His grin said it all.
“Will you marry me, Bathsheba?” He insisted.
“But we don't really know one another,” she said a little hesitantly.
“Would you like me to enumerate all those foreign countries where the bride only meets the groom on the day of their marriage? Or the countries where the bride is bought for a couple of camels? Or...”
“Stop! You've made your point.”
“Does that mean ‘yes’, you will marry me?”
“I am sitting on your lap in a torn dress. Just who is in the compromising situation?” she teased.
And then she leaned towards him and gently placed her lips on his.
He pulled her nearer and as she savoured his kiss, she knew that her interrupted dream about swashbuckling pirates had just found its satisfying end.
Epilogue
Gregory did find he was needed on the continent for important business, and so he left the next day with the tide and a broken nose. Alistair had insisted that he never mention the incident to anyone, and when Gregory realised just who Alistair Hutton was, he never did.
Peggy would never know what had happened to precipitate Bathsheba and Alistair's wedding. She suspected that the gypsy oils she had used on Bathsheba might have worked after all. She had been saving them for herself, but didn't regret one second using them on her mistress. There had still been hope for Peggy, nevertheless, because Alistair's valet had been particularly attentive to her once she was part of the Hutton household.
Bathsheba was delightful in a cream and apricot coloured wedding dress. She would never be seen wearing burgundy again. Alistair often kidded her about having to marry him, but she would make him admit that she had been worth a whole lot more than a couple of camels.
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Bathsheba and Alistair's grandchildren would never tire of hearing the magical story of their grandparent's marriage, and especially of hearing how a pirate fought for and won his lady, on their very first evening together.
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An Anglo/American who lived in France for over 30 years, Suzy Stewart Dubot began writing as soon as she retired. Before then, she worked at a variety of jobs, some of the more interesting being : Art & Crafts teacher, Bartender, Marketing Assistant for N° 1 World Yacht Charterers (Moorings), Beaux Arts Model, Secretary to the French Haflinger Association. With her daughters, she is a vegetarian, a supporter of animal rights and an admirer of William Wilberforce.
http://suzystewartdubotbooks.weebly.com/
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The Kiss
Saxon Andrew
The small creature arrived in orbit above Allowen and gazed at the giant cities gleaming far below her. It had taken a long time for her to find it and she smiled, knowing the time was well spent. The vision she saw was something most beings would never see in their lifetime. The cities were gleaming gems of crystal that soared thousands of feet into the sky and reflected the rays of the bright yellow sun into brilliant beams of rainbow colors that added light and an ambiance that was too breathtaking for words to describe. The cities were perfectly laid out and the huge gardens were perfectly placed with blooming flowers displaying a riot of colors. The gardens added their piece to the beautiful mosaic of a marvelous civilization. She stared at the planet’s species and saw they were a vibrant and growing life form, who had achieved peace and happiness that was unequaled in this sector of the universe.
The creature flapped its small gossamer wings and wiped a tear from her dainty features. She was small and, in another place, she would have been mistaken for a mythical creature called a fairy. Her wispy blonde hair was tied back in a bun on the back of her head and her blue eyes were bright and opened wide to see all the wondrous sites on the planet below. She flapped her wings faster and moved a short distance through subspace and arrived above another city. The view continued to be breathtaking. She made ten quick jumps around the planet taking in all the wonderful Allowen creations and was amazed that no two cities were alike; but they all shared a common trait; they were extraordinarily beautiful.
She arrived above the largest city and, after a moment, decided to do some exploring. She flew down to the surface and landed in a space between two of the giant crystal buildings. She closed her eyes and listened to the thoughts of the city’s inhabitants as they passed on the nearby sidewalk. They were filled with peace and thankfulness for the riches they had been blessed to receive. She sensed the adolescents playing in the park nearby and she could feel the love flowing from their attentive parents. Everyone possessed enough wealth to just enjoy doing whatever they chose. No one had to work.
She focused on the physical structure of those walking close by and morphed into a Allowen female. She walked out from between the crystal spires and turned toward the park located across a wide, spotlessly clean, thoroughfare. The Allowen males, who saw her emerge from the buildings, stopped in their tracks and stared at the beautiful female as she walked gracefully toward the park. She was almost too beautiful to gaze upon and they couldn’t pull their eyes away from the vision. Several of the female Allowens punched their mates and forced their attention elsewhere, but the single males watched her until she moved out of their sight. She was in no danger; crime didn’t exist on this most peaceful of worlds.