Emma Lane Read Online Free PDF Page A

need him for our supper.”
    Sarah laughed happily and agreed. They both started gathering up their fishing paraphernalia.
    Sarah stopped to peer into the bucket. “I used to come down here when you were gone. I caught a lot of fish, but never one so large as this one.”
    He winced. “I know you are very angry at me, sweetling. It was all I could do not to write back to you. I felt so lonely when you stopped sending to me.”
    They walked toward the path in a companionable silence for a moment.
    “Mother finally confessed her deed,” Sarah said. “I understand now why you did not write to me. Why she would ask that, I cannot understand. She had no objection to our getting married.”
    Sarah’s arm brushed against his, and he longed to take her in his arms. She seemed to him to be the Sarah he had loved so long ago. His heart swelled with happiness. Sarah in her brother’s clothes was his Sarah, his heart and soul.
    “She wanted you to have a young woman’s Season, to get to know others of your age. Didn’t you enjoy it all? You looked so at home when I watched you with your friends.”
    “I really was contemplating marrying someone else. I had plenty of proposals, you know.” She tilted her head and eyed him from the corner of her eye.
    Ethan frowned. He was certain she’d had plenty of chances to leave him. He remembered the lush softness of her body against his in that dark garden.
    “Mother finally figured out why I turned them all down. She sat me down and told me how she had asked you not to write. I was very angry with her for interfering. Why did you not tell her no?”
    “I thought I might be killed in battle, darling girl. I did not want to leave you a very young widow, barely out of the school room. I had no idea I would be gone so long.” He took her hand and turned her to him. “Can you ever forgive me?”
    The large trout flipped in the bucket and almost jumped into the grass. The noise from the splash startled them both. “I guess that might be your answer. Catching George must mean luck is back with us. Do you promise never to leave me again?”
    She dropped her fishing pole in the grass. After dropping his own pole and placing the bucket of fresh fish on the path, he took her firmly into his arms.
    He looked deep into her eyes and answered, “I promise with all my heart and soul, dear love.”
    “That was a pretty nice kiss I got from a certain Dark Domino. Do you think you can top that, Ethan?”
    He groaned and bent his head, slanting his lips across hers. She reached up and drew his head firmly down to hers. They sank into the soft grass beside the path with a beam of sunshine finding its way through the branches and warming their shoulders. Ethan released his breath in a long, contented sigh.
    Sarah broke free and laughed up at him. “I must have known that was you all the time. You felt so comfortable to me.” She turned her face back to him to be kissed as the fish splashed in the bucket.
    “I do love you so, my sweet. Do you think we may be married soon?” Ethan asked. Sarah burrowed her face into his chest, nodding as she cuddled in his arms.
    “I do think we have waited long enough, Ethan.”
    “Are you ready, Sarah? Let’s take these fish to Cook and tell our parents. I am guessing they will not be surprised that we have finally found our way into love at long last.”
    They walked down the path together with their arms full of fishing gear and each other.
    The End