Page 31 of The Captain of Betrayal
"And what is it that you see, in front of you?" James asked, silently urging her to say all the things he had longed, for so long, to hear.
"A good man," Polly began, sniffling a little as she spoke. "A man who is honest, trustworthy, a true friend...and a man who would make a wonderful husband."
"Is that all?" James teased with a wicked grin. "You don't find me handsome at all? Just trustworthy, honest and good?"
"No, of course I find you handsome," Polly protested quickly, then seeing the mischievous light in his eyes, she thwacked him on the chest with annoyance. "Oh, you are a beast James Black!"
"A handsome one at least," James quipped, grabbing the hand that poked and prodded his chest, and using it to pull her gently against him. Her soft body, which was now pressed against his, was enough to cure any aches or pains he might have felt, and he knew that he must ask her one question, and very quickly, before he lost all sense of chivalry and thoroughly debauched her.
"So, am I to take it that you are saying yes to my proposal of marriage?"
It was her turn to tease him now, and Polly allowed his question to hang in the air for a few long moments, before giving a throaty laugh and nodding her consent.
"I'm afraid I still have a little water in my ears, my dear Poll," James said, "You'll have to speak up."
"Yes," with her free hand she again thwacked his chest, a feigned look of annoyance on her beautiful face. "Yes, I will marry you; though I see now how much I will suffer being your wife!"
"How much you will suffer?" James adopted an air of mock outrage, "When it is I who have been attacked so outrageously on my sickbed."
"We will be arguing until we are both old and grey," Polly observed, as they smiled at each other shyly.
"Yes, but then we will make up every time," James replied, bending his head to show her just how sweet making up could be. His lips caught hers and he pulled her against his chest, kissing her with a deep, yearning hunger. He knew that perhaps he should attempt some kind of restraint, but after waiting more than a decade to feel her lips on his, restraint was completely beyond him.
Much to his relief, she did not pull away, instead she shyly met his demands, offering herself to him completely. Their union was an assault on his senses; her lips were soft, her scent sweet, light and teasing, and he could feel her luscious curves pressed against him. With the meeting of lips, a fire had been ignited, and as the minutes wore on James feared that he would not have the power to pull back at the required moment.
Luckily, his self control was not to be tested that afternoon, for a light tapping on the door pulled the couple from their embrace. Polly leapt up, straightening her hair which had come undone, before calling gaily for the visitor to come in. The door opened slowly with a creak and Emily, wearing a look of contrition, poked her head around.
"May I come in?" she asked, directing her question to James, who nodded easily.
The young woman shuffled over to his bedside and thrust a page, covered in looped, feminine writing at him.
"It's my apology," Emily explained, as James took the sheet from her. "Shall I tell you what it says?"
Without waiting for James to reply, Emily launched into a long monologue on the deep sorrow that filled her heart, for having put her friend's life in danger with her thoughtless actions. She seemed to have learned her apology note off by heart, James thought hiding a smile, as Emily finished rattling off her letter.
"I am mostly sorry because I think of you as a brother," Emily concluded, oblivious to both James' and Polly's hidden smiles. "And if you had drowned trying to rescue me, I would have mourned you as a brother."
"Thank you," James cleared his throat, hoping that he sounded sincere instead of amused. "I think of you as a sister as well, Emily. In fact, soon you may be my sister in law —would you like that?"
It was odd to feel so nervous, but as James watched Emily think, her brow furrowed, his heart began to beat a little erratically. What would Polly do if her sister declared herself against their union? Whilst James knew that it was unlikely Emily would object, she was a funny, little thing and might take against the idea.
Luckily, the young woman's face broke into a sunny smile and she nodded her approval.
"I think that's rather clever," Emily advised, throwing Polly a look of congratulations, presumably for having thought up such a good idea. "Then we can live together as a family and James won't have to stay in that old cottage."
"Don't tell your sister," James whispered, "But that was the main reason I asked her to marry me; so that I could move out of that miserable, damp cottage and spend my days living with my two favourite people."
"Beast," Polly murmured, though she did not look annoyed. In fact, she was blooming, her skin glowed and her cheeks were flushed with happiness. Emily glanced at her sister, seeming to notice something new about her appearance.
"Perhaps you will have a baby," she said, causing Polly to flush even more.
"Oh, there's no perhaps about it," James replied, relishing the sweet look of embarrassment which Polly wore. "We shall have at least half a dozen--perhaps more—and they will have an accomplished aunt to help care for them."
"I will be an aunt?" Emily's eyes widened with excitement. "Oh, I hadn't thought of that. Why, you must get started straight away, if that is the case."
"Those are my feelings on the matter too, Lady Emily," James said seriously, giving his bride to be, whose face was now the same colour as her flaming, red hair, a discreet wink. "Alas, we must wait for the banns to be read, but that gives us time to think about where it is we will all live together."
"Will we not still live here?"
