Chapter Forty-Five
They were still unclothed in her bed the following morning when they heard knocking.
“Only Jean-Claude, Danhoul and Tristan know I live here,” Arianna said.
“Mon Sullie, I have messages for you and for Darius if he’s with you?” he called.
Arianna looked regretful but glanced at their garments and saw them attired with her magic.
“Your magic astounds me.” He smiled. “Though I did prefer us being unclothed,” he said kissing her again.
She set cups of tea before them as she sat beside Darius and he lovingly held her hand.
“It is nice to see that smile again, mon Sullie,” Jean-Claude said as he glanced at them.
“Are you certain you feel that way?” Arianna bitingly asked.
“Oui, of course,” he hesitantly replied.
“Apparently you and Amy took it upon yourselves to decide my letter didn’t reach Darius.”
Darius stared disapprovingly at the other man. “Is that true?”
“Mademoiselle Amy and I thought if you were meant to be together you’d fight for your marriage,” Jean-Claude admitted.
“Maybe you wanted Arianna for yourself?” Darius said. “I foolishly believed you were my friend.”
“I am,” Jean-Claude said.
“Clearly your sister thought it best we remained apart, too.”
“Aye,” Darius said. “Well, I’ve no intention of remaining parted.”
“What messages do you have?” Arianna fought being furious with Jean-Claude.
“Mademoiselle Amy has returned to the settlement with Monsieur Kevin.”
“Was she displeased?” Darius asked.
“She said since she didn’t know when you might be able to tear yourself from mon Sullie…”
“Don’t call me that!” Arianna interrupted. “Though our marriage is ended, I’m still a Wyndham. I haven’t changed my name back to O’Sullivan and I’m not even certain you and I can be friends any longer. I certainly don’t want you as my guardian if you so easily interfere in my life.”
His dark brown eyes appeared regretful and he lowered his head.
“Forgive me. I believed it might be easier, for I knew you had to go away. I thought the parting would be even more difficult.”
Darius nodded, but Arianna was still displeased.
“Amy said she needed to return to her young son and if Darius didn’t go back by week’s end, he’d miss her wedding.”
“She and Kevin are being wed so soon?”
Arianna thought Amy and Kevin seemed an odd pairing.
“They’ve been seeing one another,” Darius said. “Admittedly I didn’t know it was that serious. I’ll need to go back.” He looked regretfully at Arianna.
“And the other message?” Arianna asked.
“There’s someone at my home waiting to see you, Darius.”
“Who would that be?” Darius asked but Jean-Claude wore a guarded expression.
“Who is it?” Arianna asked.
“It’s Mademoiselle Elizabeth,” Jean-Claude hesitantly replied.
Arianna’s back stiffened. Darius stared at Arianna, clearly uncomfortable.
“You’ve kept in contact with Elizabeth?”
“I…she’s…”
“Go speak with her then,” Arianna snipped.
“Try not to burn your cottage to the ground,” Jean-Claude warned.
“Thanks to Danhoul, I’ve been learning to curb my temper otherwise your home might have been the one in flames last night when I discovered you ensured Darius and I weren’t reunited months ago.”
“Come with me to speak with Elizabeth, Arianna. I’ve nothing to hide.”
“Believe me, I don’t want to be anywhere near her, Darius.”
He only nodded, and kissed her before he left with Jean-Claude.
Arianna and Wolf walked the path from her cottage but she was startled when Elizabeth hurried toward her looking very displeased.
“I thought you were out of his life for good.”
“It’s been a long time, Elizabeth,” Arianna said.
“I won’t stand for it,” Elizabeth snapped, her nostrils flaring. “You won’t take him from me again. In the time I’ve been staying with him, he hasn’t even mentioned you.”
“You’ve been staying with Darius?” Arianna asked as Darius joined them.
“I found her on the street being manhandled and gave her a place to stay. But, I assure you, we’ve not shared a bed.”
“That’s true. He’s been a complete gentleman because I carry his child,” Elizabeth said.
Arianna stared at her, then Darius.
“That’s a blatant lie,” Darius said putting his hands up. “I’ve never been with her.”
“You were drunk when I came to your workshop,” Elizabeth said.
“I’ve never been drunk enough I wouldn’t know if I’d bedded a woman.”
“You might have believed I was her,” Elizabeth said in disgust tossing her hair toward Arianna.
“We weren’t together.” Darius looked exasperatedly from one woman to the other.
“You did call me your wee witch, so perhaps you thought I was her.”
Now Arianna stared harder at them.
“I despise you, Arianna,” Elizabeth said. “My parents believed you brave in traveling alone. Sarah looked up to you. Young Patrick was attracted to me, but only until he saw you. Darius married you, when I wanted him. Everyone—male or female—is drawn to you and barely notices me,” Elizabeth said.
Arianna’s empathetic heart saddened and she approached Elizabeth.
“Stay away from me, Witch!”
“Arianna?” Darius said apparently uncertain what she intended.
He was likely as surprised as Elizabeth when Arianna put her arms around her.
“I’m sorry, Elizabeth…sorry your parents’ attention was divided with having me there…sorry you were jealous Sarah and I were close. I’m very sorry I didn’t protect you and you were made to watch Johnathan Smythe hurt Sarah. I’m sorry I insisted you go with Patrick and Bessie and her nephews introduced you to physical intimacy when you were innocent and impressionable. I’m sorry I left you with Patrick and Bessie. Sarah needed the security of family but I should’ve known you and Bessie would eventually clash.
“I regret you feel the only way to get attention is to offer your body and that many took advantage of you. I’m sorry you felt the only recourse was to ask Jean-Claude to be employed in his brothel, for he told me of your request weeks ago. I presumed you’d gone back to the settlement when he refused. If you truly have feelings for Darius, that’s regrettable.
“But, Elizabeth,” she said after a long breath. “I won’t apologize for loving Darius. I love him more with every heartbeat and I want to be with him. If you carry his child, it will complicate matters, but if you were together in the time we’ve been parted, I can’t fault either of you, for I wasn’t there as his wife.
“I’m happy he offered you a place to stay though I will always detest what nearly happened before I left the settlement because Darius and I were still married then. Yet, for him seeing you safe, I only love him more. He’s kind and protective and that’s largely why I fell in love with him.”
Darius took Arianna’s hand and looked at her, clearly relieved by her reaction.
“But I found this in your bedside table,” Elizabeth said to Darius. “You must have intended to give it to me so we could be wed.” She held out her hand to reveal a ring.
“I’ll go now. It’s clear you two must speak,” Arianna said.
She snapped her fingers and disappeared.
She recognized the impatient knock on the cottage door.
“Arianna, by Christ, let me in now!”
She unlocked the door with magic.
“I see time apart and magical training hasn’t taught you to refrain from displays of your powers in the presence of those who could harm you with such knowledge,” Darius said.
Arianna didn’t reply.
“I haven’t been with Elizabeth!” he insisted. “She came to the workshop with that intent, but I sent her away, wantin’ nothin’ to do with her when she was largely why you were angry with me.”
“How did she know your fond name for me?”
“She surely overheard it. She did hang about a lot.”
“There’s no possibility she carries your child?”
“Absolutely none. She only stayed with me here in Boston after I saw her being abused. I remembered seeing her and Sarah safe, that first day…and I simply couldn’t see her left on the street.”
“You do have a protective heart, Darius.”
“That has apparently caused more trouble than it’s worth.”
“And the ring?”
“Do you believe I’d intend to give a ring with green gemstones set in a Celtic design to an Englishwoman who’s never seen Ireland?” He pulled it from his pocket.
“No,” Arianna admitted.
“You know the ring was meant for you?”
“Aye,” she whispered.
“When in Wickshire after I first took you to the settlement, I located a silversmith, said I’d reward him well if he’d create a ring worthy of the woman I loved. Finding gemstones was trying, for like young Patrick, I couldn’t decide which shade of green was most like your eyes. I settled on three.”
“It’s beautiful,” she said, gazing at it.
“Yet you’ll not accept it?”
“I’ve worked endlessly on calming my temper, Darius. I admit it still flames hot in regard to Elizabeth and she was once a dear friend.”
“You showed her deep compassion, Arianna.”
“I feel responsible for much that’s happened to her. She’s lost, clearly striving for love and acceptance.”
“You can’t bear that guilt, Arianna.”
“We all hold on to guilt.”
“I must go to the settlement for Amy and Kevin’s wedding. I’ll return soon and we’ll speak again. No matter what you decide about us being remarried, I want you to wear my ring.”
He slipped it over her finger, kissed her quickly, then left before she could respond.