Storm on the Horizon Read online

  “But he is well?” her father asked.

  Olivia nodded. “In a way. He is ill from the withdrawal of the opium, but Mr. Timms, Colton’s first mate, said he will be fine at the end of two weeks.”

  Her father frowned. “Opium?”

  “Colton can tell you more about it than I.”

  Her father sat on the bed beside her. He looked so weary, and Olivia was consumed with guilt. She was most definitely half-responsible for that weariness.

  “He just needs time. Then he will be himself again.”

  Her father shook his head. “I just don’t understand how a man can be so torn down by—”

  “Dear,” her mother interrupted. “You need your rest. I would like to speak with Olivia privately.”

  Lord Lesley patted Olivia’s knee and then stood. He bent and kissed the top of her head. “You will not be leaving this house again until I walk you down the aisle, young lady. This isn’t over yet.”

  Olivia laughed nervously. “About that...”

  Her father looked up in distress, and her mother rushed forward to take his hands.

  “I wish to marry Colton, and he wishes to marry me. Not because of this voyage but because we have both been secretly in love with each other for some time. I won’t take no for an answer. So you will just have to accept that we will be married as soon as possible.”

  Her father just blinked.

  Her mother hesitantly smiled. “Well, that’s certainly good news, isn’t it, dear?” She shook her husband’s arm.

  “What? Oh yes, well, it’s to be expected after all now, isn’t it?”

  Lady Lesley frowned at her husband. “We can discuss the particulars tomorrow. Go to bed dear.” Her father numbly turned away and left them alone.

  “He isn’t happy, is he?” Olivia said in disappointment. That was not the reaction she had expected.

  “He is quite shocked dear, we all are.” Her mother sat beside her and patted her hand. “Would you mind if I asked you more questions about this adventure you went on?”

  “No. What more do you want to know?”

  “Well, for starters, where did you sleep?”

  “I was quite sea sick when Colton discovered me. He gave me the use of his cabin, so I could always see the horizon.”

  Her mother nodded encouragingly.

  “He stayed in the cabin Devon would later use.”

  “And when Devon was in that cabin?”

  Olivia sighed. “Mother, what is it you really want to know.”

  “I would like to know how you came to be suddenly in love with him and desperate to marry him,” her mother said sternly.

  “I’ve always been in love with him. I just never knew he cared for me back.”

  “And now you do?”

  Olivia couldn’t hide her smile. “Yes.”

  “He told you this?”

  “Mother,” Olivia said annoyance.

  “I need to know, for my own peace of mind.”

  “I want to marry him, Mother. Isn’t that enough?” Olivia said firmly.

  “Did he... Were you forced into his bed?”

  “Mother!”

  “He is very handsome, he could have seduced you with pretty words and wine.”

  Olivia pinched the bridge of her nose. “No, Mother.”

  “Then tell me how it came to be. This is all so sudden, and I just want to know that you were not taken advantage of.”

  “Mother, I hopped, skipped, and jumped into his bed. He was quite against it until he stopped thinking with his head and started thinking with his heart.”

  “Oh dear lord.” Lady Lesley put her hand to her heart.

  “We love each other, and that is all that matters now. I will not be swayed.”

  “I’m not going to sway you, Olivia. It is clear your heart is set on it. He is a good man.”

  “Then why are you asking if he took advantage of me? You must know he would never do such a thing. If anything, I took advantage of him.”

  “That is more plausible,” her mother agreed.

  Olivia felt her chin go slack. She snapped it shut in indignation. “Mother!”

  Her mother snickered. “Hush now. Your middle name should have been impetuous.”

  Olivia folded her arms and remained silent.

  “I say it with love, my little butterfly.” Lady Lesley pulled her daughter against her side. “You’ve always gone your own way, carved your own path. You are brave and strong, so it does not surprise me one bit that you could sneak onto a ship, find your brother in a foreign land, and come back betrothed to a handsome, wealthy sea captain. You are a woman now, and you will have your own home and your own children. May they bless you as I have been blessed by mine.”

  A tear slid down Olivia’s cheek. “I love you, Mama.”

  “I love you too. Now get some rest. We have lots to discuss about the wedding, but it will have to wait until tomorrow.” Her mother kissed her hair and bid her goodnight.

  Olivia couldn’t stop smiling. She was deliriously happy and anxious for the future to arrive.

  Lady Lesley found her husband in their room standing before the fireplace, his gaze lost in the flames. He did not turn when she entered, but she knew he knew she was there.

  “Have we failed them, Ann?”

  She slid her arms around his barrel chest. “Of course not. They are living their own lives. All we can do is love them.”

  “But when I look at them, I still see the children they were. Devon with his dog at his side, bruises and scrapes covering his arms and legs, and a turtle in his pocket. Olivia, trailing along, smiling, laughing, and flowers and leaves stuck in her hair.”

  “Don’t forget Colton.” She reminded him. “They may as well have been twins. I remember that first day they met and Devon brought him home. Mrs. Belle tended a scrape on his arm, and they were inseparable ever since. Is it any wonder Olivia formed an attachment to him?”

  “I should have seen it coming.” Lord Lesley mumbled.

  “How so?”

  “The night of her coming out ball, as we made our entrance, he was among the first to greet us.”

  “And?” She ruffled his hair lovingly.

  “He looked like a man struck with a shovel. Struck dumb.”

  Ann laughed.

  “I know exactly how he felt at that moment. I felt the same way the first time I saw you.”

  Ann smiled. “Then we should be happy for them. It will be a love match.” She lifted his arm and ducked under it to come around to his front. “George, I know things will work out for both of them.”

  “How do you know that?” He wrapped his arms around his wife. She was more beautiful now than she was that first day he set eyes on her.

  “I just know, mother’s intuition, I suppose.”

  Chapter 16

  Colton received a note first thing in the morning from Lord Lesley. He was expecting it, but if it hadn’t come, he would have gone anyway. There was plenty to discuss, especially Devon, and Colton hoped the return of his son would go a long way to smoothing the issue of his and Olivia’s sudden wish to be married. It looked bad...really bad, and it was bad, because there was no way Colton could lie to Lord Lesley about his relationship with Olivia on board his ship. Olivia was compromised by circumstances alone, but when you added that he now had carnal knowledge of her, well he wouldn’t be surprised if Lord Lesley clipped him under the chin.

  It really didn’t make a difference. He didn’t take what they shared lightly, and the only reason he let it happen at all was because he knew that no matter what happened, with or without her father’s blessing, she would be his wife. Oddly, it felt as if she already was. In his heart, she was already a part of him, and everything else was just small details of no importance. Olivia belonged to him. She was as necessary to him as the air he breathed. No one would keep them apart now.

  With that thought in his mind, he entered Lord Lesley’s study and stood before his desk. Lord Lesley looked up exp
ectantly and almost looked as if he were about to smile.

  “Lord Lesley, I’ve come at your request.”

  “Please have a seat, Captain Colton. I would like to start off by saying how grateful my family is to you for rescuing my son. He is not only my heir, but as my first born. I simply cannot imagine life without him.”

  Colton nodded. “I was happy to help. Devon has always been like a brother to me. I was willing to do anything in my power to help him.”

  “Ah, yes. We were shocked when Olivia informed us that Devon chose to remain at your residence.”

  “It is temporary, I assure you. He needs time to recover and get his bearings, I think.”

  “About that... Olivia had mentioned opium but was not very forth coming with all that happened in Amsterdam. I was hoping you could give me more clarity,” Lord Lesley queried.

  “Certainly, I found him at a rather exclusive brothel. He was unconscious, drunk, and reeking of opium smoke. It seems they were purposefully keeping him that way to leech money from him. We had to cause a distraction while I carried him out the back.”

  “We?” Lord Lesley raised a brow.

  “Two of my crew helped me. One speaks Dutch and was familiar with the practice of the brothel. We went to a tavern, and I had to be issued an invitation. I could only have access to the first floor, but after speaking to one of the women there, I was certain Devon was there and for at least a month. I tried to find a woman to return with me. That was the condition of gaining access to the upper floors. I asked every prostitute and barmaid I could find, offered them a small fortune just to walk in with me, but they all refused. They knew of the place I spoke of and would not even be paid to enter there.”

  “That sounds quite sinister,” Lord Lesley remarked.

  “It was certainly frustrating. I had no other choice...” Colton met Lord Lesley’s eyes.

  Lord Lesley scowled fiercely and slowly stood. “You took my daughter into a brothel?”

  “It was my last resort to find Devon. I would have not done it otherwise. When we found him, he was barely conscious. He was on the brink of succumbing to the drug and drink. Olivia did a brilliant job with the distraction while I carried Devon out the back. My men were waiting for Olivia right outside the front door. She was never in any danger, and I don’t think I could have rescued Devon without her.

  Lord Lesley grumbled angrily and walked to the window. He folded his arms over his chest and silently stared out.

  Colton watched him patiently.

  He finally spoke. “And what of Olivia? She was quite adamant that you two should be married posthaste.”

  “Well given the circumstances, I would have to agree, but that’s not the sole reason we wish to be married. I know I am not the first choice for a daughter of Olivia’s station, but I care for her a great deal, and it became obvious on our journey that she felt the same. I apologize for the abrupt manner in which we will be married, but you should know that there is a real affection between us. I have never admired another woman as I do Olivia.”

  Lord Lesley snorted. “While I appreciate your candor, Olivia made it clear there was no choice in the matter. I am surprised and yet...not. You say that you were not our first choice for a husband, but that is not correct. I may not have considered a suit between you two simply because I did not see the foundation for it, but that does not mean we are not amenable to it.” Lord Lesley turned and faced him.

  “I owe you a great debt. I would be proud to call you son and honored to give you my daughter’s hand in marriage.”

  Colton stilled. He felt a great swell of emotion in his chest and was at a loss for words. He expected grudging acceptance of their wish to marry, but he did not expect this. He nodded in acknowledgment of Lord Lesley’s words.

  Lord Lesley smiled and took his seat again. “Now, there is much to discuss in the matter of her dowry and settlements, but first, a celebratory drink.” He pulled a bottle of scotch from a desk drawer and two glasses. “I keep this hidden for special occasions.” He poured two fingers in each glass and handed one to Colton.

  They raised their glasses in toast and then took a sip. Lord Lesley grinned happily, Colton blinked rapidly. The smoky liquid slid down smoothly and lingered on his tongue.

  “It has an exquisite finish, doesn’t it?”

  Colton nodded, still savoring the taste.

  “I keep it under lock, so Devon doesn’t drink it all.”

  Colton smiled. “He won’t want to drink anything stiffer than tea for a while, I suspect.”

  “Good. I hope to see him settle down after all this. Some lessons must be learned the hard way. His life has been very blessed, and I sometimes wonder if that is a curse. You can’t truly appreciate something unless you’ve been forced to live without it.”

  “Although I agree with that sentiment, I don’t think Devon will ever be the same. Perhaps it’s just the effects of the opium, but he seems different now, rougher.”

  “Whatever the case may be, I would like to be appraised of his health daily. A simple note will do, and as for the pending nuptials, I will send a messenger to archbishop for a special license. He owes me a favor, so it shouldn’t be any trouble. The women will decipher the details of the ceremony, but we will make it a week from now.”

  Colton exhaled in relief. He felt a swelling of joy throughout his chest, fought to keep a stupid grin from his face, and lost.

  Lord Lesley chuckled. “I can see that pleases you. I’ll send a note to your father. We can have a small family dinner tonight to celebrate your betrothal. We’ve been telling everyone that Olivia has been indisposed with a cold, but given the circumstances now, I think we should let your mother and father know that wasn’t the case. We are family now, there should be no secrets.”

  “Oh thank you, Papa!” Olivia burst through the door in exuberance.

  Lord Lesley scowled.

  Lady Lesley followed her in and smiled indulgently. “Did you think she would stay away, dear? Honestly now, she has spies everywhere, doing her bidding. You will have your hands full, Captain Colton.”

  Colton just smiled and stood. Olivia was like a ray of sunshine. She wore a radiant smile, pale gold day dress that hugged her petite curves, and her raven curls bounced and shined in the morning light. She was dancing and twirling, and he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

  Olivia twirled in front of him and took his hands. They looked at each other, both grinning madly, two fools in love.

  “Ergh-um,” Lord Lesley cleared his throat. “Olivia, if you’re quite finished dazzling the poor man, I’d like to have my breakfast now. Will you be joining us, Captain?”

  “I would love to, but I should return to Devon.”

  “Nonsense, you went all the way to Amsterdam to get him. Have breakfast with us and spend time with me. Devon can molder in misery alone for one morning.”

  “Olivia,” her mother scolded. “Your brother is recovering from a great ordeal.”

  Olivia rolled her eyes. “He’d be recovering from his honeymoon if he had listened to me.”

  Her mother gasped and shook her finger at her. “I’ll have none of that vulgar tongue, young lady. In a week’s time, you will be the mistress of your own house and may do as you please. Until then, remember your manners.”

  Colton had his hand over his mouth to hide his smile. Lord Lesley was coughing suspiciously.

  “I really should get back. I haven’t checked on him this morning.”

  Olivia pouted. “Fine. I’ll walk you out.” She tugged him to the door.

  Colton quickly made his farewells to Lord and Lady Lesley before Olivia pulled him from the room.

  “That was rather rude,” Colton said in the hall.

  “Perhaps, but it will be excused given that we are newly betrothed.”

  Colton shook his head. “Do you expect me to be so easily wrapped around your finger, as well?”

  Olivia looked back and gave him a sultry smile. “I expect a little fig
ht from you, and some persuasion from me, but in the end you will succumb to my wishes.”

  “Minx.”

  She giggled and ran away from him.

  Like the lovesick fool he was, he gave chase. She was quick on her feet and made it almost to the side door, but only because he let her. He caught her as her hand reached the knob and pinned her against the door.

  She squeaked and laughed against his chest as he held her immobile. When she quieted and looked up, he stole a quick kiss, and then another and another. She clung to him and encouraged more, but he knew their privacy would not last. “I should go.”

  “But I miss you... I want to be alone with you.” She ran her fingers in his hair.

  “We have to wait, love. We don’t have the freedom we had on my ship. Soon it will be our wedding night.” He smiled. He still couldn’t believe his good fortune. She would be his wife, by his side daily and in his bed every night.

  “A week has never felt so long. I will try to come see you today and Devon as well.”

  “We cannot forget about your brother. He needs our support and care.”

  “He needs a kick in the rump.”

  “When he feels better, you can have the first kick.”

  They both laughed but then grew quiet, and Colton couldn’t stop himself from stealing another kiss. It was impossible to resist her, especially when she was pressed against him and all but begging him. He groaned. “I have to go.”

  Olivia pulled away and sighed. “You’re right. I can be patient—it will be difficult but not impossible. Perhaps I will try to sneak away this afternoon.”

  “Don’t push your luck. Your parents have been through enough already. Use this time to plan the wedding and spend time with them.”

  Olivia smiled warmly at him. “You’re such a good man.”

  “I’ll see you at dinner tonight.” He kissed her and left. She was still standing there at the door when he emerged from the stables on his horse. His chest ached as he rode away, as if his heart had been left there in her hands and he would be whole again until they were together once more. He’d never dreamed he would enjoy such a pain, but it was sweet and addictive and he knew Olivia felt it to.