Destiny's Captive (17 page)

A
t dinner later that evening, Pilar met the rest of Noah's family members: his brothers, the strongly built Logan who typified how she imagined an American ranchman would look, and Drew whose devastating Spanish handsomeness would've set the hearts of the ladies at the Old World king's court all aflutter. Then there were their wives, the stylish and beautiful Mariah with her golden eyes, and Billie with her warm smile and unblemished chocolate skin. She also met their children, the mostly quiet Little Maria, dressed in trousers of all things, and the rambunctious Antonio, who seemed to take great pleasure in throwing things from the tray of his high chair, until his mother gave him the look that children worldwide knew and feared. Last but not least was Alanza's husband, Max Rudd, who was as handsome as her sons and offered Pilar a kindly nod.

Logan raised his wineglass. “I propose a toast to Noah and Pilar and to a long and happy marriage.”

“Hear, hear!” came the boisterous response.

Pilar smiled over her glass. She was pleased that everyone had welcomed her so warmly. She was still a shade nervous but everyone seemed to be going out of their way to put her at ease. She couldn't help but notice how wrenlike she looked in comparison to her two peacock sisters-in-law. Although they weren't overdressed, she, in her plain blouse and cheap skirt, looked like a poor relation. She didn't want to be an embarrassment should they go calling, so she hoped she could convince Noah to fatten up her wardrobe a bit and that Billie and Mariah could help her choose more stylish attire. Her sister Doneta knew all about those kinds of things but she wasn't there. Feeling sadness descending again, she turned her attention back to the myriad conversations flowing around the large table.

Alanza asked, “Pilar, would you mind if we had a small gathering to introduce you to the neighbors?”

Billie said, “Don't let her fool you, Pilar. When she says small you can count on three-quarters of the state being invited.”

“Hush, Billie,” Alanza said around a smile.

Mariah weighed in, “Billie's right, sister. Mama doesn't know how to do anything by half. Her annual birthday party lasts almost a week.”

Pilar blinked and looked to Noah for guidance.

“You may as well say yes and get it over with because she's going to get her way. Always does.”

“Rotten children,” Alanza groused mockingly.

Drew added, “But in Mama's defense, her affairs are usually a lot of fun.”

“Unless you don't care for dancing bears or clowns or jugglers,” Logan quipped.

Pilar was now staring.
Dancing bears!

Max said, “Your mother-in-law is extravagant to a fault but her heart's in the right place.”

“Thank you, Max,” Alanza said. “I think.”

He saluted her with his wineglass.

“So,” Alanza asked, “do I have your approval?”

“I suppose so.”

“Good.”

Mariah said happily, “Which gives us wives an excuse to go shopping.”

Billie raised her glass. “Amen!”

Logan eyed his wife. “Just leave us menfolk enough money to pay the hands and the bills, okay?”

Everyone chuckled, including Pilar, who decided she might just enjoy being in this family after all.

Dinner ended a short while later and Noah and his brothers drifted outside to have their cigars. Logan was immediately called away by one of the hands, who rode up to tell him that cows were escaping through a break in the perimeter fence.

Drew said to him, “We'll tell Mariah. You go on. We'll need those cows if the women are going shopping soon.”

Laughing Logan hurried off to retrieve his horse, leaving Noah and Drew behind on the patio.

“So, Noah,” Drew said. “Are you happier than when I saw you last, or it just my imagination?”

Noah struck a match to the end of his cigar and passed the flame over to his brother, who did the same. Noah exhaled slowly. “It's not your imagination.”

“Tell me first about this pirate. Your cryptic telegram had us all confused. What happened to her?”

“Like I told Mama earlier, I married her.”

Drew began choking. Strangled by the smoke, he said between coughs, “Pilar is the pirate?”

Noah smiled while his brother tried to clear his lung. “Yes.” He then told him the story, giving him the details about the initial abduction, his search to find her, the sword fight, and the subsequent marriage. “The moment I crossed swords with her it was as if my whole world opened up.”

“So you asked for her hand?”

“I did, but in the end, she asked for mine.” And he explained.

“She's a rebel gun smuggler, possibly wanted by the Spanish? That's quite the story, baby brother. Our family has always needed a female revolutionary. Now, we're complete.”

Noah laughed. “Revolutionary or not, I had to have her, Drew.”

Drew stared his way in wonder. “Are you sure you're Noah Yates?”

“I had to ask myself the same question, but I'm on the way to an improved version of me.”

“You two seem happy, no?”

“We're working out the knots. I felt bad about taking her away from her family but her mother and uncle agreed she needed to leave Florida as soon as possible. Her uncle is the man with the cigar business I told you about when I was here for Mama's wedding. These are his cigars we're enjoying, by the way.”

“She has no father?”

“No. Killed by the authorities during the civil war there. She joined the rebels when she was fifteen.”

“Not many men can claim to have a swashbuckling revolutionary soldier as a wife.”

“Who's from a family of thieves and forgers.”

This time Drew didn't cough but his eyes went as wide as plates, so Noah explained that part of the story as well.

“Does Mama know about this?” Drew asked when he was done with the telling.

“No, and I'd prefer you keep it between us.” And he knew Drew would. Being only a few years apart, Noah had always been closer to him than to his nine-years-older half-brother, Logan.

“I'm not trying to be offensive but do I need to hide my Billie's jewelry?”

Noah cut him a look.

“You just said the woman's a thief, Noah.”

“No hiding of jewelry is necessary. I promise.”

“Okay. I'll take you at your word.”

Silence reigned as they both mined their thoughts. Finally, Drew asked, “Do you love her?”

Noah thought that over for a few long moments before admitting, “I'm not sure but it's probably the closest I'll ever get. I have fun with her, Drew.”

Drew smiled, “Then I will love her for you.”

Their eyes met and Drew said, “Welcome home, Noah.”

Noah nodded and they savored the remnants of Miguel Ventura's cigars in a shared brotherly silence.

“D
id you enjoy yourself at dinner?” Noah asked Pilar. They were in the sitting room relaxing together on the settee before bed.

“I did. Your family is very nice. I especially enjoyed Billie and Mariah.”

“They're two very special ladies, my brothers are lucky to have them.”

“Should I be worried about the party your mother wants to throw for us?”

“No. More than likely it'll be a huge affair but as Logan pointed out, it'll be fun. And as Mariah said, you'll get to shop for gowns and anything else you need or may desire.”

“I need a bit of everything. Nightgowns, underthings, ladylike shoes, as you called them.”

“Get what you need. Personally, I prefer you without clothes but that might be frowned upon outside these doors.”

“Crazy American.” She quieted for a moment and her voice took on a serious tone. “How soon can my mother and sister come for a visit?”

“We can send them a telegram tomorrow if you like.”

“Truly?”

“If that makes you happy. Truly.”

She threw her arms around his neck. “That makes me happy. Thank you, Noah.”

He eased her onto his lap. “You wouldn't happen to have a reward for your very generous husband, would you?”

“How about generosity being its own reward?”

“How about I tie you down the way you did me and pleasure you until you beg me to make you come?”

“Now that sounds interesting.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “And you call me shameless.”

They both went quiet as they assessed each other. She reached up and gently touched his scarred cheek. “How did you get this?”

“The night I was shanghaied. It was the captain's way of teaching me obedience. He said I was too pretty anyway.”

“It was done with a knife?”

“Yes.”

She leaned up and pressed soft lips against its length. “Each time we make love I will kiss it so that when you look in the mirror you will think of your shameless Cuban wife, and not that
bastardo
.”

Noah's heart soared. He pulled her closer and kissed her with such a deep intensity he heard himself moan in the silence. She was his balm, his angel, his reason to exist. And true to her vow, she planted kiss after fervent kiss on the visible manifestation of his darkness until the scarred flesh pulsed brightly in tandem with his need. They undressed each other slowly, languidly taking the time to pay carnal homage to each unveiled expanse of bared skin. Gloriously nude, they kissed their way into the bedroom and onto the bed. He worshipped his way down the planes of her body, pausing to lick and suckle until she was twisting and open. When he finally entered her, she arched and crooned with uninhibited delight. The first thing he'd wanted to do when he returned home was make love to his wife and he did, again and again, and again, until the energy to breathe was all they had left. And in the aftermath, she kissed his scar one last time, was eased close, and they gave their sated bodies over to the arms of Morpheus.

T
he next morning dawn was just pinking the sky when Pilar awakened beside her snoring, sleeping husband. She watched him fondly. She was unable to pinpoint the exact moment he worked his way into her heart but he had, somehow, and she enjoyed having him there, even though the aftermath of the nightmare he'd had the night they first made love continued to cause her worry. She didn't know enough about love to call what she felt for him that, but if wanting to be with someone for the rest of her life was a component, then she was in love. Whether he felt the same way didn't really matter. What they had together was more than enough for her to be content.

Slipping quietly from the bed, she eased open the doors on the large wardrobe and took down one of his dressing robes. Soundlessly donning it, she tiptoed from the room. Outside on the verandah the air was chillier than she'd expected but she pulled the heavy black robe closer and curled up in one of the chairs to watch the sunrise. His rooms were on the back of the house and the sight of the mountains against the sky was comforting because they reminded her of home. Yet this was her new home. Were she being greedy, the ranch would be on a wide expanse of water so she could wake up each morning to the sounds and sights of the sea, but the blessings she'd been given were many and she was content with that, too. Now, she had to carve out a new life. Pilar the rebel, soldier, and thief had been left behind, replaced by a woman who resided in a world of wealth and ease. She had much to learn in order to take on the role, but she looked forward to her future and finding her place in it. She wondered if it was too early to approach his mother about the charity work Noah spoke about.

“
Buenos días, querida
.”

She turned to see him dressed in a brown robe, standing in the doorway. “
Buenos días
.”

He walked over and gave her a soft kiss before moving to the railing and looking out at the dawn. “Didn't expect to find you gone when I woke up.”

“I wanted to watch the sun come up. I'll leave you a note next time.” Had her absence worried him?

He chuckled.

“Do you have plans for the day?” she asked.

“I thought maybe we'd ride into town and send the telegraph to your mother letting her know we arrived safely and to invite her and your sister to visit. Then if you like, we could tour the ranch.”

“I'd like that.”

“Do you ride?”

“Of course.”

“Then after breakfast we'll find you a mount and head for town.”

“Does this town have a name?”

“Stewart. It's named after one of the forty-niners who established the first trading post here.”

“Forty-niner? Who or what is a forty-niner?”

So while they watched the sunrise, he told her all about California's golden past. They then dressed and headed downstairs to have breakfast with his mother.

“W
here's Max?” Noah asked as he and Pilar took seats at the table.

“Gone to Stewart to help with the construction.”