Nicola Cornick, Margaret McPhee, et al by Christmas Wedding Belles Page A

and line them up on the deck with admirable
efficiency, ready to march them away to prison when they landed. The lines to
the Defiance were cut, and the little black and gold ship slipped away
from them, disappearing along the line of the coast as they neared harbour.
Daniel stayed on the Saucy Helen , and Lucinda wondered a little at it,
just as she wondered how he had evidently come to some sort of agreement with
Owen Chance. But she was too tired and relieved to wonder too much, and mostly
she was content to sit there and watch him as he worked the ship, admiring the
grace and economy of movement with which he undertook whatever job was
required, a natural sailor, she now realised, and in his element.
    They came into Felixstowe, and the prisoners were disembarked and
marched away. Lucinda saw with a glad lift to her heart that the carriage from
Kestrel Court was drawn up on the quay. She stood up, surprised to realise how
stiff and cold she felt. She had been so happy inside that she had not felt the
discomfort outside, and mere cold could certainly not quench her contentment.
If matters were now settled between Daniel and the authorities, as indeed they
must be, perhaps they could all return to Kestrel Court together. She
remembered that Daniel’s sister Rebecca and her husband Lucas were due to
arrive shortly, for the Christmas season, and her heart gave a little skip of
excitement. She knew that Rebecca had not seen Daniel in years, but now,
surely, all that might change? And she and Daniel had much to discuss…
    He was coming towards her now, to escort her onto the quay, and
she smiled with such vivid happiness to see him that she was sure all the love
and excited anticipation within her must show on her face and she did not care
who saw it.
    Then she became aware that Daniel was not smiling in return.
Immediately behind him was Owen Chance, and behind him three of the redcoats.
    Something was very wrong. The smile faded from Lucinda’s eyes.
Slowly, painfully, she looked from Daniel to Owen Chance’s stony face and back
again. The soldiers were standing, waiting.
    Daniel said to Chance, ‘Please give us a moment,’ and Chance
nodded and motioned with his head to the soldiers to stay back.
    Daniel took Lucinda’s hands in his.
    Understanding burst on Lucinda, shattering all the hope and the
happiness and the excitement within her in one huge explosion of grief.
    ‘No,’ she said, before Daniel could speak. ‘No!’
    She thought that she had shouted, but it came out as a whisper.
She knew now what was going to happen—but she did not want to
understand, did not want to accept it.
    ‘No,’ she said again. ‘Tell me it isn’t true.’
    Daniel’s face was ashen. She thought he looked so tired, and she
wanted to take him in her arms and hold him and comfort him, but she could not.
She knew she would never be able to now.
    ‘It was the only way,’ Daniel said. ‘It was the only way I could
save you. I am sorry, Lucy. I have failed you again, but I have to leave you. I
gave Chance my word.’
    ‘Don’t say that,’ Lucinda said fiercely. ‘Don’t say that you
failed me.’ She felt so cold, so numb. She clung to his hands as the only thing
left to warm her. ‘You offered your life to save mine,’ she said. ‘What more
could you give me?’
    ‘You are to have Allandale,’ Daniel said. ‘It is agreed. Listen
to me, Lucy.’ He drew her closer to him. He was dirty, and he smelled of smoke
and gunpowder and sweat, and she went willingly into his arms, holding him
tightly, as though to defy anyone ever to take him from her. He spoke softly,
for her alone.
    ‘I love you, Lucy. I will love you always. You are my wife in
every way that matters, and you are to have Allandale and do the work there
that I cannot. And even when I am gone you will know that I am with you—’
    Lucinda made a small sound and buried her face against his shirt.
She tried to draw strength from the feeling of his arms about her,