Chapter Eight #3
When he had gone Jane Devers made no attempt to hide her delight.
“Shane, will you look at it! It’s magnificent!
William, is it not wonderful? Dearest Emily will be so pleased.
It will provide a point of conversation for anyone who admires it.
You shall be able to tell them it was a wedding gift from the duke and duchess of Glenkirk, who are related to the king himself!
What generosity, especially considering …
” Her voice ceased. “It is lovely,” she finished weakly.
“I shall think of Fortune each time I see it,” William said.
“Stop it!” his mother screeched. “I truly believe you have lost your mind, William. I can only pray for you. Stop thinking of yourself! Think of Emily Anne. You hardly spoke to her when she was here in August. The Elliots thought it strange, but I told them you were just exhausted from your travels in England. When your cousin and her family arrive next week I expect you to behave lovingly toward Emily, and with dignity and respect towards her family.”
“Come on, laddie, and ride out with me,” Kieran said, with a quick wink towards his stepmother. “The September air will clear your head, and you’ll be thinking straighter.”
Jane Devers gave but an imperceptible nod of her head to her stepson.
Kieran had been so helpful of late, and while he had certainly never been difficult with her except in the matter of religion, she wondered about his attitude.
Still, she was grateful for he seemed to be the only one that William would listen to these days.
She watched from the window of her salon as the two brothers rode off together.
“Can you feel her watching us?” William said as they set their horses into a canter.
“She is so afraid that I shall cry off at the last minute, and spoil her dreams, but I won’t.
I have no choices left to me at all. I shall marry my cousin, sire children, and do all that is expected of me.
And why? Because I fully believe Da capable of turning about and giving you back your inheritance,” he concluded.
“I don’t want Mallow Court,” Kieran replied.
“But I do,” his brother said, for the first time admitting what Kieran had always known. Willy was indeed his mother’s son.
The two brothers rode in silence for some time, and then Kieran realized they were coming up on Black Colm’s Hall.
From the opposite direction another horse and rider were visible.
Kieran recognized Thunder, and attempted to distract his brother, and turn about, but William, too, had recognized Fortune’s gelding.
He spurred forward eagerly. Cursing beneath his breath Kieran followed.
Fortune recognized the brothers, and swore softly.
She could hardly turn and run at this point.
At least she would get to see Kieran even if he was with Will.
She had only managed to see him once since the end of July, and then but briefly because he wanted no questions asked as to a lengthy absence.
As they drew abreast of her Fortune smiled, drawing Thunder to a halt.
“Hallo!” she greeted them. “What a surprise to meet you two out here. Will, how was England? Your sisters are well, I hope. My most hearty felicitations on your upcoming marriage. I look forward to meeting your bride.”
“I love you!” William Devers cried. “But say the word, Fortune, and I will tell my cousin our wedding is no longer possible!” His blue eyes were pleading with her.
Fortune glared at him as if he had insulted her deeply.
Kieran had warned her about Will’s continuing infatuation.
She had to stop it right now for all their sakes.
“You stupid puppy!” she snapped. “I do not want to marry you! Did my family not make it clear? If they did not, then I will. You are a nice young man, Will Devers, but I would not wed you were you the last man living on the face of the earth.”
“But why?” he wailed at her.
Fortune sighed. It was obvious her blunt tact had not worked, and was not going to work.
She continued on in battle mode. “Why? Because you bore me, Will. You are the dullest fellow I have ever met. Why even Mama’s estate manager, Rory Maguire, has more vitality than you, and is far better read to boot.
Why? Because we have absolutely nothing in common.
I am educated. You care naught for knowledge.
I believe a woman can do almost anything.
You think women are only good for running a household, and having babies.
I could never marry a man like you. Now, do you understand? ”
He stared at her, astounded by her words. “You do not love me?” he said bleakly.
“Nay, I do not love you, nor could I ever love you, Will,” Fortune replied.
“Then why can I not get you out of my heart and soul?” he demanded of her. “You haunt me, Fortune, both when I am awake, and when I am asleep. Why have you bewitched me?”
“I have not bewitched you, Will. You have simply been loved your whole life by your family, and never been denied anything. I am probably the first thing you thought you wanted that you cannot have. You are most fortunate to have your cousin to wed. I am told she is perfect for you, and will be a good wife to you. Be satisfied with that, Will Devers.”
He stared at her blankly and then, turning his horse, spurred away from them.
“You were hard on him,” Kieran said softly.
“Should I have been otherwise?” Fortune replied.
“Nay. You knew just what had to be done, and you did it,” he told her. “I miss you, sweetheart!”
“And I you, but you had best follow your brother lest he grow suspicious. I will see you in a fortnight at the wedding.” She turned Thunder about and rode off.
She didn’t look back. She didn’t dare. The longing for Kieran had over-whelmed her when she had first seen him riding towards her.
It was only in afterthought that she had noticed Will.
Until today she had felt pity for him. Now, however, she felt irritation.
William Devers was a fool. Her parents had refused his suit.
He had spent a summer away from Ulster so he might forget.
He had returned supposedly ready to wed his cousin. Poor girl, Fortune thought.
But to everyone’s delight William Devers greeted his bride-to-be enthusiastically when she arrived a week before their wedding.
She was a pretty young woman, just turned sixteen, with a round, sweet face, and large blue eyes.
Her strawberry-blond hair was styled in bunches of corkscrew curls that bobbed about her face.
She had a straight little nose, and a cupid’s bow of a mouth.
Her skin was the peaches and cream tone so currently in fashion.
William kissed her heartily upon the lips, and left her blushing.
“Ohh, William!” she managed to gasp.
“Welcome home, dearest Emily,” he greeted her, and taking her by the arm led her into the house.
“What has caused this turn?” Shane Devers murmured to his eldest son.
“We ran into Lady Lindley several days ago out riding. Will made a perfect fool of himself, and she gave him a tongue-lashing the like of which I have never heard. I believe the words fool and bore were used several times, Da. She left him absolutely no maneuvering room, or any doubt that she didn’t love him, never loved him, or ever could love him.
She shattered his dream entirely, and I believe it brought him to his senses rather abruptly.
He was quite surprised, for you know he has harbored this boyish infatuation for months now. ”
“Thank God!” Sir Shane said softly. “Your stepmother has been hell to live with of late because she has been in fear that William would cry off at the last moment. She wants this marriage, and always has. She was only willing to give it up for Maguire’s Ford, but once she met Lady Lindley, she saw an enemy who could actually take William from her, and was relieved to have her son turned down. ”
“But she still covets Maguire’s Ford,” Kieran said.
“Aye,” his father admitted.
“They say Lady Leslie is dividing it between her two younger Leslie sons, who are both staunch Protestants. They are already here from Scotland, I have heard,” Kieran told his father. “I expect we will meet them at the wedding.”
“Yer stepmother knows,” Shane Devers replied. “She is hoping that William will impregnate Emily with a daughter first. Then she hopes to match that child to one of the Leslie lads. If she cannot have all of Maguire’s Ford, she is willing to settle for a half.”
“I stand in awe of your wife, sir,” Kieran Devers responded.
“As we all do,” his father replied dryly. “As we all do. Praise God this wedding is but a few days hence. I do not think I can stand much more of this tarah, laddie.”
Kieran chuckled. He knew just how his father felt for he felt the same way, although for different reasons.
But six days after his brother wed Emily Anne Elliot, he would marry Lady Fortune Lindley in the ancient church at Maguire’s Ford.
He longed for that day. He had thought the Leslies overcautious regarding his wedding to Fortune.
He had wanted to share his happiness with at least his father, but today he had seen that they were right.
William’s infatuation for Fortune made it impossible.
He didn’t trust his brother now, for despite the severe put-down he had received, Kieran suspected Willy still harbored feelings for Fortune Lindley.
His attitude toward young Emily was only partially sincere.
When William Devers learned that his older brother, Kieran, had married the woman he secretly coveted, all hell could break loose.
He would have to wait until Willy was safely off on his wedding trip to Dublin before saying a word.