One Sinful Night (20 page)

“Thank you. That's the nicest compliment I've had in a long time, Lord Kavanaugh,” Vivienne responded to her future father-in-law with a genuine smile.

“It's too late, Father.” Aidan winked at her. “She has already promised to marry me.”

“She's a good woman, Aidan,” Joseph said approvingly. “She'll make a good wife to you.”

“I know she will,” Aidan agreed. “That's why I asked her.”

“Have a big family, Aidan,” Joseph advised. “I want lots of grandchildren running about the place. It will be good to hear laughter in the house again.”

Vivienne blushed and could not meet Aidan's gaze.

Susana grimaced. “Could we please discuss something else besides marriage?”

“Marriage is not your mother's favorite topic, Aidan,” Joseph Kavanaugh laughed gruffly then took a long sip of wine. “Choose something else for us to talk about, Vivienne.”

Vivienne glanced uncomfortably between Aidan's parents. Amazed that two such disparate people as these two could have created a man as wonderfully loving and caring as Aidan bewildered her. There was a faint resemblance in Joseph Kavanaugh's green eyes that matched Aidan's, but Susana's face seemed prematurely aged and gray. Vivienne could see not a shred of similarity to her cold, sour features on Aidan.

But she could feel Susana Kavanaugh's blatant disapproval of her. She supposed that Susana would not have liked anyone whom Aidan loved more than his mother, but Vivienne sensed an intense and unfounded dislike from the woman that unnerved her. Even when she was a little girl, she instinctively knew where she stood with Susana Kavanaugh. Vivienne almost felt sorry for the woman, for it seemed her husband and her beloved son cared more for Vivienne than for Susana. And Susana was extremely aware of it. No one liked her. Her husband certainly didn't. Still, she was going to be her mother-in-law, so Vivienne made an effort.

“Please tell me what it's like in London, Lady Kavanaugh,” Vivienne suggested brightly. “I've never been, but I hope to visit there one day.”

For one brief instant the glimmer of a smile hovered near Susana Kavanaugh's tightly drawn mouth. “You cannot imagine a city as wonderful as London,” she began.

Joseph guffawed loudly, his once handsome features bloated by drink. “Well now, little lady, you've hit on a topic that my wife is bound to like. But I for one am sick to death of hearing about how inferior we in Galway are to the high and mighty who live in London.”

Susana stood up, and slammed her napkin down on the table angrily. “I'll not be made fun of at my own table, Joseph. I've had enough. If you'll excuse me.” She turned and left the room in a huff, while Joseph laughed heartily and Aidan ran after his mother.

It had been a disastrous evening, although Aidan promised her that the situation would improve. She thought back to when she first met him, when Aidan referred to Cashelwood as a prison and how desperately he wanted to escape. She understood perfectly why he wanted to stow away on a ship.

Now, at Lord Kavanaugh's funeral, she felt the tremendous loss of her staunch ally at Cashelwood. As they filed out of the church that rainy day, she caught Aidan's eyes, and he nodded to her discreetly. She loved him so much. He looked responsible and dutiful escorting his mother, appearing incredibly tall and handsome in his black suit. She was proud of him and proud to become his wife. Meeting his family only reinforced how much Aidan needed her to bring warmth and love into his life. He was giving her so much materially, but she knew what she was bringing to their marriage was equal to, if not worth more than, the wealth Aidan possessed.

Then she felt Lady Kavanaugh's cold glare upon her. The utter malice in her brittle gray eyes stunned her. If she were not mistaken, there was a gleam of triumph in them as well.

A week passed after Joseph Kavanaugh's funeral before Vivienne and Aidan were able to meet once again at their little cottage. As usual Aidan sent a note telling her when to meet him there. When she arrived Aidan wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor, swinging her in a wide circle. Placing her back down, he kissed her as though he had not seen her in months. “Lord, I've missed you.”

“I've missed you, too.” She leaned her head against his chest, feeling safe and protected in his arms. He had a way of holding her that made her feel cherished and utterly loved. She could not think of a lovelier place to be than in Aidan's arms. “How have things been at home?”

Aidan sighed heavily. “Complicated.” They moved to their makeshift pallet on the floor that was their only means of furniture in the place, aside from the small table and two chairs in the corner. Aidan lay propped up on pillows and Vivienne cuddled into the crook of his arm.

“Tell me what's happening, Aidan. It's been torture to see you at the funeral and afterwards and not be able to really talk to you. Has your mother been trying to stop our wedding?”

“I thought she might, but she hasn't said a single word about it. Oh, she hasn't changed her mind, she still disapproves, but she hasn't put up any resistance in the usual way. Now that my father is dead, she wants to move back to England.”

Vivienne's heart leapt at the prospect of Susana Kavanaugh leaving Ireland for good, and she could not help but smile. She had not been relishing the idea of sharing a house with Aidan's mother once they married. Even a house as large as Cashelwood. With Lady Kavanaugh out of the picture, her future as Aidan's wife just became that much sweeter. “So let her go.”

“I would, but we received some news yesterday.” He paused, hesitant to tell her.

Sensing his unwillingness, her brows furrowed in concern. What could be so terrible that he did not want to tell her? “What is it?”

“My father's uncle is the Earl of Whitlock. Sadly he, his wife, and their only son died in a fire last month. We just received the news today.”

“That's tragic,” Vivienne whispered in sympathy, yet confused by the topic. “But what does that have to do us?”

He took a deep breath and stated, “It seems I am the new Earl of Whitlock.”

“Aidan!” Vivienne cried in surprise, her mind spinning. “You're jesting?”

“No, I'm not. The title should have passed to my father, but with him gone, I'm next in line. Much to my mother's delight, I must return to England to claim my title and estates, and apparently my quite considerable fortune.”

Silent at first, a thousand thoughts spun through her head. “What will that mean for us? Will we still get married?”

“Yes, I'm still going to marry you,
muirnin.
” He gave her a comforting squeeze and kissed the top of her head. “It also means that we shall have to marry a little sooner, perhaps before your father arrives, because I need to get to England as soon as I can.”

“So we would have to leave Ireland? Forever?” She could not control the unease in her voice.

“Would you mind terribly?” he asked softly but also in a persuasive tone.

She instinctively knew he wanted her to agree with him. Although she would miss Aggie and Ireland, she answered him honestly, for Vivienne always spoke her mind. “As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we live.”

Aidan kissed her thankfully. “You don't know how happy that makes me, Vivienne. I was so afraid you wouldn't want to come with me. That you would never want to live anywhere but here.”

“I don't want to be anywhere that you're not. I don't like the idea of leaving Aggie, but she would be the first one to tell us to go. And we can always come back to visit. Can't we?”

He gave her a grin of pure delight that reached up to his eyes and said, “Any time you want, my love.”

Vivienne loved when he looked at her that way. “Then there is no problem.”

He sighed in relief as if a heavy weight just lifted from his shoulders. “My mother said you would fight me on this, that you were stubborn and would never agree to marry me if we had to live in England and—”

Vivienne interrupted him, pulling away from his embrace and sitting up straight. “Your mother does not know me well enough to predict my reactions to anything, Aidan. In fact, she hates me. Please don't ever listen to her where I am concerned.”

He began to sit up as well, “Yes, but she was just—”

“She was just meddling and trying to turn you away from me is what she was doing,” Vivienne contested vehemently.

“That's not true.” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “And she doesn't hate you.”

“Aidan, don't be daft! You're mother has hated me from the minute she met me!”

“Don't say that!” he protested.

“I'm not from a wealthy and titled family. She looks down upon Aggie and me. She thinks my father is in the worst sort of profession. Although I'm half English, I might as well be all Irish in her eyes. I'm not good enough for you by her standards. Although I doubt anyone would be.”

He just couldn't see his mother for the bitter woman she was. Susana Kavanaugh was trying to cause trouble, just as Aggie said she would. Vivienne supposed she couldn't fault Aidan for loving his mother, but it stung a little that he would have believed his mother over her.

“She's just upset at losing her husband,” Aidan explained.

Vivienne laughed aloud. “Aidan, you cannot honestly believe that! Your parents despised each other and your mother has hated me long before your father died. And will for a long time after to be sure.”

Aidan stood up and walked to the small window, looking out pensively. “I don't want her to hate you, Vivienne.”

All the anger went out of her. “I know…” she said sympathetically.

She did not want to let Susana Kavanaugh come between them this way. She would not allow her to have that victory. Vivienne would simply have to get used to dealing with his mother, because she was certainly going to be a part of their lives, like it or not. Besides, she couldn't bear to be angry with Aidan.

Feeling contrite, she went to him and apologized. “I'm sorry for overreacting. I know it's not your fault that your mother is the way she is.”

“I'm sorry too.” He kissed her cheek tenderly, looking at her with an earnest expression. “Things are going to be all right, Vivienne. Trust me, please. I love you too much to let anything come between us.”

“I love you too, Aidan. And I will come to England with you.” She couldn't help but add with a mischievous grin, “I love you so much I'm willing to put up with your mother.”

Aidan laughed ruefully at her remark and gave her a playful swat on the bottom.

She kissed him, pulling her to him. They began to kiss intensely, their passions rising, as they always did when they were together. He slowly began to unbutton the front of her dress, tracing a path with his fingers between her breasts. Once again they made love in their little cottage.

 

Less than a week later Vivienne received a note from Aidan asking her to meet him at their cottage. She told Aggie she was going for a picnic with Aidan, and she raced across the green fields of grazing sheep to the cottage. She arrived before he did, bringing a little picnic lunch for them, and she laid it out on the small round table that stood next to a pair of chairs in the corner. Then she filled the vase on the mantel with fresh pink roses she had brought from her garden.

She loved their little afternoon trysts. It was the only time they were ever completely alone together and she cherished these moments.

Impatient for Aidan to arrive, she plumped the pillows on their makeshift pallet and straightened up their little one-room cottage. Recalling how thrilled they were when they discovered it, she smiled dreamily. A typical white-washed dwelling with a thatched roof and a green door, the secluded cottage had been abandoned on the Kavanaugh property, and Aidan had claimed it as their private retreat. Secretly they made it more habitable and Vivienne had swept and scrubbed the floors and brought in little touches to make it more comfortable and romantic.

Daydreaming about being Aidan's wife, she longed for the time when she could sleep in his arms all night long and wake up to his sweet kisses at dawn. One day she would hold their baby in her arms. She loved Aidan completely and without reservation and he filled her with joy and happiness. Soon, very soon, he would be her husband and they could spend every day and night together and wouldn't have to meet in secret at the little cottage.

Or maybe they would, just for the fun of it…This long summer in their cottage had been incredibly magical and beautiful, and in many ways she would miss it.

She anxiously wondered what was keeping Aidan and grew bored. In anticipation of his arrival, she undid the top two buttons on the front of her dress and giggled thinking of his delight when he saw her. Getting into the spirit of her little game, she unpinned her hair, shaking the long dark locks loose, knowing that Aidan loved it when she wore it down. She removed her shoes and rolled down her stockings, setting them neatly in the corner. Bravely she unfastened a few more buttons down the front of her dress.

For a fleeting instant she toyed with the idea of removing her clothes completely and greeting him naked. Modesty won out. Instead Vivienne quickly removed her dress, recklessly slipped off all her underclothes, and put the dress back on. The deep blue dress had a demure neckline and she knew the color emphasized her eyes dramatically. Keeping the dress unbuttoned and open to the waist created an impressive view, exposing her ample breasts just to tempt him. She reclined on the pallet, in what she believed to be an inviting pose. She smiled thinking of Aidan's reaction when he saw her.

Suddenly the door opened, and she was momentarily blinded by the sunlight streaming through the entrance. The door closed, but it was not Aidan standing there.

Horrified, she clutched the front of her dress together and jumped to her feet.