her hand, he led her past the back end of the other stores lining the street, to a horse and carriage standing in a small field a short walk away. He helped settle her in and then climbed in after her, taking up the reins. With a swift motion, he snapped the reins and the horse plodded forward, leading them away from the business district. He shifted so he held the straps in one hand, then wrapped his arm around a shaking Emily and drew her close to him.
She rested her head on his chest, but neither spoke during the twenty minutes it took for the carriage to reach the area he had scoped out the previous day. Several boulders lining the beach provided a small cove, completely private and well hidden from view. With summer and the consequent tourist season behind them, there was no concern about crowds.
Now that he had her in his arms, he dreaded the next step. In his weeks of searching, he’d come to admit how strong his feelings were for Emily. If he didn’t already love her, it was merely a matter of time. If she felt the same way, then whatever complications they needed to sort out they would do together.
But then, a husband was quite a complication.
He parked the carriage a distance from the cove, near a large stable. Aside from the man working in the barn, the area was deserted. Nevertheless, he hurried her down the path to the beach. After helping her climb the first few boulders, he swept her into his arms when it appeared she had problems maneuvering with her skirts.
The cool late autumn wind buffered them as they made their way to the cove. Once he deposited her on a ledge, assuring himself she was safe, he shoved his hands into his pockets and began to pace. Gathering his thoughts at what he wanted to say and where to begin was no small feat.
“Hunter, say something. Please. You’re scaring me.” Emily wrapped her arms around her middle and rocked, her eyes shimmering with tears.
He stopped and placed his hands on his hips. “Nowhere near as scared as I was when you disappeared.”
She lowered her head and whispered to her lap. “You hate me.”
In an instant he was on his knees beside her, gripping her hands. “No, honey, I don’t hate you. I care a great deal for you.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I do. And now I want the entire story. I knew you were keeping something from me, and frankly, I’m hurt at your lack of trust.”
Another flush rose to her face, and she shifted, but didn’t let go of his hands. “I—I don’t trust easily. You have to understand. I trusted my father to take care of me, but he lost all his money on a poor investment when I was a child. Mother was so distraught she took to her bed and was mostly absent from my childhood for years.
“I couldn’t trust my father or mother to take care of me. I always felt I had to take care of myself, even with my parents there. But that tiny bit of security vanished when they died and I turned to Louis.”
He sat back on his heels. “All right, let’s start with Louis—your husband.”
“Yes.” Her whisper was barely perceptible, carried away on the wind.
“You ran away from him.”
She nodded.
“Why?”
He watched her beautiful face as various emotions played over it. She looked so lost, so fragile. He gave her a few minutes to compose herself, but eventually took control. “Honey, your friend Helen told me that something, or someone, frightened you right before you disappeared from the Harvey House that night. Was she right?”
“Yes.” She took a deep breath. “Louis came for me. I—I never expected—well, actually I did think he would one day find me, but—it was all so unexpected when it actually happened.” She fumbled in her jacket pocket and withdrew a handkerchief that she wiped her eyes with and then began to twist in her fingers. “He—he was just sitting there. At one of my tables. Like—like he’d done it any number of times.” She shuddered. “And then he smiled.”
“Why does he frighten
She rested her head on his chest, but neither spoke during the twenty minutes it took for the carriage to reach the area he had scoped out the previous day. Several boulders lining the beach provided a small cove, completely private and well hidden from view. With summer and the consequent tourist season behind them, there was no concern about crowds.
Now that he had her in his arms, he dreaded the next step. In his weeks of searching, he’d come to admit how strong his feelings were for Emily. If he didn’t already love her, it was merely a matter of time. If she felt the same way, then whatever complications they needed to sort out they would do together.
But then, a husband was quite a complication.
He parked the carriage a distance from the cove, near a large stable. Aside from the man working in the barn, the area was deserted. Nevertheless, he hurried her down the path to the beach. After helping her climb the first few boulders, he swept her into his arms when it appeared she had problems maneuvering with her skirts.
The cool late autumn wind buffered them as they made their way to the cove. Once he deposited her on a ledge, assuring himself she was safe, he shoved his hands into his pockets and began to pace. Gathering his thoughts at what he wanted to say and where to begin was no small feat.
“Hunter, say something. Please. You’re scaring me.” Emily wrapped her arms around her middle and rocked, her eyes shimmering with tears.
He stopped and placed his hands on his hips. “Nowhere near as scared as I was when you disappeared.”
She lowered her head and whispered to her lap. “You hate me.”
In an instant he was on his knees beside her, gripping her hands. “No, honey, I don’t hate you. I care a great deal for you.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I do. And now I want the entire story. I knew you were keeping something from me, and frankly, I’m hurt at your lack of trust.”
Another flush rose to her face, and she shifted, but didn’t let go of his hands. “I—I don’t trust easily. You have to understand. I trusted my father to take care of me, but he lost all his money on a poor investment when I was a child. Mother was so distraught she took to her bed and was mostly absent from my childhood for years.
“I couldn’t trust my father or mother to take care of me. I always felt I had to take care of myself, even with my parents there. But that tiny bit of security vanished when they died and I turned to Louis.”
He sat back on his heels. “All right, let’s start with Louis—your husband.”
“Yes.” Her whisper was barely perceptible, carried away on the wind.
“You ran away from him.”
She nodded.
“Why?”
He watched her beautiful face as various emotions played over it. She looked so lost, so fragile. He gave her a few minutes to compose herself, but eventually took control. “Honey, your friend Helen told me that something, or someone, frightened you right before you disappeared from the Harvey House that night. Was she right?”
“Yes.” She took a deep breath. “Louis came for me. I—I never expected—well, actually I did think he would one day find me, but—it was all so unexpected when it actually happened.” She fumbled in her jacket pocket and withdrew a handkerchief that she wiped her eyes with and then began to twist in her fingers. “He—he was just sitting there. At one of my tables. Like—like he’d done it any number of times.” She shuddered. “And then he smiled.”
“Why does he frighten
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