To Love A Wild Irishman

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Vincent was up with the dawn and he attempted to roll over and steal a good morning kiss from his wife only to be met with a grunt and her back. It was going to be one of those mornings. Clearly she was still angry at him for going to the gentleman's clubs with the women that worked there.

Vincent stood and rubbed his face roughly. He had never been unfaithful to his wife and he never would be... Damn Cassandra for putting such ideas into her mother's head.

Speaking of Cassandra.......

Vincent stood from the bed, slid on his slippers and walked silently from his bedroom. He went down the winding staircase to the second floor and walked across the marble tiles to his daughter's doorway. She had had that ridiculous wardrobe of hers propped against the door yesterday but hopefully her temper would have eased enough to allow him in so they could speak.

He had not planned on Thomas Shelton joining them at breakfast but he had taken advantage of a good situation when he had seen one. Why did that damned girl have to be so stubborn?

He rapped his knuckles once against the door and let out a sigh, "Cassandra, let me in please. I would like to speak with you about yesterday."

Seconds ticked by with no answer from his daughter and no sound of movement from behind the door. Having had enough of this ridiculous childish display coming from his twenty year old daughter, Vincent grabbed the door handle, twisted and threw all of his weight against the door. He had expected the resistance from the wardrobe but was met with no resistance at all. Vincent went stumbling into the room as the door swung easily and he tumbled, his arms wind-milling until he fell upon the bed.

The empty bed.

The bed was made up and had not been slept in.

Vincent's gaze flew around the room for any sign of what had become of his daughter. Had she been kidnapped? Was she being held ransom by some bandits wishing for a quick payday? Vincent would bring down the very fires of hell upon their heads if that was the case!

Cassandra was gone.

"Isobel!!!!" Vincent bellowed

He saw the note lying on the bedside table and ran to it just as Isobel came barreling into the room with her night dress and silk robe swirling around her body, "What is going on?" she demanded.

Vincent opened his mouth to declare their daughter kidnapped but his jaw slammed back closed when he read the first line of his daughter's delicate handwriting,

Dear Mother and Father,

You are both assuredly very angry and you have every right to be. I have run away which of course is a grievous act of childishness that I simply cannot see myself regretting.

"Vincent where is our daughter?" Isobel questioned, laying her hand on Vincent's shoulder. Instead of responding he simply held the note out to allow them both to read it at once.

I cannot live this life that I was born into. I have no desire to be a proper lady, though mother and Aunt Alexandria have tried their very best and it is no fault of theirs that I did not turn out. I crave adventure, Father, I crave wide open spaces and wildness.

I want to fall in love with a man who is passionate for me—mother please get the smelling salts and revive father. I want to have romance, adventure, passion and fun in my life and I will not experience those things in Virginia as a senator's daughter or Thomas Shelton's wife.