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S arah waited at the shoreline for Conn to finish his morning swim in the estuary. The weather had changed over the last week or so. The chill in the air was gone and was replaced by warm sunshine. Still, it wasn’t warm enough to swim in Sarah’s estimation.

She smiled, squinting to try to see him in the glistening waves.

While she waited with a long coat to keep him warm while he dried off, she thought of all that had happened after Grayson’s grandmother had freed them from the dungeon.

They had gone to the duke, led by a fierce-looking old woman. Needless to say, the duke was unhappy about seeing his prisoners free. Lady Blagden challenged his anger by stepping right up to his chair in the dining Hall.

“It’s time to step down, Thomas. This castle was never yours, but my daughter’s.

When she died—yes,” she stopped to say when he reacted with a groan.

“Emma is dead. I left the castle in your care because my Grayson was too young. Even after you betrayed him, I allowed you to remain.” She tilted her chin and narrowed her eyes on him, looking more formidable than a woman her age. “Do I speak the truth?”

He nodded, seemingly unable to say more. Sarah had no way to tell if he was being silenced. She didn’t care. Grayson’s father was finally facing an accuser.

“That time is now over,” she had continued. “You are no longer needed. I’ll take over Dartmouth from this moment forward. You, your wife, Eloise, and her son, Timothy must leave by morning. Do you understand, Thomas?”

Sarah’s hand had trembled in Conn’s. She’d wished Grayson could have been there to see it. Mr. Cavendish was being thrown out!

But she only wished the marquess could have been there for one reason, and it was not for her.

Now, she held up her hand to shield her eyes against the dazzling sun and spotted her merman in the waves.

He certainly did enjoy the water. He enjoyed everything, really.

His passion for life sparked his eyes, his dimpled cheek, his deep laughter.

Everyone in the castle liked him and all were happy when he invited them to his beach party this summer, if he was still here.

Will liked him and despite Mr. Cavendish’s accusations hovering around her, Sarah’s mother liked him, too.

She thought about him vowing to his ‘Mrs. B.’ that he would not be separated from Sarah.

Who would he be going against? God? She couldn’t let him.

She wouldn’t. Instead, she was going to enjoy every moment with him until his sister came for him.

That’s why she was here so early, instead of in her bed, dreaming about him.

She had thanked Lady Blagden for the day off, but she would not use it away from him.

When would be his last day of swimming in this water? Would she spend the rest of her days here in the morning, searching the water for him?

She watched him swim toward her. She refused to let her heart break over losing him, the only man who had won her adult heart.

She waved, holding up the coat while he rose out of the surf like Poseidon coming ashore to conquer.

Were Poseidon’s arms so sculpted with lean sinew?

“How did you know I was here?” He asked, smiling and stepping into the coat in her arms.

Her heart pounded frantically in her chest. “Where else would you be on such a bright morning?” She smiled, trying to sound impassive.

He laughed softly watching her when she nearly choked on her own salvia.

“Let’s do something together today,” he suggested, putting his arm around her.

She wiggled away. “What can we do?”

“We could go to the market. I could teach you how to swim. You could show me around the castle. I haven’t seen all the rooms.”

She stopped and tilted her head to look at him. “It must sound dull to those ears that have heard of so much more thrilling adventures.”

He stepped closer. Close enough to touch her chin when he reached out his finger. “Without you there, what you think was thrilling was in fact, dull. We can lie right here in the sand and not even speak, and I would love it because we were together.”

How would she let him go? She felt alive with him. She felt seen and heard and cared for. Oh, how would she let him go?

When he leaned in to kiss her, she darted away.

“What?” he beseeched. “No one is around.”

“You never know,” she scolded. “We did not know Mr. Cavendish was watching.”

He sulked, but only for a moment. “When I become your husband, I’ll kiss you wherever I want.”

She giggled, imagining it could all be. This was how she wanted to spend her last days…hours with him, pretending they could live happily together. She thought about begging Lady Blagden to let them stay together, but if there was a way, she believed the older woman would have told them.

“Sarah,” Conn said, lifting her chin to gaze into her eyes. “I know what you’re thinking but everything will be okay.”

“How could it be if we are torn apart?” she allowed herself to say, but in doing so, tears followed.

He wiped them away with tender fingers. “We won’t be torn apart. I’m going to marry you on this beach with everyone from the castle here to witness it. Trust me, okay?”

She nodded. Yes. She would trust him. She had no reason not to.

They set off for the castle when a raven’s screech sounded above their heads. Sarah looked up, heart racing. No, she shocked herself thinking. Not yet.

Something moved, stepping out from behind the trees.

When Conn saw the gray wolf, he stepped in front of Sarah. “Turn around slowly, Sarah,” he told her.

“Wait!” she grasped his hand and watched the treeline. The wolf moved slowly toward them, head lowered, teeth white in the sun.

But in an instant, the wolf backed down and sat in the sand to await the man whose command he obeyed.

“Who the hell is that?”

Sarah remembered to breathe as the raven swooped down to land on the man’s shoulder while he came toward them.

“It is the marquess.” When she said it, the weight of it hit her. “It is Grayson.” He was here for Conn. Now, she stepped in front of Conn.

“Sarah,” the marquess said with a look of surprise at the protection she offered to Conn.

His voice was comforting, familiar. “You’re well?”

She nodded and he turned his attention over her shoulder to Conn. “Connall Darling. Your sister would never forgive me if I didn’t keep you safe.”

“Where is she? How come she’s not with you?”

“I thought it best if I came without her. Just as it’s best for you to go to the Gable’s holding and wait for me there. Please.”

“Why?” Conn asked him, concern marring his brow.

“I must speak to my father about Cavendish—”

They interrupted him to tell him about his grandmother throwing the Cavendish’s out.

“They should be leaving about now,” Sarah informed him, satisfied.

Before she said another word, he took off toward the front of the castle. The wolf hurried off into the trees. The raven flew above them.

“So that’s him.” Conn considered him while he hurried off, then his gaze slid to her. “Tell me how you feel right now after seeing him.”

She stared at him wishing she could pour her heart into him. “I wish he would leave without you.”

He smiled and bent to press his lips to hers before she could stop him. But she didn’t truly want to stop him. She didn’t protest when he closed his arm around her and walked with her along the stony shore of the cove.

They spent the day together sitting in the sand, against a large rock, with her resting against his chest and his arms around her.

“I have lived here my whole life,” she said, gazing out over the water, “but I never realized how beautiful it is.”

“I want to fill your life with beautiful things,” he said softly into her ear.

Later, they obeyed Grayson’s plea and went to the Gable holding rather than the castle for dinner with Sarah’s mother.

They didn’t smell the smoke of the forest fire until it was all but extinguished. When Conn was summoned to the castle by Lady Blagden, he wouldn’t go unless Sarah went with him. So she went, trembling beside him, not ready to let him go yet.

The first thing he wanted to know when they were told his sister had arrived, was where was she?

Sarah wasn’t sure what Aria had seen while living with her brother in 2024, but when she and Conn stepped into the small sitting room in the marquess’ chambers, Aria made a running leap into her brother’s arms and wept into his shoulder until he held her at arm’s length. “I’m okay.”

“Oh, Conn, I’m so happy.”

“How are mom and dad?”

She laughed through her tears. “They’re perfectly fine.”

Conn turned to Sarah moving to a door that was slightly ajar. “Mrs. B. told me that going back two years earlier was his doing.”

Aria nodded and went to take Sarah’s hand. “I heard what Cavendish did to your brothers. I’m sorry you lost Harry, but thankful Will still lives.”

“We met Harper below stairs,” Sarah said, staring into the bedroom. “She told us about the fire in the forest and how he was injured.”

“He breathed in a lot of smoke but his grandmother assures me he’ll be well.”

“Then,” Sarah turned to her, not letting go of Aria’s hand, “you will not be leaving until then?”

“No, Sarah, but you should know that we—”

The young maid stopped listening and ran to Conn. “It is not over yet, my love.”

“My love?” Aria intoned, staring wide-eyed at them while they smiled and gazed into each other’s eyes. “What’s this?” she teased her brother. “You’ve already managed to sweep this young lady off her feet?”

“She swept me off mine,” he corrected and took Sarah’s free hand.

Rather than stand around the marquess’ bed, they went to the dining Hall, where they met Harper and Lady Blagden.

“We were just coming up to see Grayson,” his grandmother said. “Any change?”

“Not yet,” Aria told her. “Conn and Sarah just arrived.”

Lady Blagden gave them a steadied look and then let out an exhaustive sigh. “This will never become easy.”

“Mrs. B., wait—” Conn started.