Page 40 of Beauty and the Baker
“Yes, you do,” he replied softly. “You have me.”
Georgina stopped her crying to look at him. “You are truly a good friend, Charlie, but I know you don’t want to marry me.”
“It is you who wouldn’t want to marry me, but I need to speak my piece.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m scarred, Georgina. You saw my back. Since the incident in Baltimore, I’ve thought that love would never be mine. So, I avoided women. You were safe. You told me that you’d be leaving some day, so I kept my distance. I never thought I’d fall in love with anyone. But I did.”
“You fell in love with me?” she squeaked.
“I kissed you, didn’t I? I’m more than your friend. I would do anything for you. Even if it meant I had to let you go. If I’m not making myself plain, let me tell you this. I love you, Georgina Jacobs. With all of my heart. I think I fell in love with you when you were the first thing I saw when I woke up at the hospital in Baltimore.”
Georgina flew into his arms, nearly knocking him off his seat. “Oh Charlie, I love you too. I fought it because I didn’t want to lead you on, but I do love you. Your back symbolizes the pain you went through doing what is right. It is a testimony to that.” She kissed his face. “I do love you. Scars and all.”
“Will you marry me, Georgina Jacobs?”
Georgina nodded and Charlie lowered his head, capturing her lips in a kiss. “This will definitely make my father happy.”
Georgina tilted her head. “How so?”
“He will have an excuse to stop sewing costumes and start making wedding clothes. It could be a whole new line of business for him,” Charlie laughed.
He kissed Georgina once more. When he was done, he pulled back and smoothed her hair with his hands. There was still flour clinging to her hair, so he gently brushed it away. “Feel better?” he asked gently.
Georgina nodded. “I do.”
“I’m glad I took a chance on living again. I’d still be sitting on my sister’s settee if it wasn’t for you and Mr. Pennyworth.”
“Mr. Pennyworth?”
Charlie nodded. “Said he was my guardian angel. I wasn’t sure at first, but now I have no doubt.”
“Remind me to tell you about a friend I met on the train out to Creede.”
“I want to hear it. Can you tell me this evening?” He released her with a kiss on the forehead. “I would like you and your family to come by for dinner tonight. That way we can make a formal announcement to our families.”
Georgina nodded. “Can I tell them first?’
“Of course. Now escort me to the gate and then go get yourself cleaned up.” They headed into the garden when a terrible sound reached their ears.
It started low, like a guttural cry and then a scream tore out from beneath the shed. “That sounded like Mr. Gladstone,” Georgina said.
Charlie ran over to the shed and knelt down. “You won’t believe this,” he said, grabbing Georgina’s hand to pull her down next to him.
“What is it?”
He peered back under the shed and saw the cat with three kittens already nursing. It was cleaning the fourth, which had just been born.
“Mr. Gladstone is a girl.”
Epilogue
November 1873, Bachelor, Rev. Bing’s church
Georgina held tighter to the flowers in her hand. She looked at her father just before the sounds of music filled the air.
The organ proclaimed the prologue of the march, and then went right into the beat that would carry Georgina down the aisle to her love.
