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“The man was wrong,” Charlotte said. “Now, we have a very long ride ahead of us. How about you lie down and rest?”
“You can use my jacket as a pillow,” Seth said, scooting over and removing it.
“And my spencer jacket as a blanket, if you’d like,” Charlotte added.
The little girl did as she was told, curling herself easily atop the bench. With an arm folded around and beneath Seth’s jacket, and Charlotte’s spencer jacket as her blanket, she was soon sleeping to the rocking motion of the carriage.
“Are you cold?” Seth asked in a whisper so as not to wake the little girl.
“Not overly. The carriage is warming up.”
Seth knew another way to see she stayed warm. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She relaxed, fitting against him as he always knew she would, like two gears built to be side by side.
For several more minutes, they were silent, and Seth slowly rubbed a hand up and down Charlotte’s arm to keep her warm.
“I was so scared there for a minute.” Charlotte’s voice was barely loud enough for even him to hear.
He hugged her closer. “I know.”
“When I saw him point that gun at you—” She shuddered. “I didn’t think I could stop him.”
“But you did.” Blessedly, she did it without getting hurt herself.
She pulled back suddenly. “It was a bit like when we first met, wasn’t it?”
Seth hadn’t thought of that. “Except this time, I was the one being held at gunpoint.”
Charlotte lifted her chin a smidgen. “And I did the rescuing.”
“I guess we’ve come full circle now.”
“I imagine we have.” She snuggled in closer once more. “What a journey it’s been, too.”
“A good journey, though not one without its ups and downs.”
“I’ll say.”
Seth chuckled again. “It’s a long ride back to London,” he said. “If you want to close your eyes and get some sleep as well, I think it would be a good idea.”
“My good sir,” Charlotte said, looking up at him, “I didn’t risk my reputation so I could spend all night with the most handsome man in all Englandsleeping.”
“When you say it like that...”
Seth kissed her. Slow at first, then passionate and utterly completely.
After a time, they talked—of their success tonight and of plans for their future, one they would share. Then they kissed a bit more. And then talked a bit more.
Though they rode until the sun lifted its head above the treetops, neither slept, and neither was upset about that.
