With a gentle tug, he guided her to his desk. A single sheet of parchment lay there with freshly inked lines of text scrawled out. A letter.
“Sit.”
She did and couldn’t help reading the first line.
I, Christian William Thompson, have come to the regrettable decision that I ought not retain my Commission in the navy.
Her brows pushed together. “What is this?”
“Keep reading.”
A tingle began in the base of her neck, slowly spreading outward, and she took a deep breath before continuing.
I therefore tender my resignation which I request you will recommend for acceptance.
She jerked her head up. “You’re resigning?”
“After the events of the last month, I realized I cannot continue this job with a clear conscience.”
He picked up a white feathered quill and dipped the tip into his inkwell.
“I thought my calling in life was to mete justice out on the seas. To spend my life married to the ocean. But I made a mistake. I never made room in my plans for love.” He cleared his throat. “I was wrong.”
Her chest seized. What was he trying to say?
“I didn’t lie last night when I told you I think about you constantly. It’s not just my mind you fill. It’s my heart. This morning, when I woke up and thought about my voyage, I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving you.”
He leaned over and scratched his signature across the bottom ofthe document before dropping the feather with a flourish.
Her heart caught in her throat and she turned to find him kneeling next to her.
“I’ve made a mess of things, and I hope you can forgive me. I should have never accepted your promise to stop sailing. It was a sacrifice you should have never been forced to make.”
She drew in a ragged breath as the chasm in her heart threatened to reopen. “I don’t regret it. I’d do anything—”
He brought a finger to her lips. “You should never be forced to choose between your happiness and your family.”
Family.
Her chest tightened. “Your father. . .”
Christian dropped his head and pressed his eyes closed. “The things he did were terrible beyond belief. I understand if you hate me for it.”
She shook her head and fumbled for his hand, wrapping her fingers around his. “No. I could never. What he did...” She took a steadying breath. “You had nothing to do with any of it. You are your own man. An admirable one at that.”
His jaw trembled. “I do not deserve you.”
A shaky laugh escaped her. “I could say the same.”
“I think...” A faint smile played across his lips. “I think we need a new beginning.”
A spark of hope ignited deep within her. Was it possible? Could they truly start anew?
“I love you, Samantha. If the last few weeks have taught me anything, it’s that I cannot live without you.” He squeezed her hand. “I cannot promise I’ll be perfect. But I can promise to weather life’s storms at your side. To give you the freedom to do the things that bring you happiness. To never stop loving you.”
Samantha’s lungs stopped working and the room swam around her. This couldn’t be happening. Her eyes flitted to the bed. Had shefallen back asleep? He cleared his throat and she snapped her gaze back to him.
“Will you marry me?”
