A gust of wind caught the brim of Charlotte's hat and it nearly sailed off her head and down the cliffs. She laughed, snatching it back just in time, and she used her other hand to pull back the mass of brown hair that now covered her eyes.

Walking the cliffs was a challenge, but it was one she still loved dearly. Alexander had, of course, offered to send the carriage for her every day, but Charlotte loved the idea of making her way to Heyrick House the way she had so long ago as the girls' governess. Now she was walking as the woman who would be Alexander's wife, and the girls would be in her life forever – and this was something she never could have imagined when she had first found her way to the great house.

Today she was also remembering the desolation she had felt just a little over a month ago as she had walked this path. She had been able to see no avenue left toward Alexander, and she was experiencing the loss of Leonora and Augusta so profoundly. Her heart had been broken and she could not envision a way to put the pieces back together.

Then, like a miracle, there he stood by his carriage with her straw hat in his hands, and the entire universe shifted back to the way it was intended. For both of them. For all of them.

Charlotte took a deep breath of the salty air and closed her eyes. What had it been? Ten months, since she had stood in almost this very spot and turned, hearing horse's hooves approaching on the soft turf? Alexander on Hannibal, and instead of coming up behind her, he had taken the longer route to meet her face-on, so as not to frighten her – telling her that she was hired, after her outburst in his office. Just when she thought she had him categorized, his sweet nature would come through in ways that had so confused her back then.

An apology that was not an apology. A smile that said he wouldn't dance, and then she found herself in his arms. A reluctance to join a picnic and then the sweetest gift of cornflowers. A plea for her to help him remember how to hold a conversation, when she was feeling it was already the most astonishing of conversations. The sudden bursts of anger that she now knew was vexation with himself more than anyone else – his frustration at his inability to make his feelings understood, not because they were limited, but because they were so full and deep and overwhelming, his words simply could not catch up with his heart.

Charlotte smiled, looking out at the vast expanse of blue in front of her. She would never lose him again, because now she knew. If she were confronted with exactly the same situation as she had faced in his office when he told her he felt only shame about kissing her – Charlotte would walk toward him and take him in her arms and say, "You know that is not true…" and he would melt into her, his fear evaporating.

She knew now who Alexander Colbourne was. She knew his deepest heart and she understood him. They had both been afraid, and in their fear, they had gone to their separate corners to lick their wounds. Now she would simply love him through whatever demons he was battling – though his demons seemed to be retreating quickly as they were being exposed to the cleansing light of day.

Charlotte felt there was more to his history with Lucy than he had been able to share, and perhaps more than even he knew himself. But Charlotte was sufficiently convinced that she and Lucy were such different people that she would never again feel the repercussions of his life with her. The layers of his shame – that he had not loved Lucy as he felt he should have, that he had taken the coward's way out by retreating to Heyrick Park when his father died, that Lucy was more fragile than even he knew – had been peeled back, and Charlotte was still here, still deeply in love with him, and aware that both of them brought the memory of their heartache and betrayal into this new union. And each of them was healing in the warmth of the love they shared.

How Lucy really died was still a mystery, and Charlotte was certain that one day, the full story would reveal itself. But she would not seek it out. If she was meant to know, the tale would come to her.

As she stepped off of the cliff path and into the trees, a familiar gray blur crossed her vision. Luna had taken to running out to meet her since she had started walking to Heyrick again. Charlotte thought it might be that Luna wanted to assert her connection to her before Turk tried to insert himself, as he had in every other aspect of the household. The two dogs were quite the pair – the great lumbering mastiff who was as likely to topple a vase from a table by simply turning around, and the elegant, dignified lurcher who seemed always ready to sit for a painting, all sleek lines and graceful poses. Charlotte bent to put her arms around Luna and was rewarded with a respectful and enthusiastic kiss, aware that no dog on earth could do enthusiasm quite the way Turk could.

"I fear that I have lost her," Alexander said, his voice coming from the walk toward the house. "She knows now when you're on arrival, and nothing will keep her with me. Not that I blame her for it."

Charlotte looked up to see him walking toward her, and for a moment she simply watched. The way the man moves is like nothing so much as listening to a symphony, she thought. His natural grace, the way his arms swung easily at his sides, the rolled-up sleeves of his white shirt grazing his lean body under the black waistcoat, his singular focus on her, intelligent deep brown eyes gazing at Charlotte with such love that it took her breath away.

She stood and walked toward him, their smiles widening as they moved closer, in anticipation of what they most wanted: the touch of the other, the feel of being held by the one you love most in the world, especially in the peace and stillness of the trees whispering softly in the wind.

"Do you greet all of your governesses this way?" Charlotte said, her voice muffled in the wool of his waistcoat, as she breathed in the faint scent of sandalwood with a hint of fresh hay.

"You are most certainly not my governess," Alexander said, his voice echoing through his strong chest and into her ear.

Charlotte laughed softly. "That is a very good thing, as this would be highly inappropriate if I were." She felt brave from her walk against the bracing wind of the cliffs, so she turned to place her lips on the spot just below the hollow of his neck. The soft hairs tickled her lips and she felt him shudder slightly.

"Exceedingly inappropriate," he said, his voice low and rough. He leaned down and tilted her chin up with his thumb. "I fear I shall have to marry you now…"

"Always the honorable man…" she managed to say before his lips were on hers.

There was something about being outside, nestled in the trees with a fresh wind blowing around them, that Alexander and Charlotte found to be extremely sensual. Perhaps it was how much they both loved the out-of-doors and nature, perhaps it was the feeling of oneness with everything around them, but their kisses under dappled sunlight transported them into another world, a place where time no longer existed.

And of course it always reminded them of their first kiss under the trees, when they were still feeling the need to hide their love from the rest of the world because it was too new, too fragile, when they still didn't believe this was possible, how right it felt for them to be together, surrounded by birdsong and the rustle of the leaves.

They had no idea how long they stood there, his hands moving slowly up and down her back, and hers traveling through his curls and teasing at his neck. So when Charlotte felt a tugging on her skirt and Alexander sensed a solid, rapidly moving object suddenly between their feet that nearly caused them to tumble sideways, it came as a surprise.

"Turk!" Leonora's voice called urgently from behind them, "You are not listening, you bad boy!"

Charlotte looked down, and Turk was chewing on the hem of her dress while standing awkwardly on Alexander's boots, and when they stepped back, he simply looked up at them and seemed to be, of all things, smiling.

Leonora was running so fast, she nearly knocked them over, and Alexander scooped her up into his arms, laughing. "You will need to take control of this one before he outgrows you, Leo."

Augusta had been following Leonora, and now she joined the group, "Which looks to be just days, the way that little monster is growing."

Charlotte smiled. "I believe I know what our lesson will be this morning. We will discuss methods of dog training. We had five of them in Willingden and if we had not trained them properly, they would have soon taken over the house."

As they made their way down the path, Charlotte felt a warmth infuse her. Always in the past, she had walked toward Heyrick House and had joined everyone there. Now, they came out to meet her, as if they could not wait another minute to be a family again. Augusta had suddenly developed an interest in animal husbandry and was exceedingly curious about farm life, so Charlotte had tailored her lessons accordingly. Everyone was aware that it might have something to do with Augusta's long and frequent letters with Drew Heywood.

Today, in fact, after lessons were over, the four of them would travel to a horse breeder outside of Sanditon to choose horses for Charlotte and Augusta, and to find a gentle pony for Leonora. Although Charlotte had ridden a Heyrick chestnut mare out to the Army camp to find Leo that day, she found she wanted a horse with a little more spirit so that she and Alexander could ride down on the beach and she could keep pace with Hannibal. She was a highly proficient rider, and Alexander was delighted about the idea of having company on his rides.

Charlotte's life was increasingly becoming enmeshed in the life of Heyrick Park, and she could not be happier. In fact, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

This time, when Georgiana asked Rosie to show Edward Denham into the sunroom, there was not just one, but two, listeners behind the door. Samuel wanted to hear for himself the tone of voice, the demeanor and most particularly, the information that Denham felt was worth five thousand pounds. He and Arthur sat in absolute silence and waited.

Georgiana scoffed as Denham made a show of a low bow.

"We both know this is not a social call, so do let us not pretend it is one." She pointed to the chair across from her and indicated for him to sit.

"I trust you learned of the truth of the initial information I gave you, and will now give me the benefit of the doubt, Miss Lambe? Or should I say, Miss Colbourne?" he sneered, smiling.

God she hated the man. Throwing him to the sharks was beginning to sound too compassionate a punishment.

"Where is my mother?" Georgiana asked, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

Edward laughed and made a show of picking some nonexistent lint off of his trousers. "That is the question, is it not? And the answer, I should think, would be very valuable. Say, ten thousand?"

Georgiana narrowed her eyes. "You snake. You said five thousand."

Edward shrugged. "I may have underestimated the value of that piece of information in our previous conversation."

Taking a deep breath, Georgiana allowed herself to remember that by virtue of the last words that Denham had just uttered, he would be facing a punishment that would make all of this worthwhile. She simply looked at him and said softly, "Very well. Ten thousand it is. Where is she?"

She could see the flash of triumph in his eyes, and then he said, "Where do we all want to go when we are lost and need comfort? Home. Sarah went home."

"Home?" Georgiana said, narrowing her eyes. "Sanditon?"

"Sarah loved Sanditon, certainly. But she was not born here," Edward said, smiling cryptically. Nothing made him happier than knowing more than the person he was talking to, and he wanted to make this last as long as possible.

"Enough riddles," Georgiana said through her teeth. "If you want the ten thousand, you will tell me now or I will show you the door."

Edward sighed. "All right. Although you appear to have a decided lack of appreciation for enigmas. Surely in your research through Jonathan Colbourne's records you have found the bill of sale for Sarah Kingsley? And surely Mr. Lambe would have made mention of where she was purchased? The island of St. John, in the Caribbean."

All persons within earshot of this heartless retelling of the sale and purchase of a human being simultaneously cringed. In the other room, it took sheer force of will for Arthur Parker not to gasp, and Samuel Colbourne closed his eyes and looked down at the floor in shame for his family's part in it. Georgiana's fury was clearly shown in her face as she glared at Edward Denham, who might as well be discussing the purchase of local produce at Crawford's Market.

Edward rolled his eyes impatiently, as Georgiana sat looking at him mutely. "Of course you will want to confirm this before you pay me, but she was born in St. John's, and it was from there that she was purchased. And it is to that island that she will have gone when she feared for your safety. Whether she still lives is beyond my knowledge, as I have not set eyes on her myself…"

"Why did she fear for my safety?" Georgiana asked quickly.

Edward said, "You really do not appreciate the fun of a good riddle, do you, Miss Lambe?" He gave a small snort. "I cannot tell you everything, now can I? Find the bill of sale confirming that I am correct, and then you must do the work to find her. Whether you find her alive or in the ground, I have still fulfilled my part of the bargain, have I not?"

It took everything Georgiana had not to stand and have her clenched fist meet his smug face, but she knew there were others present and she kept her composure. There was one last thing she needed to confirm, and she knew just the way to accomplish it.

"And now that you have told me, what is to stop me from simply taking the information and not giving you the money?"

Edward narrowed his eyes and smiled evilly at her. "Oh, Miss Lambe, you are an intelligent woman. You must have deduced the other part of this transaction?" He took a dramatic pause while she waited with pure hatred in her eyes.

He reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved an envelope. "I have just this day received a letter from a dear friend of yours," Denham made a show of holding up the envelope so she could see the handwriting, and then he slowly removed the contents. One sheet of paper, and Georgiana could see that the letter had been written by Charles Lockhart. Edward waved it in front of her, and she snatched it out of his hand, reading it quickly.

7th May 1821

Paris France

Mr. Denham,

I am in receipt of your recent letter, and I will admit that I am intrigued.

I have thought often of Miss Lambe since my departure from Sanditon, and have wondered how she fares, though I fear her welcome to me would be an understandably cold one were I to return to that salubrious seaside town.

If you do indeed have information that pertains to her connection to my uncle, I should be interested to hear it. Pray let me know how you would like to proceed.

Yours,

Charles Lockhart

Georgiana's heart sank. So Charles would be a part of this after all, and he still had not given up on her fortune. She folded the letter and placed it in the bosom of her dress, thinking that it might be valuable as evidence. Looking back at Edward, she said, hissing, "So the two dogs lie down together…"

Edward chuckled. "Come now, Miss Lambe, you cannot possibly spend all that money in your lifetime. And you must be aware of your good fortune – as the out-of-wedlock daughter of the illicit union of a negress slave and a drunk – to have even a portion of it. I should think that setting up monthly payments of a comfortable living for me would be worth my keeping silent with Mr. Lockhart."

Georgiana raised an eyebrow. "The deal continues to change."

Laughing again, Edward said. "This was always the deal, my dear. You simply did not know it."

With every ounce of strength she had, Georgiana stood and said, "I will confirm your information about St. John, and then we will discuss terms. I do not suppose there is any possibility of you letting me know precisely how you came by all of this information?"

Standing, Edward bowed again. "Let me just say that I am extremely good at cards." And with that, he moved toward the door and opened it. He called over his shoulder, "I will be in touch in a week to give you the address for your monthly gift to me."

For a moment after they all heard him leave and Rosie's audible Ugh! as she slammed the door behind him, the three of them stayed as they were – Georgiana looking at the open door with dripping contempt, and Arthur and Samuel remaining silent, filled with their own form of hatred. Then, Samuel and Arthur stood and came into the room, where Georgiana had not moved.

Softly, and with a passion that struck fear into both men, Georgiana said, "They will need to be exceedingly large and very hungry sharks."

"Father, please may I ride Fritz back home? It is not far," Leonora said. Alexander felt that if he said no, his daughter would simply refuse to get down from her new Exmoor pony. She had named him Fritz, in keeping with her love of the Swiss Family Robinson, and he was the perfect size and temperament for her.

Augusta was astride her sweet new Cleveland Bay horse, whom she had named Copper for the highlights in her mane and tail, and Charlotte had chosen her own lively Bay horse that she named Cassiopeia, or Cass for short, for the white cluster of dots on her nose that reminded Charlotte of her night with Alexander talking about the stars.

Alexander had anticipated that the family would want to ride home on their new horses, and so he had ridden Hannibal to the horse breeder while the girls rode in the carriage. This way, they were all prepared to have their first ride together as the driver took the empty carriage back to Heyrick Park.

Alexander smiled. "Well, I do not see why not. We are all saddled and ready for a ride, after all." He nodded to the handler and came up alongside Leonora. She was a natural, but still he wanted to keep an eye on her. Charlotte could see that Augusta needed no help, but she rode alongside her, just in case. They all began at an easy walk through the trees, and while Augusta shared the news of Drew's latest letter, Leonora began peppering her father with questions.

"Do dogs ever ride horses, Father? I read a story of Ha'Penny Hatch in London, where they had what they call a circus, and they showed dogs riding horses. Do you think that Turk would enjoy a ride? I could hold him in my lap, right here…"

Laughing, Alexander said, "I do not believe that Turk would fancy being quite that high up, Leo. The reason the dog you read about was in the circus, was that it was such an unusual sight to witness."

"I will ask him, straightaway, when we get home. Perhaps he will say yes," Leo said with her very serious face.

Alexander turned to her, "So Turk talks to you, does he? I should like you to ask him why he persists at chewing holes in my favorite slippers, then."

Leonora looked over at her father as if it was the most easily answered question in the world. "It is because he likes you, Father. He will never chew on things that belong to people he does not like."

Alexander laughed. "Ah, so I should take it as a compliment," he said, nodding.

"Absolutely," Leo said, with complete conviction.

In front of them, Charlotte laughed and turned in her saddle. "Another important part of the training, Leo. Whenever you see Turk chewing on something he should not, you must let him know that it is not acceptable behavior. My father always said that a dog that could not be swayed from chewing on shoes must live in the barn."

Leo looked horrified. "Turk cannot live in the barn. He sleeps in my bed, with me!"

Raising his eyebrows, Alexander said, "Oh, he does, does he?"

Realizing her mistake, Leonora said, "Well, not always…sometimes…almost never…"

Augusta turned and looked back. "My cousin will have that dog sitting at the dinner table soon, saying Grace," she said, rolling her eyes.

Alexander shook his head, laughing with them. "And what of Heywood Manor, Augusta? Any news?"

"Drew delivered a baby goat the night before last. He said that he and his father were up until nearly three o'clock in the morning, and then finally the little one decided it was ready to be born. He said it was miraculous."

Charlotte smiled. "It is. I have seen it, with goats and with horses." She sighed. "It is one of the great joys of living on a farm."

Alexander came up beside her. "Shall we acquire goats in addition to a cow, then? Soon, we shall be calling this Heyrick Farm," he said.

Charlotte tilted her head and smiled. "It is not a bad way for children to grow up," she said. For a moment they simply looked at each other, breathing in that thought. Not only would Augusta and Leonora be happy to live around animals, but also their own children to come. Alexander reached out his hand between them and Charlotte took it, as Augusta continued talking about Drew's letter.

"There is a veterinarian named Mr. Tristan who practices near Declan's farm in Ulster, and he graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in London. Drew is traveling back with Alison and Declan after the wedding to spend some months working on the farm and apprenticing with Mr. Tristan. He hopes to apply to the College in the fall."

Alexander nodded. "A veterinarian? A very fine profession, Augusta. And the Royal is the best school there is."

Augusta beamed. "I am happy that you think so, Uncle."

"I shall look forward to spending more time with Drew when the family comes to stay at Heyrick Park. He sounds like a fine young man, and I did not have nearly enough time getting to know him," Alexander said. Charlotte squeezed his hand and gazed at him in appreciation.

"So you would not mind, Uncle, if I chose not to live in London? I am aware that you spent a Season there introducing me to the best people so that I might be marriageable and find a husband of importance."

Augusta wore the look that both Alexander and Charlotte had learned was her defense when something, or someone, mattered a great deal to her. She raised her chin and affected nonchalance, almost seeming to be in jest, but in truth it meant so much.

Alexander looked at her with soft eyes. "I want only for you to be happy in your life, Augusta. What I wanted was for you to have the choice. That if you desired to be a lady in London, that option would be open to you. And I hope you know that I would consider a veterinarian as much a man of importance as a Lord. Titles mean very little to me. What matters is a man's character."

Charlotte saw tears spring to Augusta's eyes as she looked at her. "Charlotte, you told me once that my uncle had only my best interests at heart. I did not see the truth of it then, but I do now." She looked at Alexander, and then back at Charlotte. "You knew right away where his heart lay."

Laughing softly, Charlotte said, "Perhaps not right away… but I learned quickly."

"Your wedding is only a week away. And Drew will be arriving with your family in two days!" Augusta said, excited. "How are you so calm?"

Charlotte laughed. "I suppose I still feel I am dreaming anyway, and in dreams we are allowed to imagine the best, are we not? And only people who love us will be at the wedding, so no matter what happens, all will be well."

Augusta looked at Charlotte from under a raised eyebrow. "Shall I take that to indicate that you are not inviting Lady Denham, then?"

Alexander exhaled. "We discussed it, and although we are certain she will find fault with some part of the proceedings, we want all of Sanditon to see our commitment to each other. And I am in hopes of replacing her memories of my father, though I doubt that is possible," Alexander said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"I will make a point of offering her some of your honey cake," Augusta said with a sly smile.

Charlotte laughed softly. "Oh, I am sure that will please her exceedingly, Augusta."

Leonora was tiring of this conversation, and she said, "Father, I believe Fritz would like to go faster."

Alexander turned, smiling. "Ah, Fritz would like to go faster, would he?" He looked over at Charlotte. "Shall we try them at a trot?"

"I think they are ready," she said, moving up next to Augusta.

Slowly they increased their speed, and before long, both girls were holding their seats in the saddle and laughing as they came upon the edges of Heyrick Park and headed toward the house. Mrs. Wheatley stood on the back steps watching them ride together to the stables, and she could hear their joyous voices coming across the green grass and through the trees.

"Supper will be on the table soon!" she called out. "Wash up and do not dawdle, please!"

If they had been able to look over at her for any length of time, they would have seen that Eva was laughing too. Which was surprising, because she also had tears in her eyes.

"St. John is correct," Eva said, nodding. "Sarah talked often of the islands. Though when her parents died and her brother was sold away, she could no longer bear to be there. She welcomed the move to England, in truth."

Georgiana frowned. "Then why on earth would she want to go back there?"

Eva shrugged. "Things change as you get older. Longing for the past takes hold, and memories alter…" Eva exhaled. "For me, the bigger question is why she would leave Antigua… and you," she said, putting her hand over Georgiana's. "That cannot have been easy for her. And you said that was six or seven years ago?"

"Yes, I was fourteen or fifteen when Sarah left. One day she was simply gone, but I do recall her being very sad when she said goodnight to me one night. Now that I think about it, it almost seemed as if she felt she would never see me again," Georgiana said.

Alexander frowned. "Eva, you said that Lennox played cards with my father in London, and that it was there that he learned of Georgiana's parentage. Could it not be possible that he tried at that time to press his advantage with Lawrence Lambe in exchange for blackmail money?"

"Or perhaps he wrote to my mother, and she thought that if she left, I would be safe from any speculation. I wonder if my father did pay Lennox for his silence?" Georgiana said.

"Samuel, much as I despise the idea, is there any possibility you could subpoena Lennox and force him to testify?" Alexander asked.

Samuel shrugged. "Have we any hope that he would tell the truth, even under oath? There is no one still alive to dispute his version of events."

"There must have been others in those card games…" Alexander said, taking a sip of his tea.

Eva had been largely silent, but now she cleared her throat. "You do not want him to testify, Xander."

Alexander looked at her and narrowed his eyes. "Lucy?" he said simply.

"If you force him into a corner, he will fight back. And he will want to hurt you. Do you want all of it to move from gossip into public record?" Eva asked softly.

"All of what? Georgiana asked. She looked around the table at Alexander, Charlotte, Samuel and Eva and realized she was the only one who did not understand what was being discussed.

With the continued silence, Georgiana frowned. "My dirty laundry has been liberally aired around this table. Am I not a member of this family? If it affects the outcome of locating my mother, do I not have a right to know?" she asked.

Alexander nodded and put his hand over hers. "Yes, you are a member of this family, and you do have a right to know. But you had better get a fresh cup of tea. It is a long story."

"Of course you are right. He cannot be allowed to testify," Georgiana said softly. "Alexander, I am so sorry…" she said.

"I bear part of the blame," Alexander said, "But it does not haunt me any longer." He took Charlotte's hand. "The primary focus must be to protect Leonora."

Samuel leaned back in his chair. "The parallels are interesting, are they not? We are trying to bring the news of one child's parentage out into the open, while we seek to protect another child by keeping it a secret."

Alexander nodded. "Only until Leonora is older, Samuel. One day, when she is better able to understand all of the gray areas of the situation, we will explain it to her."

Eva said, "According to Lady Denham's servants, Edward is being worked ragged by her. Were I he, anticipating a great deal of money, I would be looking for further lodgings, perhaps in London. That is likely the reason he gave you a week."

Samuel leaned forward. "I will have my legal assistants in London begin searching for Sarah Kingsley on St. John. We are already tracking Lennox and his location. He is currently in Assam, and his forces are fighting the Burmese in an attempt to annex the country. It is dangerous work – far more dangerous than his soft posting in Sanditon. Declan can count his blessings that he resigned his commission when he did."

Georgiana reached into her bodice and retrieved the letter from Charles Lockhart. "And what of him," she said, narrowing her eyes.

"May I?" said Charlotte, holding out her hand.

"Of course," Georgiana said, giving her the letter.

Charlotte read it and then re-read it. She looked at her friend and said, "I do not see that he agreed to any terms with Edward. He merely expressed curiosity." She put a hand on Georgiana's shoulder. "And he does say he has thought often of you."

"Of my money," Georgiana said harshly. Then she softened. "I still cannot believe that he was only in love with the prospect of being rich. But however this situation resolves itself will give me my final answer."

Tonight, Alexander and Charlotte chose to say goodnight outside, on the bench overlooking the very spot where they would be married. The area had been beautifully cleared, and by the moonlight they could see the neat rows of cornflowers that had been planted around the greenhouse, which sparkled under the night sky. Alexander's arm was around her shoulders and she melted into his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat and feeling the soothing warmth that emanated from him.

"How can it have seemed like forever, and now it feels as if it is coming so fast?" she said softly, moving her hand lightly over his cotton shirt. She found herself longing to unfasten just one or two of the buttons, and slip her hand inside to feel the warm skin that was separated from her fingers by only a thin layer of cloth. Soon, she thought, so very soon.

Alexander's eyes were closed as he concentrated on the slow movement of her hand. He knew he would never be able to describe how new and different everything was with Charlotte, how desperately hard it was to wait to come into contact with her skin and feel her next to him, how he longed for her touch. None of this felt familiar to him as he tried to recall what it had been like as his marriage to Lucy was nearing. He remembered it only as a series of balls and parties, and Lucy's endless chatter about flowers and napkins and who was coming and how important they all were.

Charlotte cared only about Alexander's feelings, and that the girls loved their dresses, and about her joy that her family was coming – and she had left all of the details to Mrs. Wheatley. Her tastes were so exquisitely simple, running toward wildflowers and honey cake and the music of the country, and Alexander could not imagine a more perfect way to show their love to the world.

He was suddenly overcome with love for her and he leaned down and pulled her toward him. His lips found hers and she felt his passion begin to rise, as hers quickly rose to meet him. The sound of the crickets on the pond and the soft wind in the trees only served to increase their longing for each other, and they shifted on the bench. Only seconds from stretching out dangerously, Alexander pulled away, breathing heavily and clutching her head to his chest so that she could hear his rapidly beating heart.

"I have never wanted anyone, or anything, so much…" he said on a whisper.

"Nor I…" she answered. She smiled up at him, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "Is this the usual way of things?" she asked, running her fingers softly across his cheek.

"No," he said, firmly, on a soft laugh. "It is not." He smoothed her hair from her face and said, "Talk to me of other things, distract me…" he said, gaining his composure.

She laid her head back on his chest and said, "Well, then, it is clear that my entire family cannot fit into one carriage, so they are also bringing the wagon, which will carry the older children. Alison and Declan are coming in tomorrow late in the day and the rest of the family should arrive in the evening. Eva has a late cold supper planned that will be perfect, although I do hope I have impressed upon her just how prodigious the Heywood appetites can be."

Alexander laughed. "Yes, I saw it firsthand, and you must know that Eva is entirely in her element, and almost giddy in anticipation. I believe she has felt without purpose for quite some time. When was the last time you saw her sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper?"

Charlotte nodded. "It has been a while." She turned and gazed up at him. "I fear I have turned your world quite upside down, my love."

"In the best possible way," he said, leaning down to kiss her, this time, gently and slowly.

He moved his lips to her forehead and held them there. "Georgiana will be waiting," he said softly.

Charlotte sighed. "Yes, I know." Reluctantly, she sat up and looked in Alexander's eyes. "Some night, when we are married, may we sleep out here under the stars?"

With infinite love in his eyes, he said, "We may sleep wherever you want to. And what if it rains?"

"Then we shall move into the greenhouse and listen to the rain against the panes of glass…" and then, shyly, she added, "And make love until the sun comes up."

At that prospect, Alexander could not speak, so he simply bent to kiss her once again.