One Sinful Night (19 page)

Galway, Ireland
Ten years earlier…

“You will marry me, won't you, Vivienne?” Aidan asked lazily as he stroked her hair gently while she lay naked in his arms.

She smiled at him, full of love and adoration, “You know I'll marry you, you daft boy.”

He had asked her to marry him at least a dozen times. Overwhelmed with their love, practically consumed by it, Vivienne would have gladly followed Aidan across the burning sands of an Arabian desert if he asked her to.

Aidan had talked of nothing else but marriage since the beginning of the summer when their long-time friendship had blossomed into a full-blown love affair. He wanted Vivienne to be his wife and live with him at Cashelwood. He wanted to be with her forever. And Vivienne felt the same way about him. Completely in love, they spent every free moment they had with each other.

Best friends since childhood, their relationship grew naturally from playmates to lovers because of the special bond between them. That connection linked them together and made them irresistible to each other. Over the years Aidan had matured from the attractive, dark-haired little boy who befriended her on the beach into a broad-shouldered, tall, muscular, and classically handsome man. And Vivienne loved everything about him: his English-Irish blended accent, his gentle hands that caressed her so tenderly and aroused her so easily, his full lips that kissed her with heated passion and whispered words of love, and his intelligent, dark green eyes, with long, dark lashes that seemed wasted on a boy. She loved his cleverness, his genuinely good heart, his strong sense of responsibility, his smile…

“Your mother hates me though,” she added gravely. Vivienne had always tried her best to be nice to Lady Kavanaugh, but no matter what she did, she could not make Aidan's mother like her.

“My father already gave his blessing so there is nothing she can do to stop our marriage now. But she'll come around eventually, once she gets to know you better.”

“I'm not so sure about that,” she muttered, snuggling closer to Aidan's naked body as they lay wrapped in blankets upon a makeshift pallet.

“She'll be fine. Trust me. My mother is not as bad as she appears.”

Vivienne rolled her eyes heavenward, but he did not see it. She knew the only reason they had been granted permission to marry was because Aidan's father happened to like her, whereas his mother patently disapproved. Lady Kavanaugh could not stop the marriage, but she certainly made her feelings against it clear enough.

Aidan kissed her cheek. “We'll get married in the little chapel at Cashelwood just as soon as your father gets here.”

Vivienne's father had been informed of the match and was expected in port within a month or two. John Montgomery had met Aidan many times and welcomed him as a son-in-law.

“I hope he gets here soon. Aggie's almost finished with my dress.” She could not hide her excitement. “It's so lovely, Aidan, wait until you see me in it.”

“I think you look perfectly lovely just like this…” Aidan kissed her again, as he rolled over and covered her naked body with his. His lips pressed along her throat and neck, moving lower between her breasts. She felt herself consumed by her desire for him, her breath becoming rapid and shallow.

“Aidan,” she murmured weakly. “It's time to get back home.” Aggie would have her hide if she missed supper again.

Reluctantly he rolled off her, laying on his back. “I know, I should be getting home, too. But I hate to leave you, my beautiful little witch. I don't want to leave our house.”

For weeks they had been meeting clandestinely in an abandoned cottage on the Kavanaugh's estate whenever they could arrange to get away. Their trysts at the cottage quickly became the focal point of their time together. They referred to it as their house, and indeed they had made it so.

Aidan kissed her one last time and they unwillingly left each other's arms and began to dress. Vivienne was just lacing up her black boots, when Aidan handed a small package to her. She glanced up at him questioningly.

He merely offered her a cryptic smile, his green eyes twinkling. “It's for you.”

Vivienne unwrapped the brown paper and a shiny silver chain fell into her palm. Attached to the chain was a very delicate, heart-shaped silver locket. “Oh, Aidan,” she whispered, “It's lovely.”

“I want to show you how much I love you. Until I can give you the wedding ring,” he stated, with his handsome face so serious and full of earnestness that Vivienne felt tears in her eyes.

She stood and put her arms around him, holding tightly to the beautiful locket. “You don't have to give me anything to show how much you love me. I know that you do. I feel it every time you kiss me. Every time you look at me. I love you with all my heart, Aidan Kavanaugh, and I will be yours forever.”

He kissed her and then whispered in her ear, “Open it.”

She popped the spring on the little heart-shaped locket and found a miniature painting of Aidan on the inside. It was a remarkable likeness, for the artist captured his handsomeness, his eyes, the thoughtful expression on his face. Vivienne smiled with delight. Engraved on the opposite inside panel were the words,
To Vivienne with all my love. Aidan.
She had never seen anything so beautiful. “Oh, thank you!”

She stood on tiptoe to place her lips on his, and once again they lost themselves in a passionate kiss. He finally said, “Let me put it on you.”

She turned and lifted her long hair so he could place the chain around her and fasten the clasp at the back of her neck. She spun back around to show him, wishing there were a mirror in the cottage.

“It looks beautiful on you,
muirnin
,” he said.

A sudden tapping on the cottage door startled them both. They looked at each other in perplexed astonishment for no one knew about their meetings in the cottage. Who could possibly be knocking on the door? Vivienne silently thanked the good Lord that they were both fully dressed and hurriedly attempted to pin up her hair in an effort to look respectable.

Aidan stepped toward the door and asked, “Who is it?”

“It's me. Finley,” an urgent voice declared. “There's been a terrible accident, my lord.”

Aidan opened the door and there stood a servant dressed in the Cashelwood Manor livery of dark blue, a young man of about Aidan's age with sandy blonde hair. Vivienne had met him at the manor once before.

“What is it?” Aidan asked.

“I'm sorry to interrupt, my lord, but I knew you were here. Your mother has everyone out looking for you and I thought it best if I came to get you.” Finley gave a pointed glance toward Vivienne, his meaning quite clear. He knew exactly what was going on in the cottage.

Vivienne felt her cheeks turn scarlet and wished her hair looked more presentable and not like she had been rolling around the pillows with Aidan. Which she had been. She stepped closer to Aidan. He took her hand reassuringly in his.

Aidan looked worried, his dark brows furrowed. “What's happened?”

Finley hesitated for a moment then said, “It's your father, my lord. He fell from his horse. They think his neck is broken.”

Following Vivienne's gasp of shock, Aidan asked, “Is he dead?”

“I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, my lord, but the answer is yes. You're needed at home right away.”

“Oh, Aidan,” Vivienne murmured, squeezing his hand with hers. Aidan had no great love for his father, for he had been a harsh man, but still it must hurt to learn that he died. Aidan's expression became hard and drawn, and he suddenly seemed a thousand miles away from her.

“Finley, will you please escort Miss Montgomery back home? I'll return to Cashelwood immediately.” Aidan turned to Vivienne and kissed her cheek, whispering, “I'll come see you just as soon as I can.”

Vivienne's heart dropped to her stomach and a sense of foreboding crept over her as the three of them left the cottage. Finley, very loyal and discreet, walked her home, although she was perfectly capable of going alone. However, she didn't wish to upset Aidan at such a time, and she let his servant escort her back to town.

“So you and Aidan are marrying soon?” Finley asked in an attempt at conversation.

“Yes,” Vivienne responded distractedly, thinking only of Aidan. “As soon as my father arrives.”

“That's nice,” he commented.

They said little more to each other on the walk home. She thanked him politely and he returned to Cashelwood.

As soon as she walked in the front door, Aggie said, “I heard about Lord Kavanaugh's terrible accident. It's all anyone is talking about this afternoon. How is our Aidan doing?”

“He's handling it well, I suppose. I didn't really have much of a chance to discuss it with him after we heard the news. Then he rushed home.”

Aggie shook her head, her black hair pulled into a neat bun, “The poor lad. It's difficult to lose a parent. As you well know, Vivvy.”

Vivienne nodded in agreement, although she could only imagine how Aidan was feeling. She never even knew the mother who had died giving birth to her, yet still felt her mother's absence keenly after seventeen years. But Aggie had been a wonderful substitute for her and Vivienne could not wish for more than that. Her grandmother had been everything to her since her father was away most of the time. Her upbringing with Aggie had been unusual, for Vivienne had more freedoms than most girls her age. She had been raised to read, write, and, most importantly, think for herself.

Aggie placed a cup of hot tea in front of her as they sat at the kitchen table. “I assume that lovely bit of silver is from Aidan?”

Vivienne could not help the smile that lit her face and her hand fluttered to the locket resting against her chest. “Yes. He gave it to me this afternoon. His picture is in inside.” She opened the locket to show her grandmother.

Aggie stood and inspected the locket closely. “That's a fine likeness of him.”

“He was so sweet to give it to me.”

“You know,” Aggie stated softly, closing the locket and adjusting it on Vivienne's neck, “she'll cause a bit of trouble now.”

“Yes, I've thought of that,” Vivienne said soberly. In fact, she'd thought of nothing else during her silent walk home with Finley. With Aidan's father dead, Susana Kavanaugh was bound to forbid the marriage. “What do you think will happen, Aggie?”

Aggie sat back down and rested her elbows on the table, clasping her hands together, in her usual thoughtful position. “Oh, I think she'll fuss and make Aidan's life a living hell, but in the end, what can she do? He's a grown man. He had his father's permission and blessing before he died. Everyone knows he's marrying you. And now he's the new Lord of Cashelwood and he can do as he likes. If I know nothing else in my life, Vivienne, I know that boy loves you. I've no doubt of that. I think he fell in love with you the first time he stepped into this house.”

Aggie reached out and squeezed Vivienne's hand, her voice warm and soothing as she continued, “I won't lie to you either. It will be very difficult, marrying a man whose mother despises you. Susana Kavanaugh is a bitter and unhappy woman who believes you are not good enough for her son. But you and Aidan are young and strong and love each other. You are destined to be together, so it will happen. One way or another…” Aggie's voice drifted off and a strange look came over her face.

“What is it?” Vivienne asked, worried by her grandmother's pained expression.

She answered softly, “I don't know exactly. I just had a feeling about you and Aidan, but I must be mistaken.”

“Tell me.”

“I don't believe you will marry here in Ireland after all.”

What could Aggie be thinking of? Where else would they get married but here in Galway? Her father was coming home. Aggie had made her a beautiful wedding dress. Of course things would have to be postponed for a while to mourn Aidan's father, but they would get married. It was what they both wanted. “But we will marry, won't we? I don't care where I marry Aidan as long as we get married. I love him,” Vivienne said anxiously.

“You will marry him, of that I'm certain.”

At her grandmother's words, Vivienne breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, she could not shake the feeling that something dreadful was going to happen.

 

A persistent drizzle sprinkled from the low, gray clouds during the funeral for Lord Joseph Kavanaugh. Vivienne sat beside Aggie in the Cashelwood chapel to pay their respects. Aidan was seated with his mother near the altar. Dressed in black, but unable to conceal the joy in her eyes behind her dark veil, Susana Kavanaugh attempted to give the appearance of a grieving widow. She may have fooled the chaplain but she did not fool Vivienne in the least.

The large turnout of mourners did not surprise her, for although he had been a harsh father to Aidan, Joseph Kavanaugh possessed a personality that inspired great devotion among his tenants. He was very popular with the locals as opposed to Susana, who was generally disliked, if not despised, by all who knew her.

In his own gruff way, Joseph Kavanaugh had grown on Vivienne and she had liked him, regardless of his crustiness and overindulgence in drink. She had to give the man a wide margin of error, for being married to a woman like Susana would turn any man into a miserable beast. At first Vivienne suspected that Lord Kavanaugh only approved of her betrothal to Aidan merely to spite his bitter wife, but she came to believe that he genuinely liked her for herself before he died. If there had been any doubt, it lifted one of the last times she had seen him.

“Vivienne, darling, you're so pretty, if I were twenty years younger, I'd marry you myself,” Joseph said during an interminably tense and formal dinner at Cashelwood one night after Aidan asked her to marry him.

Ostensibly, Susana had invited her, but Vivienne knew that Aidan had pressured his parents to spend more time with her. He had also wanted Vivienne to become more comfortable being at Cashelwood, for one day soon it would be her new home. That night she sat in the elegant dining hall at the highly polished table set with fine china, sterling silver utensils, and crystal wine goblets and thought of Aggie's cheery kitchen with mismatched chairs and chipped tea cups. Her life would change in more ways than she first realized once she became Aidan's wife.