Had she only imagined seeing him? Could the stress of Angelica's wedding have caused her to create a fantasy where Harrison had returned to her?
Distraught, she prepared to turn when she was grabbed from behind and abruptly spun around.
It was Harrison, grinning madly at her. "Did you miss me?"
"I can't believe it's you," she gasped. "I thought you might be-"
"Dead? It's not that easy to kill me." He pulled her forward into a firm kiss, pressing his lips against her mouth so firmly she thought she might bruise.
She sunk into his arms for a moment, then pulled back to ask, "Why did you run out of the house like that?"
He tilted his head to one side and thoughtfully answered, "I couldn't see you for the first time in front of all those strangers. The moment I'd been dreaming about for an entire year. I just felt we needed this time to ourselves."
As her eyes watered, she nodded. "I can't believe you're finally here. I'm so happy."
"As am I, my love. My uncle knows the Newsome family, and I obtained an invitation for myself thinking I would come rescue you. I come to find you are not in need of being rescued. You don't need me after all."
"Harrison, I don't need you-that is true. But I want you."
The smile lit up his face.
The smell of the overgrown ivy crawling up the side of the house was strong. It seemed as though every one of her senses was heightened. She grabbed his hands and squeezed them tightly. "What comes next for us?"
"I think that's obvious. You marry me and become my wife. I know that institution didn't do so much for you in the past, but you know that when I make a commitment to something, I see it through."
"Yes, I do know that. That's something I believe in more than anything in this world." She was talking with her hands, already making plans. "I put away some money-"
"Don't worry about that. I had some time to amass a small fortune myself. That claim you bought wasn't so dry after all. I think you'll be pleased with what I dug up. Your trip to Africa wasn't for naught."
"I never thought it was. I could have come back to England as a pauper, but if I have you in my arms each night, I'm a happy woman."
He wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around until she felt dizzy. "Shall we have more adventures, Catherine? I hear the colonies are booming."
She regained her feet and clung to him, her head spinning. "What if I don't want any more adventure? If I wish to settle down? What are you going to do when our days are no longer exciting?"
"My uncle is getting older and it's becoming quite difficult for him to run the estate alone. He'd love for me to come back and take over, if that is something you would want." He cradled her face in his strong hands. "But, Catherine, life will always be exciting with you."
Harrison was right. They did many things in the years that followed and not once were they bored.
More than that, she spent each day knowing she was wanted.
Table of Contents
The Queen of Diamonds
England, Late Nineteenth Century
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
The Queen of Diamonds Page 16