They wave goodbye as the carriage pulls away and Savannah stands confused.
“Do you trust me?” he asks.
“Of course,” she stammers.
“Excellent, walk with me.” The dirt road leads to a small wagon, hitched with one horse. Together they climb inside, and he grins as he flicks the reins.
Savannah snuggles next to him and leans her head on his shoulder, ignoring the biting cold wind whipping her from the lake and just enjoys the passing scenery.
It’s growing darker by the second, and she gasps when a light glows around a bend. “Look, Dayton, I see a house,” she points.
“So, it would seem,” he smiles and turns at the lantern hanging on a small wooden marker. The horse drives back down a lane and turns, before opening up on a tiny white wooden house with glowing windows.
Dayton jumps down and ties the horse off before scooping his wife up in his arms and carrying her to the door. Savannah laughs in delight and pats him when he stops at the door.
“Could you?” he asks with a groan.
“Now you’re hurting my feelings,” Savannah reaches down and grabs the door and turns throwing it open.
He sets her on her feet as she glances around the small three-room cabin. Its beautifully appointed with a velvet sofa in front of an already lit fireplace, a kitchen and a bedroom with a bathing room. Flowers and candles are sprinkled around the room and Savannah smiles and throws her arms around him, drawing his head down for a kiss.
Soft and heady. “Dayton, it’s perfect!”
“There’s wine in the kitchen, make yourself comfortable, I’ll just see to the horses.”
Savannah watches him go and smiles. He’s just as nervous as she is. She walks to the bedroom and smiles at the simple double bed with a fireplace and her bags!
A note sits on the end table beside the bed, and when she reads it, she holds it to her chest and laughs.
“Belinda! You think of everything!” Savannah runs to the bathing room and finds a sheer lace nightgown made of the star lace from her ballgown! “Oh, it’s exquisite!” Her fingers run over the lace, and she wonders if she’s brave enough to wear it.
“For Dayton,” she whispers thinking of the look in his eyes when he kisses her. She quickly changes strips out of her layers and pulls all the pins and flowers from her hair. Finger combing it, Savannah releases the curls and pulls on the lace, shivering at the feel of it on her body.
Savannah stands framed in the firelight when Dayton returns. Her red hair curling over her shoulders and framing her face. Her eyes are glowing and her lips, plump and inviting. She is simply, sweet perfection, and his! Everything about her draws him close, the white sheer lace gown hides nothing and reveals everything to his eyes.
“I knew you’d be beautiful Savannah, but my dreams don’t hold a candle to you.”
Shy and bold determination flickers across her beautiful face, and he can barely focus. Dayton’s eyes change as they travel down her body and back up to her face. He stalks over to her and jerks her into his arms. She freezes for a second before his mouth claims hers.
“Mine,” he growls between kisses and his hands travel all over her body, driving her crazy. His kiss softens for a moment until she drags his head back by a fistful of black hair.
“Yours,” she groans back and tilts her head back to give him access to her throat. Dayton picks her up and carries her to the bedroom.
“I love you, Mrs. Patrick,” he whispers as he makes love to her in the firelight. Savannah’s nerves float away, replaced by a raging desire to please and be pleased, to love and be loved.
“Then show me, husband,” she demands, and he does.
Chapter 45
“Tell me about your home,” Savannah asks him over breakfast in the dining car on the way to Kentucky a few days later. Max and Belinda promised to visit for the race, in just two weeks. Leaving was bittersweet, but Savannah is excited to start her life with Dayton.
“Our home,” his eyes light up, “Paris, Kentucky with gently rolling hills, covered in a soft morning fog that burns off as soon as the sun rises. Rich, nutrient filled grasses so green that your eyes water just looking at it.”
“You love it,” she smiles and touches his hand.
“I do, and I hope you will love it,” he kisses her knuckles and sits back to look at her.
“Tell me about the facilities. How many acres do you have and the barns?”
“Patrick Place sits on two hundred acres with a river, called Starlight river running through the property. We have thirty stalls, two barns, two auxiliary residences, and multiple equipment barns.” Dayton laughs at the look of shock on her face.
“Dayton are you joking? Thirty stalls? I thought you were just beginning to build?”
“No, I’m almost finished with the flat race track, in fact, I’m hoping my brother Rafe will have it completed and begun training on it. With your help, I’ve raised enough money to cover the first-place prize. Now I need to drum up more business.” He sips his coffee and watches her smiles.
“That’s easy Dayton. In your infinite wisdom, you married the infamous S.E. Ward, photographer extraordinaire. Let me use my skill for something other than war and destruction,” she pleads softly.
“I’m listening, wife,” his eyes glow with a promise of what’s to come, and she blushes and hides her face. “Forgive me, for teasing you, carry on.”
“Every time you say that I have images flash in my mind,” Savannah grins when his mouth falls open. “You will have to call me something else, besides that,” she tells him.
