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“It is a risk that I am willing to take.”
“You seem rather reckless with your own safety,” she commented.
Oliver reached to the back of his trousers and retrieved an overcoat pistol. “I have two pistols on my person and a dagger in my left boot.”
Emmeline stared back at him in amazement. “May I ask why?”
“One never knows when there will be a need to defend oneself.”
Walking over to her reticule on the dressing table, she reached inside and pulled out a muff pistol. “If I take my pistol, may I go with you?”
“Absolutely not.”
“But—”
“No.”
“What if—”
“No.”
“Perhaps I could—”
“No.”
Emmeline frowned. “You are being entirely unreasonable.”
Oliver tucked the pistol into the waistband of his trousers and covered it up with his waistcoat. As he approached his wife, he said, “I do credit your desire to help, but smugglers are merciless. They will kill you without hesitation or provocation.”
“But don’t smugglers come at night?”
“Generally, but they might have someone acting as a lookout on shore keeping an eye on the barrels,” he said, coming to a stop in front of her.
Emmeline gave him a timid smile as she looked up at him. “I don’t like to sit idly by.”
“I am well aware of that fact, but you must trust me on this.”
Her eyes searched his as she murmured, “I want to trust you, wholly, but something is holding me back.”
“Which is?”
“When you speak to me, I hear the sincerity in your voice, but your actions speak otherwise,” she said.
“What does your heart tell you?”
She lowered her gaze to the lapels of his blue riding jacket. “It tells me to trust you, but I am scared.”
“Of what?”
“Making a fool of myself,” she replied, bringing her gaze back up.
“Oh, Emme,” he started, placing a hand on the sleeve of her green riding habit, “you are many things, but a fool is not one of them. You are brave, strong, and kind-hearted.”
“If I am so brave, why won’t you let me go with you and the constable?”
He groaned as he dropped his hand. “I failed to mention that you are incredibly headstrong, as well. It is a most irksome trait of yours,” he teased.
Emmeline smiled. “You married me, despite knowing I possessed this quality.”
