Upon hearing the firstplink!against her window, Fallon wasn’t sure ifshe was imagining things that weren’t there or not, but when the second followed amomentlater, she walked over to the pane and glanced outside.
There, standing directly below herbalcony, was Atticus Clare.
He had a look of pure deviltry on his face and when she opened the doors, he grinned in a manner that made her want to sail straight into his arms. “It took you long enough.”
She rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you just use the front door like everyone else?”
He shrugged those broad shoulders. “Because it’s not nearly asdramatic.”
She leaned her arms against the railing. “In that case, shall I start spouting Shakespeare?”
He put a hand over his heart.“’But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Fallon is the sun.’”
She laughed at the quote, but insideshe was shivering with adoration. “So are you going to climb up, or do I need to—”
He was already halfway up the trellis by the time she stopped speaking. He swung over the rail and shewasimpressed. “I see your talents on board ship have come in handy for wooing.”
He reached out and cupped her cheek. “As long as it’s you I’m wooing, I could climb mountains.” He kissed her with abandon as she put her arms around his waist. Both of them werebreathingunsteadilywhen he pulled back. “We had better talk before I lose the capability.Or the desire.”
Fallon nodded, for there were still so many things unresolved between them. Unfortunately, any more caresses would have to wait.
She led him intoher personalsitting room, not trusting herself with the bed so close in her chamber, offering that wonderful temptation.
Once they had settled on the green, tufted settee, she opened the conversation by asking the firstthingon her mind. “Who wasactuallyarrested as the Raven?”
Atticushad been rubbing her back gently, but now his movements stopped.“It turns out Locklyn Durmor was behind those misdeeds all along.Ironically enough, I’m now hailed as a heroin Englandsince I put such a wanted criminal behind bars.”
Her mouth promptly fell open.“ButLocklyn? That’s impossible! How…?”
“I received word that he’d arrived in Galway, and without anywhere else to turn trying to figure out where you’d gone, I decided to follow my instincts and go after him.”
She felt a little uneasy, but she had to know the truth. “What was he doing in Ireland?”
His eyes were direct, but gentle as he replied, “Looking for you.” He straightened, his tone taking on a serious mien. “It’s time I told you the whole story.”
Fallon waited patiently.
“I think you were already aware that Josephine and I had been involved before her marriage, but what I doubt you knew was that Locklyn had also been a contender for her affections. When she threw both of us over for Stuart, I backed away gracefully and wished them well for he had been a friend of mine and I didn’t wish to stand in the way of their happiness when I wasn’t truly ready to settle down. Locklyn, on the other hand, imagined that he still had a chance of winning her favor, but she knew that his intentions were sincere on the outsideand didn’t run deeper. He wanted heras some sort of prize to be won.”
“It was just a competition,” she guessed.
“Indeed,” he concurred. “In which he wasn’t pleased with the outcome. Josephine was married a grand total of four months before Locklyn decided that he would take out his injured pride on her husband. The drowning was ruled accidental, but both Josephine and I knew that wasn’t true, because we knew Locklyn’s true nature. Thus, after her period of mourning was over, we concocted a plan toreignite those old flames of hatred by pretending to get back together when the truth is, she is merely a fond friendnow. Whatever might have been between us all those years ago isgoneand certainly nothing compared to how I feel about you.”
Fallon had to wait a moment to speak properly, her throat was clogged with longing. “If that’s true,” she finally said. “Why didn’t you tell me you were the Raven?”
His brows drew together.“That sort of knowledge was dangerous. If the British were to find out I was dealing two separate hands, it would have been detrimental to the entire cause—to my crew.”
“And to you,” she added.
He hesitated. “Yes, that’s true. And because I wasinsucha precarious position, I couldn’t allow anything to compromise my identity. You understand that, don’t you?”
Fallon thought about how hurt she’d been when she’d discovered that he’d lied to her, but it was hard to hold on to her anger when he appeared so sincere and genuine. “I didn’t at first, but now I do.”She tilted her head to the side. “The question that remains isdoyou finally trust me?”
“With my life.” There was no hesitation.
Joyous tears filled her vision, but there was still one more thing left unsaid.Shoring up her courage, she asked,“When you told the soldier that you intended to marry me, did you mean it?”
He opened his mouth to reply when the door burst open and Eliza ran into the room. “Fallon! You won’t believe who—” She stopped when she saw Atticus. “When did you arrive?”
