Page 150 of Rogue of My Heart

“Camden, where are you?” She called out, her voice echoing through the keep. Slivers of moonlight spilled through the lancet windows, lighting her path as she stepped into the master chamber. A makeshift bed sat along the far wall, but Camden did not lie upon it. She glanced around the room. There were no signs anyone occupied the room. She made her way to the next chamber, and her heart plummeted. Empty. Had he left Almerry? “Camden, I was wrong. I’m sorry.” Her voice bounced off the walls, echoing back to her.

She ran from room to room, floor to floor. There was no sign Camden had stayed here. Not a stitch of clothing or scrap of parchment anywhere to be found. Not even a servant answered her pleas. Finally, out of breath and back in the entrance hall, she sank onto the floor, clutching her knees. A fresh batch of tears pricked at her eyes as she rocked back and forth. She was too late. Blast her foolishness. He’d taken his possessions and gone. Now she would never get the chance to tell him how she really felt. Never feel his arms around her again. Her heart shattered anew as tears spilled from her eyes.

The cool floor chilled her bones, but she did not care to move. Instead, she pressed her eyes shut against the pain she’d caused. How had she allowed herself to be so foolish? She rolled onto her back, stared up at the ancient ceiling. Her chest rose and fell at a rapid pace as she fought to gain control of her emotions.

She pushed herself up from the floor, straightened her gown, and dusted her skirts off. He could not have gotten far in so short a time. She’d go after him. Surely he rode for London. How hard could he be to find? She drew in a deep breath against the pounding of her heart. She had to tell him how wrong she was.

Fourteen

Camden pushed his horse hard to escape Almerry and its memories of Rebecca. The clop-clop-clop of hooves and Camden’s heavy breathing intermingled with the sound of the wind, the rustling trees, and the occasional howl of a night animal.

The cloying bile of regret, and the startling clarity of pain, were his companions. He rode hard, desperate to put more distance between them. He glanced up at the night sky rushing past in streaks of starlight.

His heart squeezed. What was Rebecca doing now? Did her heart bleed as his did? Her words had stung like a well-placed slap, burning a trail through him that incinerated his heart.

He knew she did not mean them, but the knowledge did nothing to lessen their impact. Rebecca might just as well have pierced his heart with a dagger. But why?

The answer slammed into him. She was afraid and lashed out to protect herself. He drew in a deep breath and slowed his mount, her words replaying through his mind. “I shall not become a soldier’s wife.” He blinked against the memory. “My brother Roland was killed in battle.” His pulse sped.

How had he failed to see it before? She was afraid of losing him to war—afraid of becoming a widow like Daphne, left behind to raise a child on her own. What could he say to change her mind? Was it even possible to make her see past her fears? He tapped his fingers against his thigh, contemplating.

He’d served bravely and the British Army had licked Napoleon. There was no longer any danger of battle. Certainly Rebecca knew the war had come to an end, and yet she still feared being wed to him, to a soldier. He had to turn back. Camden could not give up on heron their love. He had to change her mind. Sooth her fears.

His pulse sped as he tugged the reins, the horse jerking beneath him to change direction. With a firm hand, he pushed the stallion into a gallop. He would not give up on Rebecca and the future he dreamed of.

Camden rode back through the night, a strange mixture of dread and hope lacing his veins. He prayed that in the morning light Rebecca would have changed her mind, but knew it was wishful thinking. Her fear was too deeply rooted in the loss of her brother.

Still, he could not picture the rest of his life without her beside him. He had to fight for her and he would. She had done her best to put up a strong front back at the ball, but he’d seen the truth in the depths of her eyes. Her words had laid waste to her heart, just as they’d done to his. Rebecca loved him, and that was worth everything.

Captain Camden Beauchamp did not shy away from a challenge. Resolve stiffened his spine. He had never in his life run away from battle and he’d not start now. He snapped the reins, pushing his horse faster.

Nearly halfway back to the castle, he caught sight of another rider. He peered into the distance as the rider guided their mount off the side of the road. Instinct took over as he retrieved his pistol from the saddle holster. He neared the spot where the rider had disappeared with caution, his gaze trained on the roadside. With a steady hand, he stopped his mount, aiming his pistol into the blackness of night. “Show yourself or I’ll shoot.”

For a long moment, nothing happened. Then a figure emerged from the shadows. A prickle of recognition raced through him before she came fully into view. He jumped from his saddle, pistol still in hand. “Are you mad? Do you not know the dangers of traveling at night? Alone?” He tucked the gun into his coat and reached for Rebecca, running his hands across her shoulders, down her arms. “Are you hurt?”

“No. I came to tell you how sorry I am for the things I said.”

He narrowed his gaze at her, not entirely sure what she was about. Afraid to hope, determined to have her.

She placed her hands on his cheeks and stared into his eyes. “I came to tell you I love you.”

His heart hammered in his chest, and tears welled in her eyes. He knew the truth of it before she spoke the words. Even so, hearing them meant more than he ever could have imagined.

He moved forward, taking her in his arms, burying his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of jasmine and rose that clung to her. He felt her body shaking against him as he pulled away and their gazes locked once more.

But then a thought occurred to him, and he stepped back, breaking free from her embrace. “But you cannot marry me because I am a soldier.” He studied her gaze as he spoke, watching for any reluctance or fear in her expression as she responded.

“What if I were no longer in the army?” he asked.

The moment hung between them like a bridge to something new, and Rebecca’s lips curved into a small smile that warmed Camden’s heart through the chill of the night air.

She reached for him again. “Did you hear me? I said I love you.” Rebecca rested her hands on either side of his face while standing on tiptoes to meet him eye-to-eye with determination written across every inch of her delicate features. “I do not care about your profession; I love you, Captain Camden Beauchamp, and I want to spend my life with you.”

His heart soared as he stared deep into her eyes, searching her soul. “Say it again,” he urged, desperate to hear her repeat the words.

“I want to be your wife,” she said as she looked up, peeking at him through thick lashes. “If you will still have me.”

Camden looked down at Rebecca, his heart beating fast with joy. He smiled and brushed a stray lock of hair from her forehead. “I want to be your husband,” he whispered, his voice low and gruff with emotion.