The Duke's Daughter -Wattys2014 Collector's Dream Award Winner-

Chapter Seventy Five

Kathleen swept her piles of coins into the small purse Derek had provided them in and stood from her perch mid round. She did not notice, but the purse was almost twice as heavy as it had been when she received it.

"If you gentlemen will excuse me, there are pressing matters I must see to." She spoke distractedly to the men around the circle, her eyes already far away, searching the horizon for the white sails in the distance.

Thomas Bell and the crewmen exchanged glances for she had a fair share invested in the pot between them. Before Derek's conversation with Arianna had been overheard, none had doubted that the Duchess would be securing the current round as she had with the previous ones she had not opted out of. The crewmen collectively shrugged off their skepticism and returned to their game as Kathleen made her way to the helm. She met Alejandro's slightly amused stare with a serious one of her own.

"I am in need of your assistance, kind sir."

Alejandro's brow arched but he nodded for her to continue.

Rather than doing so, Kathleen glanced about the deck and spotted the Lady's captain in deep conversation with her daughter near the port railing.

"Captain!" She called out, gaining his attention, "If you would be so kind as to come sail your own ship, I would appreciate it. I am in need of your first mate for the time being." A silence fell over the deck as all awaited their captain's response to being ordered about on his own ship.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Derek finally turned to Arianna. Brief words were spoken between them before Arianna smiled and nodded. She accepted the arm he extended and allowed him to escort her to the helm so they could relieve Alejandro from his post.

Roman glanced around with uncertainty as his father left his side to follow the Duchess below deck, however Derek placed a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Keep her straight and true, boy, you are doing just fine. We shall be right here should you need us."

Roman nodded and adjusted the spoked wheel slightly though his eyes watched his father disappear down to the gun deck behind the Duchess.

Alejandro noted where the Duchess was headed and smiled as her plan became clear to him. Sure enough, she swept onto the gun deck and made her way to the closest cannon. Alejandro veered from the path to retrieve a few cannon balls to aid her in her endeavor.

*********************************

The Duke of Marlborough was still deep in prayer upon the top deck when a cannon's blast brought him to his feet.

Who dares to attack my ship? William thought, as anger began to brew within him. He paused, realizing no rousing cry had been lifted by his ship's captain nor the crew.

Making his way to the helm, he approached where Captain Daniels was consulting with his first mate who was using the spyglass.

"Are we under attack, Captain?" The Duke asked, concern evident in the timbre of his voice..

"I do not believe so, your grace, 'twas a warning shot, given from too far away to signal danger." Captain Daniels replied informatively. Another cannon blast sounded across the waves. "That be two, one more and we will come about and await the other ship's approach. They want our attention and they fly the King's flag." He answered, just as the third blast sounded from the other ship.

"Could it be a trick?" The Duke asked. "Are we sure it is not pirates? I would hate to lose the cargo the islanders trusted us with."

"Nay, 'tis not a pirate ship, Your Grace," the first mate answered him this time, "look for yourself."

He handed the Duke the spyglass and as soon as the Duke of Marlborough lifted it, the first mate's face split into a huge smile. He knew what this meant to the man.

"The Green Eyed Lady." The Duke read the name scrolled across the bow, "by God, 'tis Trent!" He yelled, "Stop this ship, Captain! They are approaching fast and will catch us in a matter of moments!" William then walked briskly to the steps, going down them to the main deck rail, he lifted the spyglass and trained it on the approaching ship, his gaze never wavering, tears raining down his cheeks and being swept away in the whipping winds.

"Kathleen." He whispered, feeling a little dizzy with the anticipation, his eyes closed for the merest few seconds, as he thanked his maker for answering his prayer so quickly.

**************************

Kathleen let the second shot fly and turned to Alejandro, a look of desperation on her face. "One more you said."

"Aye, one more, your grace." He loaded the shot and stood back. He knew this was something she needed to do herself. Alejandro could feel the anticipation thrumming from her body, the need to get the other ship's attention and get it stopped from continuing on away from them. He knew her need to see, and hold, the one she loved, after so long a separation.

She readied the shot and covered her ears. As soon as the shot sounded she turned to Alejandro and grinned widely, she hugged him tight and quickly, "Thank you, my friend, I must go."

She ran up to the main deck and hurried to the rail. She held it with a vice-like grip, her knuckles white, her face an intense study of the other ship.

She saw the Merry Kathleen slow and turn upon the sea to await their arrival and prepare for boarding. The breath she had unknowingly been holding rushed from her lungs as a half sob, half whimper, passed her lips.

"William." She breathed, as tears pooled in her eyes before they began falling down her cheeks to be swept away in the breeze.

*******************************

Carmelita could feel the warmth from the sun on her skin as she lay in the sand watching Roman splash about in the shallows on the island. She knew it was the island where she had been a slave, at the beck and call of a madman, but she did not feel the oppression she had always felt before. For some reason she was relaxed, at peace with the scene playing out in her mind, though confusion wandered through her mind also.

Until him. Banishing her confusion with each of his resounding footfalls, Alejandro came walking from the path that lead from the manor to the beach where she lay. She then knew why she felt no fear, for he was here and Bailey was no more. Carmelita rose from the sand and met him halfway with an embrace and a warm lingering kiss.

Alejandro smiled at her and slipped an arm about her waist. His warm large hand rode the curve of her hip as he gently lead her back to the beach to join their son in his play in the surf. They began running down to the water's edge, laughing and kicking up spray until the first cannon's blast.....

Carmelita came awake with a start, whatever in the world? She sat up quickly as the second cannon boomed. Exiting the cabin she walked quickly down the hallway to the stairs. She then paused to catch her breath, as the cannon shot out another report. She decided fear would not rule her as it had before, her strength lay topside with the man she trusted with her life, and her son's life as well. Carmelita took a fortifying breath before stoicly mounting the steps. Alejandro was there the moment she came topside.

"Do not fear, my love, 'twas simply the Duchess alerting her husband to hold his ship, as we need to catch up." He informed with an indulgent grin.

She looked around, spying Kathleen at the railing. Carmelita went to her and placed her hand over Kathleen's on the rail.

Kathleen turned her hand into Carmelita's and held it tight, but her eyes never left the ship they were approaching. Carmelita smiled at the tears coursing down the Duchess' cheeks. She could only imagine how Kathleen felt in this moment. Probably much the same as she had when she had first watched Alejandro scale down a cave wall to reach her.

Noting the tears in the Duchess' eyes, Carmelita smiled through her own. Her heart swelled with happiness for her dear friend. A woman in love was simply not whole when separated from her husband. Especially after an extended period of time. It pleased Carmelita no small amount to know that the Duchess would once again have her Duke, just as she now had her Alejandro.

*********************************

Arianna stood watching her mother with tears in her own eyes. It was finally the long awaited moment she knew the Duchess had prayed for. Arianna felt a small seed of fear form in the pit of her stomach as she imagined the anger her father might hold for her. She truly hoped her mother returning with her would blunt his anger a fair degree, but she was not sure that it would.

As the ships came closer together a sob escaped Arianna as she saw her father's beloved face. Angry though he may be with her, Arianna looked forward to the moment her father wrapped her in his arms. She had missed him terribly.

A smile as dazzling as the sun split Arianna's face as she noted that her father's eyes were only for her mother. The Lady was now alongside the Kathleen and Alejandro shoved a plank across to bridge the gap between the two. The Spaniard was almost knocked over when the Duchess leapt upon the plank.

The Duke had also stepped up onto the boarding platform, however his brow was now furrowed as his wife was standing perilously over the waves.

"Kathleen, please, let me come to you."

Tears fell in abundance from the Duchess' eyes as she nodded and accepted Alejandro's hand back down to the deck. The Duke quickly came across the plank with a step much more agile than one would expect from his large frame.

Kathleen threw herself into William's arms the moment his boots connected with the Lady's deck and William held his sobbing wife close. He felt tears falling from his own eyes but he made no attempt to even acknowledge them, much less brush them away. His hand traveled the length of her heaving back as he buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply of the scent that had haunted his dreams for the last fifteen years.

Kathleen pulled back slightly to take his face between her hands, "My husband, my William."

The Duke pulled his wife tighter against him as he took her lips in a kiss that he used to convey the depth of his emotions.

A cheer rose among the crews of both ships and even Arianna joined their whistling and cat calls, as pure happiness at seeing her parents finally reunited radiating from her being.

The Duke pulled back slightly to look down into the jade depths of his wife's eyes. "I have missed you more than words can say, my love."

Rather than answer him, Kathleen pulled his face down to hers for another kiss.