Petals on the River (85 page)

lace cap.
 
Wispy curls had escaped around her face, lending an

enchanting softness to the coiffure.
 
A matching lace shawl draped her

slender shoulders.

"Ye're a good-lookin' couple," Mary Margaret declared with exuberance.

"The best I've ever seen!"

Shemaine sank into a shallow curtsy.
 
"You're as kind as always, Mrs.

McGee."' The Irishwoman softly hooted.
 
"Don't ye be thinkin' I'd fill

yer heads with lies cause I've nothin' better ta say, dearie.
 
Tis

truthful I be, an' don't ye be forgettin' it."

With a laugh Shemaine sank into a deeper curtsy.
 
"I won't, Mrs.
 
McGee,

and thank you."

Leaving her, Shemaine hurried up the stairs to see if there was anything

William needed before she and Gage left.
 
As she came in view of his

lordship, he swept off his eyeglasses and looked her over in avid

appreciation.

"I wonder if Maurice du Mercer realizes yet what is missing from his

life," his lordship pondered aloud as she began fluffing his pillows.

"I'm sure by now Maurice is being relentlessly bombarded with

invitations from parents eager to make a good match for their daughters.

In fact, he has probably chosen another young lady as his betrothed."

"I find it hard to believe that Maurice could forget you so easily, my

dear, but his ill fortune has been turned to my son's gain."

Shemaine did not feel inclined to talk about her former fiance when her

husband was waiting.
 
"Do you mind so much that we're leaving you with

Mrs.
 
McGee?
 
She's really a very delightful woman."

At present, William was as reluctant to discuss his change of attitude

toward the widow as Shemaine was to speak of the Marquess.

"Don't worry about me.
 
Andrew and I will manage."

Shemaine wasn't satisfied with his answer, but on impulse, she leaned

down and placed an indulgent kiss upon his forehead, causing his brows

to fly sharply upward in surprise.

"We'll be back as soon as we can," she murmured, and patted his hand

before she turned to give Andrew a kiss and a hug.
 
At the landing, she

grinned back at them.
 
"You both be good now, or Mrs. McGee will tell on

you."

.s M Andrew giggled at the idea that his grandfather was being

admonished to behave.
 
William winked at him and, resettling his

eyeglasses upon his nose, picked up another book, drawing the youngster

back to his side as he began to read.

CHAPTER 20

The wedding ceremony joining Annie Carver and Dr. Colby Ferris was a

joyous occasion.
 
Shemaine had never seen her friend looking so

fetching.

The pale blue gown, which Colby had hired seamstresses to make for his

bride, suited Annie's coloring well, lending a vibrant glow to her light

olive skin and gray eyes.
 
Her lank, brown hair had been braided with

blue ribbons and artfully swept on top her head.
 
Miles Becker, a close

friend of the doctor, had made her a pair of fashionable slippers and

presented them as an early wedding present.

Colby Ferris had gone through a transformation as well.
 
The stubble of

whiskers that usually accentuated his gaunt features had been shaved

away, and his gray hair had been neatly clipped and tied in a queue with

black ribbon.
 
Tailored garments of a somber gray lent a more dignified

appearance to his tall, gangling form.

The vows were spoken in low, murmuring voices, and then, after sealing

the pledges with a ring and a hesitant kiss, Annie and Colby knelt to

receive the blessings of the priest.
 
United in holy matrimony, they

rose and turned to be presented to their friends.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Dr.
 
and Mrs.
 
Ferris."

The guests responded with spirited applause, while chants of "Hear!

Hear!^ echoed throughout the church.
 
Gage and Shemaine joined Calley

and Ramsey in extending their congratulations to the newly wedded pair.

With tears of joy filling her eyes, Annie threw her arms around Shemaine

and held her close.

,,Did ye ever think we could be so happy in this here land, "No, Annie,"

Shemaine murmured, laughing as she hugged her in return.

"I never dared believe such happiness could come from my arrest until

Gage bought me and took me home with him.
 
Then my life began anew."

Stepping back, she smiled at her tiny friend.
 
"I wish you and Colby all

the happiness in the world, Annie .
 
.
 
.
 
and may you have many

beautiful children."

Casting a timid glance toward Colby, Annie blushed.
 
"Ye may think this

strange, m'liedy, seein's as how I got a babe from it, but I've the'er

been with a man but once in me life.
 
Ta be sure, I'm as nervous as an

untainted virgin."

Shemaine smiled.
 
"I'm sure Colby will be gentle with you, Annie .

.
 
.

just as he was with Calley when he brought her babe into the world You

saw how careful he was.
 
Can you imagine him being brutish with you?"

Annie shook her head.
 
"Nay, m'liedy."

"Then don't worry."

Stepping back to allow others to talk with Annie, Shemaine slipped an

arm through her husband's and smiled into his warmly glowing eyes.

"Annie makes me realize just how fortunate I am."

"No regrets about leaving England, my sweet?" Gage inquired tenderly,

laying a hand over the one she rested upon his sleeve.

Her fiery head tilted forward as she tried to swallow the sudden lump in

her throat.
 
"Only that I miss my parents very, very much."

"Perhaps after I sell the ship we can visit them there," he suggested.

"Would you like that?"

Shemaine nodded eagerly, and then fanned herself with a handkerchief,

feeling rather faint.
 
"It seems terribly stuffy in here, Gage, don't

you think?"

Gage gently stroked a finger along the side of her face.
 
"Your cheeks

are flushed."

"You do that to me," she murmured with a smile as her gaze delved into

the warmth of his.

''Would you like to go outside and get some fresh air?"

''I can hardly wait."

It was only later, after blessings and good wishes had been bestowed

upon the couple, that Annie again sought out Shemaine in the churchyard.

Heretofore Annie had avoided talking in detail about the events that had

led to her arrest, for she had deemed the memories far too painful to

recall, but she seemed more relaxed about her past now.

"This land an' some o' its people have given me a new beginnin',

m'liedy.
 
Here I be, married at last, an' with some hope for the

future."

Admiring her new gown, the petite woman smoothed her workroughened hands

over the sleeves.
 
"I'd the'er have been able to own anythin' this fine

in England, m'liedy.
 
We hadn't a farthin' ta our name after me ma

started ailin'.
 
I begged a man what worked at the apothecary's shop ta

give me the herbs me ma needed cause she was really bad off sick.
 
He

said he'd do it if'n I'd let him have his way with me.
 
He was so rough

I started sobbin' afore he finished with me.
 
He got real angry an'

slapped me so's I>d be quiet.
 
Afterwards, he called me a li'l slut for

sellin' me virginity for a handful o' herbs.
 
Then he booted me out

without so much as a sprig, sayin' as how I didn't deserve anythin'

cause I'd gone an' disturbed him whilst he was havin' his fun.
 
I

started poundin' me fist on the door, pleadin' with him ta give the

herbs ta me, but he wouldn't answer.
 
Later, I found meself carryin' his

babe.
 
I was nearin' the time for it ta be born when I went back ta

plead with him cause me ma had gotten so much worse.
 
He laughed at me

an' said the brat was me own concern, not his.
 
He made me so angry, I

hit him over the head with a heavy vial an' stole the herbs.
 
By the

time I got back ta me ma, she was already dead.
 
I gave birth ta me son

that very same night.
 
I hid out for a time, not knowin' where ta go,

but the babe's father seen me beggin' on a street a short time later an'

had me arrested."

Shemaine hurriedly blinked against the tears that had welled up in her

eyes and, slipping her arms around her friend, enfolded her in a long,

soothing embrace.
 
"Did you tell Colby what happened to you?"

Annie nodded and sniffed.
 
"I had ta, m'liedy.
 
I couldn't wed him

without layin' it all bare afore him.
 
He said he loved me just the same

an' we'd make a new beginnin' for each other.
 
We'd start a family an'

grow ol' together."

Shemaine smiled gently.
 
" Twould seem you've been favored with a

loving, caring husband, Annie."

loining them, Colby slipped an arm around his bride's shoulders. "Our

guests are heading to the tavern, Annie.
 
We'd better go on ahead so

we'll be there to greet them."

As they left, Shemaine glanced around for Gage, then smiled as she felt

a presence stepping up close behind her and blue-clad arms slipping

around her.

"Are you looking for me, madam?" her husband whispered, bending near her

ear.

Her answer came in a blissful sigh.
 
"Only if you're the man of my

dreams." "Tell me, madam, what does the man of your dreams look like?"

"Tall, black-haired, amber-brown eyes .
 
.
 
.
 
far too handsome for me