Shackles of Honor (41 page)

“I cannot speak for Miss Shea, Mother,” Mason answered. “But as for myself, I’m ready to reveal my gift at any given moment.”

Cassidy looked to him quickly. Did he mean to reveal their secret? How devastating it would be to Katie were her Thomas to find out the true source of information that led to his, however well-deserved, advancement.

“Why not now, Mason?” Devonna coaxed excitedly.

“As you wish, Mother,” Mason said, rising. “If you would all come up to my father’s room for a moment please.”

Ellis looked at Cassidy, winking reassuringly, as did her father.

“I did neglect to tell you, darling,” Ellis said quietly as he and Cassidy followed closely behind Mason on the way to LaMont’s room, “you look splendid, as always, in that white gown.” Cassidy knew that Ellis, like herself, sensed the magnitude of what was about to happen and this was his way of trying to offer her reassurance.

“And you, dear brother, have made the situation of the cravat into an art once again,” she whispered a moment before they entered the room.

Again, Cassidy felt the melancholy of impending loss wash over her as they entered Lord Carlisle’
s room. But
upon seeing his handsome and smiling face staring out at her from the pillows of the enormous bed, her heart lightened.

“My dears,” he greeted in his great, deep voice. “All of you!” Cassidy did note that his voice did not sound as large as it should have—as it had in the past. “The moment is finally and at last upon us, is it not, Calvert?”

“Blessedly,” her father said, situating himself comfortably in a nearby chair, holding tightly to Cylia’s hand as she took a chair next to him.

“Yes, my darling,” Devonna confirmed, throwing herself against him at once. Cassidy thought it very tender and loving the way the great lady tossed propriety to the wind each time she entered her husband’s chamber. She cared not for the opinions of others as she nearly scrambled up into
his bed, stretched
out beside him
,
and toyed with his hair lovingly.

“Then come forward, my youngest dove,” LaMont instructed, motioning to Cassidy. Instantly Cassidy moved toward him and bent to place an affectionate kiss on his fevered forehead when he indicated to her that she should do so. “Mason,” he said. Mason, who had been standing in the back of the room, went to stand next to Cassidy and before his father as instructed. “All of you come closer,” he motioned to Cassidy’s family members. “I understand, my dove,” he said to Cassidy, “that you, being the sweetly humble and kindhearted dove you are
,
have not been able…well, actually, nearly refused to decide on an engagement gift.” Cassidy looked quickly to Mason
,
who stood tall and serious, looking down at his father. “Therefore, the boy has had to leave the task to his own methods. Heaven help you, my dove, for it escapes me what his imagination may have concocted.”

Cassidy looked to Mason, who raised his eyes for only a moment to look at her, the cold expression that was so familiar to her freezing her confidence at once.

“But before Mason presents his individual gift,” Lord Carlisle continued, “there is the issue of
—
Devonna…” Cassidy watched as the great lady reached into the hidden pocket of her gown and retrieved a small box, handing it to her son. Likewise, the great man, so ill and bedridden, reached back beneath his pillow and withdrew a similar, only larger box. “For you, my love. My one and only true and eternal love,” he whispered as he opened the box to reveal a spectacularly jeweled ring set in black silk. Next to it lay a large, gold, oval-shaped locket. Tenderly he placed the ring, which appeared to be more of a band of diamonds and sapphires, on Devonna’s finger. Then, quite unexpectedly
,
he closed the jewel case and tucked it beneath his pillow. “The other is for another occasion, my love,” he whispered.

“Oh, LaMont,” Devonna whispered, studying the ring an awed moment before embracing him lovingly. “It was not necessary, you know, darling.”

“Yes, it was. It is always the way. And even if it were not…you must always wear my ring, Dev,” the man told her. Then, turning his attention to Mason once more, he nodded.

Cassidy’s heart began to pound wildly with a sort of sickened nervousness as he raised his eyes to her. His gaze was intent as he spoke. “It is tradition in the Carlisle family that you wear the
Carlisle
ring.” Opening the box, Mason held before her a very delicately carved band of gold inset with an artistically arranged pattern of rubies and diamonds. The design of the gems was not unlike that of some exotic flower. “It was crafted by an exceptionally talented jeweler over one hundred and twenty years ago for the bride taken by my great-great-great-grandfather. She in turn gave it to her son
,
that he might present it to his bride. And his bride, in turn, imparted it to her son, who in turn placed it on the finger of his bride and so forth. Now my mother gives it to me to place on your finger, signifying that you will one day be mistress of
Carlisle
. That you will one day gift it to your own son.”

Mason reached out to take Cassidy’s hand, but she pulled it back, looking to Devonna. He inhaled a deeply impatient breath.

“But it’s yours, milady! I cannot possibly take it from you. I wouldn’t feel…” Cassidy stammered.

“It was LaMont’s ring, darling,” Devonna said, a radiant smile on her lovely face. “The token of the
Carlisle
line.” There was no trace of regret whatsoever about her. “Now it is Mason’s. And
you
are Mason’s. I give it freely and without any hesitation, darling, for it’s a thing. And a thing only. It is its
significance
that I adored, and I still have that, do I not?”

But LaMont wanted Devonna
,
Cassidy thought to herself. “But…” she stammered.

“Darling,” Devonna began, gracefully rising from her place beside her husband and going to Cassidy. Cassidy felt her own mother’s hand at her shoulder as well. “Things are not so completely different here as you think. I too denied the ring from LaMont’s mother
—m
uch for the same reasons, all the same reasons that you do now. But it’s a token of fidelity. Of promise. Of strength. And I give it freely and most joyously to Mason to give to you now.”

It’s not nearly the same as your LaMont giving it to you
,
Cassidy thought again.

Then LaMont chuckled, though Mason’s eyes were cold and nearly angry. Everyone looked to the great man as he laughed wholeheartedly a moment before speaking to Cassidy. “Just be glad, my newest dove, that my son is not the hotheaded rascal that I was!” Opening his robes then, he exposed his still powerfully defined chest, pointing to a spot just to the left of his heart.

Devonna giggled. “In his determination to profess his sincere and endless love for me…the fool had my name tattooed across his breast!”

Cassidy’s eyes widened as she did indeed see there, very clearly written over Lord Carlisle’s heart, the name of Devonna.

“Nicely written, that one,” Ellis accidentally mumbled out loud.

“Indeed,” Lord Shea agreed.

“I’ve forbidden Mason to do anything so ridiculous and corruptive to his body, my dove,” LaMont chuckled. “But I’m sure he will let you prove your claim on him somehow.”

Mason still said nothing, only reached forward and took Cassidy’s hand once more, raised it
,
and placed the ring firmly on her left ring finger. There seemed to be an instantaneous, fierce, wild sensation that began where the ring sat and moved out and about Cassidy’s entire body. For in that very instant, Mason’s gesture, whether done out of duty or desire, was finalizing. He meant to marry her. She was assured of it n
ow. He did not release her hand
but
,
placing her palm against his own, interlaced their fingers
,
saying, “It is done. Cassidy Bliss Carlisle
,
you will be the wife and possession of Mason LaMont Carlisle. And I, in turn, will be the husband and possession of Cassidy Bliss Carlisle. Claim me how you will.”

Cassidy’s mind was whirling. What words could she possibly say to match Mason’s traditionally poignant ones
?
Then she felt her father slip something into her free hand
,
and she raised it to her own eyes, recognizing it at once. It was a gold band approximately half an inch in width, closely, but not exactly, the duplicate of the one her father had always worn on his left wrist. He had once told her that it was his most cherished of earthly possessions. She had never wondered at its significance until that moment when her mother’s gasp of surprise broke the quiet silence in the room. Obviously her mother had been ignorant of the nature of the gift, which her father had provided.

“I give you this then
—a
s a manifestation that I accept you and you have said that you accept me.” Unlacing their fingers, she unlatched the band, for it was hinged in the middle, and, her hands trembling violently, placed it on Mason’s wrist, latching it finally. For a moment Mason’s eyes lingered on Cylia, who nodded and smiled, and again Cassidy knew that secrets were kept from her for whatever reasons.

“And what of the engagement present, Mason?” Devonna asked. “It’s as yet unknown to any of us. Will you give it to your beauty now?”

“But…I thought…” Cassidy began. The ring. Was not the ring her gift from him? Panic entered her heart once more as Cassidy looked quickly to Mason, wondering if he would indeed explain at length the gift he had already given her, his benevolent gift to Thomas and Katie.

“I will,” he said unexpectedly, his eyes still penetrating her soul as they looked at her. He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and produced another jewel box, only this one rectangular in shape. He held it out in offering to her.

“But,” Cassidy began to argue. Her objection was interrupted by a stern expression of warning from Mason
,
and she knew he did not want her to mention their earlier discussion or the result thereof.

“Go on, darling. It’s meant for you and you alone,” Devonna prodded lovingly. Still Cassidy paused in reaching for the case that Mason offered her.

So, with an impatient sigh, Mason himself opened the box
,
and everyone, including Cassidy, gasped at what lay within. There, suspended on the loveliest of gold chains, was a plate of gold that boasted finely
crafted trim
,
which surrounded a cluster of rubies and diamonds set in the same pattern as the ring Mason had only moments before placed on her finger. The entire setting could be no more than an inch in diameter, but it sparkled and glistened like a million stars in the night sky.

“Beautiful, Mason! It is simply exquisite!” Devonna exclaimed in a whisper.

“Whoever did you find to craft it for you, my boy?” LaMont inquired.

“I will add that one to the rest of the secrets I own,” Mason mumbled significantly. “Is it acceptable to you then?” he inquired of Cassidy.

She felt unable to speak for a moment. Never, never had she imagined that he would gift her with something so obviously well thought out, not to mention extravagant. “Of…of course,” she finally sputtered awkwardly. He grinned mischievously
,
and she knew at once he was feeling quite triumphant and amused at astonishing her so.

“Then you further accept me,” he spoke, removing the necklace from its box. He moved to stand behind her. Her
body thrilled when his fingers fumbled with the clasp as he secured it about her neck
,
and she felt the cold of the gold plate touch her skin just below the hollow of her throat. The warmth of his hands and of his breath w
as
exhilarating on her neck. Cassidy could not keep the goose pimples from running rapidly over her arms at the feel. After he fastened the clasp, he went to stand before her once more. He reached forth and took the cluster that hung from the chain in his fingertips, tugging at it gently to eliminate the
slack. Then, he very slowly laid
the necklace’s treasure against her skin once more.