But hehadto know. He couldn’t wait until morning.
Once on the landing, he looked right and left. Which room was Charlotte’s?
“Sir,please.” The boarding house proprietor’s eyes were wide with anxiety. “You can’t be up here. You’ll make my guests fearful.”
“This won’t take long, I promise. I just have to speak with her. Which room is Miss Montgomery’s?”
“As if I’m going to tell youthat.” She crossed her arms, and gave him a look that said she’d sooner toss him down the stairs than relay that bit of information.
“I could knock on each door—”
Before he could finish, the door immediately to his left opened, just far enough for Charlotte to see him.
“Whatever is going on out here?” she asked.
“I tried to keep him downstairs,” the proprietor said. “But he pushed right past me and refused to leave.”
Charlotte stared at him as if she didn’t recognize him at all, and Mark’s face felt as if it had caught fire. She must think him as uncouth as the boarding house owner clearly thought he was.
“My apologies,” he said, stumbling over the words. “I simply wanted to ensure Miss Montgomery was all right.” He paused. “Are you? All right, I mean?”
Her expression softened. “Yes. I’m sorry I worried you.”
It was difficult to be frank with the owner of the boarding house standing right there. “I . . . I enjoyed our walk. I hope you did also,” he said somewhat stiffly, hoping it conveyed what he truly meant.
She pressed drying hair away from her face as her skin tinged pink. “Yes, I did. I suppose I worried that you didn’t. Or that you might think me someone I’m not.”
So that was why she’d run. She was embarrassed and feared he’d think her too forward. Mark couldn’t suppress his smile. He swept his hat in front of him as if he were bowing to her. “Miss Montgomery, I’d be pleased to take a walk with you any time you’d like.”
Charlotte smiled at him then—a genuine grin of the sort that had made him take leave of his senses when he first met her. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“Mr. Becker, sir. Please, you must go now.” The boarding house proprietor’s look of confusion about the entire situation finally gave way to an irritated urgency, as if every woman in the place was about to look out her door and raise a fuss about them conversing in the hallway.
“Yes, I will,” he said to her. “Thank you for your hospitality. Miss Montgomery, I’ll call on you again tomorrow.”
The proprietor followed him down the stairs, not at all trusting him to leave on his own, he supposed. But when he glanced back up the stairs, Charlotte still watched him from the door.
As he stepped out into the darkening evening, Mark was fairly certain he’d dream about that kiss for all his days to come. He whistled as he crossed the road to his own boarding house. If Charlotte didn’t want to return home, perhaps she would remain here. He could stay in town too, find some other work nearby. They could get to know each other even better.
Nothing could dampen his spirit now that he knew Charlotte enjoyed his company as much as he enjoyed hers. Not even thoughts of how Mr. Montgomery might react if he discovered what had happened.
