“Madeline,” he said again to her softly.
“Colonel,” she replied, her voice touched with ice as the betrayal hit her all over again. The look on his face said it all, and his expectant gaze dropped into one close to panic before he righted himself.
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?” Madeline placed her hands on her hips, her heart racing with fear as she confronted him. When was the last time she had faced anything full-on? She couldn’t remember, but it was exhilarating. “After it was too late?’
“Isn’t it already?” His voice was tender as he moved closer beside her, reaching up to touch her shoulder gently. She closed her eyes for a bit, savoring the nearness of him, before taking a step back in an effort to put distance between them. “I love you, Madeline, and I know that you love me too. Isn’t that all that matters?”
Yes, her mind thought wildly, but she shook her head against her own errant and impassioned thoughts and focused on the reality of the situation. Reading the lines of her face, Harland’s face began to take on the tragic look of a heartbroken man. It hurt Madeline to see it.
“Yes, I’m a Colonel. Yes, I’m fabulously rich. I am a magnate of the restaurant industry, my dear, the king of an empire that I built with my bare hands. I took a sabbatical from my duties in order to see the world, see what else could possibly be out there, and on the course of my journey I found what I was looking for.”
Her heart fluttered wildly in the space of his pauses. In spite of everything, she found herself hanging on his every word.
“I found you, Madeline. I wanted to tell you, but when you told me why you ran away, I couldn’t bring myself to tell you. How could I, knowing that it might drive you away?”
“Lying wouldn’t fix that!” she protested. “Lying only makes things worse!”
“Now you know,” he replied solemnly. “You know everything, and all I can do is hope that you still love me.”
Of course she still loved him. How could she not? That did not necessarily mean that they were meant to be together. Could she truly be another high-society wife? Could she give up Caoimhe, Liam, Carson, and her new life to sit in a house and wear pretty clothes and say pretty things for the rest of her life? The thought of it daunted her.
“It doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” Harland said as though he had been reading her mind. “Loving me won’t force you into a life you don’t want to live.”
“You’d give everything up for me?” she asked incredulously. Harland’s face lit up.
“Of course!” he threw out his hands as though he were throwing everything away, taking in the sunset as it began to set over the ocean. The salty sea spray whipped at their hair, and Madeline hugged herself, watching the spectacle. “I would burn everything to the ground if it meant that you would still love me as much as you did when you thought I was a
simple sailor.”
“I never thought you were simple,” she replied with a touch of mischief. “But I couldn’t ask that of you. Not after you built everything.”
“You’re not asking that of me. I’m offering it willingly.”
And with that he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close against the sunset. It felt electric when their lips met, and for a moment everything left Madeline’s mind, leaving only the clear and simple beauty of how much she loved him.
Then she pushed him away.
“I can’t,” she said, tears welling up in her eyes. “I can’t do it.”
She turned away before her second thoughts could stop her own footfalls, covering her mouth with her hands as if she could press the kiss into her lips forever. Harland stood there, dumbfounded, as she began to walk down the path. Persephone stood not too far away, grazing peacefully, completely unaware that the world was ending. Madeline was several steps away from her, her knees trembling with the fragile gravity of her decision.
If he calls my name, she thought, I’ll turn around and be his forever.
The waves crashed in the distance, tugging at Madeline’s heartstrings like the tide. Tears streamed down her face. Could she simply leave? Would he let her go?
A particularly large wave crashed against the rocks below, but softly, oh so very softly, Madeline heard him utter a name. Picturing the scenario in her mind, she thought she would whirl around like a frenzied dancer, throwing herself into the safety of his arms once more. Instead she simply turned, her face a mask of tears and serenity, and looked upon his face. Moments stretched between them like years, like decades, until with a final cry she began to run into his waiting arms.
EPILOGUE:
THREE MONTHS LATER
My Dearest Madeline,
I am ever so heartened to hear from you, as it seems like ages since we were reunited! I still cannot tell you just how relieved we all were when we heard that you are well, and ever more surprised to learn that you’re now betrothed to a colonel! How terribly romantic for you to have fallen in love by the seaside. I always knew it would happen!
Speaking of love, I was unable to tell you the fantastic news that occurred after the last time you visited. It seems I have fallen in love myself, with none other than Reginald! How truly terrific that we are both to marry those we love, and I am thankful every day that you fled that night. If it weren’t for such bold action, would we both be facing down our every happiness now?
Please write to me from America. I want to hear about everything that ladies do there, especially the fashion!
Your ever faithful and loving sister,
Victoria
Madeline laughed as she folded the letter in her hand and placed it on the table of her vanity. She still wasn’t used to spending so much time on a boat, but being seated seemed to make her feel better. The past three months had been a whirlwind of wedding announcements and marriage plans, and it seemed as though Victoria was about to step into her own storm. Madeline was pleased that her sister had found love, and she was sure that their parents would be pleased with their youngest daughter becoming a duchess.
It had been only three days since they said goodbye to Caoimhe and Carson from the deck of the ship. Madeline had been delighted to see Carson take Caoimhe’s hand as they waved, knowing full well that it was only a matter of time for the two of them. Everything seemed to be working out wonderfully, except that her fiancé was late coming to bed.
Madeline found him standing on the deck of the ship, looking out over the ocean in the direction of England, and Madeline took the moment to watch him, taking in the handsomeness of his face. After a minute or two, she could hear him laugh.
“I know you’re there, Future Mrs. Sanders,” he said, turning to look at her. “Come and watch the sunset with me.”
She walked to his side, feeling his arm slip around her waist and hold her close. As the wind blew through their hair, they stood by each other’s side and sailed off into their own private happily ever after.