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“I can't believe he came here,” she said quietly.
“I can’t either.” His heart still thrummed in his chest and adrenaline coursed through his body.
“You handled yourself very well.”
He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. He certainly didn'tfeellike he handled himself well. “You need to let me know if he ever tries to contact you again. He could go to your office.”
“I don't think he will. Everyone knows what he did. He won’t show his face.”
“I hope so. But you’ll tell me if he does, right? Please?”
“Of course I’ll tell you.”
His eyes searched her face. “Are you sure you're okay? Did he scare you?”
“I'm fine. I was just shocked to see him. He’s the last person I expected to see at my door.” She nudged him with her hip. “Come on, let's take a walk on the beach. We need it.”
He nodded and took off his shoes, and they headed down the stairs and onto the soft sand. The sun was dropping low, and the first colorful hints of a beautiful sunset were painting the sky. They walked in silence for a while, both preoccupied by what had just transpired.
“Are you hungry?” she finally asked. “It's almost seven thirty. We should have some dinner.”
He nodded. “Sure, I could eat.”
Her hand was grasped tightly in his, and he lifted it to brush a quick kiss across the back of it. She stopped walking, making him stop as well.
“Tell me what you're thinking.”
He sighed. “I'm thinking a lot of things. I'm thinking I could barely restrain myself when he was in front of me. I wanted to tear him limb from limb. If you weren't there, or if I’d run into him somewhere else… I can't keep having reactions like that.”
“But your reaction to him was normal. He hurt your sister, of course you would want to hurt him too. I don't think you overreacted at all. The important thing is, youdidn'thurt him. You kept your cool.”
“Barely.”
She shrugged. “So youbarelykept your cool. You still kept it.” She tugged his hand and turned them around, sending them back toward her house again.
“What if I hadn't been there when he showed up? Who knows what he's capable of?”
“I have an idea what he's capable of. I don't think he's like his cousin.”
“Please tell me you're not defending him.”
“Of course I’m not. But I think that if George Wickham hadn't been at that party on New Year’s Eve, if Bill had been there without him, nothing would have happened to Georgiana. That's my gut feeling. What he did was despicable and wrong, but he was not the instigator.”
“You're probably right, but I can't look at him as someone who got caught up in a situation, even if that's what it was. He had every chance to make things right, and he chose not to.”
“I know. He’s just as guilty as Wickham.”
They approached her house and went up the steps. Once on the deck, he dropped down into the lounge chair and tugged on her hand so she’d join him. Instead of seating herself between his legs, though, she straddled them and faced him. “Do you feel better?”
“Somewhat. But now I’m worried he'll try to approach you again. I know I can't be with you all the time, but I feel like I should do something. Should you get a restraining order?”
“I don't know if that's necessary. I don't think it is.”
“Okay. It's your decision, but youhaveto tell me if he—”
“I told you I would, and if it happens again, I will. Okay?”
He nodded. “Okay.”
She smiled sweetly and kissed him. “Come on, it's time to eat. I can hear your belly talking to me. You need some food.”
He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, sighing into her hair. “I just need you, Lizzy. Just you.”
