Page 42 of The Winter Rogue
Charlene'sheartpoundedinher chest.Drew wanted to marry her?And her father was standing there not arguing or threatening him for it?
Her head swam for a moment, her lungs forgetting to breathe.She took in a long, deep gulp of air and tried to put her rampaging thoughts into some order.As much as she wanted to say yes…she had questions.
“Will you continue to go on long voyages?”Charlene stared at him, willing him to say no.
“Yes.But only if you will come with me.”Drew grinned up at her from where he knelt.
Her heart skipped a beat.“And will you attend balls or other social occasions when we are in residence?”Charlene was perhaps being a mite mean in asking this, because she wanted to attend social gatherings less than Drew did—but she knew her mother would force her to attend at least some.
Drew's eyes sparkled with mischief.“Only those we cannot avoid.”
Then she grew more serious, as she prepared herself to ask the question she knew he would never expect.“And will you promise to always call me Charlie?”
“I promise.”Drew laughed as he remained on his knee, still holding the ring out to her.
She bit her lip then grinned.“I would be honored to be your wife.”
Drew rose and slipped the ring on her finger, pulling her into his arms for a long and wildly inappropriate kiss.Her heart was full to bursting as Drew’s lips ravaged hers.All the years of waiting for the right man had truly not been in vain.Joy and perhaps a bit more desire than was appropriate swirled through her as they kissed.
A loud clearing of the throat by her father broke them apart finally.
As she got her feet under her sufficiently to stand, Charlene smiled up at Drew.“I love you, Andrew Wentworth.I don't care if we are welcomed in Society or not.I want to spend my life at your side going on adventures, and seeing the world, and being snowed in during winter far from polite company.Wherever you are is where I want to be.”
Drew looked down at her, love shining in his eyes.“It wouldn't be an adventure worth having without you.And as for being snowed in?I couldn't think of a better way to spend a few weeks.I love you, Charlie.”
Epilogue
May 1865
Charliefeltthebedshift wildly.She groaned and crawled off the large mattress.Everything tilted again.She looked around the cabin, grateful everything was bolted down.They were on the maiden voyage of Drew's latest addition to his shipping fleet, the Fiery Maiden.Nothing to do with her, of course.
Rising to her feet, she found her clothes and pulled on her split skirt, which allowed her to move about more easily without exposing herself in such a scandalous fashion that Drew felt compelled to lock her in their cabin.
It turned out her husband was quite the jealous type when it came to other men seeing her body in any capacity.
As she finished dressing, Charlene’s stomach lurched most unexpectedly.She was normally an excellent sailor and not prone to seasickness at all, something she had happily discovered on their honeymoon voyage, four years earlier.
But today, she'd woken up and now was about to empty the contents of her stomach.
Finding the basin, Charlene brought up her dinner as she had done for the last week.Granted, the seas had been rough on this voyage, but nothing she had not weathered before.She bit her lip and tried to tamp down the hope that bubbled to the surface.No, she would not give herself the chance to dwell on it.Not yet.
The drawer in her chest held the hard tack she had stashed there for the mornings as the thoughts she had tried to ignore swelled up, like a storm wave that could not be avoided.
Her breasts were tender and the daily bout of sickness…well, they were sure signs that she was pregnant, weren’t they?
Excitement skittered down Charlene’s spine, along with trepidation.She took a bite of the dry biscuit and chewed.
Would Drew make her go home?Was this the end of their adventures together?They had sailed to Egypt, visited Morocco, they had even been to Jamaica.But if she was with child, all that would end.
Charlene took another bite and continued to chew, all the while wishing she had a glass of water or an orange segment to suck on.Anything to help moisten her mouth.She suspected Drew would take her back to Glenn Ivy Manor and lock her away—but she loved the sea, and him, and did not wish to be bound to one place away from him forever.
A knock on the door sounded and Drew stepped in.Charlene tossed a cloth over the basin with the damning evidence and quickly tucked the hard tack away before turning to face him as she choked down the last of the very dry sustenance.
“Good morning, my beautiful Charlie.”Drew pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
“Good morning, my handsome husband.”She loved calling him that.Even four years later, she was deeply in love with him.“How are things up on deck?”
“Everything is going along as planned.We should pull in to New York City today.”His eyes were full of excitement as he stepped back from her but a furrow appeared between his brows.“Are you feeling well?”
