“Which I’ve turned down. He’s not American, he’s English. And he’s claims he comes from a good family, so there’s another lie. He’s not actually a starving actor, and… well, he’s just like Owen. Another liar.”
Grace grimaced and gave a small snort of disgust. “Anne, listen to yourself. Your young man here and Owen… they’re complete opposites. Do you love this one?”
Anne paused.
Grace waited a few seconds. “I mean it, Anne, do you love this boy…?” She turned and looked at Michael, who was almost at the door. “His real name is Michael, isn’t it?”
Anne nodded and gave a small sob. “Yes, I think so.”
“Yes, he’s Michael, or yes, you love him?”
“Both.”
“Did you love Owen?”
Anne looked down and shook her head, miserably. “No.”
“Did you ever love Owen?”
“No.”
“Then marry Michael. Marry for love. Your father and I will sort out the finances. I’m sure he won’t be the first one to go to a new bank, hat in hand.”
“Really?”
Grace sighed. “I’m fairly sure your young man loves you. You love him. You just have to look at… what’s your full name, Michael?”
Michael replied, “Yes, I do love her. And I’m Michael Edgerton, the Earl of Loxford, Baron of Haddington, and a few lesser titles, actually.”
Grace looked at Anne. Anne looked at Grace, and then at Michael.
Anne blinked hard. “You didn’t make that up?”
He shook his head and shrugged.
Grace continued, “Just look at him. He may be an actor or some such, but even when you thought he was lying, apparently he was telling the truth.”
Anne stared at her hands and took a deep breath before she looked at Michael. “Is there anything else I should know?”
Grace cut in, “He loves you and wants to marry you. Does anything else really matter?”
Anne tried to suppress a grin and failed. “No, I suppose not.”
Michael rushed to her side and dropped to his knees again. He seized Anne’s hands and begged, “So is that a yes? You’ll marry me and be my wife?”
Anne nodded. “Yes.”
“Good, because I love you more than I can say.”
As Anne felt lost in the sincerity of his expression and the depth in his eyes, she heard Grace clear her throat.
The old woman barked, “Let Michael up. I’m sure that floor is hard on the knees.”
Michael laughed and stood facing Anne with his arms draped around her shoulders.
Grace’s voice became even more commanding. “Now, how soon would you like to marry? There will be arrangements to make… the banns and all. And, oh…”
Anne’s head turned abruptly. “What’s wrong?”
“The wedding breakfast and decorations and all… oh my, the cost of it, my dears.”
Michael laughed. “Don’t worry. I can pay for all of it, as fancy as you like, but I have one request, first.”
Anne’s forehead wrinkled and her mouth twisted slightly. “Request…?”
“I’d like the ship’s captain to marry us, tomorrow.” Glancing at Anne, he added, “I want to be very sure Lord Sedley doesn’t make another attempt to win you back.”
Grace objected, “No, Anne deserves a church wedding with all the relatives there to see it.”
Michael glanced at Anne, who nodded solemnly. Then, he laughed. “Of course. We can have that, later. In fact, I insist on the Christmas wedding I described. But there’s something wonderfully theatrical about a marriage at sea…”
Anne shrugged and looked at Grace. “He is an actor…”
“And I cannot risk her changing her mind,” Michael added.
“Fine, fine,” Grace agreed.
And so they were married the next morning. Grace and Michael’s friend Stephen were witnesses, along with the entire theatrical troupe.
Of course, after the captain said, “You can kiss the bride,” the troupe applauded the kiss. They knew a “happily ever after ending” when they saw one.
“One more thing,” Michael said, reaching into his pocket. “Remember when I said I fell in love with you at the pawnshop?”
Anne nodded.
Michael drew out her mother’s pearl necklace and gently placed it in her hands. “I bought this as soon as you left the shop. Even then, I felt we were meant to be together, and somehow this moment would happen.”
Gazing through tears of joy, Anne held the necklace to her heart, and kissed Michael again.
About the Author
This is Alice N. Palmer’s first book in her “Love at Sea” series of short, sweet romantic stories set in the late Victorian era.
When Alice isn’t researching and writing books, she enjoys cooking and baking chocolate chip cookies, visiting quirky historical sites, and the occasional haunted house.
Alice lives in sunny Florida, close to the Cinderella castle at Disney World. She shares her home with her happily-ever-after husband of nearly 20 years, and she feels like the luckiest woman, ever.
If you liked this book, we hope you’ll leave a brief review at Amazon.com or wherever you found this book. Alice reads all of her reviews, and takes them to heart as she plans future books in this series and others.
You can visit Alice’s new website at AliceNPalmer.com
The Earl's Engagement (Love at Sea Book 1) Page 6