She stood. “I think you had better take your leave.”
NICK STARED AT HER. He was going to lose her. He, captain of the Robin Hood, who’d never lost a battle, was going to lose the one thing he cared about. But she was being unreasonable. She wanted too much—his very heart and soul. Fine. He’d give her the time she wanted. Maybe she’d miss him and come running back.
He started to move toward the door to the drawing room, wondering if he should grab the vase in case he needed leverage to make his exit, but his feet would not cooperate. He could not leave her. He was a man with perfect instincts, and he knew this was his last chance. If he did not win her now, he lost her forever.
He sank to his knees in front of her, surprising even himself. A cold sweat had formed on his brow, and his heart was pounding too fast. She looked up at him, surprise on her lovely face, and his heart steadied a bit. He’d lost everyone he ever loved, but he would lose her now if he didn’t love her.
And he did. He loved her enough to kneel before her, take her small, cold hand in his, and say, “Ashley Brittany, the first time I ever saw you, I fell in love with you. Hopelessly in love with you.” His voice was shaking, and the words were stilted. He hadn’t known he would say them, hadn’t realized they were true, until now. “I had to have you, and like the rogue I was, I seduced you. I want to be sorry for that, but I’m not. I’ve never regretted anything with you. Not taking your innocence, not marrying you, not choosing you time and time again.”
She was staring at him, eyes wide. “Nick.” She tried to pull her hand away. Instead, he pulled her to her feet and into his embrace. He was not letting her go. Not now. Not ever.
“The truth is”—his whole body was shaking now—“I have lost everyone I ever loved. My friend, my father, my...mother.” He lowered his head, willing his body to stop shaking. “I was there when she died...when she was murdered. I saw it all, and I died that day. I don’t think I can find the will to live again if I lose someone else I love that much.”
“Nick.” Tears were in her eyes when he looked up at her. “I understand. You don’t have to say it.”
“But I do because the only thing worse than losing the woman I love is losing her because I didn’t love her enough. I love you, Ashley.” And with those words a sudden calm came over him, like the ocean after a fierce storm. The next were easier. “I love you more than my life. I cannot live without you in my life. I don’t want to live without you in my life.”
Now was the moment he would beg her to go home with him, but he wasn’t going to beg. He wasn’t going to ask. He couldn’t leave this to chance. In one quick movement, he swept her into his arms. “What are you doing?” she cried.
“I’m abducting you.”
“You don’t have to do that!” she said on a laugh. That was a good sign, wasn’t it?
“You’re coming home with me, and I’ll keep you there until I can convince you I love you. I’ll serve you breakfast in bed, buy you a hundred gowns, take you to every godawful ball, and take you to bed, Ashley. We are going to spend a lot of time in bed, and every time I touch you, every time you cry my name, I’m going to tell you that I love you.”
“Alright,” she whispered.
He was striding across the room, still holding her in his arms. But now he paused. “What did you say?”
“I said yes. I’m going home with you. And Nick?” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you too.” She kissed him then, and the feel of her sweet mouth on his was like coming home again. He had the urge to lay her back on the chair, but he wasn’t risking those mad brothers of hers returning and murdering him. He wasn’t risking setting her down, either. And so he kissed her back, walking to the door, and kicking it open. Sir Gareth and his sons stood outside, staring at them.
“What’s the meaning of this? Ashley Gweneira Brittany, you come down right now.”
She laughed, and Nick held her tighter against his chest. He loved the sound of her laughter.
“I’m not Ashley Brittany anymore,” she said. “I’m Lady Nicholas, and I’m going home with my husband.” She looked up at him. “Nick, take me home.”
“With pleasure.”
Epilogue
“Aren’t you going to tell me anything?” Maddie asked.
Ashley pursed her lips, and looked up at the clear, sunny sky. They were strolling in Hyde Park, their white parasols bumping into one another. Rissa and two of her nannies had left them to feed the ducks in the Serpentine, and this was the first opportunity Maddie and Ashley had to speak without interruption from the loquacious child. A few yards ahead of them, Lord Blackthorne and Nick seemed deep in conversation, giving the girls a private moment.
She and Nick had only made their presence in London known three days ago. She’d been expecting her friends to show up on her doorstep at any moment, but she hadn’t minded having Nick all to herself either. She did not know why she had ever been so against marriage. She had adventure. She had happiness. She had never been happier in her life. She had never felt more loved.
Now there were just a few details to arrange. First of all, she had to convince her brothers to stop threatening Nick’s life. Secondly, she had to tell Maddie some sort of plausible story about where she had been the past months. After all, she couldn’t tell her the truth.
When she and Nick had discussed it, they’d come up with a fabrication that Ashley thought delightful. It was also to ensure none of her friends had any information about Nick’s role as the captain of the Robin Hood. The navy had launched an investigation into the ship and its captain after the incident with the Formidable, and neither Ashley nor Nick wanted to involve their friends. Ashley would have to lie for the time being, but it would protect Maddie from complicity.
Nick had also received word that Yussef’s ship was at the bottom of the ocean. The note, when he’d shown her, hadn’t been signed, but there was a crude drawing of a lion and a gazelle. She knew it had come from Mr. Chante. Yussef was no more.
At the moment, Ashley just wanted Maddie to stop questioning her.
“What else do you want to know?” Ashley finally said. “I told you what happened.” Or at least a version of it.
Maddie shook her head. “But I don’t believe it.”
