My Dear Sophy (25 page)

Without his friend to entertain him, Connie had discovered, for the first time in his fourteen years in the Navy, that he was altogether useless on land. So it had been a great relief this morning when the post had finally brought a letter from the Admiralty approving his leave. He'd had only to make a few arrangements about his crew, pack his things, and hire a horse.

Now he was thundering down the road in the direction of his home. Connie had the fleeting thought that he was probably riding the mare too hard. But he could not bear to move slowly. His future was waiting for him a hundred and twenty miles down the road.

Connie hoped he was not too late. As he had been writing the letter all those days ago, he had been struck with the awful fear that Sophy would marry the curate before she ever knew how he felt. It had been the reason for his haste in sending the letter. What if he was still too late? What if she had accepted the man and they were to be married? It did not bear thinking.

As he spurred the horse faster, Connie wondered why Milverton had to be so damned far away from Portsmouth.

For a hundred and twenty miles Connie had been imagining their meeting, wondering how Sophy would receive him. Would she rush to him with open arms and tell him she loved him too? Or would she run the other way, already committed to another man? In all his speculation on this question, Connie never anticipated the scene he came upon once he finally found her.

It was Tuesday, a little over three weeks since he'd left Milverton. Connie came galloping into town, no desire this time to stroll through his childhood haunts. He stopped briefly at the rectory to shout hello to his astonished parents and stable his horse. Then he knocked at the Wentworth's door, heart pounding from more than the swift walk. A startled Doctor Wentworth informed him that Sophy had gone out for a walk.

Where could she have gone? For a moment he despaired of finding her. Deciding to trust to luck and sentiment, Connie started in the direction of the Old Mill, hoping to find her there. Were they so in sympathy? He had not been able to tell her when exactly he would return. Had she waited for him? Oh, he must find out soon.

All week he had agonized about the moment he would see Sophy again. Had his letter been enough to sway her opinion? He grew angry at his own actions now. How could he have been so callous in ignoring her feelings? He would apologize again and again if that's what she needed. Connie would do anything for her. Anything she needed to feel how fully and completely he loved her. He hoped he was not too late, that Sophy was not lost to him forever. Oh God, what would he do if she was?

All of these thoughts had passed his mind a thousand times since she had left him. He was normally a brave man, but in this he felt so unsure. He wanted both to know and not to know. If she was lost to him, he would return to a weary life aboard ship. Perhaps eventually his old joy on the seas would return, but he did not doubt that it would take a long time.

Connie almost lost his courage before he reached the Old Mill pond. Just this once he would run away, delay the moment of reckoning for fear that it would not be in his favor. Just this once he would give in to the voice of doubt in his head. It was singing...

No, that voice was not in his head. Someone was singing a tune that sounded oddly familiar. Connie stopped short, his eyes wide and his breath coming rapidly. A wave of emotion had swept suddenly over his body. That voice. It was Sophy's. She was somewhere close by and she was singing the song he had taught her. He wanted to rush to her and sweep her up in his arms. But some impulse stopped him before he could disturb her song.

Sophy had been shy of singing before. And now here she was singing out a tune loudly and for all to hear. Such a happy, free sound. He wanted to see her this way, before she saw him. He wanted to store this happy moment in his mind, as he had done with the image of her at the wheel of his ship. So he crept through the trees around the pond as quietly as he could.

There she was. Sophy faced away from him, singing out over the water. She was dressed in a simple frock that fitted her well. Her hair was pulled loosely up on her head. And she was skipping stones again! Such a joyous sight and sound. His Sophy. His love. His heart. It was time he told her for himself.

Connie stepped out of the trees and onto the bank, still behind her.

“
Practicing for our rematch, Miss Wentworth?”

At the sound of his voice, Sophy spun around so quickly that she nearly lost her balance. Connie took a step toward her to help but was overcome with a wave of uncertainty. They stood facing each other. She had stopped singing and the look on her face told him nothing. What should he do? He waited for some indication from her.

And then she spoke. Her words came in little gasps, as if she found it hard to breathe. “Yes, in fact.” Her tone told him nothing. Connie discovered that his heart had stopped beating while she spoke, while she told him how they would be together. “I am practicing for a rematch with a worthy opponent who had lost his courage, but seems to have recovered it.” She grinned at him and his heart started beating again. Connie stepped forward on legs unsteady with nervous tension.

“
You are correct, Miss Wentworth. For a moment I had run away in despair and cowardice. But I have returned to correct that. Hand me a stone and we will have ourselves a rematch.”

“
And what shall our wager be?” There was mischief in her eyes.

“
A forfeit, I think. To be named by the winner on the occasion of a final victory.”

“
I accept,” Sophy's gaze told him that her words held more significance than for only this stone-skipping battle. The thought made him dizzy. He lingered in her gaze a moment longer and then gestured to her.

“
Ladies first, as always.” She skipped her stone with the fanfare of their previous competition, though much more was at stake here. Her stone hopped three times before dropping to the bottom of the pond. She turned to him and smiled again.

“
Shall you match me, captain?”

“
I shall try.” Connie bowed to her, then turned to the pond and concentrated. Though he was sure that a forfeit for her would be sweet, Connie wanted to win. He knew what he would do. He tossed the stone. One... two... three... four. He grinned and turned to Sophy, who answered with her own smile.

“
You have won,” she pronounced. “What shall you ask of me in forfeit?”

Connie became suddenly serious. Now was the moment of truth. He took another step toward Sophy – she was so close now – and reached down to take her hands. He placed them over his heart.

“
In forfeit I would like for you to answer a question.”

“
And what is this question?” She whispered.

“
Marry me?” Connie looked into Sophy's eyes and saw a joy that reflected his own. He felt tears start in his own eyes. “I love you, Sophy Wentworth. I want you to be my wife, my partner. I want to laugh with you and talk with you. I want to make you happy and take you on adventures. I want...”

And suddenly her lips were on his. Her kiss was fierce and possessive. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself into him. Connie's response matched hers. He pulled her as close to him as she could get. After a few long moments, Sophy dragged her head away and brought her hands up to cradle his face. His heart overflowed with the sweetness of the gesture.

“
Yes. Yes, my dear love, I will marry you.” Then she leaned in and kissed him tenderly. It was only the lightest of touches, yet it set him on fire. Yes. Yes. Yes. His heart pounded out the word with every beat. The woman he loved was his.

After an exquisite moment in which time seemed to have disappeared, Connie pulled away. “I can hardly believe this. I thought I had lost you. I thought you would come back to Milverton and marry Mr. Hollingson and be lost to me forever.” The despair was clear in his voice.

“
You did almost lose me.” Sophy had a teasing look in her eye.

Connie looked startled. “What?”

“
I did almost marry Mr. Hollingson.”

“
He offered for you?” Connie felt a physical pain at the thought. What had happened?

Sophy nodded. “He did. Your letter was in my pocket as he did so. It sat there unread while Mr. Hollingson asked me to marry him.” Connie let out the breath he did not realize he'd been holding.

“
And what did you say?”

“
In the moment, I was so confused about my own feelings. I asked him for more time to consider his proposal. Then I ran here and read your letter.”

“
And you decided then?”

“
By no means. My emotions were so tangled that I hardly knew myself. At times I wanted to marry him, at other times you. I made list after list in my head of what each of you were offering.”

“
And then?”

“
And then, when the balance sheet was equal between the two of you, I had to look to my own heart.”

“
Sophy --”

“
And my heart showed me the answer. It was you.”

“
But why?” Connie asked. “Why choose me? Not that I will complain...”

She smiled softly. “I chose you, silly man, because Mr. Hollingson did not speak to me of love.” When Connie looked puzzled, she explained. “He spoke to me of prospects and security and family. All good things, yes, but nowhere did he mention again that he loved me. When I read your letter, love was all I found there.”

Connie was quiet. The responsibility to love her was something to take seriously. “Sophy, I believe you know my prospects. It will be a hard life, but I promise I will love you always. You will never have to doubt that.” He watched as tears sprung to her eyes.

“
My dearest Connie, and you must remember always that it is
you
who have won me. No more nonsense about other men or losing me. We go through life
together
now.” They smiled at each other.

“
What will you tell the poor curate whose heart you have stolen?” Connie asked, morbid curiosity gripping him.

“
I have already told him that I esteem him highly, but I cannot marry him.” Then it occurred to her. “How did you even know about Mr. Hollingson?” Sophy was curious.

Connie sighed. “At the dinner party. My mother and Mrs. Hancock were being none too subtle in observing the two of you together. The conversation slipped quite naturally to the expectation of your marriage.” Connie paused. “I believe it was at that moment I truly began to understand myself, my own affections. And at the same moment considered you lost to me.”

“
And so you never bothered to ask!” Sophy shook her head. “Silly man. You must make me a promise, now that I am yours.”

“
What promise?”

“
If ever again in our lives you see that I would like you to kiss me, as you have seen twice now, you must not fail to do it. No more excuses. And I believe I am owed some kisses.”

“
And I believe I have never been happier to make a promise!” Connie leaned down and kissed her again. But something tickled at his mind. “Does your father know about me?”

“
Yes, once I knew my heart, I talked to him about you both.”

“
And what did dear Papa say?” Connie was worried.

“
He knows you for a good man, and so he was happy for me. He will be sad when I leave – he has come to rely on me so much – but he made a point to tell me that I mustn't let him hold me back from the life I deserve, from you. He will be fine. As will the boys...”

“
Do they yet know?”

“
Not yet. I am not quite certain how to tell them.”

“
Surely, they will not object to me!” Connie grinned, mischief in his eyes.

“
Oh no, I have no doubt that they will love you. You have enthralled them with your tales. And won their hearts forever by bringing them aboard ship for a day. They will be overjoyed at the prospect of a naval captain as a brother. That is not the problem. No, I worry about them when I am gone.”

“
Dear Sophy.” It was time for Connie to comfort her. “They will survive. As will
you
,” he added. “Besides, there are plenty of boys on the
Pleasant
who would adore having an older sister. You may adopt some of them.”

“
Shall I be aboard with you, then?”

“
But of course! I remember a certain woman who told me that if I truly loved my wife, I would let her aboard my ship if she so desired. So, does my wife desire to be aboard ship with me?”

Sophy hugged him tight. “Yes. Yes. I could not bear to part from you now.”

“
Nor I, you, my love.”

“
But, oh Connie, what of your parents?” Sophy had forgotten about the other side of the equation.