Although she was vulnerable, there was a hint of excitement dancing in her eyes. But there was also fear. He’d been noticing the fear in her sea blue eyes since he first arrived. It pained him to see it on someone so bold, so full of life.
“I’m not sure, but they must have run off after seeing us—”
“This is awful! I can’t believe I was such an idiot.” Julia threw up her hands in exasperation and began pacing back and forth.
He walked over to her and took her by the shoulders to stop her pacing. “Calm down. I’m sure whoever it was won’t say a word.”
She took a step back. “You obviously don’t know the servants at all. They’re always whispering about something, usually if Livie is pregnant or not. I’ll be ruined…again. My family would never say anything, but servants talk!” Julia turned away from him and rushed down the hall.
Henry’s long limbs easily caught up to her. He reached out and gently took her by the forearm. He wanted to ease her discomfort, tell her that it didn’t matter if they were seen because he wanted her. He would do anything to be with her.
“Marry me.”
Julia’s breath caught in her throat, her heart ceased beating, and sweat formed over her brow and upper lip. She must be experiencing heart failure. How else could she explain what she’d just heard?
Perhaps she was finally losing her mind. There were times that she was very much on the brink of insanity. When her parents died and when Henry left her, she had felt utterly alone, but each time, she had never succumbed to the madness.
Pulling her body close to his, Henry peered down at her. “Marry me, Julia. We don’t have to sneak around. We don’t have to pretend anymore.”
His words soothed her fragile nerves, but the fear was still present. She was afraid to surrender herself to him.
“I-I can’t.” She met his gaze, panic swirling around in her belly.
Julia wanted to run away from him, but his grip on her was firm, his fire-filled eyes cementing her in place.
“Why? Tell me why, Julia.” He gave her shoulders a little shake. “Because I want to be with you. Now and always.” One of his hands cupped her cheek as he pressed his forehead against hers.
“Because your leaving shattered me into a million pieces,” she admitted, the tears falling freely. “If you left me again, I would break.” She pushed him away with all of her strength. “You failed me, Henry. You failed us. I would’ve been there for you. All you had to do was come to me.”
She clutched her chest, the words causing a sharp pain to pierce her. Julia was unable to control her emotions any longer.
He took a tentative step toward her but stopped when she held up her hands in warning. Henry dragged his hand through his hair in frustration. “You don’t love St. Clara. You love me.” He whispered the last part, his heart breaking in two. It was what he deserved after abandoning her so carelessly. He knew that now, but he was back and would never leave her again. “As I lov—”
“Don’t!” she choked out, her composure crumbling. “Don’t you dare say it, Henry. You left!” She shoved his chest, three years of anger bubbling out of her as she pounded her small fist into his hard muscles.
Seizing her by the hand, he stopped her assault on his person. “Listen to me, Julia,” he demanded, fresh tears shining in his eyes. Another part of her defenses crumbled at the sight of him so vulnerable.
“I’m back and I’m not going anywhere.” His voice soothed her battered spirit, and she stopped fighting him. She looked up. She could feel her lips trembling, her body shaking with fear.
She had no more fight to give. Her body trembled all over as his words disarmed her completely. Henry slowly bent down and pressed his head against hers, his lips a whisper away.
“I know I left you, sweetheart. After Amelia died in the fire, I felt like a complete and utter failure. London was more like a cage to me than home. Everything reminded me of my inability to save my sister. I couldn’t face you in fear that I would fail you too, and I did. I did it by leaving, and I will spend all of our lives proving my love to you.” His voice shook, and she could see his pain, his hurt. “Everything I’ve done since I returned to London is for you. The shipping company, fighting for my fortune, everything, so that I would be able to provide for us. So that we can make a life together.”
His watery eyes pleaded with her, and she ran her fingers through his short hair, wanting to take away his pain. He wrapped his arms around her, engulfing her in a hug. She melted into their embrace, her shoulders heaving with the force of her sobs.
Being in his arms like this after all that time, felt like a bright sunny day. Warmth spread through her, and her body sagged with the release. Her pain and anger were slowly melting away.
She found his lips, desperately needing to know what they felt like now that she was free from the pain. She had carried it like a shield for three years, and now she was relinquishing it for peace—for love.
The kiss was slow and gentle. She sighed as his hands traveled to her waist. He lifted her off her feet, walking them down the hall with sure footsteps.
Tears of joy and happiness mingled with his. The past was no more, all that remained was the future.
A future with Henry by her side.
Julia clung to him as he led her through a door, never breaking their sweet kiss. When her feet touched the carpeted floor, she opened her eyes to find that she was not in her room, but his.
It was comfortably decorated like most of the rooms in Warren House, the colors bright and cheery.
