Rebecca hugged him close and said, “Camden.”
“Yes,” he replied, hugging her back.
“I was silly being so afraid. Foolish to let you go. I love you, and being a soldier is part of who you are. It’s your heritage. I would not change you.”
His chest swelled at her declaration. He lowered his head, capturing her soft lips. She wound her arms around him, pulling him close as she tilted her head, welcoming his kiss. Passion ignited between them, fierce and unyielding. The kiss deepened, becoming a fiery conflagration that consumed them both.
Camden pulled back, his dark eyes ablaze with emotion. He stroked her hair and whispered, “I promise to always cherish you. To always protect you and keep you safe. To love you until my dying breath.”
Rebecca looked up at him with her brown eyes shining with love and trust. “I believe you, and make you the same promises,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion.
Camden cupped her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. “Let’s go home and start our life together,” he said, and with that, they mounted their horses and rode back to the castle. A new chapter in their lives had just begun, and they were ready to face it together.
Chapter 15
Three weeks later…
Rebecca’s heart beat with joy as she and Camden watched the last of their wedding guests walk through the ancient gatehouse. They clung to each other, her palm flat against his chest. The chill midmorning breeze ruffled Rebecca’s skirts, but its coldness was lost on her as she stood in the bailey of Almerry Castle, surrounded by lush, fragrant gardens teeming with vibrant pink and yellow blooms. Her parents, sister, and Daphne, along with Camden’s parents and brother, waved their fair wells, smiling approvingly as the newly married couple basked in the sheer delight of being together. Behind them, the keep rose up to guard them like a sentinel for all eternity.
She gazed up into Camden’s eyes after the last of the carriages disappeared from sight. “I have a gift for you, husband.” Her heart fluttered with anticipation and she gave him a glowing smile.
“You have already given me the best gift imaginable.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead, then swept her into his arms, cradling her body close to his.
She laid her head against his chest as he carried her up the stairs, past their borrowed butler, and into Almerry’s entry hall. She knew that tomorrow he would take her away on an adventure for their honeymoon, but tonight they were here within the castle walls, and she meant to enjoy every moment. Overcome with joy, she closed her eyes and let out a gentle sigh. Opening them, she met his gaze and said, “I would like very much to see what is concealed within the old trunk.”
He stopped walking and gave her his full attention. “Are you certain?” he asked.
“Yes. And once we know what it holds, I wish for you to make love to me.” Her cheeks burned at the admission.
“I cannot imagine what I did to deserve such a perfect woman as my wife.” He brought his lips to hers, kissing her soundly before lowering her to her feet. “But for the rest of my days, I shall strive to deserve you.”
“And I you.” She stood on her toes, pressing her lips against his in a gentle kiss. “Now let us see what treasures the trunk holds.”
He knelt beside her and together they lifted the lid. She met his eyes before reaching in to run her slender fingers slowly over the soft red fabric. Biting her bottom lip, she carefully pulled it from the ancient oak trunk and held it up for a better look. “It’s a gown,” she whispered in awe as she spread it out on the ground between them.
“A medieval kirtle.” He said, studying her movements with a mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes. “And chain mail.” He lifted out the heavy garments of iron links.
“Do you suppose they belonged to Sir Ariston and Lady Isabel?” She whispered, her voice filled with wonder.
“It is possible. They appear old enough to have belonged to them.” He fiddled with the chain mail, inspecting the iron links.
Rebecca’s eyes lit up as she lifted a man’s tunic and hose out of the trunk. The fabric was soft, a deep blue with intricate gold embroidery adorning the edges. She raised it to her face, letting its scent linger in her nose before carefully laying it down on the floor. “I would like to think they do,” she smiled, “that your ancestors left behind more than just their great love story and legacy of battle.”
“Ah, my darling, that is where you are wrong.”
She turned to him, one brow arched in question. “Wrong how?” she asked.
“It is a legacy of love they left behind. For it was love that conquered their hearts, bringing them together despite the battle they waged between them.”
“Love’s legacy.” She turned his words over in her mind. One corner of her mouth lifted in a half smile as she met his gaze. “A promise of everlasting passion. I like the sound of that.” She leaned forward, peering into the trunk. A metal box remained inside, tucked into a corner of the large chest. Her pulse quickened. There was something inscribed on the top, but she couldn’t interpret what it said beneath the centuries of tarnish. She lifted it out and presented it to Camden. “Look, something is engraved on the top.”
He leaned closer, his fingertips barely brushing the engraved top. “Let me see it.” He looked up expectantly, and she handed it to him, the weight of it heavy in his palm. He rubbed his shirtsleeve across the inscription before tilting the box toward the candlelight. He squinted at the words etched into the tarnished silver. “It’s Latin,Amor Vincit Omnia.”
“Love conquers all.” She beamed at him, her eyes twinkling and a giddy excitement emanating from her.
He inclined his head, extending the box out to her. “Open it,” he said, his voice soft.
Her finger shook as she lifted the top to peer inside. A necklace rested on a bed of royal-blue fabric. A miniature painting of a couple hung from the chain. Her breath hitched as she stared at the raven-haired woman and blond-haired man, the carved stone hearth of the great hall behind them.
