Read Online A Captain's Destiny by Marie Caron - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marie Caron
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her.
Before she could rise to her feet, her stepfather put a firm hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down in her chair, scowling at her.
“I don’t think you could do any better, miss, and I have no intention of allowing you to wither here on the vine, letting the gossip continue to cause me even further embarrassment. Now, my dear, leave us, so that his grace and I may discuss the terms of your marriage contract.”
Feeling trapped in a nightmare, Katherine almost ran all the way to her room.
Chapter 13
Six weeks later Katherine and her new husband were on their way to London aboard a cargo ship loaded with tea, coffee, cinnamon, and other spices. Their wedding had been a rushed affair held at Houghton Manor in Colombo, Ceylon, attended by her stepfather’s business associates, his banker, legal representatives, and their wives and children. No one had dared to snub the judge, so though the attendance was one-sided, there had been about one hundred guests. Captain Spencer, whose family resided in or near London and could not come out on such short notice, still seemed happy that the wedding had taken place in Ceylon. And though Katherine thought his attitude a bit odd, she didn’t question him about it. If Anthony didn’t mind that his family was not in attendance, it was fine with her; she didn’t have to pretend to feel joy she didn’t feel.
She’d had misgivings concerning their wedding night, at which time she was certain Anthony would expect to receive his just reward for marrying a woman who had fallen from grace, such as herself. Katherine had been right about his intention to mark her as his own, but he hadn’t figured on her ability to feign illness. She complained of stomach distress and nausea and even managed to throw up a few times. And thus she was the only one who lay in their wedding bed that night and for the three days immediately following the ceremony. On the fourth day they set sail for England.
Katherine was relieved to be on the ship where she could continue her act. Little did he know that rough seas didn’t make her sick; they only made her job easier. If she could just reach England without having to endure the touch of a man she detested, then maybe she could rid herself of this husband she’d never wanted in the first place.
“I swear the captain is going out of his way to locate every swell,” she moaned one afternoon, her left arm thrown across her brow as she lay stretched out on the only bed in their cabin.
Anthony, who had been mopping her brow with a cool, damp cloth, suddenly threw it down with disgust into the ceramic bowl on the washstand, and glared down at her. “If I thought you were going to be sick every day after I married you, I never would have asked for your hand,” he spat angrily.
“I am sorry, Anthony, but I can’t help it if I feel sick,” she whined as the bed tipped to and fro. “Maybe a cup of tea and some dry bread would make me feel better,” she suggested, looking up at him from beneath half-lowered lids. The ship was rolling back and forth, back and forth, and he had to hold on to the rafters in the ceiling in order to remain on his feet.
“Very well. I’ll see what I can do,” he said, and then he zigzagged out of the cabin.
Katherine immediately got up and rushed to use the chamber pot. It would never do to allow Anthony to see her getting around on her own. For her act to work, he needed to think she was totally incapacitated. Thus, she was back in her bed before he returned, the covers pulled up to her chin.
Once they reached England, she planned to get an annulment. That would be a fairly easy thing to do if the marriage had never been consummated. Surely Anthony wouldn’t protest, once he saw how determined she was to end the marriage. After all, he was an earl. Surely he could find someone else to marry. With her stepfather far away in Ceylon and unable to interfere, she had a chance. In England she could start again.
Before she could rise to her feet, her stepfather put a firm hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down in her chair, scowling at her.
“I don’t think you could do any better, miss, and I have no intention of allowing you to wither here on the vine, letting the gossip continue to cause me even further embarrassment. Now, my dear, leave us, so that his grace and I may discuss the terms of your marriage contract.”
Feeling trapped in a nightmare, Katherine almost ran all the way to her room.
Chapter 13
Six weeks later Katherine and her new husband were on their way to London aboard a cargo ship loaded with tea, coffee, cinnamon, and other spices. Their wedding had been a rushed affair held at Houghton Manor in Colombo, Ceylon, attended by her stepfather’s business associates, his banker, legal representatives, and their wives and children. No one had dared to snub the judge, so though the attendance was one-sided, there had been about one hundred guests. Captain Spencer, whose family resided in or near London and could not come out on such short notice, still seemed happy that the wedding had taken place in Ceylon. And though Katherine thought his attitude a bit odd, she didn’t question him about it. If Anthony didn’t mind that his family was not in attendance, it was fine with her; she didn’t have to pretend to feel joy she didn’t feel.
She’d had misgivings concerning their wedding night, at which time she was certain Anthony would expect to receive his just reward for marrying a woman who had fallen from grace, such as herself. Katherine had been right about his intention to mark her as his own, but he hadn’t figured on her ability to feign illness. She complained of stomach distress and nausea and even managed to throw up a few times. And thus she was the only one who lay in their wedding bed that night and for the three days immediately following the ceremony. On the fourth day they set sail for England.
Katherine was relieved to be on the ship where she could continue her act. Little did he know that rough seas didn’t make her sick; they only made her job easier. If she could just reach England without having to endure the touch of a man she detested, then maybe she could rid herself of this husband she’d never wanted in the first place.
“I swear the captain is going out of his way to locate every swell,” she moaned one afternoon, her left arm thrown across her brow as she lay stretched out on the only bed in their cabin.
Anthony, who had been mopping her brow with a cool, damp cloth, suddenly threw it down with disgust into the ceramic bowl on the washstand, and glared down at her. “If I thought you were going to be sick every day after I married you, I never would have asked for your hand,” he spat angrily.
“I am sorry, Anthony, but I can’t help it if I feel sick,” she whined as the bed tipped to and fro. “Maybe a cup of tea and some dry bread would make me feel better,” she suggested, looking up at him from beneath half-lowered lids. The ship was rolling back and forth, back and forth, and he had to hold on to the rafters in the ceiling in order to remain on his feet.
“Very well. I’ll see what I can do,” he said, and then he zigzagged out of the cabin.
Katherine immediately got up and rushed to use the chamber pot. It would never do to allow Anthony to see her getting around on her own. For her act to work, he needed to think she was totally incapacitated. Thus, she was back in her bed before he returned, the covers pulled up to her chin.
Once they reached England, she planned to get an annulment. That would be a fairly easy thing to do if the marriage had never been consummated. Surely Anthony wouldn’t protest, once he saw how determined she was to end the marriage. After all, he was an earl. Surely he could find someone else to marry. With her stepfather far away in Ceylon and unable to interfere, she had a chance. In England she could start again.
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