DOGS. Legacy Saga II

45

"And he was speechless, the poor thing!"

"Well, I would be, too, if one day somebody throws a warship out and tells me it's mine and mine alone."

"And the case of the sword she gave him! All red velvet!"

"The value is in the sword, Alma. It's the best steel in the world."

"They looked like a dream, waving at us from the Carthage bridge. Dolores was almost as beautiful as in their wedding. And he's so handsome and gentle."

"Marina was really generous. But it's obvious, too. Van Dort may not be her brother by blood, but he is by facts."

Castillano put his glass on the table and pushed his chair back roughly, making it screech against the floor tiles. The other two looked down, smiling, when he walked out of the dining room, grunting under his breath.

"I'm afraid you're not so lucky, with the friend you got yourself," said Alma, scoffing.

They heard Castillano's door slam shut upstairs.

He stalked across his room to the open window, from where he could see the sea. Even if he refused to admit it, he'd waited for their return to listen to what they told about their visit to Tortuga. Even if he refused to admit it, he'd hoped the child would've sent him a word, or asked about him. Even if he refused to admit it, he'd hoped their account would suggest the child looked sad or down. Because of him, of course.

Instead, just like when they'd been to Tortuga for Christmas, the only thing he could gather from their account was that Marina had become a beautiful, radiant woman, always with a smile curling up her lips. Affectionate as usual, lively as usual, generous as usual, daring as usual. Her life was happy and perfect. Without him, of course.

Marina took the horse to the stable herself and left it there to Claude's care. She walked into the house through the kitchen door, where she found Colette and the maids.

"Your mother waits for you in the library, Marina," the cook said. "Tomasa just brought her tea."

The girl hurried down the hall, controlling her curiosity. Had Laventry come to see her mother? Had they talked? What about? How had she taken it?

A single glance was enough to make her smile and feel like her heart was about to burst out of tenderness and laughter at the same time. Because her mother, Cécile Wan Claup, Doña Cecilia Velazquez, saw her come in and lowered her eyes, blushing.

Marina didn't waste time in talking around it. She kneeled before Cecilia and rested her head on her mother's lap like she used to do when she was a child. She found her mother's hand by her face and spotted the engagement ring, with a diamond and two rubies. She took Cecilia's hand and kissed it.

"Do you love him?" she whispered, stroking the ring and her mother's fingers.

"There's only one true love, dear. And for me, it was your father. But I always felt something special for Johannes."

"I don't want you to just settle, Mother. Don't do it just to avoid being alone."

Cecilia's merry laughter surprised Marina. "Like he's going to be with me so much! Or do you think he's quitting the sea over me? No, Marina, don't worry." She ran her fingers over the raven curls, tangled in salt and wind. "This afternoon he reminded me I'm still alive, and he showed me that my heart can still race like it didn't do in many, many years. And that's so much more than I ever dared to hope after your father passed."

Marina looked up at her and spotted a new spark in her eyes, that always reminded her so much of her uncle's.

"And what do you think, dear?"

"That I rather shoot my own foot than call him father." Her answer made Cecilia chuckle. "And he better keep meeting his thuggish friends at the taverns. But not so much. I want him to devote all his spare time to you." The girl turned to Tomasa, who was pouring her a tea. "What say you, Tomasa? Do you have any strength left to plan another wedding?"

"Of course, Miss," the housekeeper replied with a bright smile. "And then, there's only one more I'd like to plan."

Marina frowned, taken aback. Tomasa winked at her on her way out, while Cecilia's fresh laughter filled the library.