Atticus quickly closed the distance and gatheredFallonin his arms as heturned her head away from the grisly scene. But she didn’t have eyes for anyone other than him.
“I’m so glad I found you,” he whispered, kissing her forehead, her cheeks and holding her as if he let go, she would fly away.
She lifted her hands and placed them on either side of his face.The bristleschafedher palms, but she didn’t care. He wasalive.“I heard that you were captured,” she whispered, a catch in her voice. “Icouldn’t let them…” Thethoughtclogged her throat, for the terror of that moment still hadn’t fully dissipated.
A tear coursed down her cheek and he brushed it away with the pad of his thumb. “I’ll explain everything later, but right now, we need to leave.” He looked at her solemnly. “Will you come back to England with me, Fallon?”
She smiled. “Whither thou goest, I will go.”
He smiled and it took her breath,for it held all the promise of a devoted lover. It was all she could do not to rise on tiptoe and kiss him soundly on those perfect, masculine lips.
He glanced down at her attire. “Do you have anything else with you?”
She recalled the boarding house and the items from Mrs. Hinks. “Yes.”
He nodded, and then turned to address Sean who was taking care of the fallen soldier. “We’ll meet you at the docks in fifteen minutes.”
“Aye, Cap’n.”
Atticus grasped Fallon’s hand and she thrilled at the warmth in his touch. It took her a moment to realize that he was leading the way, but she would save any questions for later. This man was so different than the cold one she’d left on board theCrimson Rose.He was attentive and chivalrous and everything she had dreamed theheroicRaven could ever be.
Mrs. Hicks was pacing the floor in concernwhen they arrived, but relief flooded her face when she saw Fallon walk in the door. “Oh, thank heavens!” she breathed. She embraced Fallonand shecouldn’t help butsmile. They had known each other a short time, and yet,Fallon alsofelt a certain fondness for the lady that she couldn’t quite explain.
Fallon started to introduce Atticus, but Suzanne put her hands on her hips and chided gently, “You gave me quite a scare, young man. I thought that this time theconstableshad truly absconded with you!”
“No, ma’am.” Atticus grinned somewhat sheepishlywhen Fallon shot him a look. “You should have known better than to imagine the Raven could be caught so easily.”
“And yet…”She sighed. “…he’s gone.”
He walked over and laid a comforting hand onhershoulder. In a serious tone, he said, “Rest assured, I’ll continue thegoodfighton English soil.It was a hard decision, but…”He glanced at Fallon. “I decided it’sbestfor everyone this way.”
Fallon couldn’t do more than stare at himin return. This man wasin a group withthe pirates of old, like Calico Jack, and yet,she knewhe had more honor and devotion than a hundred soldiers combined.
And he was all hers.
“Yes, I see that.”
Fallon glanced at Mrs. Hinks and she could feel her face warm, for the woman understood all too well.
“I’ll be right back,” she murmured, and was grateful for the reprieve to go upstairs. She quickly divested herself of her nightclothes and threw them into her borrowed valise as she changed into an ivory blouse, a black skirt, and a dark brown corset. She wound her hair into a knot at the nape of her neck and pinned it the best she could. She slipped on a pair of boots and headed back downstairs with her bag.
Mrs. Hinks held the door for them, but before Fallon passed through with Atticus, she told the lady, “I’ll write you when we get to England.”
“I would appreciate that.” Fallon wasn’t sure, but she thought the woman might have had a sheen of moisture in her eyes. “It was nice meeting you, Miss O’Malley.”
“And you, as well,” Fallon said sincerely. “And don’t give up on your cousin. Perhaps she will change her mind and join you in Galway soon.”
“Or I might just decide to retire to the countrymyself.”
Fallon grinned at the rejoinder and followed Atticus down to the harbor. And even though it was still dark with little light coming from the half moon, she spied a familiar vessel moored there.
As they boarded theAlgonda,Fallonthought of the last time she’d set foot on theseboards and how despondent she had been to leave Ireland behind. But now, as she walkedup the gangplankwith Atticusather side, in the end, the pieces had fallen exactly where they were supposed to.Her grandmother used to say that life had a funny way of turning out sometimes, and she had been absolutely right.
On deck, she was pulled back against a pair of comforting armswhile the crew scrambled to get everything ready to depart.She closed her eyes in contentment.Atticus’s breath tickled the hair near her ear and caused a shiver of awareness to snake down her spine.
She spun in his arms, and in full view of the men walking around them, andevenSean, who had just reappeared from below decks, she kissed Atticus soundly on the lips. As she pulled back, shecouldfeel the stirrings of desire in her lower abdomen.She knew she should wait untillater, untilshe learnedwhere things stood between him andJosephine, but her body and her heart were demanding thisforbiddenpassion.
She lowered her lids slightly and said, “Is there anywhere we can…” She glanced about the deck. “Be alone?”
