Heads swiveled Leah’s way, people darting looks between herself and the captain. For his part, Fox turned and met her gaze, his lips relaxing into a hint of a smile. While not precisely enthusiastic, it was at least warm.
The rest of the service passed in a blur, Leah scarcely listening as she felt the eyes of the entire village boring into her skull.
After the sermon, she thanked the vicar and stepped hesitantly from the church, nervousness churning her stomach.
Parishioners gathered in the kirkyard as usual. But today, a charged expectation hung in the air, as if too many eyes lingered on her.
From across the way, Mrs. Buchan and Mrs. Clark raced toward her, wind tugging at their bonnets and tangling their skirts as they hastened to reach Leah and extract every sensational detail.
Had she been feeling more herself, Leah would have laughed at the spectacle. As it was, she waited, fingers knotted around her reticule strings.
But then a gentle hand took hers, untangling her fingers. Startled, Leah looked to find Fox at her side, quietly threading her palm through his elbow.
He has flecks of gold in his blue eyes, Leah noted first.
He looks tired, she noted second.
Shadows smudged the pale skin beneath his eyes, and a taut tension pulled at his mouth. He even winced in the sunlight, as if his head were sore.
And yet, tired and worn and hurting, he had come.
“Thank ye,” she murmured.
“My pleasure,” he said in return.
And then Mrs. Buchan and Mrs. Clark were upon them, expectantly waiting for Leah to make a formal introduction.
Which, Leah, obligingly did.
“Captain Carnegie, ’tis such a pleasure tae finally make your acquaintance,” Mrs. Clark said breathlessly.
“Aye.” Mrs. Buchan beamed. “And congratulations on your choice of bride. We’ve always said Miss Penn-Leith was merely waiting for the right worthy gentleman tae come along.”
Leah barely stopped a huffing laugh. Mrs. Buchan had never said any such thing.
For his part, Fox smiled, shooting a kind glance at Leah. “I indeed feel the weight of my good fortune.”
Her heart nearly burst for happiness.
“Tell us a wee bitty more about yourself, Captain.” Mrs. Clark’s eyes lit with the expectation of gaining information to share. “How is your family?”
Did Leah imagine his smile became more strained? “Deceased, unfortunately. I believe I have a distant aunt in Bath, but that is all the family I can recall at the moment.”
“Oh!” Mrs. Buchan pressed a fluttering hand to her bosom. “How glad we are that ye will now have a family in the Penn-Leiths.”
“I am.” Fox gave Leah another one of those fond glances.
Leah’s returning smile was altogether doting and smitten.
Here was the man she remembered in full force—kind, charming, patient. And for the next hour, he matched the memory.
He batted away Mrs. Buchan’s prying questions and Mrs. Clark’s probing comments as readily as he had bashed the cricket ball all those years ago. He laughed with Lord and Lady Hadley and bore Dr. Ruxton’s moralizing with fortitude.
Leah found it so unbearably . . .lovely.
To feel Fox’s arm, warm and firm, under her palm and hear the rasp of his baritone in her ears.
To know that this striking man would soon be her husband.
