The Reverend's Daughter (Book 2 after The Duke's Daughter)

Chapter Forty One Part Two

Violet spared Betsy a glance, wondering what had set her to giggling all of a sudden.

It was a combination of the adoring way Ashton gazed upon his buxom wife, and the six children that had piled from the coach. Ashton, indeed, seemed worthy of the heart dotted skivvies to Betsy.

Betsy waved off Violet's raised brow, she would tell him all about Lord Ashton and the skivvies later. Violet and Betsy stepped down from the landing to greet the noble and his wife, as Ashton's carriage carefully made it's way through the throng of people to rest with the others on the wide expanse of lawn between the manse and the road in from London.

Betsy, having been introduced to the man previously, performed a small curtsy, "My Lord." Smiling at the couple, nodding her head slightly, she then looked up to Violet.

Lord Ashton spoke first, "Lord Ashton of Bedlam." His grin was infectious, and him being the father of six rambunctious children, Violet and Betsy could well understand his humor.

"Yes, 'tis Lord of a madhouse he is," Ashton's wife teased, "I try to tell him, all of the time, 'tis of his own making, but he never seems to listen to me."

Betsy's eyes widened in surprise and she laughed outright at the woman's candor.

Violet did also, as he bowed, "Violet Petals." He said jovially to the couple.

Ashton's wife furrowed her brow, "Is that a clue?" She turned to look questioningly at Lord Ashton, "Were we told to watch for clues?" She turned back to Violet. "We heard there were to be treasure hunts." She looked widely around them for a field of violets, but she could not see much through the milling crowd.

Violet shook his head while smiling, "Nay, my lady, I am Violet Petals, and this...."

Before he could introduce Elizabeth, it started. Ashton snorted, as his wife blushed at her error, sputtering her next words.

"You jest." Her cobalt eyes twinkled and she was trying not to laugh, yet....

Violet sighed heavily, and then laughed, "No jest, my lady, I am also used to having to repeat myself, I assure you, as I have had the name all of my life."

"In that case, why, 'tis lovely to meet you, Violet Petals." Ashton's wife spoke with laughter in her voice.

Betsy liked them immediately as Ashton's wife seemed a very pleasant woman and Lord Ashton himself was very amusing.

"This is my wife, Elizabeth." Violet smiled down upon her proudly, while Betsy dipped in another curtsy, as the middle aged man and woman smiled affectionately back at her.

"This is my wife, Lady Ashton." Ashton spoke before the woman herself could.

"Well, they know that, simpleton!" The lady laughed as she swatted playfully at Ashton's chest. "I am Sassy to my friends, Sasha to my acquaintances." She smiled upon them merrily. "Please, call me Sassy."

"And you found my name strange..." Violet teased, as Betsy let her own mirth show. Violet took Betsy's hand, returning her humorous smile, his smile growing wider as Betsy started their hands to swinging.

Sassy, a dishwater blonde, turned her sparkling, dark blue eyes to her husband and looked up at him adoringly. Betsy could see exactly what Ashton had found to love in the woman. Sassy was fun, you could just tell, she had an air about her that spoke of love and mischief.

Ashton looked around for their offspring, "Please do not let us keep you any longer, Mister, Mistress Petals, you have many guests as we can see for ourselves." Ashton caught a glimpse of his cousin Christine's vibrant, red gown between the swarms of people.

"We should go assist my cousin with the children. She is only visiting for a few months and she is unused to being outnumbered, we, however, are not."

"I would hope not." Betsy giggled.

Ashton and his wife laughed, taking their leave, they heading out to see the ship with their offspring, then to decide what fun was to be had from there.

Violet put an arm around Betsy's shoulder's, "I see you have your pistols, kitten, all ready for the shooting contest are you?"

Elizabeth smiled up at him and nodded, then stood up upon her toes, as he leaned down so she could whisper in his ear. "I found out this morn I am carrying your babe."

She saw, and felt, Violet leave her. His eyes glazed over, his jaw went slack, his thoughts already chasing after a small child of their very own.

Betsy smiled smugly and sashayed away, hopping down the steps lightly, she jauntily strode towards the ship and their men.

Violet was floored. His mind immediately pictured his sweet Elizabeth, her skirts bunched up in front of her aboard ship so long ago. His mind then saw her truly heavy with his child. He then went to a place where she was laboring to bring his child into the world, and he feared. He blinked that away, knowing his prayers would cover her when the time came. Violet then saw in his mind's eye, his adorable wife, holding their babe, perhaps even baring her breast to nourish the small bundle. When Violet began imagining a toddler, walking beside him, holding his hand, he realized he had left his wife and... Where was she?

Halfway through the throng of people, almost making her destination, Betsy suddenly felt Violet grab her up from behind and spin her around. Laughing together, he put her down, only to turn her and grab her up again. Their foreheads touching, Violet and Betsy's eyes shone into one another's, their gazes filled with the purest of joy. Violet looked to the heavens, quickly giving thanks for this most wonderful of blessings, then his head descended and he kissed Betsy utterly senseless.

And we thought the last kiss was passionate, 'twas nothing, in comparison to this one. All of their joy, all of their passion, all their feelings of pleasure they held for one another were poured out into this kiss. There was only he, and she. All else faded very far, far away.

The King watched as the pixie below him sauntered across the yard. He laughed heartily at Violet's dumbfounded look and eventual reaction.

The King found it extremely amusing when Lady Eleanor's carriage came rumbling to a rest in the drive. After being handed down from her coach, Eleanor looked about and found Violet and Betsy locked in their embrace. She made a beeline to them, she tapped on Violet's arm, and, nothing...

The King chuckled lustily, calling down to them, "Ahoy, down there."

Violet and Betsy completely ignored the King, though Eleanor recognized his voice and turned to look up at him with a questioning look upon her face, which swiftly changed to one of amusement.

"I say... There are children about! That should be quite about enough of... Oomph!" The King received a sharp elbow to the ribs before he could utter another word. The King rubbed at his ribs, glaring at Brutus, suddenly wishing he could have been a knight instead of a pirate. At least then, he would have had armor to protect his poor royal side. He looked down again, chuckling anew, as Violet twirled Betsy around and around, their eyes only for one another. Her soft laughter could be heard carrying on the breeze.

The King sighed wistfully. Placing his chin in his hand atop the rail, he watched Violet and Betsy rejoice, knowing he should get back to helping supervise the youngsters. Yet, suddenly, his head snapped up and he stood to his full height as his eye was caught by a flash of fiery, bright red skirts.

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And..... The moment :) well, part of it anyway.... Blessings loveys!