes a shit without inviting me to wipe his handsome arse, indeed he does, because there’s no greater
ass wipe at Court than Aloysius Deverell.” Kit burst out laughing, his arm relaxing under her cheek.

“You better tread carefully, Lady Sheridan.  Sir Yardley was very displeased with you tonight, being the blasphemous besom that you are, so
keep a civil tongue in your head, or I will be ordered to exercise my husbandly duty and give you a sound beating on that lovely, round behind of yours.  Oh, it gets me going just thinking about it,” he said, giving her a meaningful glance.

Louisa giggled and smacked Kit playfully.  “Behave, Lord Sheridan, or you might find yourself on the receiving end of a stick.”  Kit just laughed, all tension gone from his body.  Aloysius Deverell was forgotten for the moment as they enjoyed the beauty of the summer night around them and the feeling of being all alone and unencumbered, which didn’t happen often.

Kit suddenly stopped the trap and turned to face his wife, the gleam in his eyes unmistakable as he reached for an old blanket tossed carelessly into the back of the trap
.  She returned his gaze as he helped her from the trap and spread the blanket in a shadowy spot beneath the trees.  There was no reason to rush home, and they hadn’t made love beneath the stars in a very long time.  In fact, the last time was a few years ago at their country estate in England, when they snuck out one beautiful night and spent a few delicious hours by the lake under the droopy cover of the weeping willow.  She still smiled when she remembered that night since it had been one of the few times she actually forgot about the children, her forced separation from Valerie, and the death of her parents.  She’d felt like a teenager, making out in the back of a car with her boyfriend, consumed with desire and oblivious of everything but the moment. 

Louisa gasped with
pleasure as she felt Kit’s hand sliding up her thigh and between her legs, the moonlight making his face look strangely pale and unfamiliar.  The smile had been replaced by naked desire, making her shiver in anticipation.  She could tell by the look on his face that he wasn’t interested in a quick romp, but rather had every intention of teasing her mercilessly, and bringing her to heights of passion that erased all thought from her mind as her body took over in a primal need that went back to the beginning of time.  She reached out a hand to unlace his breeches, but he gently pushed it away, not ready to take any pleasure for himself.  This was going to be all about her, and she willingly surrendered all control and gave herself up to him, knowing she was safe in his keeping. 

For
a good while, all worry was purged from Louisa’s mind as she stared up at the moon, not wanting to tear her gaze away from its mystical power.  Her body felt weightless and untethered, the tension building inside her until she shuddered beneath Kit, closing her eyes at last and floating on a cloud of contentment.

July
1779

Virginia

Finn stretched luxuriously, reluctant to get out of bed.  Abbie was already up, changing Diana’s clout before taking her back into their bed for her morning feeding and cuddle.  Diana was already on solid food, but Abbie still nursed her in the mornings and before bed to make sure she got enough nourishment.  Diana usually wore more of her food than she ate, and Abbie worried as any new mother would that her baby would starve.  Finn kissed the rounded cheek, thinking that the cherubic Diana looked far from starvation with everyone constantly offering her freshly baked bread with butter and honey, apple sauce, or porridge. 

Finn tried to kiss Abbie, but she moved away,
still annoyed with Finn for accepting the assignment.  Deep down, she knew he had to go; he couldn’t just sit there by his wife’s side while men died fighting for freedom.  He promised his parents that he wouldn’t join the army, but he never promised that he wouldn’t work behind the scenes, bringing and receiving important messages and trying to sabotage the enemy in any way he could.  Finn cuddled Diana while Abbie readjusted her shift and got out of bed.  “Why don’t you hand Diana to your mother and come back for a cuddle yourself?” he suggested, patting the space next to him.  He was never sure of what her reaction was going to be these days.

They’d resume
d marital relations two months after the birth and Finn naively expected things to go back to normal, but although he couldn’t get enough of Abbie, she didn’t seem to share his ardor.  She was always tired, and her body tensed every time he touched her, her hips swiveling away from him almost of their own accord as he tried to make love to her.  Abbie’s face expressed anything but joy, making Finn feel guilty for wanting her, and feeling as if he were forcing her to do something she didn’t want to.  He wished he could talk to someone about this, but he could hardly ask his father-in-law if Hannah Mallory had the same aversion to sex after the birth of their children, so all he could do was bide his time and hope that Abbie’s body would finally return to normal. 

He finally broke down and confided in his father during
one of their visits shortly after the baby was born, relieved to see his father’s smile of understanding. 

“Just give her a little time, Finn,” his father said, patting him on the shoulder.  “Her body has just gone through her first pregnancy and birth, and now it’s working to produce enough milk to nurse a child.  She’s overwhelmed, tired, and anxious about
the baby, as all new mothers are.  The first year is crucial since so many things can go wrong.  She still loves you and wants you, but you are no longer her first priority.  Get used to it, my boy,” Alec said with a grin, “you won’t be for quite some time, especially once you have more children.”

Finn felt a little better after the talk, doing his best to be understanding and giving Abbie time.  His father had been right, and Abbie finally began to come around once Diana stopped nursing every
few hours and slept longer during the night.  Her full sexual appetite returned a few months ago, and she was eager to make love, especially in the mornings when she was still full of energy and drive. 

Abbie smiled seductively as she dove back into bed.  “Hurry, I left Diana with Annie and Sarah, so we only have a few minutes until she starts wailing from them smothering her with attention.”  Abbie yanked her shift over her head, and straddled Finn with a look of determination on her face that nearly made him laugh.  He was about to be ridden like an Arabian stallion, and he meant to enjoy it.

Abbie threw her head back, her full breasts bouncing above Finn’s face as she moved her hips, slowly at first and then faster and faster, panting and moaning as she dug her fingers into his shoulders.  Finn was glad she was in a hurry, since there was no way he could have made this last any longer even if he had been reciting the latest sermon by Reverend Greene in his head.  It wouldn’t have helped.  He wrapped his arms around Abbie as she collapsed on top of him, a smile of pure bliss on her face.  Their bodies were still joined, their hearts beating in unison as Diana let out a cry of outrage downstairs, followed by the pounding of feet that announced Abbie’s younger sisters coming upstairs to bring the baby.  Abbie and Finn barely had enough time to cover themselves before the girls erupted in the loft, holding a wailing Diana and talking over each other as they tried to tell Abbie what happened.  She reached out and took the baby, pressing her against her naked breasts in an effort to hide her nudity, but Sarah noticed.  She poked Annie in the ribs, and whispered something before they both giggled and ran back downstairs. 

“Think they know?” asked Finn as he got out of bed and began to pull on his breeches.

“Of course they do,” Abbie replied as she set Diana down on the bed and began to dress for the day.  “I wish we had our own house like Sam and Susanna.  At least they have privacy.”

“And look where it got them,” retorted Finn, referring to Sue’s second pregnancy.  “She must have gotten with child the first time they lay together after Be
n was born.  If that’s what you want, come back to bed and I’ll see what I can do.”

Abbie just swatted Finn with her mob cap before picking up Diana who was trying to climb off the bed, and turning to go downstairs.  “Don’t even think about it, Finlay Whitfield.  I’m not ready for another child, and neither are you.”

“You are right there,” Finn mumbled as Abbie disappeared down the stairs.  

Finn wished he could spend another hour in bed, but he finished getting dressed
and headed downstairs to wash and eat.  He had to finish his preparations before he left the next day, heading south to Georgia.  The Winter Campaign waged by Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell had been successful, and resulted in the entire colony of Georgia falling under British rule once again.  Except for a disastrous skirmish at Briar Creek in March, which ended in the decimation of the Rebels, and a loss of a quarter of General Ashe’s army; either to British guns or drowning in the swamps or the Savannah River as they tried to flee.  No successful effort had been made to reclaim Georgia.  The Continental Army needed intelligence to plan their offensive, and men like Finn and Sam were their best bet at getting the information they needed. 

The sun was already hot, a humid haze coating everything in sight, the air shimmering and shifting as a slight, but welcome breeze, stirred the trees.  Finn was just coming out of the barn when the sight of a wagon caught his attention and he waved to Mr. Tunstall
, who was sitting next to some woman who wasn’t his wife.  Mrs. Tunstall was roughly as big as Susanna, but she wasn’t with child.  The woman next to Tunstall was young and thin, the broad brim of her hat covering her face, and her hands holding onto the bench as the wagon swayed from side to side.  The wagon seemed to be heading straight for the farm, so Finn waited politely, eager to hear what Mr. Tunstall wanted. 

Finn’s mouth opened in surprise as the wagon drew closer,
the face of the woman on the bench now clearly visible.  He’d know her anywhere.  He smiled and waved, glad to see her recognize him as well.  She looked just as he remembered her; big blue eyes that danced with mischief, red curls, and lovely, high breasts that swelled above the bodice of her dress.  He tore his eyes away from the breasts and concentrated on her face.  She did look a little older and noticeably more tired, probably from the long journey.  But why was she here, and how had she found them?  Sam never gave her his real name, calling himself Patrick Johnson, and she knew Finn only by his first name.  He supposed she put two and two together after the escape, Abbie’s name on everyone’s lips as the search for her and her rescuers, one of them being her husband, got under way.

Finn gave her his hand as she descended from the bench of the wagon, her eyes smiling at him.  “Diana, what are you doing here?” he asked once she was face to face with him.  “It’s such a pleasure to see you.  Abbie and Sam will be thrilled.
”

“Oh, I do hope so, Finn.  I was so worried that I wouldn’t get a warm welcome, but I simply had to come,” she replied, smoothing down her skirt and adjusting her hat before taking her valise from Mr. Tunstall and handing it to Finn. 

“Were you in the area?” Finn asked carefully, in an effort to gauge the purpose of Diana’s visit.

“Not exactly.  I made the journey specially,” she answered coyly, looking up at Finn with a playful smile that made him uneasy.  She was up to something, and for the life of him, he couldn’t imagine what that might be.

Finn was just about to invite Diana into the house, when a child’s sleepy face appeared above the sides of the wagon, his thin arms reaching out to Diana. 

“Here mama?” he asked, scrambling to his feet and nearly falling over the side and into Diana’s arms.

“Yes, lovey, we’re here,” she said softly into his hair as she set him on the ground.

It was hard to tell exactly how old the child was since he was small and thin, his narrow face devoid of baby fat.  Finn would have placed him at about one, but he walked and talked, which made him older, at least in his estimation.  However, he was still wearing a gown, which meant he wasn’t toilet trained, which likely made him less than three.  Besides, as far as he knew
, Diana didn’t have a child when they knew her in New York. 

“Finn, this is Nathaniel, my son
,” Diana announced dramatically, picking up the boy and handing him to Finn.  As he looked into the child’s face, he finally saw exactly what Diana wanted him to see.  The wide gray eyes fringed by thick dark lashes were very familiar; the Mallory eyes, as his mother called them.  Diana watched him from under her lashes, her mouth drawn into a tense line as the realization of Nathaniel’s paternity dawned on Finn, making him subconsciously suck in his breath. So, that’s why she was here. 

“Diana, wait.  You can’t do this,” Finn pleaded, handing the child back to Diana and picking up her case.  “Sam is married and has a child, and his wife is pregnant again.  This will shock her.”  Diana turned to Finn, her face full of innocent surprise. 

“
Do what, Finn?  I’m simply visiting dear friends.  I thought you and Abbie would be happy to see me, and Sam too.  Didn’t you just say so?”

“I’m not blind, you know,” Finn hissed, so as not to
alert Mr. Tunstall to the problem.  The last thing they needed was unwelcome speculation about the surprise visitor at the Mallory farm and the baby who looked just like the eldest son.  “He’s the spitting image of Sam, and you’ve come here to make him claim responsibility, not that he shouldn’t.  Just, please, talk to him in private.  Don’t spring it on the whole family.  Sam’s wife will be devastated.”

Diana ran
a hand through her son’s curls as she kissed his temple, and smiled up at Finn.  “You have nothing to fear, Finn.  Now, take me to the house.”