Part 15
Howard took his time walking through the gardens. He wanted to give Nickolas time to leave so he could be alone with Samantha but he also wanted to take in the changes she’d made. Reaching the clearing where she was working, he watched her give Nickolas a kiss on the cheek. The young blond spotted him and made his excuses leaving Samantha alone.
Without turning around, Samantha said, “Are you and Kevin finished talking?”
“How did you know?”
Samantha turned to face him and he had to suppress his laughter. Normally well-groomed, she now had streaks of dirt on her face and stands of hair fell from her braid into her face.
“What is so humorous?”
Stepping closer, Howard brushed a streak of dirt from her face. “Your appearance. You’ve got dirt all over your face and your hair is falling out.”
Samantha blushed, “I must look horrible.”
Cupping her face, he smiled, “Quite the opposite. Now, how did you know Kevin and I were talking?”
“I saw the two of you in the window. What is bothering him?”
“He has an uneasy feeling that something is going to happen.”
“Like what?”
“He’s not sure but he’s sensing something bad. He also wants to do whatever it takes to make you happy.”
“I haven’t had any visions of something bad.”
“I told him that. I also told him you were happy.”
“But he’s not convinced so he told you to take me as your bride thinking that would make me happy.”
“Wouldn’t it?” questioned Howard.
“Of course it would but marriage isn’t going to change the way I feel about you and being here with all of you. Besides, in my heart, we’ve been man and wife the minute I opened my eyes and saw you sitting beside me,” she cooed as she ran her fingers across his cheek.
Producing a beautiful emerald ring seemingly from thin air, Howard slipped it onto her finger. “Let’s make it real, in the eyes of the church.”
Looking at the ring on her finger, Samantha asked shyly, “Can we still be married…by a priest?”
Howard laughed softly. “Of course, my love. What we are doesn’t change what we believe.”
“But aren’t we creatures of the devil?”
“Not necessarily. Tell me, how long have you known you were a witch?”
Samantha shrugged her shoulders, “I guess I’ve always known but my powers didn’t start developing until a couple years ago.”
“In that time, did you stop believing in the church….stop going to mass?”
“No, but my powers are for doing good.”
“As are ours…as you keep trying to tell Alex. Now, how do you feel about making Kevin happy?”
Samantha smiled, “You mean more than he already is knowing he’s going to have a son? What do we do?”
“Let him plan the wedding celebration he has in mind but he wants to include your family.”
“I doubt they’ll come,” whispered Samantha as she tucked her head again.
“Why do you say that?”
“My father will know I’m with child and I’m not wed.”
“It could very easily be Brian’s,” pointed out Howard.
Samantha shook her head, “No, he’ll know…he always knows. He’ll know everything and he will be angry. You do NOT want to see him like that.”
“Are you afraid of him, my love?”
“Yes, very much so.”
Cupping her chin, Howard lifted her face to look him in the eyes. “My love, there’s no need to ever be frightened of anything. We will protect you.”
His eyes, his touch, his voice….they calmed her fears easily. “How soon?”
“It’ll have to before it becomes obvious that you are with child. Let’s go tell Kevin so he can get started.” Howard placed a soft kiss on her lips. “Are you finished here?”
Nodding her head ‘yes’, she allowed Howard to lead her back to the château where they found Kevin still in the study. The news sent him into a frenzy of excitement and he began barking orders to the staff to start planning. The celebration would start that evening with a feast for the household and the next morning, word would be sent to London where Samantha’s family lived.
