Page 22 of The Moonstone Hero
That I am probably already in love with you.“It’s a nice poem.”
“I thought so, too. Moonstone Landing is the purest example of nature’s beauty. The way sunlight falls upon the meadows and shimmers on the sea. The way the moon glistens upon the water every night. They say there are moonstones beneath the sea that glow on the night of a full moon when in the presence of true love.”
He arched an eyebrow. “You hope someday they will glow for you?”
She nodded. “Yes, because I know I will find true love here and not in London. Men are different here. They do not put on airs. They sacrifice for others because it is the right thing to do.”
“Elmer told me about the sea captain who once owned Moonstone Cottage, how he lost his life while rescuing the schoolchildren of this village.”
“Yes, they were all saved because of him. This included many of Elmer’s cousins, so Captain Arundel will never be forgotten for saving all those precious lives.”
“He told me his cousins, Brenna, Cara, and Felicity Angel, went on to marry noblemen.”
Ella laughed. “They did. Two dukes and an earl. Fairly impressive, I would say. But these were all love marriages. Who knows what might have happened had they not survived the shipwreck? It seems Captain Arundel’s act of bravery has changed the course of history. The sons to follow will have that cheerful Angel exuberance and common sense. Who among the fancy noblemen in London would ever have risked their lives to do such a brave thing?”
“There are some good men, Ella.”
“Truly? I have not met anyone in London I could say this about… Well, maybe you. But you were not ideal.”
“I wasn’t?” He mockingly clutched his heart. “You wound me.”
“What, me, pierce that tough hide of yours? I sincerely doubt it. You are still impossibly arrogant. Remember that night we waltzed at Lady Marston’s ball? The entire time, I felt as though you did not see the true me. You thought I was just another in a long line of silly debutantes, and chose to amuse yourself by giving me the thrill of waltzing with you. You were so condescending, I almost wanted to refuse you.”
“But you didn’t.”
She laughed. “No, you were too handsome, and I was too curious to pass up the offer. But I was quickly disappointed you were not bothering to see me for who I was.”
“You are wrong, Ella. I saw you quite clearly. However, I was too cynical to trust what was before my very eyes. I would not have claimed you for the supper dance had I not believed you were someone special. In truth, I was eager to get to know you better. But that was last year. Too much has happened between then and now. What about your current beaus? Are you serious about any of them?”
She pursed her lips again, something she did whenever giving a matter serious thought. He liked that slight pucker of her lips, so tempting to nibble. “No, but I do not want to toss them aside without giving them a chance. Perhaps my expectations are too high. I want someone who is brave but also modest about it. Someone who is confident but not boastful. Someone who will do the right thing simply because it is right and not for the expectation of reward. I know I am asking a lot of a man, and perhaps unfairly.”
“I suppose that rules me out,” he said, half in jest and half in hope she might consider him. It was a dangerous conversationto have with her, since he was nowhere near ready to commit to anyone.
But once hewasready, he would commit to her.
There was no one else for him.
“Do you think I could ever rule you out? London’s handsomest, most eligible bachelor?” Her expression turned tender as she studied him. “Not at all. You grow more likeable with the knowing. You are arrogant and ill-tempered, but you have been surprisingly nice to me since we have started these afternoon visits. You always had valor, Caden.”
“Ah, yes. Saving kittens from rooftops and breaking up fights.”
“Does this not prove my point? That valor is in your blood. So, I am more forgiving of your other qualities. I do not mind your arrogance, since it is also blended with confidence and a know-it-all attitude. Perhaps you are smarter than all of us and will not bend simply because everyone else has a different opinion. In truth, that streak of defiance is also something I like in you. There is nothing wrong with standing up for yourself and your beliefs. Do I even have the right to judge you? After all, what have I ever done to recommend myself to anyone?”
He took another slice of ginger cake and bit into it, laughing as he swallowed. “So, you want to hate me but you cannot?”
She released a breath and smiled. “I never wanted to hate you. But you are quite overwhelming. I know I will get hurt if I ever allow myself to get too close to you.”
“No, Ella. I would never hurt you.”
“Perhaps not on purpose.” She turned away to put the book of poetry back in her basket, but he reached out and stilled her hand.
“Leave it with me.”
“All right. Perhaps you do have a poetic soul after all.”
“No, I am still pretty much an arrogant arse. But you are quite taken by these poems, so I am curious to know what you see in them.”
“Is it not obvious? For me, it is all about finding true love. It is about opening one’s heart and allowing the beauty around you to flow in. I hope one day those moonstones will shine for me.”
