Page 122 of Charlotte's Reckoning
He crossed the room and sat next to her, close enough their thighs touched. “What does your heart tell you?”
She couldn’t reveal what was foremost in her heart—her love for him. It wouldn’t be fair. So she shared what was a distant second.
“Eldridge House was my home, and the place I was happiest—when my parents were still alive. I always dreamed of it and the stables being my future.” The papers crinkled as her hand tightened into a fist. “Is it possible I could get it back?”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
She shook her head, her voice almost a whisper. “I never considered myself a coward, but I’m hesitant to face Jael alone.”
“You won’t have to because I’ll be with you.”
She asked in stunned surprise, “You’d come to Virginia?”
“All that’s keeping me here is a job, and frankly, I’d rather be with the woman I love.”
Elated and heart-hurt all at once, she breathed, “I love you too. But we can’t. My past—”
“Will be in the past because this will be a fresh start with a new name.”
She hadn’t thought of that last part. “Yes, at home I’d be Rowie again.”
“Rowie Walker,” he clarified.
She blinked, startled. “What was that?”
His eyes twinkled as he grinned. “I’m asking you to marry me, darlin’. And not doing a very good job of it, evidently. As my wife, a new last name would come with that fresh start.”
As tears welled up, one hot tear escaped, tracing a path down her cheek. He gently wiped it away. “I never imagined my proposal would make you cry.”
“These are happy tears. I promise.”
Seth’s warm breath brushed her lips before his gentle kiss stirred a whirlwind of emotions inside her—love, happiness, longing, and optimism. The tender touch, a simple gesture, spoke volumes of the deep connection they shared, a bond palpable from the start.
The familiar knot of apprehension tightened in her stomach. Things rarely went right for her, so doubts crept in. She pulled back, her eyes searching his, seeking reassurance and answers in their depths. “What if Mr. Abernathy is wrong?”
“Between what’s in the bank and what you’ll earn from the sale of the Red Eye, and the money I have stashed—”
“From bank robberies?” she asked, alarmed.
“From reward money,” he clarified.
“Right. Sorry.”
“Even if you don’t get Eldridge House back, we’ve got enough to buy a place of our own and a full stable.”
“That sounds like heaven.” She blinked away tears. “But…”
He groaned. “Is there always a but with you, Rowie?”
Her hands fisted in his shirt as her name in his smooth baritone washed over her. It had been so long. “I want you to be sure. If Mr. Abernathy can find Rowena Dunn in St. Louis, what’s stopping someone from finding Miss Charlotte in Carroll County, Virginia, or wherever we land?”
“You mean as easily as they could discover, Seth Walker is, in reality, a reformed member of the infamous Hartigan Gang? I’ve thought about this. The truth getting out will always be a risk. But it’s one I’ll take every day to be with you.”
“How many times must I say this? I don’t care what people think. Besides, I’ve found people tolerate a bit of notoriety if you’re wealthy and carry a pair of Colt Peacemakers.”
He grinned, only half joking, but she was too worried to return his smile.
“I don’t know, Seth. I’m afraid my funds won’t be as substantial as you think. Fen was an avid gambler, if you recall. As for our joint account, it supported us comfortably and kept the bar afloat, but it isn’t anywhere near enough for a new start without Eldridge House.”
