The Pearl Of Great Price

Chapter 4: Wildfire

The carriage slowed to a crawl. Though the journey had been long, the time seemed shorter with the excellent company Charles had by his side. The vibrant conversation, and sentiments of a promising relationship, filled the atmosphere with tremendous satisfaction.

It's interesting how he has not seen his lady wife in years. Yet they can converse like old friends as if they have never been apart. Listening to what was said and unsaid, much was learned about Lady Mary on this trip. He found out his wife is industrious, charitable of her time and money, compassionate of heart, well studied (not that he didn't already know that), somewhat witty, can take a joke, musical, talented, level-headed, and most of all--- strong.

He can now agree with her father. She does have a sensitive heart. Though it's surrounded by a moat and walls of overgrown thorns. Yet somehow, his new Duchess cleared a path for him, and that is all he needs--- a way in.

There was also a discovery of a certain sorrow about her. Mary has been cast aside and ill-treated, left to believe she is unimportant and worthless. Her pretty mouth had never confessed it. However, Charles is a good reader of people and their intentions. He cannot explain it but feels down to his bones that she views herself as unsuitable. Her attractive blue eyes, lovely smile, and drawn heart hold secrets, tears, and a lot of pain that most noble ladies could never understand. It makes his own heart sick for her.

The Duke's eyes focused on his sleeping beauty, and he inhaled her sweet scent--- roses, vanilla, and something fruity. It awakens the senses almost as much as their conversation does. A fascinating discussion with a beautiful mind owning a sweet heart captured in a lovely package does things to him. It's like the best kind of foreplay. As the man thought about these things, he played with a piece of her hair, which had come undone from the pinned curls.

The carriage entered Suffolk. Over the next hill is his home, their home. Charles lightly nestled her to wake as Mary had been sleeping in the crook of his arm. When her eyes closed, he was sure she didn't know the position she'd be enclosed in during the nap. But the moment the girl had turned, he found her head resting on him. This is fine, as it allows His Grace the opportunity to hold her, which is also strange.

The desire to simply hold a lady has never befallen him. An embrace is an embrace, and most of the women he's been with are too suffocating. But Charles wants that type of caress with her. Among all the feelings this girl stirs, the sense of protectiveness is one of the most powerful.

Before he was a Duke, he was the king's bodyguard--- protector and defender of the crown. Charles knows all about security, but who has protected his wife? Who has shielded Mary from all the things that make her heart sad? Who has saved her from the arrows of loneliness or swords of inferiority?

Her long eyelashes fluttered until those prismatic blue eyes opened. "Mary, we're almost at the journey's end. Over the next horizon is Westhrope Hall. You have a direct view out the window on your side of the carriage. I thought you might like to see it," he spoke softly.

The new Duchess sat up, feeling embarrassed. Her head had been lying on his side, though she could do nothing about that now. As if on instinct, her hands found her hair and began putting strays behind her ears. After smoothing out the gown's skirt, her eyes glanced out the side window. It was still twilight time.

Gazing out the window, she surveyed her surroundings. There is little to see yet, mainly a bunch of woods with overgrown thickets. But then the view changed with the new home coming into her line of sight. The Duchess's heart sped up, and her stomach twined again with anticipation. Even though they were far away, Mary could see its form clearly with no obstruction.