Midnight

  Both women grinned.

  There was a knock on the door.

  “Yes,” Faith called.

  “It’s Bekkah Clegg. May I come in?”

  “Yes, please,” Faith replied earnestly.

  Bekkah was tall and had hair the color of a bonfire. She also had a smile on her face. “You look so beautiful. Oh my word, what a gown.”

  Faith beamed.

  “I came up to introduce myself and to see if you need any assistance.” She nodded Charity’s way. “Wonderful seeing you again, Charity.”

  “How are you, Bekkah?”

  “You know each other then?”

  Charity explained that they had worked on a church aid project together a few years ago.

  Faith said, “I’d like to thank you for bringing over the food while I was sick, and for your helping out today.”

  “I’m glad to do it. I’ve known Nicholas since we were very young and I’m looking forward to the two of us knowing each other as well.”

  They spent a few minutes talking about the dishes she’d brought over, and once that was done, Bekkah turned to leave, but Faith stopped her. “Please stay. If we’re going to be friends I’d like for you to enter the parlor with us.”

  Bekkah paused and met Faith’s eyes, then she gave an almost imperceptible nod. “How can I turn down such a gracious request. Thank you, Faith.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Twenty-five minutes later, at precisely two o’clock, Faith entered the parlor to become Mrs. Nicholas Grey.

  Dressed in his formal attire and with Arte by his side, Nick turned to watch her enter. At the sight of her his heart swelled with so much pride, he thought it might burst from his chest. He’d no idea where she’d gotten the stunning dress she was wearing, but she looked like a queen. From her gleaming hair to the faint paint on her lips, he could honestly say she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes and he was humbled that she’d agreed to be his wife. She was followed in by a teary-eyed Charity and the smiling Bekkah, but he saw them only in passing. Faith, holding a small bouquet of red primroses, was his focus.

  She seemed to glide as she walked over to stand at his side, and as she reached him she looked up into his face and smiled. Nick knew from that point on he would do everything humanly possible to keep that same smile on her face for the rest of their life together or die trying.

  The ceremony conducted by Arte’s uncle Absalom took only a few moments. Nick solemnly pledged his love and fidelity, and when her turn came, she pledged the same. Pastor Absalom then declared them man and wife and with a kind smile invited Nick to kiss his bride. Knowing that he couldn’t kiss her with the passion he felt in his heart because of the guests looking on, he gifted her with a soft, gentle kiss, then stepped back.

  The guests applauded. Charity cried. Bekkah cried. Mrs. Locke cried. The baby Peter cried in Ingram’s arms. Faith glanced up at her husband through tears of joy, and Nick took her hand and kissed her fingers. “Thank you for marrying me,” he said to her softly.

  “You’ve made me very happy today, Nicholas. Thank you, too.”

  The wedding feast was held in the formal dining room. Faith sat at one end of the table and the pleased Nicholas at the other. Even with everyone gathered around helping themselves to the food, offering toasts, and drinking ale, the newlyweds couldn’t take their eyes off each other.

  When the time came for the Cleggs and the Trotters to leave, Faith wondered if the rain had been a blessing after all. The day had been perfect. She and Nick walked their guests to the door, exchanged farewell hugs, and thanked them for their love and friendship.

  Then Nick and Faith were alone. Standing with his back to the front door, Nick took in the sight of his lovely wife and wondered how long it might take him to get her out of that beautiful dress.

  Faith could see the mischief in his eyes and so asked, “And what are you thinking, my handsome husband?”

  He grinned. “How long it will take me to get you out of that dress.”

  She dropped her head. “What am I going to do with you?”

  “I believe I can answer that as well.”

  Anticipation shot through Faith. Come morning she would know everything about the intimate mysteries of being a married woman and she was admittedly anxious to begin.

  And so was Nick. With that in mind, he walked over and kissed her until the room spun. While Faith fought to recover from the sensual opening volley, he picked her up and carried her up the stairs.

  He set her back down on her feet in the center of her bedroom and she asked, “Shouldn’t we be in your room?”

  He dropped a kiss onto her neck and his hands began to roam languidly. “You said this should be the room of my wife, remember.”

  And she had, but Faith was finding hard to think with the passion he was kindling in her with his kisses and hands.

  “We’ll initiate it . . . and you.”

  Faith moaned. His lips on the exposed expanse of her throat above the square neck of her dress were so hot, she thought her skin might catch fire. Her limbs were trembling, her lips were parted, and she reached for him to pull him close. It was all the incentive he needed. Running his hand up and down her silk-covered back while he licked at her lips set Faith on the road to desire. They fed on each other with humid kisses and slowly mating tongues, taking their time and prolonging the moments because they had all night.

  “Let’s get you out of this dress.”

  In the firelight from the grate, Nick played lady’s maid and undid the buttons at the back, one by one. He paused between each opening to brush his worshipping lips against each patch of soft skin, then gently slid the silk down her shoulders. Holding the frothy dress against her waist, Faith, her eyes closed, felt the warmth of his fingers grazing her back, followed by the return of his lips. The familiar haze brought on by pleasure melted around her and encompassed her senses. He allowed her a moment to step out of the dress and laid it across a chair. She faced him wearing her snow white shift, drawers, white stockings, and shoes.

  “You look ravishing.”

  Faith trembled in response to his husky voice and stepped out of her shoes. When he joined her again, he led her to the bed. And once he rid himself of his coat and breeches, he joined her there.

  He looked into her eyes.

  She confessed, “I’m a bit nervous, Nick.”

  “Don’t worry. I know this is your first time and I’ll make sure it’s very special.”

  She whispered, “Thank you.”

  He smiled and traced a slow finger from her mouth and down her throat and then circled it over the small nook at the base. Leaning in, he flicked his tongue against it and moved his lips slowly across the bare spaces above her shift. She knew he could feel her small shakes, but his hands moving up and down the tense arms soon lulled her into ease and all she wanted to do was to feel what might come next.

  The opening of the three small ribbons on her new shift followed. He eased the thin straps from her shoulders, then opened the fluttering halves to his admiring eyes. Faith didn’t remember lying flat but somehow she was and he was above her looking down. Holding her eyes, he passed a strong hand over the dark nippled twins now free for him to explore, then dropped his head to reacquaint himself with their sweetness.

  She groaned from the bliss in his loving of her. The erotic sucking and tugging from his lips made her hips rise. He moved a hand over her waist framed by the open shift, then down her legs encased in the silk hose and squeezed the flesh tenderly.

  Nick wanted to spread her legs and take with all the fire he felt inside, but knew he had to keep the pace slow. She was his wife, a virgin, and he wanted her to look forward to their love play in the years they’d be together, not cower because he’d not been considerate of her needs this first time. In truth, however, he was enjoying hearing her sighs, watching her arch to his hands and croon as he filled her breasts with his hands and took the peaks into his mouth again, and his
manhood, hard as it had ever been, was looking forward to the spirited release, but until then, he wanted her wet and ready as any man would want his wife to be.

  To make certain she was, he teased the heat between her thighs through the opening of her drawers until she rose greedily for more. The urge to place his lips there and worship boldly at the shrine was strong but he’d save that for another time. Lovemaking was an adventure, too, but better if new experiences were doled out a bit at a time.

  Faith pleaded soundlessly for mercy from the scandalous play of his long fingers between her legs. She opened for him and then opened wider. The dew flowing from her, the kisses he stole from her lips all conspired to make her feel shameless but she didn’t care; she just didn’t want it to stop.

  Through the fog she watched him pull back, and heat and embarrassment filled her as he slid her drawers down her legs and off. Then his fingers returned and with her legs spread wide as the Boston Harbor she couldn’t hold back the passion stacking up inside her like storm clouds converging in July. He slid a finger into the damp channel; her body exploded and she cried out as her hips rose from the bed in jubilation. The slow strokes that followed made her twist and call his name.

  “What, darling? You want more . . .” Another finger went in filling the space, and she groaned and growled like a woman gone mad.

  “This is what I’m going to do to you.” The fingers sliding in and out enticed her hips into an age-old rhythm that Faith had no idea she knew and when the crisis passed and he withdrew from her body, she protested weakly.

  “There’ll be more.”

  Breathing as if she’d run a race, she looked up at her magnificent man. It never occurred to her that this was what lovemaking entailed, and then he was teasing her to open once more for the next part of the adventure and all thoughts fled.

  Nick was a big man, so he eased the head of his manhood into her damp tightness a bit at a time. Feeling her taking him in and stretching to accommodate his size felt so incredibly good it made him want to push his way home, her virginity be damned, but he was better than that, he told himself as he gritted his teeth and held himself back.

  “This hurts,” she protested.

  “Just hold on. It will get better. I promise.”

  After a few tense moments, her body took in all that he had and he held again, pulsing and aching, while waiting for her to accustom herself to the feel of their joining. When he felt her relax a bit he began to stroke her slowly. It came to him that he hadn’t even come close to imagining how incredible making love to her would feel. Watching her begin to move beneath him with her nipples hard from his lips and her satin hips in his hands was far better than any dream.

  He teased her invitingly to increase the pace, sliding himself in and out, bit by bit, and Faith’s pain was replaced by a glowing brilliance that rose not from his worshipping hands or seductive lips but from the hard, enticing promise between her thighs. Soon they were moving as one. Nick felt her response radiating over him in much the same way as the firelight flickered over her partial nakedness, and the sights and sounds of her pushed him to the brink. Seconds later she cried out her release, and feeling her sheath clutch him so tightly, he couldn’t hold back any longer. He’d been sensually toying with her for days and his own orgasm was rising and gathering steam. When it broke, the eruption threw his head back and possessively stroked her with all the fervor and passion he possessed. Sated, he rolled away and lay there pulsing.

  They spent the remainder of the night enjoying their erotic adventure. Faith had no idea lovemaking could be done in so many explosive ways, but with Nick as her teacher, she became a very apt pupil. Finally they stripped the soiled sheets from the bed, and he pulled her close, covered with the quilts, and they slept.

  The next morning, Faith awakened and found herself alone in the big four-poster. The sun was up and shining and her eyes widened when she saw the time on the clock on the wall. It was nine o’clock. She’d never been in bed so late, but rather than worry, she lay there and smiled. Nick had been right about their wedding night resulting in a late rising, and as her mind went back to last night, her smile broadened. What an experience. Her body felt sore but not in an angry way. There was also a bit of tenderness between her thighs and for good reason, she thought. She wondered where he was. Getting up, she quickly took care of her needs, dressed herself in one of the new day gowns, tied back her loose and all-over-her-head hair, and went downstairs to find Nicholas so she could give him a good morning kiss.

  Chapter 20

  When Faith entered the kitchen, a man she didn’t know was cooking bacon on the grate. She stopped and stared.

  “Morning,” he said, turning to her with a friendly smile. “You must be Faith.”

  Wary, she nodded and asked, “Where’s Nick?”

  “Out back. He’ll return in a moment. My name is Gaspar. Nick and I are old friends.” He was built like a mountain, had arms the size of logs, and his skin was African dark.

  “Have a seat,” he invited. “Breakfast is almost ready.”

  Confused, Faith complied but hoped Nick would soon show himself so she could get an explanation as to what this man being in the kitchen meant. She’d come downstairs expecting to share an intimate morning with her new husband but was instead greeted by a huge stranger with a gold hoop hanging from one lobe.

  A moment later Nick entered via the back door and was accompanied by two more strange men. “Ah, you’re awake,” he said to her. “Good morning, sweetheart. I assume you’ve met Gaspar.”

  She nodded but was still very confused.

  “This is Dominic LeVeq, and Esteban da Silva. Gentlemen, my wife, Faith.”

  “Enchanté,” the one named Dominic said. His voice held an accent that made her think him French.

  “My pleasure,” da Silva added.

  His voice sounded foreign to her ears as well, but being a country girl from Boston, Faith had no idea of his nationality. Both men were incredibly handsome, however, and were as tall and well built as Nick. Gaspar towered over them all, though. Their combined sizes and girth seemed to fill the large kitchen to the walls. Feeling quite small in comparison, Faith waited for an explanation.

  “Breakfast is ready,” Gaspar announced.

  The men all took seats while Gaspar brought the food to the table.

  Dominic said to Nick, “She’s very beautiful. I see why you were doomed.”

  Faith was embarrassed by his comment but had no idea what the last part meant so she looked to Nick for explanation.

  He told her, “Pay them no mind. They are even less tamed than I.”

  On the heels of that, Esteban asked her, “What does such a beautiful senorita see in a tick like Nick?”

  Faith couldn’t stop her smile.

  “Again, ignore them.” Nick chuckled over his coffee. “Especially him,” he said, indicating Esteban.

  As they helped themselves to the eggs, potatoes, and bacon, Faith asked, “Are you visiting the city?”

  “We are,” Dom said, “but the air here stinks with the scent of the British, so we’ll be going back to our ship later today.”

  Faith found that surprising, “You came in by ship, but the blockade—”

  “Is not a problem for men like us,” da Silva explained.

  She looked over at Nick questioningly but he said nothing in response. She’d never heard of anyone successfully breaking the British blockade, and again she wondered who the men were. She also wanted to know how and where Nick had made their acquaintance, but thought it best to save her questions for later when she and her husband were alone. Why they’d come and what they’d been doing outside added to the mystery. However, as soon as breakfast was done, they prepared to leave.

  She and Nick walked them to the front door, and Dominic bowed gallantly to her in parting. “It has been a pleasure meeting you, Faith.”

  “For me as well.”

  Gaspar nodded and Esteban bowed, too.

&nb
sp; “Thank you, my friends,” Nicholas said.

  “Let us know if you need anything else,” Dom said.

  “I will. Godspeed.”

  The three men climbed into a wagon parked out by the road. Esteban took the reins and the wagon rolled away. Nick and Faith stood on the porch until they disappeared from sight, and then reentered the house.

  “Who are they?” Faith asked.

  “Friends. They were members of the crew that saved me the night of the mutiny.”

  “Ah, and they just stopped by for breakfast?”

  He took her into his arms. “Good morning, Mrs. Grey.”

  “Good morning, husband. I came downstairs to give you the first kiss of the day and found only Gaspar.”

  “You didn’t give my kisses to him, did you?”

  “No, and you didn’t answer my question.”

  He gazed down into her eyes. Faith could see him thinking, so she prodded him a little. “Our adventure shouldn’t hold secrets, Nick.”

  He nodded understandingly. “I asked them to bring in guns for the rebels.”

  She went still. If the patrols found them, they’d both hang.

  He said seriously, “They are needed if we are to prevail. I don’t want to live out our lives with England’s boot on our necks.”

  “I knew you supported the rebels, but to bring in guns? Are your friends smugglers?”

  “Among other things.”

  She thought that over for a moment. “And you?”

  He shrugged. “I’ve been known to dabble here and there.”

  Her eyes went wide. “This truly is an adventure.”

  He chuckled.

  She backed out of his arms and surveyed him for a moment. “I have a secret to share as well.”

  He raised a brow. “And it is?”

  “You must promise me you won’t get angry and shout, or make me leave you.”

  He looked perplexed. “What could you possibly say that would make me do that, Faith?”

  “I’m Lady Midnight.”

  His eyes widened and he stared, shocked. “That’s why I kept bumping into you in the middle of the night.”