The Sheik and the Slave (32 page)

Mr. Horton nodded and smiled at Katharine in a welcome.

“
Please
freshen yourself and the babe while my daughter and I speak privately,
”
Edward said.
“
We will dine shortly. You
are very welcome here, Abigail.
”

Abigail thanked him and left the two alone.

“
Dearest
girl,
”
he said as
they settled together, facing each other on the leather sofa.

“
Father,
”
she began.

“
Katharine,
there is much you may feel that I need to know. But there is much I know
already.
”
He didn
’
t want her to feel that
she must cower in an embarrassed way, as he knew how deeply in love she was
with Mohammed.

“
When
you disappeared, my dear, Mohammed and I met to discuss how to have you
returned to us. As you recall, I knew him already from my dealings with him and
your Arabian horse. I believed him to be a strong, intelligent man.
”

“
He
is,
”
Katharine
agreed.

“
He
had his advisor track down the man who had kidnapped you. This man told
Mohammed that you had been sold to another man and taken back to Arabia.
”

“
His
advisor Abdullah? He is a most trusted friend of Mohammed
’
s. But I was not taken to
Arabia. I was left at the doors of the Abbey outside London, when I was
bleeding and with child,
”
she said as she lowered her eyes.
“
Mother
Superior took me to Ireland, where a man of God had medical knowledge. There he
performed surgery to save the babe and me.
”

Edward smiled and then wondered aloud.

“
Not
taken to Arabia? You know, my dear, once this was discovered, Mohammed journeyed
back there to save you. He would waste no time and was most concerned for your
safety.
”

Katharine
’
s
heart skipped a beat. He had gone only to save her. He had gone only to save
her! She wanted to cry with joy.

Lord Edward took her hands in his.

“
He
loves you, Katharine. He came to me, man to man, and asked for you. He wants to
marry you.
”

Katharine placed her hand over her mouth and her tears
flowed. She smiled through them.

“
Yes,
my dear. He came to me as an honorable man to beg my forgiveness. He asked for
your hand in marriage. He said he had loved you for a long time and that had he
done the right thing long ago, it would have saved everyone heartache.
”

“
Oh,
Father. I have waited so long! I have thought of him often, and my love for him
has only grown. And I have been in such pain, thinking that I was alone and
without him. It has been at times almost unbearable.
”

“
Dearest,
you are not alone. I love you and he loves you,
”
Edward said as he patted her hand.
“
Dry
your tears.
”

She sniffed and then he smiled.

“
And
I see that I have a grandson.
”

Katharine beamed.

“
Yes.
He is a sweet babe.
”

Edward nodded.

“
You
and your child are welcome here until Mohammed returns to claim you both.
”

Katharine threw her arms around his neck.

“
Thank
you, Father. Such a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Thank you.
”

“
Go
rest now,
”
he told
her.

Alone with his thoughts, Edward mused over all that had been
discussed. His daughter had never been taken to Arabia. What did that mean? Had
the mercenary lied to the advisor? Why on earth would he do that? Why would the
advisor lie?

Then, he recalled the last letter received from the Bow
Street Runners and the Arab man who had last been seen talking to the mercenary
before he was killed.
What did this Abdullah look like?
he wondered.

***

Katharine watched her small son sleep in the cradle and
closed her eyes. With no one around, she let the tears flow. He loved her. He
loved her. She hugged herself and smiled.

He had done exactly as he had said he would. He had
approached her father and asked for her hand. Had she not been kidnapped, they
would have been married, her child would have been born safely, and nothing
would have gone wrong.

She moved one finger along the babe
’
s soft cheek and moved to the bed. She
should never have doubted him. He loved her and she loved him. Soon she would
be safe in his arms, never to be separated again.

***

Meanwhile, Edward dreaded telling Anne about their daughter
’
s child. Though he was
absolutely certain Mohammed would return to marry Katharine, she was at the
moment not married, and the child had been born out of wedlock.

Edward was not so modern to admit that he was at least a tad
embarrassed of the child born out of wedlock. But he also knew it was
hypocritical, as many couples lay together before marriage and had a ripe belly
at the altar as the marriage vows were spoken.

He also knew of many couples who were married, yet took
lovers or mistresses on the side. That his daughter had a living copy of her
lover only made it more obvious. But she was not the first nor the last woman
to have a child outside of the marriage state.

Anne was indignant when she heard the news. She closed her
eyes against the shame and anger and turned on her husband.

“
I
blame you entirely,
”
she spoke roughly.

Edward was not surprised at all by his rigid wife
’
s response.

“
And
why is that?
”
he
asked.

“
Because
you spoiled the girl and gave her an education not befitting her station.
”

“
So
her education was a waste?
”

“
Yes,
Edward. It was. When a woman
’
s
role is to rule a household and marry, then the arts, music, and embroidery are
sufficient.
”

“
Then
you and I are in disagreement in this matter, as we always have been,
”
he said and shrugged.

Anne rolled her eyes in frustration.

“
So
now, we have an unmarried daughter in our house as well as her bastard.
”

Edward took two strides to reach his wife and grabbed her
upper arms in his hands.

“
Madame,
as long as I am alive, my daughter and her son have a place here. Should you
ever mention the word bastard in my or her hearing, it will not bode well for
you. Do we understand each other?
”

Anne looked at him coldly.

“
Perfectly,
”
she hissed at him.

***

Charles had enjoyed the first few years spent with his new
bride, Sarah. But after the newness wore off, he settled back to joining his
friends at the gaming halls and an occasion visit to the brothel. He spent his
coin sparingly, but allowed himself these little trifles.

Sarah had given birth to two daughters and doted upon them
rather than her husband. He spent much time with his good friend Thomas
Merritt, who was the second son of an earl. Thomas would not inherit any lands
or titles, but his father was generous with his allowance. Charles had first
met Thomas at Eton, though he was several years behind him. Thomas was a
likeable man, with brown hair and hazel eyes, compared to Charles
’
blonde hair and blue
eyes.

He was an amiable man who liked nothing more than a game of
billiards and some lively conversation. He was in his late twenties and had
still not married, much to the chagrin of his family. His elder brother was
married and had a son, while Thomas preferred the life of ease and enjoyment over
the restraints of marriage.

Thomas was well acquainted with Charles
’
family, including his
sisters, though he had not seen Katharine for several years. He remained mostly
in London and rarely ventured to the country. When Charles decided to return to
the country at his father
’
s
request, he invited his friend Thomas for a long weekend. Thomas was delighted
to accept the kind invitation.

***

Charles took in the information slowly and eyed his father
with awe. His sister had returned to the family well and unharmed, and for that
he was very grateful. Sarah had been distraught when she had returned from the
market without her sister-in-law. She had been inconsolable and would be so
relieved to know Kat was well.

But as his father continued to speak, he gaped at him in
horror. His sister had returned, but not alone. She had given birth to a
bastard child whose father was an Arab. Charles felt anger fill his senses at
the shame and disgrace of it all. He knew women of lower classes would spread
their legs and breed without the sanctity of marriage but that his sister was
one of them disgusted him.

Apparently, his father knew the man who had impregnated his
sister and found him to be an honorable man. He had asked Edward
’
s permission to marry and
Katharine was equally in love, so his father said.

Honorable? What man would take advantage of a young woman of
her social standing? As Charles listened to his father, he knew that Edward had
taken the high road and accepted his sister and her child into his home. It was
almost too much to bear.

“
Charles,
”
his father said as he
laid a hand on his son,
“
your
sister has been through much. The Mother Superior who saved her life is staying
with us. I ask you to be the true gentleman you are and give them your respect.
”

Charles nodded.

“
Of
course, Father. She is still my sister.
”

“
Thank
you, son. And you are an uncle!
”

“
Yes,
Father,
”
Charles
spoke dryly.

***

Abigail and Katharine walked along the garden filled with
lush roses in bloom. Katharine pushed the baby carriage as her son lay sleeping
peacefully.

“
You
look very well, Kat. Being home agrees with you,
”
Abigail said as she walked beside her, fingering the cross hanging around her
neck as she spoke.

“
I
feel well. My father has been so gracious and understanding. And now that I
know Mohammed loves me and asked for my hand, I am sure everything will be all
right,
”
she said,
beaming. Her simple white muslin dress made her seem young and innocent.

Abigail smiled and said a quick prayer, thanking God for his
mercies.

“
You
were right all along,
”
Katharine said as she turned to the older woman.
“
You
have been my guardian angel.
”

Abigail turned pink at the compliment.

***

Anne and Charles were in the upstairs sitting room together.
Charles stood facing the fireplace while Anne stared into her teacup.

“
How
could you have allowed this, Mother?
”
he spoke abruptly. His voice was harsh and cold.

“
Me?
I am not the one who coddled her as a baby, spoiled her, and educated her as if
she were to be a monk,
”
Anne spat out.

“
Yes.
Father was wrong to have educated a woman beyond her station and place,
”
Charles agreed. He
remembered bitterly that Katharine had always excelled in all she had been
taught while he had struggled in his studies.

 
“
And
now she has come home, which is just as well, but unmarried with that bastard.
Have you seen him? He
’
s
practically negro,
”
Anne said. His mother
’
s
tongue could be cutting, and the Spanish word for black was certainly an
exaggeration.

“
Surely
not, Mother,
”
he
said, almost smiling.

“
Yes,
Charles. You have never truly understood what I endure here with her, and your
father only encourages her.
”
She placed the teacup down with a decided clank.
“
After
all, as a prominent family we are looked upon to set the example. You, Sarah,
your sisters, all of us. What will everyone think once it becomes general
knowledge that my daughter is no better than a common trollop!
”
she hissed.

Though Charles agreed and thought Katharine had behaved
badly, he tried to calm his mother.

“
Well
perhaps it
’
s just as
well that I invited Thomas down for the weekend, unless you think I should
postpone his visit for another time,
”
he asked solemnly.

“
No!
Indeed no. Thomas is such a gentleman. He has fine manners and his breeding
impeccable. I think it would do well to have such a man in the house at this
time,
”
she said as
she smiled.
“
Quite
an attractive man too.
”

“
Yes
Mother,
”
he managed.

“
I
am so upset over this matter, Charles. Katharine has always been haughty and
arrogant, but this is too much to bear.
”