My Once Handsome Husband

Delaney felt better as she sat downstairs in the dining room eating with Vincent. Her plans for the night seemed much better than his original plan of simply sleeping alone in a room. She really hoped that keeping him awake late would make him sleep hard and not wake up. If not though at least now she had Ian to help watch out for him as well.

Vincent sat at the table hardly eating as he watched out the window. Outside, the storm was now raging, wind whistling and rain pounding on the house. The shutters had all been closed to protect the glass windows.

Lightning suddenly cracked so loudly it shook the house, making both Delaney and Vincent jump.

Once Delaney had calmed her nerves she looked quickly at her husband and saw his eyes were closed and his palms were pressed to the table. The scars across his face had darkened again. As she was watching him he opened his eyes again and quickly went back to eating.

"Are-are you alright love?"

"I'm fine," he answered quietly between bites, eating almost ferociously now, "It just startled me is all. I'm fine."

"I know," she replied softly, "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry," he sighed, shaking his head, "I'm just on edge. If you cough loud enough at this point it might make me jump. You're not doing anything wrong love."

"Why don't we go play cards?" Delaney suggested after a moment, "I don't think either of us has much of an appetite anyway. That way you can relax."

Vincent glanced at their server standing silently against the wall, ready in case he was needed. He looked down at his plate which was still plenty full of food. Delaney watched as he sighed again and ran his hands over his face and through his hair.

"Come with me husband," she moved to stand then and the servant hurried to pull back her seat for her. Delaney thanked him and held out her hand to Vincent. He looked at it as he rubbed the back of his neck. At last, he stood, taking her hand in his.

Together they walked to the sitting room where Delaney usually played cards with Ian. It was nice to be here tonight with her sweet husband despite the circumstances. She reached across the table for a moment, taking his hand in hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. Vincent looked up with a small smile for his wife, squeezing her hand back.

They played a game of cards together but Vincent was still quiet and tense. Delaney won easily and she knew it was because he couldn't focus. Every loud crack of lightning or rumble of thunder pushed him to be even more on edge.

When a servant stepped inside to see if they needed anything, Delaney asked him to bring them a bottle of wine. When he returned with it, she had the man pour her and Vincent both a drink.

"I shouldn't," her husband shook his head when the drink was sat in front of him.

"We're not going to drink much," she assured him, "Just enough to calm our nerves."

Vincent nodded, staring down at the wine. He swallowed hard before picking it up and taking a sip. Delaney took a gulp of her own before setting it down. Then she smiled flirtatiously at Vincent, wanting to make him smile.

Again his smile was small and sad so she began dealing the cards again as well. They played another round and then another. Vincent sipped at his wine and when his drink was finally empty Delaney poured a little more for him. She was drinking slowly. She didn't want to be impaired in case her husband needed her later.

After a long time and a couple of drinks, Vincent, at last, seemed to relax. He sat back in his seat and even smiled at her. He won one hand and then another. Delaney giggled and drank another drink herself. When she felt her head begin to get a little fuzzy she knew it was time to stop with the wine for them both.

Delaney won the next round of cards and her husband slid back in his chair, yawning but smiling. She smiled, happy to see him at least relaxed while the storm continued to assault the house. He took the last gulp of his wine before putting the empty glass on the table and stretching like a cat.

"I like looking at you you know," Delaney smiled as she let her eyes float over her husband's statuesque body.

Vincent chuckled, "Oh yes? Well, my dear I very much like looking at you too."

He stood then and reached out for her hand. Delaney let him take it and he gently pulled her to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. She tasted the wine on his lips and when they came apart she was breathless.

Vincent rested his head against hers, looking down into her eyes, "I like looking at you in your dresses but I like looking at you out of them even more."

Delaney giggled at his flirting and he chuckled. She could tell he had had more to drink than she had intended but at least it had put him in a better mood. Without saying anything, she took his hand and headed for the door, pulling him after her.

They were just reaching the top of the stairs when Delaney looked up and saw Ian leaning against the wall outside of their bedroom. When he saw them he straightened, the unreadable expression back on his face.

"Ian?" Vincent looked at him in confusion, "What are you doing?"

"I was just waiting to speak to Lady Adair," he replied, his eyes moving between them, "I didn't want to interrupt your games downstairs."

"Could it not wait until morning?" Vincent frowned, "Or were you planning on waiting outside of our bedroom all night?"

Ian opened his mouth to reply but Delaney was quick to answer first.

"I told him to wait for me," she explained hurriedly to Vincent before turning back to Ian, "The Duke is right though Ian we should all go to bed now and talk in the morning."

Delaney hoped Ian would understand what she was saying without her having to actually say it. Vincent wouldn't be happy she had asked Ian to keep watch over him.

The young pirate studied her before simply nodding and saying good night. Delaney watched him disappear into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. As soon as he was gone she opened their bedroom door and pulled Vincent inside.

"Is everything alright with Ian?" her husband asked as he helped her out of her gown.

"It is," she answered, "I was just wanting to speak to him about your episodes to sort of warn him."

Delaney hated having to lie to her husband but at that moment she didn't want to tell him their actual plan. She could do that tomorrow once he was calm again and the storm had passed.

"Good," he replied although seeming embarrassed, "The next time you need to speak to him though Delaney, have him meet you somewhere else besides our bedroom."

"Of course," she agreed with a nod, now going to their bed. She let her nightgown slip to the floor until she was standing naked before him.

All thoughts of Ian left Vincent's mind as he stepped swiftly to her, pulling off his own clothes as he went. When he reached Delaney he smiled before pulling her down into their bed with him.

Delaney kissed her husband deeply and felt his hands explore her body. Vincent held her close to him and was now thoroughly distracted from the storm outside that was rattling their shutters.

They came together and then collapsed curled up together on the bed. Delaney leaned over to kiss her husband's scarred chin, smiling up at him. He held her close, and the warmth of his skin kept her cozy against the wind and rain outside.

Delaney yawned then, her head still feeling a bit heavy from their wine earlier. Vincent did not look tired but she was. She was fighting to stay awake but she was exhausted from the day. It was not long at all before she drifted off to sleep in Vincent's arms.

Some time later, another loud crack of lightning made Delaney jump and open her eyes. She instinctively reached out across the bed then, trying to feel for Vincent. When she felt only cold sheets, she sat up. Blinking and looking around in the darkness, she was not able to make anything out in the shadows.

She stood up and pulled her robe on.

"Vincent?" she whispered, looking around again and walking over to see if he was asleep on one of the couches. "Vincent?"

She saw then that her husband was not in her bed or in their room at all.

He was gone.