“Yes. I shall take you below deck and show you. Once she awakens, she shall be fine—just with a splitting headache, I’m sure. Hopefully, she has learned her lesson about making deals with the devil.”
“I pray you are right,” Henry muttered.
Phillip looked at Broderick. “Will you wait for us?”
“I will.”
After Phillip led Henry back down the stairs, Broderick moved Emiline away from the dead bodies, over to the corner of the deck behind some crates, where it was more peaceful. He gathered her tighter in his arms and gazed into her beautiful eyes, still watery even through her smile. “I love you.”
“Oh, Broderick. I love you so much. The whole time I was kept prisoner, I prayed you would come rescue me, yet I knew ifyou did, you would be walking into a trap, and I didn’t want you to die.”
“No, my love.” He caressed her cheek. “I would never let you die for me.”
She arched an eyebrow. “And it’s all right for you to die for me? That makes no sense at all, Mr. Worthington.”
He laughed and kissed her forehead. “I have a plan. Let us just forget about dying altogether. We will marry, raise a family, and live together—happily forever and ever.”
Sighing, she leaned against him and shook her head. “That does sound wonderful, but I fear I cannot marry you.”
Not sure he’d heard her correctly, he withdrew enough to look down into her eyes. “What? You cannot marry me? Pray tell, why not?” His heart clenched. He was not sure he was going to like her answer.
“Because, my dear man, you haven’t asked me to marry you yet. And for certain, you haven’t asked permission from my parents.”
Relief swept over him, and he smiled. He stepped away from her and went on one knee, taking her hands in his. “Lady Sarah Emiline Langston, would you do me the great pleasure of becoming my wife? I promise to spend every waking moment making you as happy as you have made me since we first met. And I promise to move heaven and earth to please you. I will accept the title of marquess if you wish me to, or I can remain Captain Hawk. Your wish is my command.”
He glanced up at the sky. The yellow moon floated high in the sky, stars hung suspended around it. The night was beautiful and so perfect. If he listened closely, he knew he would hear heaven’s angels singing as well.
“Emiline, my dearest,” he continued as he gazed back into her eyes, “say yes and make this night our paradise. Even though we have been through much turmoil tonight, all I want to dowhen I think back on this night is remember us, and your accepting my marriage proposal.”
She sighed and nodded. “Yes, Broderick Worthington, my captain enchanter. I accept your proposal, and I will always remember tonight as our wonderland. I will only want you to be a marquess if that is whatyouwish. And I will accept your being a pirate if you can promise me you will not get yourself killed.” She grinned. “There is no way I want to lose you ever again.”
“Whatever our future is, we will decide together.” He winked. “Is that all right with you?”
“It’s perfect.”
Placing his mouth over hers, he sealed the promise with a kiss. A kiss that started out simple, but soon turned into more. Much more.
Epilogue
“This is perfect,don’t you agree?” Emmie asked excitedly as she glanced at her mother sitting across from her in their carriage. “Father’s brother has been arrested and awaits sentencing, and Father decided to come get us and meet us at Mr. Compton’s estate. The timing couldn’t have been better, I think.”
Her mother nodded. “I agree. That man is a threat to everyone, so locking him away is the best thing, in my opinion. I will never understand men who want to run England their own way.”
“Did you tell your father about the surprise?” Broderick asked.
Emmie looked at him and smiled. She reached over and patted his hand. The coach they were riding in seemed cramped, since her mother and brother were sharing the same vehicle. But her mother wouldn’t allow Emmie to ride with Broderick alone, since it would ruin her reputation.
“When I replied to Father’s letter, I told him we were in Brighton, but that we would return to Greenwich. I let him know that I had couple of surprises for him.” Emmie grinned. “So, Mother, you and Elias stay in the carriage until Broderick comes to get you.”
Her mother nodded as she twisted her hands in her lap. This was all so exciting for Emmie—and nerve-racking—and shecould only assume her mother felt more jitters than her at this moment.
Emmie looked out the coach’s window as they came upon Mr. Crampton’s estate. She couldn’t wait to let her father know that his brother had been lying to them all for fifteen years. Emmie was relieved that her father had already disowned his brother after his arrest.
Nervously, she wrung her hands in her lap and noticed her mother doing the same. Broderick had his arm around Emmie’s shoulders, and he squeezed lovingly. When she met his eyes, he winked.
“You will be all right. I just know it.”
She smiled. “Thank you for everything. We wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without you.”
