The Hands of Time (25 page)

“That would be wonderful, Alec.  Finn would approve.  It’s what he would have wanted.”  Alec looked momentarily taken aback. 

“Is that what you want?”  I could see the uncertainty in his eyes
,
and I took his hand, squeezing it gently.  “Yes, it’s what I want more than anything.”  His face lit up
,
and I thought how beautiful he was when he smiled.  I never wanted to see him look so desolate again
,
and I
would
do everything to make him happy. 

Chapter
4
6

Father Stephen looked around stealthily before letting us into his room at the cottage.  The shutters were closed against the fading light of the April evening
,
and he lit a candle, inviting us inside.  He was staying with a farmer outside of Plymouth
,
and I heard him tell Alec that he would be leaving for France within the next few weeks.  He was tired of hiding
,
and his presence in the area had been noted by the authorities.  Someone had ratted him out
,
and a dead priest was a useless priest.  He could do more good somewhere else
,
and it was time for him to pack it in. 

The farmer’s wife brought a basi
n
to be used in the baptism
,
and the priest donned his cassock and began the ceremony.  Finn was outraged by the water poured on his head
,
and howled
so loud
ly
that the priest began to worry and look around in panic.  I took the newly baptized baby and
turned toward the wall, sticking
a nipple into his mouth to shut him up, letting him suck until he finally began to feel heavier in my arms and fell into a contented sleep.  Bridget took the baby
, as
I
adjusted my bodice and
took my place next to Alec, reaching for his hand.  He looked handsome in his finery, with his hair tied back into a ponytail
,
and his boots buffed to a shine. 

Alec
had insisted I wear the dress from the
b
all
,
and I felt equally attractive in my gown standing next to him in front of priest and God.  Father Stephen performed the
marriage service, more relaxed now that the baby wasn’t screaming anymore.  He pronounced us man and wife
,
and Alec kissed me gently on the lips
,
consecrating our union.  I shivered in anticipation of what was to come.  We would head back to the castle tonight
,
and Bridget would take the baby for the night with enough milk expressed
from
my breast to keep him quiet for at least a few hours
;
giving us a chance to have our wedding night. 

I had to admit that I was terribly nervous.  Finn and I made love spontaneously that first time, but this time it was different. 
Alec and I
both knew what was coming
,
and felt a little self-
conscious
as we rode back to the castle, the baby asleep in Bridget’s arms, her knowing smile making me blush.  It took some time for me to remove my dress, express the milk
,
and see Finn happily settled with Bridget
,
before I could turn my attention to my
new
husband. 
I suddenly thought that here I was married for the third time by the age of twenty
-
seven.  I put the thought out of my
mind and
thought of Alec instead. 

He was waiting for me in his room
,
and I stopped by my own bedroom to brush out my hair and put on a clean nightdress.  I walked to his room, my heart
pounding
in my chest as if this was the first time I was going there.  I
’
d slept with him for the better part of six months, but this time was different.  I felt very shy as I turned the doorknob and walked in. 

Alec was standing by the window
, looking out into the darkness of the April night.  H
is back
was turned
to me
,
and he was
wearing just his
breeches
and a shirt.  He reminded me of Finn
,
and I admonished myself for thinking
of Finlay as soon as I walked into the room.  Tonight he had to stay outside where he belonged.  This night was for me an Alec
,
and I wouldn’t let him spoil it.  Ale
c
turned around, smiling at me shyly. 
He poured me a glass of brandy and took one for himself
,
never taking his eyes off me as he drank it.  I was trembling with nerves and desire for him
,
and waited for him to come to me. 

I saw his eyes travel to my breasts and suddenly I felt
embarrassed
since
my nightdress was soaked with milk, leaving ugly wet stains on my breasts.  I raised my hands to cover myself, but Alec put down his glass and came forward.  He gently removed my hands, pushing the nightgown to my waist
,
exposing
my leaking breasts.  He sat me down in a chair and got down on his knees in front of me, taking my breast into his mouth and sucking the milk.  His lips felt warm and demanding on my nipple
,
a wave of pleasure
rolling
through me at the
hot
pressure of his mouth.  I moaned and
arched my back
,
pushing the breast deeper into his mouth
.  Alec pulled away and paid homage to the other breast
,
until I wasn’t leaking anymore. 

He lifted me out of the chair and laid me down on the bed
,
pulling off his shirt and taking off his breeks.  I
’
d never actually seen him naked
,
and I sucked in my breath at the sight of him.  He was tall and lean, with dark hair covering his chest and long legs.  His cock stood up like a flagpole
,
and I decided to return the favor
he had just bestowed on me
.  I got out of bed and slid to my knees in front of him, taking him into my mouth and grabbing his buttocks with my hands to pull him closer.  He filled my mouth completely
,
and I ran my tongue along the length of him making hi
m
shudder with desire.  He buried his hands in
my hair and pushed himself deeper into my mouth,
breathing hard
with pleasure.  Suddenly, he pulled away and lifted me off the floor, laying me on the bed and getting on top of me, my legs thrown over his shoulders.  I gasped as our bodies came together
,
and all thoughts of Finn the Elder
,
and
Finn the Younger
,
vanished from my brain as Alec
single-mindedly
pounded me into oblivion
. 

All our pent
-
up frustration found release
,
and my body quivered
uncontrollably
as Alec finally collapsed on top of me,
his face damp with perspiration.  He was shaking as well
,
and I wrapped my arms around him, still joined to him in the aftermath of our love.  “I am sorry,” he whispered.  “I
did not
mean to be so rough.
  I just couldn’t hold it
back
any longer
.
”  He looked up at me
guiltily
. 

“I
’m
not sorry,” I whispered back.  “You can be as rough as you want.  I like it.”  That seemed to be the right thing to say because I felt him growin
g
hard again inside me and he flipped me over, making me straddle him
,
ready for
another
round.  I could feel milk on my breasts again, but I didn’t care.  I rode Alec as if my life depended on it,
wondering
how I could have resisted this for so long.  I threw my head back as I reached a shuddering climax, calling out his name and letting him know once and for all
,
I wanted him for himself and not as a substitute for his brother. 

Chapter
4
7

By the time I woke up the next morning, I was lying in a wet patch of milk
,
and I was so sore between my legs that I winced as I rose from the bed, going to fetch my son.  As I settled into my nursing chair with the baby’s soft mouth attached to my nipple
,
I closed my eyes and thought of the night before, squeezing my legs to relieve the soreness.  I was taken by
surprise
by the orgasm that shook me to the core
,
and looked down at Finn to see if he felt anything.  The baby continued to suck happily
,
and I closed my eyes again, smiling to myself and relishing this wonderful feeling.

“Someone must have shown you a good time last night, Mistress Whitfield.  I
have not
seen a smile like that in a long time.”  Alec stood in the doorway, looking down on me and Finn
,
the grin on his face worth everything.  The misery of the
last
few months fell away
,
and I smiled back at him, blowing him a kiss.  I could see the joy in his eyes and I felt the worry
dissolve
.  I knew that he would be thinking of
Finlay
and wondering if I was comparing him to his brother.  What man
wouldn’t
?  I thought I proved to him last night that I
loved
him and him alone
,
and he believed me.  Our life together had officially begun. 
 

Chapter
4
8

I looked over at Alec’s sleeping form.  He looked so tired that I didn’t have the heart to wake him.  I knew he didn’t come to bed until the early hours of the morning
,
and I was worried about him.  Our relationship had grown and changed since the wedding, going from a warm friendship to full
-
blown love.  Alec had waited for a long time for me
,
and now he was enjoying all the benefits of having me to himself.  He was even lustier than Finn had ever been, if that was possible, but I suppose that came from years of denying himself.  Everything would have been good if it wasn’t for the repercussions of Finlay’s treachery
,
which Alec was just beginning to feel now. 

The shipping season had begun
,
and suddenly Alec faced the full force of people’s hatred.  The Gunpowder Plot perpetrators have become
people
to revile
,
and blame for everything that was wrong in the country, even if it had nothing to do with
Catholicism
.  People were not happy
,
and they needed someone to blame.  Catholics were a good target as usual.  Some of Alec’s customers knew he was a Catholic
,
and all of them knew he was Finlay’s brother.  Already Lord Weston and several other big clients had withdrawn their
custom
,
and the rest were sure to follow. 

T
he
Morning Star
and
Misty Dawn
had departed
;
their cargo holds half
-
empty
,
and Alec would have to find a way to dispose of the goods from the plantation
,
once the ships
came back across the Atlantic.  I knew he was worried and scared.  People
weren’t
likely to forget any time soon that the man they
’
d done business with
,
had plotted to kill the King and blow up numerous innocent people in the process.  Alec might not have been personally involved with the plot, but he might as well have placed the kegs in the cellar and lit the fuse, for all they cared. 

He was shunned and ridiculed
,
and although he never got into a fight with anyone physically, the bruises on his heart were there for me to see.  He didn’t just feel bad for
himself;
he hated
hearing
what people said about his brother, misguided though he might have been.  I had realized that the reason he chose to bury Finn by the Abbey
,
was partially because he didn’t want anyone to desecrate his grave.  People had cheered when Guy Fawkes was executed
,
and there were rumors from London that they burned his effigy to celebrate his death.  Now that I knew what happened I remembered learning about Guy Fawkes
Day
at school.  Alec would be shocked to know that in my day people in England still celebrated November
5
th
the
day when the plot was foiled and burned the effigy of the unfortunate Guy Fawkes.
  I vaguely remembered the words of the song: