“Why not?”
“You told me once to think with my heart.” He shrugged. “That is what I did this time, and my heart told me to stay here with you.”
“What about your family? What about your title?”
His smile relaxed. “I wrote a letter to my grandmother and explained that I was in love with a woman and couldn’t leave her. My heart will always be with you, so I must be as well. I told my grandmother how uncomfortable you would have been living in England with me, and I couldn’t force you to do that. Instead, I shall stay here with you. I’ll go wherever you want. As long as we are together, we shall be happy.”
Tears clogged her eyes again and she nodded. “I love you so much, Felix Knightly. I didn’t want you to leave, but Robert made me tell you to go.”
Felix’s expression turned hard. “Yes, I realized that when I was in Macapá packing for my return home. I saw Faro at Mr. Jamison’s office, and after Robert left, I questioned Mr. Jamison. That is when I put the puzzle pieces together. Robert wants your father’s plantation, which was why he told me those things about the jungle being magical. He was trying to get me to take you back.”
“Yes, he was.” She stroked the side of his face. “He threatened me that if I didn’t get rid of you, he would kill you. That’s why I told you I couldn’t marry you.”
Once again, his face relaxed. “What about now? Will you marry me now?”
“Is this the proposal, then?” She chuckled.
“I would get down on one knee and propose to you the proper way, but I don’t want to leave the comfortable nest we’ve made up against the wall. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
She nodded. “Always.”
“So... will you marry me?”
“Of course!” She kissed him, but only briefly before pulling away. “However, I think we need to work with your friends in the other room to devise a plan that will get rid of Robert. He says he’s powerful and has many men working for him.” Happiness slipped out of her heart slowly when she thought about her father. “Felix, Robert was poisoning my father. He even tried to get me to drink the vile tea.”
His jaw grew hard, and he set her back on her feet before stepping away. Blowing out a frustrated breath, he raked his fingers through his hair. “Indeed, Robert has connections, but then so do I, as well as my friends.”
“I also found out,” she continued, “that one of your men is working for Robert.”
“I know. I discovered it was Paulo.”
Her heart clenched. “I’m so sorry he betrayed you.”
“Not to worry, my dear. I know who my true friends are now.”
She smiled, but then a thought struck her. “Felix, do you think Robert knows you didn’t go to England?”
“No, I’m quite certain he thinks I left. I saw him spying on me, so he saw me board the ship. Although, I highly doubt he saw me leave the ship before it sailed.”
She breathed a relieved sigh. “I’m glad.” She moistened her throat, remembering one last thing she should tell him. “Felix, there is something else you should know.”
“What is it, my love?”
Her heart skipped from his endearment. “I had another premonition. Robert is going to try and kill me.”
Felix’s expression hardened as he gathered her in his arms. “I willnotlet that happen.”
“Now that I’m aware of it, I’ll not allow him to hurt me. However, Robert must be stopped immediately.”
“I agree, my love.” He kissed her on the forehead. “We won’t let him win. I promise.”
* * * *
FELIX REMAINED WITHhis friends inside Felipe’s cabin as they tried to sort out some kind of plan. They discussed different ideas, argued about them, and then began anew. Felix was tired of all of this and just wanted to sneak to the main house and flush Robert out. Then Felix and his men could tie a rope around the evil man’s neck and hang him. But that sort of death would be too kind for a man like Robert. Felix wanted harsher punishment for Faro. He’d killed Carlos, and Paulo was still missing.
During the discussions, his gaze wandered to Katrina. She sat in the cushioned chair with her hand bracketing her chin, trying to keep her head held up. Her eyelids drooped, but not once did her eyes close. Her stare remained on him as well as her beautiful smile.
His heart softened every time he looked at her—which was quite often. When she tried to convince him to leave for England, there was something in her rejection that didn’t sit well with him. It had taken him a few days to realize what it was. He could see she loved him, but her excuse for him to leave wasn’t in her expression as much as it was in her words. He could read her well. Never had he felt such fluttery emotions inside his chest, and his mind was always occupied with memories of her. Truly, she was the woman he wanted to be with. Forever.
