Cards & Caravans (7 page)

“The Sight?” Belinda gawked at Evelyn. “Marriage? This entire family is full of Bedlamites. And I’m the one accused of witchcraft?”

William smiled at her. “While it must seem that way, I assure you, we’re all sane, at least for the most part. Since you have some magickal talent of your own, I don’t know why you’d be surprised that my wife inherited a touch of precognition.” He laced one gnarled hand through his wife’s and she smiled at him sweetly. Connor wanted what they had—or at least something close.

Belinda conceded with a tip of her head.

William continued, every inch the patriarch. “From a legal standpoint, Connor’s conclusion is valid. The arrest warrants and trial documents are for a widow named Danvers, who lives in Shadwick. A change of name and address, at the very least, will muddy jurisdiction enough to insure that the High Court will be forced to sort things out. Frankly, with our family’s connections, the High Court will most likely dismiss the case at that stage, based on my recommendations. I’m frequently called in to consult on supernatural offenses. That’s one of the main duties of the Order.”

Connor’s mother and sisters began shouting denials and arguments, while his grandparents gazed at Connor and Belinda. Fergus simply patted his wife’s shoulder and looked troubled. Connor gripped Belinda’s hand, his spine rigid.

Finally, Fergus cleared his throat. “Are you sure, son?”

“Yes.” Connor had thought this through and hadn’t a doubt in his mind. Without releasing her hand, he dropped down on one knee. “I am entirely certain, both that she is innocent and that we’ll be content. Belinda, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“You’re barking mad.” She shook her head and looked around at the others. “Every one of you. You’re all stark, raving insane.”

“No,” Connor said, her hand still clutched in his. “The fact that Nan agrees with me is proof enough of the necessity. I spent most of last night and all day today thinking about your situation. I truly think our marrying is the best possible solution.”

“Best for me, perhaps, but certainly not for you. To start, we don’t love each other,” she said, her voice rising more than she probably liked. “We hardly know one another. I’m Rom. I’m also older than you, and a widow, and barren.”

“I couldn’t give a fig if you’re a couple years older than me, or about your heritage.” Connor refused to be swayed. “As for love?” He shrugged. “It will grow, I expect. I already like you and care for you. That’s a better foundation than many couples start out with.” He’d been madly in love once and lived to regret it. From their scattered conversations, he’d pieced together a little of her background. Her parents had died when she was young, so she’d been raised by her grandparents, the lion tamer and fortune-teller for the circus. Belinda clearly possessed some of her grandmother’s talent, but had never truly developed it. She’d married a man many years her senior and loved him dearly. Connor hated that he was jealous of a dead man.

But Belinda was very much alive, and she deserved a second chance at life. Buried in a tiny hamlet, denying who and what she was—that was no way to live. Even if their futures weren’t destined to be together, Connor had the wherewithal to offer her more opportunity. His family had the power to make the trumped-up charges of witchcraft go away. The Order of the Round Table wasn’t an organization to be denied.

Everyone was silent, the future hanging on her answer. He leaned up and kissed her cheek. “Well? We’re all waiting.”

“I’m barren,” she blurted, dragging in a deep breath as she reiterated her main argument. “You’re the only son and heir to all of this.” Her free hand fluttered about, indicating the keep around them.

“You don’t know that for sure,” he said. “We’ll just take our chances like any other couple. I wasn’t going to say this in front of everyone, but you know very well that we may have already disproved that notion.”

Another round of gasps filled the room.

Belinda let out a wordless shriek that rang of pure frustration and yanked her hand from his. “What will it take before you get it through your thick head? I’m barren. No children. You need a son. Forget about last night and find yourself a nice, normal girl to marry.” She sank her face into her hands as they all stared at her. “Good heavens.” She groaned and stared down at the floor. “I can’t believe I said that out loud. Do you think crawling under the table is a viable option? It seems I’m as much a lunatic as you are.”

“I don’t want a nice normal girl.” Despite the seriousness of the situation, Connor found himself having fun. “Can you imagine some simpering debutante putting up with this lot? I want you. And if we don’t have children, so be it. There are cousins to inherit. Or one of their sons.” He made a sweeping gesture toward his sisters. “The Order is kind of flexible about succession. Having the power is just as important as the whole primogeniture thing.”

“You may as well give in.” Melody began to giggle. “Belinda, if you don’t suppose you’ve anything to wear, I think we can alter something of mine. We’re about the same height.”

“Are you sure you’re barren?” Geneva asked at almost the same moment. “Is it a medical diagnosis or just because you didn’t have children with your late husband? I’d be happy to talk to you about that in private, even examine you, if you don’t mind. Obstetrics was one of my specialties when I was in practice.”

Belinda gaped at Connor’s sisters. “Are all of you deaf? I have not agreed to marry Sir Connor. And while I appreciate the offers, I do not need borrowed clothing or a medical examination from a total stranger. None of that is relevant as there will be no wedding.”

Evelyn pursed her lips and studied Belinda’s face. “Connor has a touch of my gift along with his own. If he thinks you’ve conceived, it’s very likely true.”

“In one bloody night?” Fergus cursed. “With a woman under your protection? Son, I’m disappointed in you.”

“It was my—” Belinda began, but stopped when Connor lifted a finger to her lips.

Connor squeezed her hand. “You’re shouting, love. And of course we’re going to be married. You didn’t really think I’d have...” He glanced at his mother and younger sister and grinned, then dropped his tone to a whisper. “Anyway, I’d assumed my intentions were perfectly clear. It doesn’t matter who made the first overture. I made the choice of my own free will. I’d already more or less decided on this course of action. Now agree, so we can move forward.”

“All that was clear was that you’re a lunatic with a glib tongue and a gift for lighting candles.” She sighed, looking at Connor with wide eyes. He could see her resolution start to waver in the chocolate-colored depths. “You’re certain?”

He nodded. “I’ve never been more convinced of anything in my life.” Oddly it was true. Not even when he’d proposed to Wink last summer. Perhaps he had known deep down that she wasn’t for him.

* * *

There were several nods around the table, and another round of chatter involving how and when the wedding should be held. Since the laws were much more lax in Scotland than in England, the wedding could be held here at the house, and within the day.

Belinda suppressed a sob. This whole situation couldn’t be real. They were all Bedlamites. Then she made the mistake of looking into Connor’s eyes.

It wasn’t the boyish, laughing Connor she saw there. Lurking behind those clear blue orbs was a man, fully grown, deadly serious and full of intent.

She shivered despite the warmth of the room and then looked around at his family. There was so much strength in this room, so much love. Yes, they were all clearly deranged, but they were the kindest, most engaging and most powerful lunatics she’d ever met, even his mother, who still looked as if she’d been served tainted milk with her tea. Belinda looked back at Connor. Bless him, he meant every single word. Suddenly, three years’ difference in age didn’t seem like such a barrier.

She couldn’t hear Micah’s voice, not like she had in the wagon, but she felt his presence, urging her on. She could see his kind face grinning at her as if to say,
you
know
you
want
him
.

May all the gods help her, she did. If he regretted it later, she’d leave him, fake her death and move to America, run off and join another circus or find some other way to set him free. She took a deep breath and nodded. “All right. Someone with sense has to take you in hand.”

Connor stood, lifting her off her feet in a hug and whirling her around in circles. “Oh, blackbird, you can take me in hand anytime you like.” Everyone laughed and Belinda flushed at the open innuendo. In front of his sisters, parents and grandparents, no less. Yet none of them looked horrified.

Bedlamites, indeed. But life with him would never be dull. She’d had her fill of dull, living alone on her farm in that disapproving village. The chance to become part of this crazy, cheerful family was quite possibly the best thing to have happened to her in many, many years, maybe even her entire life.

“Well, with that decided, I’ll call the vicar. Maura, one of your gowns might be a better fit for the girl. Melody’s a little...slimmer. Easier to take in the waist than to let out the....” Evelyn waved a hand in the general area of her bosom before turning back to Belinda. “I assume you didn’t pack anything for evening?”

“No, because I was rather occupied fleeing for my life.” Blast it, when would she learn to curb her tongue? It wasn’t as if she’d owned anything resembling an evening gown anyway.

“Sensible, indeed.” Evelyn laughed. “Never mind. My maid, Estelle, can work magick with a needle and miracles with hair. I’m sure between us, we can find you a proper dress to be married in. You’ll make a stunning bride. Right, Maura?”

Maura gave a perfunctory nod. “Of course.” She left the table, followed closely by her younger daughter.

“Some of the guests for tomorrow’s party were arriving this afternoon,” Sir William said. “Additional witnesses wouldn’t come amiss, especially Merrick and the Lakes.”

Belinda had no idea who those people were, so she looked to Connor.

“Lords Northland, Lake, Drood and the Duke of Trowbridge,” he said. “All close friends of the family. With witnesses like that, no one would ever be able to deny the wedding took place and was legally in order.”

Belinda nodded, unable to dispute the logic of that. Her head was swimming. Three lords and a duke? She was so far out of her depth she wasn’t sure she’d ever find her feet again.

Evelyn got up and came over to give Belinda a warm hug. “Welcome to the family, my dear. I think it’s lovely that my only grandson is getting married almost on my diamond anniversary.”

“Anniversary?” She swallowed hard—this was the first she’d heard of that. The couple both looked younger than the near-eighty they must be to be Fergus’s parents. They also looked at each other with so much love and devotion it nearly took her breath away. Was she making the biggest mistake of her life by marrying a man she didn’t love, who didn’t love her? It didn’t bear thinking about. “Congratulations, my lady, Sir William. Sixty years is an impressive feat.”

“It’s tomorrow,” Connor said. “In fact, wouldn’t it be a treat if we held our ceremony just after midnight, so it would properly be tomorrow? Then our anniversary would be the same as theirs.”

His grandmother beamed. “Which gives us a lovely explanation if asked why you had such a quick and quiet ceremony. Well thought.”

“Belinda?” Connor asked.

“That would be fine.” The details hardly mattered. She looked down at her half-eaten meal with regret. As hungry as she’d been at breakfast, she’d already lost her appetite completely, although the roasted pheasant with truffle mashed potatoes was the most elegant meal she’d ever been served.

“Connor, why don’t you show your bride around the tower?” Sir William said kindly. “I think we can sort out the rest of the details on your behalf.”

“Belinda, we’ll come fetch you no later than four,” Evelyn said. “Eight hours is barely enough time to prepare for a wedding.”

With that, Connor stood and bowed to his grandparents. “Thank you, all of you.” He held out his hand to Belinda. “Shall we?”

She repeated his thanks and followed him from the room.

Chapter Five

“While it’s called Kay’s Tower,” Connor said, “it’s actually got several turrets, as you saw from the outside. The central one is the oldest, and still has the medieval great hall at the heart of it.” He knew Belinda was only listening with half an ear, while most of her thoughts were on their upcoming wedding. He let go of her hand to slip his arm around her waist and draw her closer. “You might want to pay attention, you know, since this will be your home too, soon enough. Although I hope it won’t be ours in truth for many, many years.”

“Of course not.” Then her brow furrowed and she glanced up at him, wild confusion still swirling in the dark depths of her eyes. “You live here? With your parents and grandparents and sisters? All the time?”

“Don’t panic. I lease my own townhouse in Edinburgh. I spend most of my time there, as do my parents—they have a bigger house, a mile or two away. There’s also a grand pile in London that any of us use when we need it. The grandparents don’t travel too much anymore. Geneva lives with her husband and son in the Hebrides, and Melody spends most of her time working on airships, wherever the Order needs her. So we’ll have plenty of privacy, never fear.” He paused at the top of the grand staircase, allowing her to gaze out over the ancient hall lined with antique weaponry and pennants representing nearly a thousand years of family history. “Of course, I will be gone quite often on missions. I hope you’ll be able to stand that. Being married to a Knight of the Round Table isn’t the easiest life.”

“The Order of the Round Table.” She shook her head and one curl fell out of her sedate chignon to bounce against her cheek. “I still think you’re all bamming me on that one.”

“No.” Connor swallowed hard. “It’s time for me to tell you about that, but I have to warn you. If you change your mind about marrying me, one of the Droods will have to come and cast a spell to remove the memory. I’m told that process isn’t pleasant.”

“You can do that?” She pulled away to stare up at him. “You
would
do that?”

“I wouldn’t have a choice.” Connor spread his hands and shrugged. It was a vile thing to do, to alter someone’s mind, but in rare instances it was necessary. “Not that I could do it myself—I’m not that powerful, but there are those in the Order who are. I told you as we drove in that the Droods are descendants of Merlin and Nimue. I wouldn’t have said that much if I hadn’t already decided that we would marry. Nothing about the Order is public knowledge.”

“So what do you do in this Order of yours?” She raked him with an intense gaze, studying him from head to toe. “Other than break accused witches out of gaol, of course?”

Connor grinned at the sarcastic bite in her tone. While most men might find that off-putting, her prickly wit drew him in. He didn’t want a meek, subservient miss—he’d be stultified within hours. Belinda would never be boring. “I’ve actually never done that before.” He took her arm again and led her down the staircase. “Basically, the Order is responsible for monitoring supernatural activity in the realm and keeping it under control. We hunt vampyres, rogue werewolves, take down the occasional evil wizard, whatever needs to be done.”

“So you’re saying you risk your life on a daily basis.” She bit her lip as they reached the stone floor of the hall. Her eyes settled on a massive claymore hanging above the hearth. How much blood had flowed across that blade? How much had Connor faced in his young life and how much more could he survive? “Based on what I saw last night, I’d say you engage in silly, reckless behavior that could easily get you killed. I’m not sure I like that notion. I don’t have any interest in being a widow again.”

“I’m sorry.” He led her over to a wide leaded-glass window that had been cut into the stone sometime in the sixteen hundreds and drew her down onto a leather-padded window seat. Taking both her hands in his, he looked into her eyes. “I can’t change who or what I am, Belinda. Despite what you think, I’m not silly when I’m working, nor am I unduly reckless. I’ve no death wish.” He wondered if perhaps he had been a little more cavalier than usual since Wink’s marriage to Liam. He hadn’t courted death, not exactly, but he hadn’t cared much about his own life. Now that would have to change. He’d have responsibilities of his own, an idea that was more appealing than he’d have expected.

“I still think this is all a harebrained idea.” She continued to nibble her plump lower lip. One of the dogs wandered in and sat on the floor beside her, leaning against her knee. Belinda absently scratched its head and it looked up at her with adoring dark eyes. Connor was glad to see that she wasn’t afraid of the dogs.

“If something does happen to me, you won’t be alone. You’ll have family to look out for you and the funds to live in style and comfort for the rest of your days. Besides, the Order takes care of its own. You’ll never have to struggle to survive again.” He had to remember to get a marriage settlement written before midnight—one that would keep Belinda secure, no matter what. Likely, his father was already drawing it up.

“I don’t give a fig about your money,” Belinda said. “I just don’t want to mourn another husband.”

Warmth filled his heart. He believed her. She didn’t want him for his money or family status, but oh, she wanted him. He could see that in the way her breath fluttered when he soothed her bitten lip with his thumb. “Life is always uncertain. Accident or illness can happen to anyone. None of us knows how much time we have.” Even in this so-called modern age, women died in childbirth all the time. For a moment, he entertained the hope that Belinda might not fall pregnant. It was astonishing, given the speed of their so-called courtship, but already he didn’t want to lose her. “Don’t turn craven on me now, please. We’ve a wedding in, oh, ten hours or so.”

“I know that, of course. Micah was not quite fifty when he died. Still a young man by most standards.” She withdrew her hands from his, folded them in her lap and gave him a quirky half smile. “I’m not a coward, and I gave my word. I can manage on my own when you’re gone on your missions. I’m no hothouse flower who needs constant tending. Speaking of flowers, does your house in Edinburgh have a garden?”

“A small patch.” He let out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Not what you’re used to, of course. We’ll have to look for something bigger anyway, if or when we start a family. Then you can choose your own garden.”

She lifted one eyebrow as if to remind him that having children might not be in their future. “A small patch would be fine. You won’t want your wife to be in trade, so I’ll only need enough herbs and flowers for my own use.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of customers without resorting to a barrow in the market if you want to keep making your creams and tinctures.” Even the squire had acknowledged the efficacy of Belinda’s herbal products. “My grandmother, for one, plus Melody and my mother. Geneva when she visits. She might want to stock up on things to take back to Torkholm with her, since she doctors the whole island. The wives and daughters of our friends. The Order itself may even purchase some of your healing salves. I’ll not stop you from doing what you enjoy. Many of the younger women I know maintain professions, including my sisters, and several of them after marriage. You’ll meet a couple more tonight.” Including Wink. He hoped Belinda wouldn’t sense Connor’s feelings for the other woman. She didn’t deserve that, particularly not on her wedding night.

That thought reminded him of something else. He stood and tugged on her hand. “Come on. I have something else to show you.” Connor’s own dog, a two-year-old male, joined them as they walked. The young bitch followed at Belinda’s side. His father must have brought Rowan up from town. Connor scratched Rowan’s wiry head and gestured to the younger dog. “Would you’d like Willow there for a wedding present? She seems to have chosen you. If your cat won’t mind being with dogs, that is.” He supposed he could leave Rowan here, if Belinda didn’t want the deerhounds in their home, but he hoped he wouldn’t have to.

She grinned and leaned down to look into Willow’s eyes. “Really? Willow, would you like to come live with me in Edinburgh?” The dog wagged its tail and licked Belinda’s face, making her laugh. “Well, I guess that’s settled. You’re sure your grandparents won’t mind you giving away their dog?”

Connor shook his head. “The dogs usually choose for themselves as they grow up, although most of them decide to stay with the family. If Willow wants you, that will be that. She and Rowan get on, so there’ll be no problem there. But what about Lucifer?”

“Luce ignores other animals. He seems to believe they’re beneath his dignity, but he never had any problems with the collie Micah used to keep.” She dropped a kiss on Willow’s massive head and then reached around Connor to scratch Rowan. “Poor old Butch died barely a month after his master and I’ve missed him. I’ll be glad to have dogs, especially if you’re away on a regular basis. Between them and Luce, I won’t feel so alone.”

“You’ve been alone a long time, haven’t you?” he asked. “How did you manage?”

“Lucifer helped a lot,” she said. “I survived, but I can’t say I enjoyed the loneliness. It will be good to have more company when you’re away.”

“Good.” He drew to a stop in front of a pair of massive double doors. “Close your eyes.”

She shot him a skeptical look, but complied. He opened the door, and drew her into the newest part of the house.

“I smell flowers,” she said.

“Open your eyes.” She did, and he watched in delight as she gazed openmouthed at his grandmother’s conservatory. “You won’t be the only gardener in the family. So let’s go pick out your wedding flowers.”

* * *

Belinda sat on the bed in the room she’d been assigned, Lucifer draped over her lap and Willow panting at her feet. The two had sniffed at each other, Luce had batted away Willow’s nose when the pup tried to play, and then they’d settled down into peaceful coexistence. Belinda only hoped she and Connor could manage to live together with as little strife as these two. While he seemed to have no concerns, she was far less sanguine about the idea of marrying a virtual stranger. How long would it be before he grew tired of an older woman, not just in years, but in experiences? Not to mention one who hadn’t been raised or educated in the same manner as he. Yes, the passion between them was remarkable, but how long would that last?

A tap on the door startled her out of her gloom and she rose to open it, expecting Connor again, or perhaps a maid. Instead, the elder Lady MacKay stood, a basket in her slender arms. “May I come in?”

“Certainly.” Belinda lifted the basket and set it on the bed while the other woman came in and took a seat on the vanity stool. “What can I do for you, ma’am?”

“Call me Nan, dear. All my grandchildren do.” She nodded at the basket. “I’ve brought some things for you to use. I wore the pearl hairpins at my own wedding and would be pleased if you would borrow them. I know you already had a bath this afternoon, but there are some scents and things in there, in case you couldn’t bring any of your own. I brought violet and rosemary, since I wasn’t sure what you like. The girls will have other choices if you prefer.”

Belinda smiled. “You guessed correctly. I usually blend the two. Thank you.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Evelyn said. “You’ll have to make me some to try.”

“Here.” Belinda handed over the one small pot of hand cream she’d brought with her. “There’s a touch of lavender as well, since it soothes the skin.”

Evelyn rubbed a dollop on her age-spotted hands. “This is a lovely texture. You’re very gifted.”

“Thank you.” Belinda sat on the edge of the bed and wound her fingers through Luce’s fur. “Was there something you wanted? You could have sent a maid with the perfumes and hair pins.”

Evelyn’s eyes, a soft green that might have once been emerald, sparkled with humor. “I wanted to speak with you, of course. You are about to marry my only grandson.”

“And yet you’re all being very kind,” Belinda said on a sigh. “Which I don’t understand at all. How can you be sure I won’t murder him in his sleep?”

“We can’t.” Evelyn gave her a sad smile and sat next to her, patting Belinda’s hand. “That’s a lesson I’ve had to learn the difficult way—by experience. Our family has seen its share of grief, my dear. Fergus wasn’t my only son. Gideon was my baby, the light of my life. But he grew into a violent young man, jealous of his brother’s power, of his acceptance into the Order. He joined forces with other angry nobles and worse yet, a vampyre lord. He killed a number of good people before he was stopped.”

Belinda heard the mother’s heartbreak in the older woman’s tone. Some hurts never went away. “I’m so sorry about your son, Lady MacKay, but what does that have to do with Connor and me?”

Evelyn held on to Belinda with one hand and scratched Willow’s floppy ears with her other. “My point is that you can never totally know someone, even if you’ve raised them from the day they were born. None of us guessed that Gideon would become obsessed with power to the point where he would choose to be infected by a vampyre and kidnap an innocent girl. Connor was the only one in the family who thought something might be wrong with his uncle, but he was only a youth, away at school at the time, and none of us listened. Since then, we’ve all come to trust his instincts—even when our urge is to coddle or protect him. He may seem like a capricious child, but that’s just his way of coping with the world. Underneath it, he is a seasoned warrior, more than old enough to know his own mind. His work for the Order is dangerous. Are you prepared to accept that?”

Belinda wiggled out of her overskirt as she pondered that. “We discussed that while he was showing me around. I can accept who he is. I don’t want to be widowed again, but as you say, life is never certain. We all take chances whenever we cross the street.”

“That’s very true. And some of us are lucky enough to grow old with one another. Tomorrow, William and I are celebrating sixty years together. Even after losing Gideon, I wouldn’t change that for the world.” She leaned over to kiss Belinda’s cheek and then stood. “It wouldn’t break my heart to hold more great-grandchildren before I die. You might want to have that chat with Geneva. She has a sense for such things, which is why she became a doctor.” She stepped over to the door. “I’ll be back with the others in an hour or so to help you dress. Have a nap if you can—I intend to.”