Chapter 16: Home Stretch


Dillingham Residence, Georgetown

Wednesday, 20 April

3 p.m.

"No, Mother. Not one more person. The invitations were sent out a month ago." Elizabeth ran a hand over her face in exasperation. "I don't care. You want to schmooze Iris Wescott, you invite her out to the next luncheon you host. You are not turning my wedding into a society ladder rung, and that's final."

The voice on the other end of the line was obviously not pleased; she tuned out her mother's ranting and began to sign what she'd really like to say, just to release some of the tension. Two weeks before the wedding, and everything that could go haywire… was.

It had started out fine; the day that they addressed the invitations, they had also pounded out the rest of the basics. Colors and flowers were a no-brainer; peace roses, pale yellow and pink. By the time the last invitation was done, they'd figured out details for the reception as well. The rest of the day had been spent simply enjoying each other's company.

Her house went on the market and sold within a week; it would close on the 30th, and the new owners would be in on May 2nd. Next week they'd move her stuff over to Myles' house, and she'd have hers professionally cleaned.

Then things started to go awry; not so much in the details, although she'd had to go over to the dress shop three times to explain to the seamstress that "pale yellow" didn't mean "sunshine." Elizabeth wanted Lucy and Connie to still be speaking to her after this.

The worst of it was that the team had gotten a case at the first of April, and Myles was pretty deeply undercover. They'd thought it would only take a couple of weeks; now, it was starting to look like they'd be cutting it awfully close to May 1st.

I don't need this today, she thought, her mother's voice registering once again. I just want five minutes to see him and have him tell me everything will be fine. "Mother, that's enough," she finally snapped, her patience gone. "If you were paying for this wedding, you would undoubtedly have more say in what's going on. But you're not. We're doing it ourselves, and all you need to worry about is showing up on time. I'm through with this conversation today. Goodbye."

She hung up, already formulating the apology she knew she'd have to start the next conversation with. It wasn't so much that her mother wanted to be involved; it was the annoying fact that she felt it had to be the society event of the year. Elizabeth wasn't about to have the most important day of her life turn into a three-ring circus of socialite schmoozing.

I miss you, Dad. Her father, who had passed away from colon cancer ten years ago, would have been able to rein in her mother. He'd have watched her tolerantly until she reached a certain point, then told her in that quietly authoritative voice to "back off." Then he'd have put his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders and taken her out for lunch, where he'd tease her until she relaxed again.

She sat down at the kitchen counter, dropping her face into her hands. After several long minutes, a soft noise brought her head back up slightly. A gentle hand touched her shoulder, and she caught a glimpse of a grey suit coat.

Without even thinking, she spun around and flung herself into the warmth of his embrace. She was about a centimeter from his lips when he spoke.

"Uh, Liz?"

Her eyes snapped up to meet his. "Sam?"

Myles' twin chuckled. "Man, you must be having some kinda day if you can't tell the difference by now."

She fell back a step, then shook her head, laughing as well. "I just got off the phone with my mother. What's that tell you?"

"That you really do need that hug," he replied with a grin. "And, since my brother is off saving the world yet again…" He folded her into his arms and dropped a kiss on her head. "Better?"

She sighed. "Much. Thanks. What are you doing here, anyway? And why are you all dressed up?"

He shrugged. "Just got back from a meeting with a couple of guys who have some truly wild ideas for a new video game company. They wanted my input while they were talking to some potential investors, so I donned the monkey suit to give a good impression. Thought I'd surprise you, is all." He tugged at the tie. "How does 'Bro put up with these things every day?"

Elizabeth laughed again. "I think it's nature's revenge against whatever male invented pantyhose." She laid a hand on his arm. "Hey, if I spring for dinner, would you be willing to help me out this afternoon? I need a good impression, too."

Sam raised a brow at her. "What for?"

"I need to convince a caterer that he really doesn't want to tick me or my future husband off by advertising one menu, taking my order, and then telling me two weeks before the wedding that 'it's been discontinued.'" She looked up at him, a twinkle in her green eyes. "Can you play 'outraged Myles'?"

He grinned. "In my sleep, sis-to-be. In my sleep."


&
Wednesday evening

Elizabeth laughed over her salad. "I can't get over the look on that smug chef's face when you reminded him of 'the first rule of marketing: a satisfied customer tells ten people about it, a dissatisfied one fifty.' I'd forgotten that."

Sam shrugged, grinning. "I noticed; that's the second time today you've come within an inch of kissing me. Tara's gonna get jealous."

"Sorry," she said, her cheeks red, "I'm so wound up right now I keep forgetting you're not Myles. I'd better find a way to see him soon."

"Yeah, I think so. Anyway, I might not have the degree, but it doesn't mean I haven't done my homework." He gave her a concerned look. "Feeling better?"

She sighed. "A little. That's one less thing I have to worry about. Now if I could just catch up with Tara, Sue and Lucy for like five minutes each to try on their bridesmaid dresses… I'd even drag the dresses over to the Bureau myself, if I thought they could spare the time. But I can't even call to find that out, not when they're on 24/7. At least Connie's coming down for the week; that will help a lot."

Just then, her cell phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID. "Well, speak of…" She smiled as she answered the relay call. "Hi Connie. Go Ahead."

Sam watched her face fall as she listened.

"What? But tax season's over… Go Ahead." She listened some more, and clenched her napkin in her hand. "All right. I'll figure out something. Go Ahead." Another pause. "I know, I know, just chalk it up to my life right now. Go Ahead."

She sighed heavily. "Ok, love you, sis, I'll talk to you later. Bye. Go Ahead."

Connie apparently ended the call as well, because Elizabeth hung up, dropped her phone in her purse, and began to rub her temples with her fingertips. "You know, Sam, I'd toss my entire wedding plan out the window and elope, if it weren't for the fact that I'm also missing one groom right now."

He chuckled. "What now?"

"Connie's got a client who got their tax info all messed up, so now she has to spend the next week or more re-doing it. She said she'll be sure to make it for the wedding itself, but she won't be here for the rehearsal this Friday night, and she can't guarantee anything else." The psychologist threw her napkin down on the table in exasperation. "If anyone else manages to make it Friday."

"I'll be there," Sam replied.

It brought a smile to her lips, as he'd intended. "Thank you. I needed to hear that right now. The rate we're going, you and I will be the only ones there on May first. You think the minister would do a marriage by proxy?"

He laughed heartily. "Liz, it's going to be fine. Myles and the team will snag the baddies yet again, Connie will make it down here, the dresses will be perfect, and then you'll have a full month to recover from all of it."

Her head snapped up. "A month?"

"He didn't tell you?" Sam grimaced. "Oh, boy. It must have slipped his mind. The final details came in about the same time they got this case, whatever it is. I didn't think he'd have forgotten, or I'd have told you."

"Lovely," she muttered. "Now, on top of everything else, I have to let my partners at the clinic know they're covering my patients for an extra two weeks. Half of them will be cured by the time I get back." She looked up at her future brother-in-law. "I don't suppose you'd tell me what we're going to be doing for that month?"

"Now, Liz, you know me better than that," he smiled. "Look, are the dresses finished except for this last fitting?"

She sighed. "Yes. But if there are any last-minute alterations that need doing, they won't get done."

He finished off his iced tea and set the glass down firmly. "Then tomorrow, you go pick Connie's dress up and meet me at College Park airport. We'll just buzz on up there and do her fitting in person."

Elizabeth gasped. "You're not serious? Sam, the fuel alone…"

"Is my concern, not yours," he replied. "And, when you get home, just email Tara and see if there's any way the girls can be spared for ten minutes each. If so, then you do exactly as you'd planned and go over to the Bureau to do it."

Her eyes were two green saucers. "When did you suddenly become so efficient?" His smug little smile made her laugh. "Thank you, Sam. At least things are getting done, even if my nerves are still shot."

"No problem, Dr. Liz. Besides, seeing a shrink two steps from a breakdown is making me nervous." He grinned as she laughed. "Now, let's go find something fun to do, and forget about your plans for awhile. Myles would kill me if he knew I was letting you wind yourself up over this."


&
Dillingham Residence, Georgetown

Thursday, 21 April

9 p.m.

No word… less than twenty-four hours before the rehearsal, and she'd heard not one word from any of them. Elizabeth's head was throbbing again. At least Connie's dress is finished, she thought to herself. And the reception is set. Now, if we just had a wedding party… I'll have to call Reverend Adams and see if we can reschedule for next week. He'll have to squeeze us in somewhere…

She didn't even flinch when a warm hand touched her shoulder. "Sam, if you keep sneaking up on me like this, I'm going to end up kissing you."

"That might raise a few brows," an amused voice replied. "Especially since you've always assured me that you could tell the difference between us."

She whirled around on the kitchen stool and looked up into blue-grey eyes that twinkled with affection. "Myles!"

"Hi, sweetheart." He swept her up in his arms and gave her a long kiss. When he set her down, he smiled down at her. "Miss me?"

She swatted him on the shoulder. "Miss you? Myles Leland, you'd better be here to tell me that your case is wrapped up and we're still getting married next week, or your fiancée is going to… I don't know, but it'll be drastic."

Myles laughed and stroked her cheek. "The case is wrapped up, tomorrow is just paperwork, and Connie and your grandfather are the only one two will miss tomorrow night's rehearsal. And we are still getting married next week, even if I have to call a 'time out' and drag the criminals over to the church with me. Fair enough?"

Elizabeth glared at him. "You're mocking me, aren't you?" Then she had to laugh as well, and tangled her fingers in his hair to pull him down into another intense kiss. "You have no idea how much I've missed you, love. The past three weeks have been awful. Remind me never to get married again."

He caught her face in his hands and bored a heated gaze clear through to her soul as he whispered, "Never. Get married. Again."


&
Georgetown Community Church

Friday, 22 April

7 p.m.

"Okay, so Molly will come down the aisle next, just before Elizabeth." Reverend Seth Adams was standing at the altar of the old church, surrounded by most of the wedding party now. Molly Leland walked down the burgundy carpet, pretending to scatter peace rose petals. There were smiles all around at the look of intense concentration on her face.

Myles watched his mother smile from the front pew. Anne had brought Molly down, not only for the rehearsal, but for a week of sightseeing as well, and his niece hadn't stopped bouncing off the walls since they landed at Dulles three hours ago…

"We're gonna see the zoo, and the Smithsonian, and I told Gramma I want to climb all the way to the top of the Washington Monument, and then Uncle Myles can help me go see the President and tell him my teachers all think his 'No Child Left Behind' program is a crock of—"

"Molly!" Anne had gasped, as Myles smothered a grin and Elizabeth ducked her head beneath the counter, under the pretense of pulling out a pan. Tara had her hand over her mouth, shaking silently, and Sam made a show of whistling for Glorfindel.

"Well, that's what they said," the eight-year-old protested. "I heard it in the teachers' lounge when I was coming in from lunch."…

A rehearsal a week before the wedding was unusual, but they'd decided to allow some room for last-minute case-related reschedules. Since there'd been none, the entire team was here, and the ladies had used the opportunity to finish up the dress issue. Everything was finally done.

Myles watched his bride-to-be step into the doorway of the chapel as Pachelbel's "Canon in D" echoed from the CD player they were using in place of the harpist, who had a conflict this evening. He could tell she was still on edge, even though everything was in place and ready. Her hands shook the bouquet she was carrying.

"You'll hand the bouquet to Connie, then take Myles by the right hand," Seth was saying.

Her hand was ice-cold; Myles rubbed his fingers over it a few times to both warm it and try to soothe her. As she looked up at him, her expression melted into a dazzling smile, even if the trembling didn't subside.

"All right. Once we're all up here and your grandfather has given you away, the rest of the ceremony is pretty much in my hands, unless you two decided to add your own vows after all."

"No, Reverend," Myles replied, "I think we have enough on our minds already." He smiled as Elizabeth gave his a grateful look.

"Okay, then. We start with the obligatory 'If anyone has just cause—"

Suddenly, a side door burst open, and a man walked in. The chandelier lights glinted off the barrel of a .45. "All right, nobody move. Who's in charge?"

Molly started to scream, but Sam placed a hand over her mouth and gently maneuvered her behind him. Reverend Adams turned calmly and faced the man.

"I'm the pastor here. Is there something I can help you with?"

The man's face broke into a leer. "Sure, Rev. You can help me to your offering plate takings." He tossed a bag toward Seth, who caught it. "And while you're doing that, these nice folks can help me out with their wallets and jewelry." He advanced on the group.

No one moved, but she could feel the tension mount as the team drew together instinctively. I do NOT believe this, Elizabeth thought. Can anything else POSSIBLY go wrong? She glanced down at her engagement ring, and realized that Sam had their wedding rings in his pocket as well.

Then she looked around and realized… and her control snapped. A giggle found its way from her lips, and she couldn't hold it back. Sinking down onto the step in front of the altar, she doubled over in hysterical laughter while several shocked faces looked on.

"Elizabeth? Sweetheart, are you all right?"

"Lady, you find this funny?" the man asked. "I think you'd best re-evaluate your situation. In fact, let's start with that shiny little bauble on your left hand."

Her breath came in gasps; Myles was about to kneel down next to her when she held up a hand. "I'm…okay…love," she managed between continued laughing. She looked up at the thug. "I think this is absolutely hilarious. Because you so picked the wrong church to rob tonight."

The gun was inches from her face now, and his voice lowered angrily. "And just why might that be?"

The laughter ceased as suddenly as it began, and only a sweet smile remained. "Because 95 percent of this wedding party…is made up of FBI agents."

The whisper of five sidearms being drawn simultaneously echoed through the chapel, and the man's eyes widened. Sam was grinning, and even Anne couldn't hold back a smile. As soon as Jack relieved the man of his gun, Molly peeked out from behind Sam.

"Don't you dare wreck my auntie Liz's wedding! Go 'way!"

There was laughter all around, and Elizabeth opened her arms to the little girl. "You tell him, Molly. Don't ever mess with a woman during the week before her wedding."

Bobby and D led the man out of the chapel while Reverend Adams called DCPD. Myles held out a hand to Elizabeth and lifted her to her feet, pulling her into his arms in the same movement.

"And I thought someone going 'postal' was scary," he chuckled softly against her hair. "Forget 'postal;' 'bridal' is even worse."


&
Sutherland Psychiatric Clinic, near MacPherson Square

Friday, 29 April

4 p.m.

Tara was waiting in the lobby when Elizabeth came out of Dan Sutherland's office. The older psychologist was smiling. "I don't want to see you back in this office for a month, young lady. Go relax. I'll see you on Sunday."

Elizabeth gave him a quick hug. "Thanks so much, Dan. It feels nice, knowing that when I get back I'll just be part of your practice, not your patient roster." She turned and saw her friend. "Tara? I thought you were over at the house?"

The petite agent laughed. "I was. Come on, we need to save Myles from his mother."


&
"So why on earth are we saving Myles from Anne?" Elizabeth asked as she got out of her car in front of her house.

Tara was still grinning. "You'll hear in a second, trust me. Sam called me while I was on my way to meet you." They walked up to the front door, which was open in the midst of moving her things into a small rental truck for the two-mile trip to Myles' home.

Anne Leland's voice could indeed be heard coming from upstairs, mixed with the sound of her husband-to-be's baritone. Sam was sprawled in a small armchair that had been brought down from her guest room, Molly in his lap, reading A Wrinkle in Time to her and trying to either not grin or not grimace as he listened to the conversation going on.

"Auntie Liz!" The eight-year-old's blue eyes brightened as she looked up. She wiggled off her uncle's lap, then turned and pointed a finger at him. "Put the bookmark in it, Uncle Sam. You forgot last time."

Sam chuckled and held up his hands. "Okay, okay. Don't shoot." He very carefully marked their place and held the book up to her. "See? All taken care of. Sheesh." He grinned as Tara replaced Molly in his lap. "Afternoon, ladies. How'd it go with Dan?"

"Wonderful!" Elizabeth grabbed Molly's hands and swung her around as the little girl giggled. "He said I may still have the occasional flashback, but we're done with regular sessions. It feels so good to be free of all this."

"Tell me about it." Sam wrapped his arms around Tara and kissed her ear, making her giggle.

The psychologist looked down at her future niece. "So how come you two are down here, instead of helping? Did Uncle Myles spring you loose?"

"No." Molly shook her head. "Him and Gramma got into a fight, and Uncle Sam said we should…um…" She scrunched her face up, trying to remember. "He said we should get out of the way before the—"

"Before the storm hit the shore," Sam finished quickly, prompting a grin form Tara. "Yeah, yeah, I forget about the 'human tape recorder' here. Not a phrase I use often, but the cause was sufficient, believe me."

"That's not what you said," Molly protested. "You said—"

"It's okay, Molly," Elizabeth laughed. "I get the idea. So what's the fight about? I left a list of the stuff that needed to be moved."

"That's what the fight is about," Sam grinned. "I think maybe you'd better go rescue him from Mom."

Just then, Myles appeared at the top of the stairs. "Mother, I swear to you, that's the only—" He stopped abruptly as he saw the group in the entry. "Sweetheart. Thank heaven."

"Hi, love. Is there a problem of some sort?"

He swung his arm around to point at his mother, who was coming up behind him. "Will you please tell this crazy woman who bore me that I am not trying to sabotage your moving operation?" His voice was edged with an affectionate exasperation.

Anne Leland put her hands on her hips. "That list is less than half the contents of this house. I'm telling you, you lost a page somewhere."

"Oh!" Elizabeth smiled. "Anne, he didn't lose a page. That's all I wanted to take. The rest is going over to the women's shelter tomorrow morning."

"Thank you." Myles came down the stairs to give her a kiss. "That chair Sam and Tara are snuggled in is the last of it. I'm going to go grab a glass of iced tea, Sam, if that's okay."

"Knock yourself out, Bro."

After he left, Anne frowned at her future daughter-in-law. "Are you sure? I realize that my son is rather set in his ways, but that shouldn't mean his new wife can't make their home her own as well."

"I know," the psychologist replied. "But I'm not planning to make it my own; I'm planning to make it our own, and I happen to like the base he started with. With one marked exception…"


&
Myles' house, Columbia Heights

"You're not getting rid of this chair." His voice was quietly firm.

"Love, this chair is ugly," she replied gently. "It goes with nothing else in this house, you told me it's been re-padded once already. Let it die already."

They were standing in the master bedroom. Since they'd picked out the bedroom set from her house together, they'd decided to replace his with it. Everything was in place now, except for the rather battered armchair before them.

The gold upholstery might once have resembled suede, but now it was threadbare and stained in more than one spot. It didn't match the polished traditional look of the rest of the house, and Elizabeth wondered at its significance.

"You're not getting rid of it," he repeated softly.

She took his hand and sat them both down on the bed. "Why? What does it hold for you, love? Tell me, please."

Myles sighed and looked into her emerald eyes. "You'll laugh."

"Somehow, I don't think so," she answered, touching his cheek. "Tell me."

"Well, just after I finished my training at Quantico and was assigned to the Hartford field office, I got my first apartment. Dad had always ingrained in us the notion that anything we earned ourselves would mean far more than anything he could just give us, so I never even asked for help furnishing the place, even though he'd have done it in a heartbeat. I had a little money left after the rents and security deposit, so I went looking in some of the antique stores around Hartford. I came across that chair, and something about it just called to me. In its day it had a much more distinguished aura than it does now."

She smiled tolerantly. "I'll take your word for it."

Myles wrinkled his nose at her. "Anyway, even though the store gave me a deal on it, that chair took up most of my budget for the next few weeks. It was the only piece of furniture in the apartment, so it served as a bed, too. I was too stubborn to just call Dad and ask for a loan. Then Mom paid a surprise visit." His breath came out in a laugh. "Needless to say, I had a fully furnished apartment by the end of the weekend. But I've never forgotten that feeling of depending totally upon my own efforts. That chair serves as a reminder of what's really important."

He looked up and saw tears running down her cheeks. "What, love? What is it?"

"Thank you," she whispered, taking his hand in both of hers. "Thank you for trusting me enough to share something so deeply personal. You're right; I'm not getting rid of that chair."

He kissed her gently, then smiled. "We'll find a slipcover for it. Then I don't have to explain it to anyone else."


&
Tara Williams' Apartment

Saturday, 30 April

10 pm

Elizabeth brought paper plates over to the trash can. "You throw quite a party for 'just you, me, Sue & Lucy,' kiddo. But I needed that. Thank you, my friend."

Tara shrugged. "Hey, can I help it if half the units you've consulted for wanted to know when your bridal shower was so they could pitch in? You're just too popular. Besides, Myles has been a lot easier to get along with since he met you— that by itself should bring you laurels upon laurels."

It was quiet now; everyone else had gone home. Elizabeth had stayed at Tara's last night, and would again tonight. Everyone had been teasing Myles that he'd arranged it that way so the psychologist wouldn't have a chance to bolt when she came to her senses.

Tara closed the dishwasher and started it running. She then walked over to the coat rack by the door and picked up a beautifully wrapped present from the bench where she kept her purse. "Oh, Liz. Here's one more gift," she said innocently.

Elizabeth looked at the box Tara set on the counter. The paper was a delicate silver foil, wrapped with sheer ribbons that cascaded from a simple bow tied around a spray of miniature white roses. "Tara, that's too pretty to open. Besides, you already gave me a present."

Her friend smiled. "It's not from me. Myles stopped at my desk on his way out this afternoon and asked me to give it to you after everyone else had gone home. I think he wanted you to be alone when you opened it." She stretched and let out a monster yawn. "I think I'm gonna crash early. We have a lot to do tomorrow."

"That we do," Elizabeth smiled. "I can't believe it's finally going to happen."

Tara gave her a big hug. "Believe it, 'sis-to-be'," she said in a perfect imitation of Sam's lilt, "and we won't be far behind you. We got talking about it the other night, and I think we'll shoot for the end of the summer."

"That's wonderful. I'm glad they all decided to spend tonight together. They haven't had much opportunity in the past twenty-some years, not all of them."

"I know," the petite agent replied. "Which is why I planned this little shindig specifically so that they wouldn't feel obligated to have us along. Sam needs it, and I think Myles does, too. Family's important to them. Well, I'm off to bed." She pointed at the present again. "Enjoy."

Elizabeth stared at the box for several long moments, wondering what marvelous surprise he'd cooked up for her this time. That he was giving it to her the night before their wedding was significant; she knew that. For whatever reason, he wanted her to have it now.

She carefully undid the ribbon, knowing that she'd save it and the flowers for years to come. As she lifted the cover off the box and moved aside the tissue with a soft rustle, her breath caught in her throat. She lifted out a silk sheath nightgown, pure white, that would drop to her knees modestly and cover her shoulders as well. It was like holding a cloud; lightweight and infinitely soft. Pinned to the tag was a small handwritten note: Wear this as you sleep tonight, and feel my love around you always.

Tears brightened her smile as a wash of warmth spread over her for the man she would marry tomorrow. She glanced back at the box and saw an envelope nestled in the bottom with her name on it in his bold handwriting. She flipped it over to open it, and smiled again at the note he'd written on the back: Not until you're wearing that nightgown and ready for bed.

"Yes, dear," she whispered softly, laughing gently that he knew her so well. She pulled out Tara's sofa bed and went to wash up. A few minutes later, marveling at the feel of the silk against her skin, she curled up under the covers and opened the letter:

My beloved Elizabeth,

As I sit in my study and write this, I see your face before me and long for the hours to hasten their journey until we meet at the altar and vow before God Almighty to cherish each other for all our lives. I have often taken pride in my gift of words, but find now that I struggle to put in prose the feelings that are entwined around my heart and soul. That I love you with all that I am is something I hope you will never have reason to doubt, and that I promise to do my utmost to make you happy is something I hope you will always know by my actions.

I have never loved easily; perhaps I had seen too much in my course of duty to truly believe there were still guileless souls in this world, certainly over the age of ten. Yet, when I drown in the emerald depths of your eyes, I see all that is good and pure in this world, and I yearn ever to protect it still. That gift alone would make me love you, but you are so much more, so much that I have thirsted for without realizing it. You are the completion of my soul, the sole keeper of the key to my heart, and the greatest treasure I could ever hold in my arms.

That you have retained until marriage something so precious that so many others give away without thought leaves me in awe; it grieves me that I cannot meet your gift with an equal one. Yet I know you would tell me to not dwell on the past, so I offer this in its stead: my truest fidelity from this point forward. My heart, my body, my soul are yours alone, and have been since the day I met you.

My dearest, we have faced so much already, and still we stand together; the future glows brightly before us, for if we have braved this much and triumphed, the trials of every day seem pale and small in their shadows. To you I vow this evening, and all the days of our lives, to fight each fight, grand or small, with the same fervor and dedication to the cause of peace and our love that you have shown me.

Dream of me tonight as you sleep wrapped in the purity of my love for you; I know I will dream of you and all that awaits us, beginning tomorrow.

Ever your love,

Myles

She had to lay it down on the bed for a moment; any more tears on it, and the ink would run illegibly. Elizabeth read it through a second time, then a third, her heart melting at the thought of him. For a second, she considered calling him; then she realized that she could never match the eloquence he'd obviously spent a great deal of time on with a vocal conversation.

Plumping up the pillow, she turned off the lamp on the end table and snuggled under the covers.

"I cannot help but dream of you," she whispered to the moonlight streaming in from the starlit velvet of the sky. "You are all my dreams. Sleep well, my sweet knight."