Chapter fifty-five: And so is love
Kate laughs as Thomas again, shoves her veil out of the way to press another kiss to her cheek. She laughs as she squeezes his hand. "My feet are killing me."
"Look this way, please." The photographer says. Thomas and Kate turned towards the photographer, with his Kodak box camera. "Right. I'll get a few more shots of the family now."
"Wait a moment." Kate says as she takes Thomas's hand and places her hand on his shoulder. He frowns slightly. "Hold my wrist." He does as she asks. "And then look at me." she smiles at him as she tilts her face upwards as she whispers. "The look you have only for me."
Thomas smiles faintly at her. "Kate." The camera goes off as he leans forward to kiss her again.
"Nice shot. Thank you."
Kate laughs as Thomas moves her away from the photographer. "I think that man hates his job." Thomas laughs as they head inside the house. As they head to the parlor, Kate stops by the stairs. "I'll be back in a moment. I just want to change into my slippers." She kisses him twice on the mouth. "I'll be back in a moment."
He nods. "Right Mrs. Shelby."
As Kate turns to head up the stairs, she gets a smack on her backside causing her to squeal. "Mr. Shelby!" Thomas, however, is heading down to the parlor, whistling innocently. She grips the banister and hurries up the stairs. Kate finds her slippers right in Ada's room, kicked off to the side where she'd left them this morning. She pulls her white shoes off and slides into the slippers. She moans in relief, she hated those shoes, but it was her wedding day. She couldn't be wearing slippers for the photos and ceremony.
Kate closes the door and moves towards the stairs. "Well, you can go to Hell!" Noni screeches from her room, causing Kate to pause outside the door. "Fine with me! Don't call me again!" With that, she slams the receiver down and lets out a curse. Kate taps on the door. "What?!"
Kate pushes the door open. "It's me Noni."
"Kate." Noni inhales and wipes her eyes rapidly. "I'm sorry; I didn't know it was you."
"It's alright, sit down."
Noni shakes her head. "No, it's your wedding day. Today should be a happy day."
"I always have a minute for you." Kate sits down beside Noni on the settee. "I know something's bothering you. I could see it when you came in the room this morning."
"Being married to a Shelby has made you more observant."
"Is this about Arthur?"
Noni nods her head 'yes' before finally breaking. "Oh, that man," Noni huffs. "he's too stupid to realize that I love him."
"No one said loving a Shelby is easy." Kate said. "It took a lot of work to get to where Thomas and I are now."
"Well, Thomas was at least free for you to have!"
"We were both somewhat free, there were still ghosts of the past that both of us needed to vanquish."
"And if Linda were a ghost this whole thing would be a lot less complicated. You didn't fall in love with a married man Kate, I did!" With a sigh, Noni looked towards her. "I love that man." she stated, leaving Kate no cause to doubt her. "I hate you for inviting me to your thanksgiving dinner because then I wouldn't be in such misery!" Kate started to apologize, but Noni cut her off. "But then, I never would have met Arthur Shelby and I do love him so, it's well worth the misery at the moment."
"Noni, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." she exhales. "It's that damn wife of his. She won't give him a divorce."
"Things will work out." Kate assures her. "I know it will."
"In the meantime, I'm losing everything because of her." Noni sighs. "I was fired last week. Female wrestling is scandalous enough without one of the fighters being involved with a married gangster. And then, I just got a phone call from my father ordering me to come home this instance. My mother has been having fits of 'vapors' since receiving the news from Linda. Father just threatened to disinherit me, if I don't stop seeing Arthur."
"Noni, I am so sorry."
"Kate," she picks her nails. "I told my dad to go ahead and do it. It's only money and I've got my own fortune put aside. It's the wrestling…I'd worked hard for that and…now I've lost it."
"Does Arthur know about all this?" Kate inquires. "What you've lost for him?"
"Why should he care? Me losing my inheritance doesn't concern him." she sighed. "I'd live in the streets if he asked me to. He does know about my career taking a nosedive and he's been so wonderful in keeping me cheerful." Noni looks up at her, eyes watering. "It's just…I don't know how he's going to respond when he finds out…I'm pregnant."
Kate gasps. "Noni? I thought that you couldn't-
"Apparently, the Shelby men have something inside them that makes them want to secure their territory with the woman they love. Apparently, it was my bastard ex-husband, who was the infertile one, not me." Noni wipes her eyes. "I just found out this morning. Well, here I am, about to have a baby borne out of wedlock."
"You've got us," Kate assures her. "the Shelby family sticks together."
Noni hugs her and Kate holds onto her tightly. After a few moments, Noni pulled away from her. "We should get you back downstairs. Thomas is probably wondering where you are."
Kate laughs as she stands up. "Indeed. Someday, you two will have what Thomas and I have. I'm sure of it."
Noni shrugs as they continue down the stairs in silence. Kate spots her father exiting the library, with Thomas's tumbler of whiskey. "Dad, can I talk to you for a second?"
He nods. "Of course, primrose." Kate's heart stops in her chest for a moment. He hasn't called her that since mother died. He steps towards her with a smile. "What is it?"
Kate glances at Noni, who's moved towards the parlor now. She steps towards him. "I need a favor."
He nods. "What is it?"
"There's a woman, Linda Shelby. I need you to get her to sign some divorce papers."
He frowns. "Why? Never mind, I'll see what I can do."
Kate hugs him. "Thank you."
He hugs her back. "Anything for you."
That evening,
Thomas lets out a groan as he sets Kate down inside the cottage. "I thought we'd never get away from there."
"Tell me about it." Kate states as he locks the door. She removes her white coat. "I never thought I'd want to scream at people that I wanted to be left alone with my husband."
"And now, Mrs. Shelby, you've got two weeks alone with me."
Kate chuckles as pulls her towards him and removes the veil. "Thank you."
"Head hurts?" he inquires as she shakes her head, tossing her hair free for a moment.
"A little bit." Kate reaches for his tie and smoothly unties it from around his neck as he removes his vest. He'd left his jacket on the back of his chair in the main house. The wedding had gone off well; it was strictly family and intimate, just as she wanted. There was food, music and dancing. Thomas had humored her by allowing the household staff to join in the music and dancing before quietly slipping her out of the front door to get to the cottage.
"Polly said to I should you about your something old, borrowed, new and blue." He unbuttons his shirt and studies her. "See each piece, one by one."
Kate laughs as she removes the earrings. "Well, these were borrowed. The sash," she turns around so Thomas can undo it. "is something old. My dress…is something new."
"And again," he begins to unbutton the few buttons on the back of her dress. "you looked beautiful."
"Thank you." Thomas presses a kiss to her lower back, causing her to giggle.
He removes the dress and frowns once he sees her slip is white. "What's the something blue then?"
"Well, it's under the slip. So, I hope you like my something blue."
"This is curious." He states as he grabs her slip and pulls it on over her head. Kate smiles broadly as his hands drop to his sides in surprise, staring at her. His jaw is slack as he takes in the sight of the blue heart with an arrow tattooed on her chest. "God, Kate-
"I hope you like it, because I'm stuck with it."
"You look…incredibly sexy." He traced the line of the heart with his fingers. The arrow covered the red line where her breast had been. "How'd you get it?"
"I asked Arthur for help." He arched a brow. "He stayed outside the parlor door. Imagine the scandal I caused walking in."
"Did the man see-
"No, I was covered decently. He only saw the area to work on." she laughed. "He was rather shocked when I said it was a surprise for my husband."
"So, this is why you haven't been letting me see you naked for a week."
Kate nods her head. "Are you surprised?"
"Believe me, I am." he picked her up around the waist and moved her towards the cottage bedroom. "And, I believe," he deposits her on the bed. "I have one just for you." he smiles down at her. "Forever, isn't long enough to love you as I need to."
"I'm starting to look huge."
"Well," he moves from her mouth to kiss her stomach. "I'm going to fill you some more tonight, so, come tomorrow, you'll be overflowing."
Kate blushes deep red as she lets out a moan. "God, you say the most scandalous things sometimes."
"Shh," he runs a finger down her nose. "close your eyes."
Kate does as he asks with a smile. He adjusts her position a few times before bringing her legs up over his shoulders. Kate frowns through her closed eyes as he runs his hands down her thighs before digging his fingers firmly into her hips, restricting her movement. "Thomas, what are you-
And that's when his tongue tasted her for the first time causing her to let out a shriek that made them both glad they were in the cottage and not in some London hotel!
Shariebery: My pleasure.
Idcam: Well, was the tattoo the idea? Kate always was rather admiring of Thomas's tattoos.
