Captive of the Corsairs by Elizabeth Ellen Carter

Author:Elizabeth Ellen Carter
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2017-07-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

SITTING WITH LAURA in the botanical gardens’ tearooms in the harsh light of day made Sophia’s nocturnal marriage seem something of a dream.

The reality of waking to a bright yellow band on the third finger of her left hand this morning was her proof. She fidgeted with her teacup, anything to keep her fingers away from playing with that same ring which now hung on a necklace hidden beneath her dress.

“Sit still,” Laura admonished.

Her fingers then thrummed a beat on the table. Laura raised her head to glare at her cousin over the easel. Sophia dropped her hands into her lap with a sigh.

Laura put down the paintbrush. “What on earth is wrong with you this morning?”

“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong.” Perhaps she should casually mention that she got married last night – what would her cousin say to that? For a moment, an image of Samuel came to mind. Sophia was about to change the subject but Laura had already gone back to her painting.

“Why couldn’t we have had tea in our rooms?” Sophia asked.

“Our rooms don’t get the morning sun and, besides, I want to try my hand at some botanical subjects for my portfolio and,” Laura lowered her brush and leaned in, “I have an ulterior motive.”

She nodded to Sophia’s right. Members of the Ottoman envoy’s party were clustered in the corner of the pavilion, drinking from small, jewel-like, enameled cups. The aroma of dark, pungent coffee mingled with smoke from a strange looking device – a narrow glass vase, bulbous at its end, the top finished in silver and a hose ending at a terminal of brightly-painted porcelain.

“I’ve seen them here every day this week, and now I’m going to paint them as a surprise for – Captain Hardacre! What a delight to see you!”

Sophia watched Kit take her cousin’s proffered hand.

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Laura… and Miss Sophia.”

Kit’s voice dropped half an octave, giving her name extra weight. She glared at him momentarily as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. The tingles absent from their midnight wedding kiss returned and settled around her chest, close to the gold ring between her breasts. His look made her conscious of it.

She seemed more aware of a lot of things since last night. The tearoom in the botanical gardens seemed more humid, the sound of staff serving customers seemed sharper as sound reflected off the multi-paned windows in the pavilion.

Laura, however, was oblivious to her tension. In fact, with her artist’s accoutrements with her, she was quite at home. She invited the captain to join them, and Sophia watched Kit choose the white wicker chair facing out into the gardens.

“Forgive my interruption, ladies. Miss Green, I hope to monopolize some of your time today. Professor Fenton has asked me to liaise with you on the details for the trip to Catallus.”

Sophia watched Kit’s face to see if she could discern any hidden meaning in his words but they were straightforward as was the request.

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