All the Sweet Tomorrows

palace.' He gave her a quick smile and then hurried out, his short legs pumping eagerly.

She was alone. For how long? she wondered. In a few minutes he would walk through the cabin door, and she would no longer be free. She did not delude herself that this would be like any of her other marriages. Lord Burghley had sworn that the duc would sign the marriage contracts that left her her own mistress, but then Lord Burghley had also sworn that the duc was old and ill, which his nephew had most certainly attested he was not. Edmond had signed the contracts for his uncle in England, but Fabron de Beaumont must ratify them. She would insist he do so before she wed him! It was the only way. She could not after all these years find herself at anyone else's mercy. It was bad enough to be wedding a stranger.

The door to her dayroom opened and Robbie came in. 'It looks a fair place, Skye lass,' he said.

She nodded.

'MacGuire signaled you wanted to see me.'

'You'll not leave me, Robbie?' Her voice was anxious.

'I’ll not leave you, Skye. You're my lass. I’ll be here whenever you want me.' He reached out and took her hands in his. They were cold despite the warmth of the day. 'He'll love you, and perhaps you'll love him.'

'I don't know why I’m so nervous. I'm a grown woman with four marriages behind me. I’ve six children!' She whirled, and her gown whirled with her. 'God's nightshirt!' she swore, using the Queen's favorite oath. 'What is the matter with me?'

'Nothing,' he said. 'Nothing that won't be solved by your meeting the duc and getting to know him.'

“There's no time. We are to be married immediately. Edmond told me that that was the agreement; but Robbie, you must stand behind me. I won't marry the man until he ratifies the marriage contracts agreeing that what is mine remains mine. I won't even get off Seagull until that is settled. You'll help me?'

'I will handle it for you, my dear,' he said. 'Let me do it. These Mediterranean types are not your Englishman.'

'Oh, yes, Robbie! Please take care of it for me!'

A knock sounded at the cabin door. Skye froze, but Robbie said in a loud voice, 'Enter!'

The door opened, and Edmond de Beaumont entered, followed by another gentleman. Fabron de Beaumont's almond-shaped eyes widened just slightly, but other than that he showed no emotion; his expression remained unsmiling. He was exactly as Edmond had painted him; a serious, aristocratic man of medium height with fierce dark eyes and severely cropped, curly black hair. It worried Skye that she could see no emotion in those eyes, but then perhaps he was as nervous of her as she was of him. If Edmond had been flattering at all to his uncle, it was only in the fact that he had softened the duc's sharp features; the long, narrow nose, the large, thin mouth, the very square jaw. For a long moment there was silence in the room, and then Edmond spoke.

'Lady Burke, may I present to you my uncle, the Duc de Beaumont de Jaspre.'

Skye curtseyed gracefully.

'Uncle Fabron, may I present to you Lady Burke, your betrothed.'

'Welcome to Beaumont de Jaspre, madame,' the duc said. His voice was deep, but musical in tone.

'Thank you, monseigneur,' was her reply.

'Uncle, this is Sir Robert Small, Lady Burke's business partner.'

Fabron de Beaumont raised an elegant eyebrow. 'My nephew tells me that you are a woman of commerce, madame. Is it true?'

'Yes, monseigneur.' Skye looked to Robbie.

Clearing his throat, he said, 'There is the matter of the ratification of the marriage contracts, M'sieur le Duc.'

'I must read them first,' was the reply.

“Then I will get them,' Robbie said quietly. 'The Queen has forbidden Lady Burke to leave her vessel until the contracts have your signature. Until then she must remain on what is technically English soil.'

'But the marriage ceremony is set for this evening,' the duc protested.

There is nothing unusual about the contracts, M'sieur le Duc. Lady Burke brings you a very generous dowry, but the contracts permit her to keep her own wealth and to continue to administer her lands and those of her children.'

'But that is outrageous!'

'Nonetheless, M'sieur le Duc, that is what the contracts say. Englishwomen are perhaps more independent than other women, but certainly that is why you wanted a wife from Bess Tudor's court.' Robbie smiled in a man- to-man fashion at the duc. 'Your nephew saw nothing unusual in Lady Burke's request when Lord Burghley explained it to him. He signed believing you would agree with him. Lady Burke's dowry is very generous.'

'Do you believe yourself capable of administering such wealth, madame?' The duc looked closely at Skye.

'I have been my own mistress in such things, monseigneur, since my father's death. It was he who put me in charge of his fleets and his wealth until my brothers were old enough to manage. At their request I still manage both my family's ships and their monies.'

'And what else do you manage, madame?'

'The estates of my young son, the Earl of Lynmouth, and of my eldest son, Ewan O’Flaherty, although Ewan will be old enough in another two years to manage on his own. Then there are the estates of my youngest son, Padraic, in Ireland; and my daughter, Willow's, wealth from her father, my second husband. Then, too, there is my own wealth, monseigneur, from commercial enterprises in which I am engaged with Sir Robert.'

'You take a great deal upon such beautiful shoulders, madame,' he noted.

'Nonetheless I am capable of it, monseigneur,' she countered.

'A woman's first duty is to give her husband heirs and to raise those children.'

'You will not find me lacking there, monseigneur. I have given children to all of my husbands-five sons, of whom four are living, and two daughters.'

He nodded. 'And would you indeed refuse to marry me if I refuse to sign and ratify this marriage contract?'

'Yes, monseigneur, I would,' Skye answered, and she lifted her chin slightly as she said the words.

'You are a woman of strong character, I can see,' the duc replied, 'but that can be a good trait in a woman if you pass it on to our sons. I trust you will do so, madame.' There was just the faintest hint of amusement in his voice.

'I will try,' she answered him in as serious a tone.

“Then there is nothing for it but I must sign the contracts,' he answered, taking them from Robbie. Edmond de Beaumont quickly handed his uncle an inked quill from Skye's desk, and the duc as quickly wrote his signature at the assigned place.

Skye then came forward to place her own signature upon the documents. She had refused to sign them in England, protesting that until the duc himself agreed to her demands her signature was not necessary.

'You sign yourself Skye O’Malley, madame,' the duc noted.

'It is simpler, monseigneur, that I use my maiden name. I have had four husbands, and all their names added to my own would make another document.' She looked up at him with her marvelous Kerry-blue eyes, and the duc allowed himself a small smile.

'Now that the formalities are over, madame, will you allow me to escort you to your new home?' He held out his hand to her, and after a small hesitation she placed her hand in his. His grasp was firm. 'I have planned that we be married immediately,' he told her as he led her from the ship and up to his carriage. Nervously she looked about to see that Robbie was coming, too. Noting it, he asked, 'Are you afraid of me, madame? Your eyes constantly seek out M'sieur Robert.'

'I have never married a stranger before,' she said quietly.

He nodded. 'A difficult position for you, I can see, but I have never married a woman that I knew. It didn't really matter, madame. They, like you, came to me for but one purpose, to give me heirs. Pastor Lichault says the Bible claims that ‘whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord.' King David wrote in his psalms 'Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are the children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they