Captain Stewart touched beneath her chin, lifting her face. “I would never ask that of you. If you are agreeable to it, we can live together at Pinnock Hill.” His hand settled on her shoulder. “I know you are fully capable of caring for him. And you have an able housekeeper to assist. Matthews and I know the colonel well. We can help.” He lifted her hand to his lips. “Please say you will.”
Her heart expanded again, and this time there was nothing to keep it from growing until it ached with utter happiness. “I would like that very much, Captain.”
“James,” he said. “You should call me James.” He slid his hand behind her neck, pulling her gently forward. When their lips met, Lucy’s fears were gone. She felt calm and cared for, and she knew that with James by her side, she could face anything. She poured her heart into the kiss, wanting him to feel the same, to understand that she trusted him and that, in his arms, she knew she was safe.
The sounds of cheering made her pull away. Mr. Owens, Meg, and Mr. Matthews applauded from the carriage that stood at the side of the road. Lucy blushed from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.
Captain Stewart stood, grinning. “There is one more thing.” He went to the carriage and came back with a bundle of fur tied with a red ribbon.
“A puppy!” Lucy clapped her hands. “Oh, he is perfect.”
She pulled the puppy into her arms, burying her face in its fur. The puppy licked her face and gave a wide puppy yawn. Lucy thought she couldn’t be happier. She remembered his words days earlier. I suppose that’s what we all want, a home and a family and a dog. James offered her all three.
“Thank you, Cap—James. I absolutely love him.”
He watched her with the soft look that made her insides melt. “You love him?” He gave a teasing smile. “I rather hoped I might warrant a similar honor.”
Lucy stood, holding the puppy close against her chest. “I do love you, Captain James Stewart. Almost more than my heart can bear.”
He wrapped his arms around both Lucy and the puppy, leaning close to whisper, “Happy Christmas, Lucy. And we will have many more to come. I promise.”
Check out Jennifer Moore’s next book!
Jennifer Moore is a passionate reader and writer of all things romance due to the need to balance the rest of her world that includes a perpetually traveling husband and four active sons, who create heaps of laundry that is anything but romantic. She suffers from an unhealthy addiction to 18th- and 19th- century military history and literature. Jennifer has a B.A. in linguistics from the University of Utah and is a Guitar Hero champion. She lives in northern Utah with her family, but most of the time wishes she was on board a frigate during the Age of Sail.
You can learn more about her at http://www.authorjmoore.com
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