Through the sea of dockworkers, travelers, and vendors, he saw her, half-turned, her hand resting on the handle of a waiting carriage. But she wasn’t boarding. She was searching. Her gaze swept the crowd, her brows furrowed, her lips parted, as if she were hoping—praying—to see someone.
Him.
A powerful, visceral jolt went through Wang.
“Esther!” His voice tore from his throat, desperate and raw.
Her head snapped in his direction. For an instant, she froze in place, as if she couldn’t believe her own eyes. Then she moved. One step. Another. She broke into a run—her skirts lifted slightly, her movements quick, unthinking, like she couldn’t reach him fast enough.
He launched forward, closing the distance between them in great, bounding strides. People moved aside, startled by the force of his momentum. He didn’t care. Nothing else mattered but her.
They met in the middle of the docks, crashing into each other in a wild, frantic embrace. His arms locked around her waist, holding her so tightly he could feel the hammering of her heart against his chest. Her arms twined around his neck, her fingers gripping at his collar as if she might never let go.
A low, shuddering breath left him as he buried his face against her hair, inhaling the delicate, familiar scent of her. His hands trembled as they pressed against the small of her back, reassuring himself that she was real, warm, solid in his arms.
And then, unable to stop himself, he lifted her clear off the ground.
A startled laugh bubbled from her lips, smothered by his mouth as he kissed her. Right there in the open, in the middle of the bustling docks, he kissed her until her lips soothed the ache in his heart. Until his burning lungs demanded air.
Touching his forehead to hers, he whispered a breath away from her mouth.
“You are here.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t leave.”
Her slow shake of her head rubbed their noses together. “I couldn’t. When I—”
A passerby bumped into them, muttering an apology as he hurried by. Wang stabilized them, becoming aware of his surroundings. All around them, people bustled to and fro. Some bystanders stared. Others whispered, tossing them scandalized looks. He didn’t care one fig. Let them judge. But this was not the best place to hold such an important conversation.
Taking Esther by the hand, he led her towards the carriage she had been about to board, and offered his hand as she climbed in. Her maid was already inside.
“Home?” he asked her. She nodded, and he gave the driver the address before climbing in himself.
He took both her hands in his. “I can’t believe you are here. I was crushed, thinking I had missed my chance, that I had arrived too late. And then I turned, and you were there…”
“I couldn’t go,” she said quietly. “I was about to board. The porter was halfway up the gangway with my luggage, but I stepped one foot on it, and everything felt wrong. With every fiber of my being, I knew I couldn’t go without talking to you.”
Ignoring her maid, who was doing an excellent job of looking out the window and ignoring them too, he sat next to her and gathered her into his arms.
“Thank you for not leaving, despite me being an unmitigated fool.”
“You are not a fool,” she caressed his face, her eyes roaming over his features. He didn’t know what she sought, but she must have found it, for she smiled. “But you are too noble.”
He shook his head, pressing a kiss to her palm. “I am not noble. That is precisely the problem.”
“No, you are. In the truest definition of the word. You sought to protect me and my daughter. You care deeply and don’t hesitate to sacrifice yourself for the people you love. For that, I’ll always love you. But sacrifice is not necessary in this case. In fact, I truly believe our lives would be better for having you in it.”
His indomitable Esther. “I don’t know that. It won’t be easy, Esther. Some people may shun you. Or will whisper behind your back. Others will mock you for your comedown in the world.”
“Shush.” She placed her gloved fingers delicately over his mouth. “I don’t consider it a comedown. And the people who think that don’t matter. They will either see their error, or I don’t want their friendship. You know what I realized? The thing that made it impossible for me to set foot on that ship?”
He shook his head.
“I was never afraid of scandal or rejection for myself. But I was afraid for Lizzie. What if my actions denied her opportunities? Would I decrease her chances of a good match? What if a suitor shunned her because of her mother’s choices? But then I realized that any man so close-minded and prejudiced to reject her for such a reason is not worthy of her, and she’s better off not marrying such a man. But the good ones won’t be deterred. The good ones will see her for herself. Her values, her heart. So you see, I think, if anything, our…involvement would protect her.”
His mouth lifted in a half smile. “The only kind of involvement I want between us is a marriage.” Right there in the cramped confines of the carriage, he went down on one knee and took herhand between his. “Esther, I know I don’t deserve you, but I love you with all my battered heart, and if you do me the honor of becoming my wife, I will spend the rest of my days loving you, protecting you, supporting you. Striving to make you happy.” Her eyes had flooded with tears, but her smile was shining. “Would you marry me?”
