Twenty
“You did what?”
Curtis cast a nervous glance toward the open study door. “Will you keep your voice down?” he implored his father. Robert Langston had taken the news of his son’s recent nuptials about as well as Curtis had expected, which unfortunately was not well at all, and Curtis was attempting to keep the impending tirade from reaching his wife’s ears.
“Do ye ever stop ta think, lad?” The telltale thickening of his father’s Scottish burr never failed to make him feel the recalcitrant child.
“Think about what?”
“About the consequences of yer actions, Curtis. You traipse about the world on a ship for months on end without a thought to yer family! By the by, we have no idea if you’re alive or dead, or even if we should worry over you.” Robert stopped and ran a hand through his graying locks. “Fer three years we thought you were dead, three years during the war we grieved for you.”
“Oh, God,” Curtis spat, “don’t tell me you’re going to bring that up again.”
“You never sent any word, and apparently none of your abounding life’s lessons have taught you any sort of responsibility.”
“Goddamn it all,” he muttered in exasperation, why were they rehashing this same old argument? “I did write. I wrote almost every month, and I will tell you again as I have told you one hundred times that I don’t know why none of the letters made it home. The Confederate postal system wasn’t exactly reliable.” Did his father really believe him so negligent, so reckless? Probably. “But that is hardly the point, and it is hardly what I am here to discuss with you now.”
Robert wagged a finger toward his son. “Was it really any surprise to me that ye shirked a soldier’s life for that of a pillaging pirate nigh a year into the war?”
It was all Curtis could do not to blanch at the words of his sire but he’d determined years ago to show no further distress at the constant reminder of being a disappointment, of being the disappointment. “I was not a damned pirate! I followed the rules of war to the letter, the letter.”
“You have been the bane of my existence for years!” Robert roared near the brink of his control.
The bane of my existence… Being the bane of someone’s existence seemed to be a recurring theme in his life… The bane of his father—being the third son of four children it had been a fight for his widowed father’s attention and the pranks had never failed to bring Robert running. The bane of his teachers—pranks at school had proved equally beneficial in distracting the schoolmarms from how he struggled with his studies. The bane of the Yankees—well it would suffice to say he was more than a little proud to have been called the bane of the Yankees.
“And now,” Robert’s voice yanked Curtis from his dark thoughts, “you’ve come home and announced that you ran away with a woman accused of murder and married her.”
Curtis could have breathed fire in that moment. “It isn’t like that!”
“Then what is it like? She is a Jamison,” as if that said it all. Bad blood flowed hot and boiling between the Langstons and the Jamisons. While Curtis had never put much stock in other people’s bad blood he’d known his father would not take his marrying Cadence in a positive light.
“Cadence is not a Jamison anymore,” Curtis growled, “and I would suggest you get used to the fact that she now holds the name of Langston.”
“Not a Jamison anymore? Why would you believe that, because you gave her your name?” The older man strode forward his ire fully piqued in the face of what he felt a blatant insult to his proud family name. “The Langston name does not change who she is.”
“You have no idea who she is,” Curtis growled, slamming a fist onto the desktop, “and whether you like it or not, she is my wife.”
“Oh, aye,” Robert’s blue eyes gleamed, “and what wiles did you fall prey to that she can now call herself yer wife?” He drew himself to his full towering height to stare contemptuously at his son. “I should have forbidden this last fall when I read in that damned gossip column that the two of you were cavorting about in public. I should have put my foot down then.”
“Put your foot down?” Curtis may not be quite so tall as his father but he was near twice as thick in pure brawn, and crossed powerful arms across his chest. He hadn’t earned a reputation for being obstinate lightly; no man stared him down, especially his father. “Need I remind you I am my own man? I pulled myself up from nothing to become what I am today. I did it myself, without you, without teachers, and without your bloody money!”
“From nothing, boy?”
* * *
Cadence flinched and nearly fell from her precarious perch on the edge of the settee as a resounding crash emanated from the study down the hall.
Craig seemed unperturbed as he drummed his fingers on the mantel above the fireplace. “They’ve been in there for a while.” He turned to his older brother, “Do you think it’s time to intervene?”
“You are more than welcome to intervene,” David gestured to the door, “but I’m not going to risk life and limb getting into the middle of that.” To Cadence he said, “Don’t worry. The two of them always fight like this.”
“Yes, well, I wish they wouldn’t.” Genie Langston, Curtis’s stepmother, stepped into the room with a lovely rose colored tea service. “Would anyone like some tea or coffee?” The pretty woman turned a warm smile to Cadence and her nerves quieted no small degree. Lifting a cup Genie sat beside her on the settee and said, “Cadence, dear, you must tell me everything. Was it terribly romantic to be married in London? I have always wanted to travel to Europe.”
Cadence was surprised by the ease with which the older woman accepted the circumstances of her stepson’s marriage. Most women were not so open-minded about a young couple eloping across the sea. “London was lovely,” Cadence smiled feeling her guard slip just a bit beneath Genie’s kind gaze. Though she blushed, thinking of the two weeks she’d spent with Curtis in London and romantic could hardly describe those magical days… and nights.
“It’s very difficult to picture Curtis as romantic,” David joked, and Craig joined him in laughter.
“Do you remember that time when he got caught in the barn with the girl from the saloon?”
Craig grinned. “Misty? How could I forget? What was he—all of fifteen at the time?”
“I think so.”
The parlor door exploded inward and Curtis strode out with his father hot on his heels.
Genie was across the room in a flash ready to act as a buffer. “Curtis,” she smiled at her stepson before turning a withering glare on her husband. “Will you be staying with us?”
“No,” he said abruptly. “Craig, Davy, thank you for your help today. I’ll keep you posted.”
David stepped forward to clasp his hand warmly. “If you need anything else, just say the word.”
“I appreciate it.” Turning to Cadence Curtis said, “Are you ready to go?”
“Yes,” she replied, squirming uncomfortably under Robert Langston’s glowering stare. One would think she was personal courier of the seven deadly sins.
“I’ve got to get home too,” Craig snapped his pocket watch closed and dropped it into a vest pocket. “My wife will have my head on a platter if I don’t make it home on time tonight.”
“His wife is in a family way.” David threw a friendly grin and a wink toward Cadence. “I can’t decide who is more miserable, Craig or Marissa.” Turning, he continued, “I tell you, Curtis, I’ve never seen a woman so damned miserable or a man complain so much.”
Curtis grinned. “Really, Craig, can’t you leave your wife well enough alone?” Curtis stepped forward to plant a kiss on his step-mother’s cheek.
Craig followed suit and then turned to his younger brother. “You’re a married man now, Curtis, I’m sure you’ll figure out what it’s about soon enough.”
“I’ll bet he wasn’t complaining during the fun part,” Curtis grinned conspiratorially at Davy.
“That’s quite enough,” Genie’s voice rose above the brotherly jesting.” I think this conversation is becoming less than appropriate for present company.”
“Come now, Genie? We’re all adults here.”
“I’m leaving,” Craig announced taking a resolute step toward the door. “And for the record,” he raised a hand as though addressing a jury, “I am not miserable. I just value my good health.” Even Robert smiled good naturedly at that, though he refused to look directly at Curtis as the trio took leave.
Once they’d safely passed through the front door of the manse Craig turned to his brother, “How did it go with Pa?”
Curtis shrugged, “About how I expected.”
Craig just nodded in response. “Do you two need a place to stay?”
“No, we’ll stay on the ship for a couple of days until I can find a house.” A wicked smile crossed his face. “Of course after what I just heard I don’t think I’d want to stay at your place.”
“Shut up.”
“Apologies.” Curtis smiled, obviously enjoying the jovial sparing with his brothers. “Cheap shot.”
“Yes it was. But anyway, Dr. Rowe is covering my office tomorrow and I have the day off so I want you two to stop by.”
“We will, Craig. Thank you again.”
“Cadence,” he placed a brotherly hand on her shoulder. “Welcome to the family and don’t worry about my father. He can be a beast, but he is all bark and no bite just like that old excuse for a dog he keeps around,” he gestured to the hulking yellow lab flopping his tail on the porch.
She smiled warmly. “Thank you, Dr. Langston.”
“Oh, none of that ‘Dr. Langston’ business, it’s Craig, and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.”
“Is your family always like that?” Cadence asked with the slightest touch of amusement.
“Always.” Curtis smiled, wrapping an arm about her shoulders. For a long moment their eyes locked. His grew soft and for a moment Cadence would swear that he—like she—was picturing a home of their own just like it…
Surrounded by the familiar scents, sounds, and motion of the Heavenly Mistress Cadence finally felt safe. The day had been wretched, she feltwretched, and now it just felt good to escape the prying, judgmental stares of those who’d once been her friends. Flopping onto the bunk in her cabin she stared at the golden planks and allowed a heavy sigh to escape her lips, she turned to see Curtis standing with his shoulder against the doorjamb, one thumb linked through his trouser band, watching her.
“Today was awful,” she said, rolling onto her stomach and propping her head on a hand.
Glancing downward, he didn’t say anything for a long time, crossing his arms over his chest he shrugged nonchalantly. “It was about what I’d expected.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just what I said; what happened today is exactly what I would have expected.” He stepped into the room and ran his fingers across the heavy oak desk. “My father reacted exactly as I thought he would, I knew my brothers and Genie would be supportive, and I figured the sheriff wouldn’t have enough evidence to arrest you on the spot.” He paused. “If he’d tried I had the crew standing by to make sail.” He smiled then, his real smile, the devilishly irresistible one that sent mischief dancing along the lines of his face. “I have enough artillery on board this ship to sink a man ’o’ war if necessary.”
Biting her lower lip to keep from grinning, she rolled over and squinted. “You wouldn’t have dared.”
“Oh, yes, I would have,” he sat on the edge of the bed, placing his arms on either side of her.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, as he leaned in until their body heat flowed like electric current.
“Why?”
“I’m sorry your father is so angry because of me.”
“Oh, Cadence, it isn’t you he’s angry about.” Curtis flashed a devious grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “It’s me. You see, my dear, I have been the bane of his existence for years.”
“Oh, no, I’m sure he doesn’t think that.”
“Those are his exact words.” Curtis rolled onto the bed beside her. “You married the family dunce.” While his tone remained light the flicker of disappointment remained, haunting the depths of his eyes.
“What are you talking about?” Her heart quickened as he snared a curl and wrapped it about a finger. “Why do you believe you’re the family dunce?”
“Because I am the family dunce,” he pulled her to lie alongside him on the bed, “of four children someone had to be the disappointment, and I fell quite easily into that role years ago.” His fingers slid from her hair to the scalloped lace at her bodice. “In any case,” he murmured, “I am the one who should be sorry.”
“For what?” she breathed, licking her lips.
“Because I can’t remember the last time I kissed you.” Even as the words came from his lips he brushed the corner of her mouth, gently, cajolingly.
“Curtis, what has been going on between us?” She arched as he traced his lips down the slender curve of her neck.
Without answering he began to unfasten the tiny buttons of her green day gown. “Why did you buy this dress again?”
Thrown by the comment she stilled. “What are you talking about? I think you picked this dress out.”
“Impossible.” He began pulling the heavy petticoats upward. Tiny ripples of pleasure shivered up her spine as his hands traced the curve of her thigh, inching ever higher. It had been so long since he’d touched her this way, made love to her.
“What do you mean?’
“I never would have bought a dress that is so damned difficult to get off.”
She couldn’t help but giggle and shifted to assist his efforts.
“In the future I simply must be allowed to accompany you into the fitting rooms.” He finally managed to wiggle the garment away from her breasts, and captured one in his palm prompting a throaty gasp. “As a means of scientific study and experimentation of course.”
“Scientific?” She tugged the sailing sweater over his head. “I’m sure that will be a convincing enough argument for the dressmaker.” Her hands traced the paths of his well-muscled back. She would never cease to be fascinated by his incredible body. Realizing he’d been successful in distracting her from the original question she, warred for a moment with the wisdom of pushing this particular issue, but she needed answers. “What is going to happen to us?”
“We’re going to be fine. I’ll always take care of you.” He kissed each of her eye-lids in turn and traced his lips along her cheek to the corner of her mouth.
“Oh, Curtis,” she breathed, and even as she knew she should scream no and demand answers, she couldn’t help but melt into him. “I love you.”
He said nothing, though for an instant his gaze clouded before he took her lips once more.