Shackles of Honor (26 page)

There had been no word from Mason. Each night in her dreams and often in the days as she was wide awake, she remembered his lips on hers so briefly in the corridor before Mathias interrupted them. She closed her eyes and breathed heavily
,
trying to remember the scent of his hair, the smell of his skin. Often she found herself standing before the large pirate portrait in the grand hallway of portraits, studying every line of his face and body, every jewel that adorned him, the rebellious expression in his youthful eyes. And
,
oh, how she yearned to look upon him once more, to be startled by the pure magnificence of his masculine good looks. Her arms, waist
,
and shoulders ached for his embrace. At times her body would felt cold and tired. She knew that were he close to glare at her and take hold of her arm roughly in reprimand, she would feel strong and warm again.

“Good morning, dear sisters!” Vesta Ashmore called cheerily as she entered the breakfast room. “Darlings, you look lovely! Devonna, I swear you grow younger daily.”

“Vesta!” Devonna greeted brightly. “Come. Sit and have some of Syndle’s delicious strawberry preserves with us. Come, come, now.”

Vesta shook her head
,
saying, “No, no, Devonna. My corset stays are uncomfortable as it is, but I will sit and chat for a moment.”

“Wherever are the girls today? Did they not wish to come to see us?” Devonna asked.

Cassidy was greatly relieved not to have to face Gabrielle again. She hadn’t seen her since the evening when she wore the red dress, the evening she experienced Mason’s touch and light kiss for herself. She feared that were she to lay eyes upon the beautiful Gabrielle Ashmore once more, her memories of Mason’s arms about her, his mouth beginning to instruct her in accepting a man’s kiss, would be tainted somehow.

“Denay is out and about with her brothers
,
and Gabrielle has been gone a week already up to Haggarty to visit her aunt and uncle there,” Vesta informed them, taking a warm muffin and slathering it with preserves.

Instantly Cassidy felt as if she might vomit. Her stomach was so completely sickened by Vesta’s revelation that she stood, steadying herself at the edge of the table.

Vesta seemed unaware of Cassidy’s sudden illness and prattled on. “Oh, are you just so entirely excited about the ball, Devonna? You’ve so much yet to do, I’m certain! And
,
Cassidy, how is your dress coming along?”

“F
-f
ine,” Cassidy managed. “Will you excuse me, please
?
I…think I’ve overeaten this morning.”

“Of course, darling. It’s easy to do with Syndle’s preserves. Do you want me to send Katie up to you?” Devonna asked, seemingly ignorant to what matter had truly upset Cassidy.

“No, no. I think I’ll walk awhile,” Cassidy said, turning from them to hide her tears.

“Fresh air. Always the best medicine if you ask me,” Vesta commented.

Cassidy heard no more of their conversation
,
h
eard not their bidding her well. Quickly she made her way out of the house
,
stepping just outside the front doors of Carlisle Manor.

“Mason,” her voice breathed as she covered her mouth to prevent the contents of her stomach from escaping her throat. He’d gone to Haggarty to be with Gabrielle! There was no other explanation as to why Gabrielle would be there—or to why Mason would be there. They were together! In each other’s arms, no doubt
—
Gabrielle tasting of Mason’s kiss, the kiss Cassidy had so often dreamt of since he left. And then, as if in answer to a prayer for strength, Cassidy heard the sound of an approaching horse. Looking up, she burst into tears and ran to Ellis as he dismounted. Powerfully he caught her in his arms, stroking her hair as she sobbed against him.

“Cass, darling! Whatever has happened?” he asked. She could not answer him so great was her sorrow and so forceful her tears. A stablehand appeared
,
and Ellis handed him the reins to his mount. Then he led Cassidy away from such a public place, down toward the lake. “Darling, what? I’m here, Cass…your Ellis. I’ve come to your side. I’ve come to you.”

Finally, after long minutes, Cassidy was able to raise her head and look at him. “He has gone to her, Ellis,” she sobbed. “He has gone to her in Haggarty!”

“What? Who has gone to Haggarty? Who is she
,
and who is he?” he asked in legitimate ignorance.

“Mason,” she sobbed, turning from her brother. All her life Ellis had been security and comfort to Cassidy. He was even now, but somehow his warm, brotherly embrace was not satisfying to her sorrow. “Mason has a lover…a mistress, Ellis. And…and she’s with him in Haggarty.”

“Mason? A mistress, Cass? Nonsense! Not such as he,” Ellis argued, though he did not sound completely convinced of his own argument.

“He does! And she is so beautiful, Ellis. He…he told me that he had given her up. I even heard…he told me that she was not such to him. But then…a week ago he left to do business in Haggarty, and I’ve only just been told that
she
has been in Haggarty this past week as well!”

“You’re mistaken, darling. Mason is not the sort of man to trifle with women—to blacken any woman’s good name.”

Cassidy turned on him, furious at his traitorous words. “How can you defend him? You know him less than I! I’ve lived in his home! Seen him in social situations with her! I’ve been here enduring his feelings for her! How dare you come here and tell me of his character?”

Ellis was quiet for a moment. A frown puckered his brow deeply. “I
had
no
idea
that you were so deeply in love with him already, Cass,” he said in almost a whisper.

“Love has nothing whatsoever to do with it, Ellis!” It was the first time she had ever lied to her brother. “My reputation is at stake!”

“Folderol, Cass. He captured your heart the minute you first saw him
,
and do not pretend to me any further.”

“I cannot endure this, Ellis. I cannot! I cannot go through my life living this way!”

“Darling, I have something I should say
.
” His manner was uncharacteristically serious
,
and it captured Cassidy’s attention at once. “Father and I had a great falling out over this matter. Oh, yes…for your sake, I was decent to Mason once the announcement had been made
,
and I realized that you had made your decision in favor of him. But that’s only because I didn’t want to put further doubt and agony in your heart. I assumed that if I accepted him
—
or at least appeared to be attempting to accept him
—
that it might go easier for you. But once you had gone…I confronted Father, telling him the wrong of this. I asked how he could have given you…sold his own daughter to an angry stranger such as Mason Carlisle. Father challenged me then to find something to demean Mason’s character, something to prove him to be anything but what he appears and claims.

“This mission I took to heart, Cass. I sought out everyone who had ever known Mason Carlisle. Though that may be an exaggeration, it certainly seemed to be the truth at times. I’ve worn myself to an unhealthy state in trying to prove to Father Mason’s unworthiness of you, trying to prove it to myself, perhaps. And yet, my dar
ling, there is nothing, nothing
save one impetuous act as a youth, to promote any form of dishonor to Mason Carlisle. There are not even the rumors that accompany a man of his stature. None. No whisperings of mistresses, no misdealings where business is concerned. I say to you that the one thing I did hear of him was nothing more than the natural rebellion of youth.”

“His ambition was piracy. I know of it…if it is that to which you refer,” Cassidy offered, her sobbing slowing as she listened to her brother’s report.

“So you know of Mason the pirate?” Ellis asked, smiling. “Then you know him
—k
now him as well as anyone. For it seems to be the only questionable act of his entire life!”

“But I heard them, Ellis. I heard them talking, he and Gabrielle. She offered herself to him
. H
e refused, yes, but they had been involved…for years
,
it seems,” Cassidy confessed.

Ellis sighed heavily and chuckled. “Still eavesdropping, Cass? You know that Mother always told you that no good can come from overhearing part of a conversation that
—
”

“I heard the
entire
conversation, thank you, Ellis,” Cassidy defended herself, still blushing guiltily. “And if you have no information on his relationship with Gabrielle Ashmore, then how should I be inclined to believe the rest of what you have gleaned?”

“I do know of his association with Gabrielle Ashmore. They’ve known each other since they were children. Both are very attractive people. I would expect no less than a one-time attraction between them. He is a man after all, dear Cass. Would you expect him to ignore the fact as he waited seventeen years for you to grow up?”

“Yes!”

“No. I would consider no man to be a man were his attentions not captured by a beautiful, kindhearted woman during his bachelor years. And neither would you. For pity’s sake, Cassidy!” he exclaimed suddenly, seeming to lose patience for a moment. “You’ve lived in the same house with me all your life. I am a moral, upstanding man, and yet I have kissed my fair share of maidens, lost my heart to a beautiful woman, and yet…does it mean that I’ll not prove faithful and adoring to she who eventually captures my heart and soul entirely? Would it ever enter your mind, for one moment, that I would consider taking a woman to mistress?”

“No, of course not!”

“Then why can you not place the same faith in this man
Carlisle
? I’ve spent two weeks of my life, Cassidy…rather, wasted two weeks of my life, in an effort to defile his character—in an effort to prove him unworthy of you
. A
nd, my dear sister, though you may think it a traitorous remark, I deem him worthy. I find no fault with him other than those that accompany human nature itself.”

Cassidy closed her eyes for a moment, placing her hand protectively over her heart as she whispered, “You see then, Ellis…he is far too perfect for me. How can I ever hope to
—
”

At once she was in her brother’s warm embrace again. “No one is too perfect for you, Cass. Why not let the anguish in your heart and mind prove his worthiness to you? Would you love a man so deeply who was not all that he appeared to be, who was not a faithful, trustworthy, moral
,
and soundly good man?”

“In the instance of Mason Carlisle, I can no longer trust my good judgment, Ellis,” she admitted.

“Then trust in mine, dear sister. Trust only in mine.”



“Young Ellis Shea?” Devonna exclaimed as Ellis entered the library, Cassidy on his arm. “No! Certainly you cannot be young Ellis
.
”

“Milady
Carlisle
,” Ellis greeted with a bow, taking Devonna’s hand and kissing the back of it tenderly.

Cassidy was immediately astounded by the tears that were evident in Devonna’s eyes as she looked upon Ellis with
love. “You’re the very vision of your father, young man, the very vision.”

“The greatest of compliments, milady, for it is said that my father is quite strikingly handsome.” Cassidy rolled her eyes in disbelief of her brother’s use of humor in the particular situation.

Lady Carlisle smiled and laughed somewhat nervously. “No less humble than your father as well. It’s good to have you, dear boy, and I know Cassidy looks upon you as her deliverer.”