Sail Away by Lee Rowan Read Free Book Online Page A

as though she had slapped him. “I beg your pardon?"
    "That is not necessary. But please, I beg you, cease praising the wisdom of my father's decision. Mr. Humboldt is a worthy gentleman, but even if I end my days a spinster, I will not be his wife."
    Paul's mouth opened, but for a moment no words came out. Then he said, “My dear Miss Lancaster!"
    "Am I?” she demanded.
    "Are—are you what?"
    "Your dear.” She felt the heat rush to her cheeks as she said it, but there was no taking it back, so she plunged ahead. “For if you feel anything for me, I do wish you would screw up your courage and say so, before I am dragged off to that howling wilderness!"
    "Miss Lancaster!” Her hand disappeared between his two much larger ones. “I would like nothing better. But to disregard the wishes of your father—"
    "My father is a fine man, and I do love him. But I do not wish to spend the rest of my life in his care, nor with a man who is enough like him to be his son.” She met those deep brown eyes and the hope she saw in them gave her the courage to finish. “I hope to have my own home, my own family ... my own husband."
    "Might I ask—” he stopped to clear his throat, “Whether you have any gentleman in mind for the honour?"
    "I do,” she said with some asperity. “I have been conversing with him for at least an hour. He is a fine, gallant gentleman and I believe we would suit one another admirably."
    "I believe we would,” he said. “But only if you can dispense with one bit of foolishness."
    Did he not like her bonnet? “I think I very likely can. What foolishness is that?"
    He brought her hand to his lips, and kissed it. A shiver ran through her. “The delusion that you are unattractive."
    "I am not in the least pretty,” she said. “My mother—"
    "Your mother was exceptionally pretty. But you are beautiful, too—in an entirely different way. She was, I think, a fairy princess, too frail to stay upon the earth. But you—my dearest lady, you are a human woman, round and ripe and altogether desirable, beautiful inside and out—exactly the sort of woman I had despaired of ever finding."
    He went to one knee in the classic pose, and Cynthia thought her heart would burst through her ribs. “Miss Lancaster, I know that this is far too sudden, and I do not expect an immediate answer—but I beg that you will do me the honor of becoming my wife."
    She had hoped, wished, half-expected it—but the reality was still a shock. “Yes, I would like to,” she said, and found herself caught up in an overwhelming embrace, literally lifted from the floor and squeezed so hard she could not breathe. When he set her back on her feet at last, she had to sit down on the divan.
    "If there is a jeweler in town,” he said, back in command now things were settled, “I would like to buy you a ring. An aquamarine, if such a thing can be found."
    "Paul, wait,” Cynthia said. “Sit down for a moment, please?” She caught his hand and held it, her head spinning so she thought she might faint. “There are two things ... I said that I would like to marry you, but there are two things you must know, before you commit yourself."
    He sat beside her. “What are they?"
    "One of my brothers ... Paul, he is a Patriot. One brother a Loyalist, one a Patriot—I love them both, I cannot choose."
    He nodded. “My dear, if war comes, so long as your brother stays out of the Navy, we shall probably never meet. That is all I can say; he has his own path to take. What is the other thing?"
    "My grandmother. I don't think I can bear to leave her."
    "Is that all?” He laughed. “Rest easy, I don't think I can, either. That is, if she wants to come along, though I think England would be a better place for her than the wretched cold of the Maritimes, and it would please me to think that you would not be alone in our home when I am off at sea."
    "Oh, that would be so perfect.” Cynthia felt giddy with relief. “Our home,” she said, savoring