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“Would you really be willing to consider a man who might not have a grand house or income but would love you fiercely all his days?”
Yes, her heart cried.
“Would you be willing to trust God and this man with your future?”
If “this man” meant the one standing before her, then yes, a thousand times.
A cough from the Scotsman drew reminder of the reason for their flight.
“But what about Becky?” she felt obliged to say.
“Neither she nor Musgrave are here, and after travelling all this way, I suddenly find I have little care to chase them further.”
“You cannot say that. She is your niece!”
“That is so. And because she is not here, I fear this may have proved a wild goose chase.”
A mite of concern eased. “Truly?”
He nodded. “And truly, I find my interest in her future far less interesting than another’s.”
“But—”
“Your future, my dearest, I confess to having a great deal of interest in.”
She swallowed. Did he mean to suggest—?
“As I be sayin’,” interrupted the Scotsman, “there be no young people here today save yerselves. So, do ye want to get married or nae?”
“Married? Oh, but we’re not—I mean, we are—” She faltered, cheeks heating at the smile on the captain’s face.
“Are we not?” he said softly.
“But you do not—that is, you do not feel that way about me,” she stammered.
He lifted her hand and pressed her fingers to his lips. “Surely you cannot still think so.” He turned her hand over and kissed her palm. “Dearest heart.”
“But …” She glanced at the Scotsman watching them with an approving smile.
“The more important question, my dear, is whether you feel the same.”
“The same as what?”
“Whether you feel as I do, that life, that a future, would be unbearable without you in it.”
Breath caught at his tender look, his sweet words …
“I feel it only right to tell you, fair Theodosia, that if you should refuse me, I have every intention of throwing myself back into the campaign, for life would truly be unbearable if you said no.”
A chuckle escaped despite herself. “You would resort to blackmail?”
“I would resort to anything if it made you understand how much I care.”
Her cheeks warmed again. “You cannot mean such things.”
“I assure you that I do.”
Life without him in it? She had thought she had reconciled her heart to his absence. Could he really be suggesting that she might not need to say farewell to him after all? “Is this a dream?” she whispered.
