Chapter 29
Emmeline stood silently at the mouth of the bustling port of Dover, Norman’s henchman covertly holding a weapon to her ribs.
Norman had instructed the man to kill her if she attempted to escape or draw attention to herself by screaming or asking for help.
She would have cried, but she had exhausted all of her tears in the night.
Thankfully, no man had laid a hand on her during the night, and she had come through it relatively unscathed but for a lack of proper sleep due to her bindings.
As Norman approached to take her aboard the ship that would take them to France, the realization that she would never see Michael or her family ever again, sank in.
Sorrow clutched at her heart and made her dizzy with the intensity of her emotions.
Michael, I am so very sorry! I love you, and I am so very sorry that I did not tell you when I had the opportunity.
I am so very sorry that I chose duty over love.
I am so very sorry! Her heart cried out in silence what she could no longer say.
“Load the paintings. I have spoken with the captain, and we will not be questioned on their provenance,” Norman commanded his henchman.
Nodding, the man did as instructed.
Norman stood by Emmeline’s side, never taking his eyes from her. He was not willing to risk anything where she was concerned. While he did not hold a blade to her ribcage as his henchman had, his iron grip on her arm did not allow her to move a hair’s breadth from his side.
Once the paintings were loaded, they moved toward the gangplank that led up onto the ship. A call rose up from the ship’s deck, beckoning its passengers to come aboard. Norman dragged Emmeline onto the ship’s gangplank, pushing her forward ahead of himself.
Emmeline balked at his pushing her, turning to glare at him for the needless roughness, only to find that Norman was no longer behind her. Instead, he was rolling around on the ground with a man that looked like Michael.
Confusion, then relief, flooded Emmeline’s system as she confirmed that it was indeed Michael.
“Michael!” she exclaimed in impassioned relief and excitement.
He did not hear her as Norman had pulled a weapon and was attempting to kill him. Colin emerged from the crowd and immediately moved to help Michael restrain Norman. Bow Street Runners poured forward, disarming Norman and taking him into custody.
Emmeline was so busy watching the kerfuffle unfold that she did not see Norman’s henchman coming up behind her.
Grabbing her by the hair, he pulled her back up onto the gangplank.
Crying out in pain, Emmeline whirled around and kicked him square in the shin.
The man howled in pain and released her hair, allowing her to race back down the wooden incline, pushing her way through the other passengers.
Norman’s henchman recovered from his surprise and gave chase after her. At the bottom of the gangplank, he caught up to her, grabbing her by the arm. He jerked her around and raised his hand to strike her across the face.
Emmeline held her head high, prepared for the pain that was about to come. She would not let him see her cower in fear.
As if appearing out of nowhere once more, Michael charged forward and punched the henchman square in the face.
“Unhand her!” he roared, his face a picture of fury.
Pulling Emmeline into his protective embrace, he looked down into her face.
“Are you harmed?” he asked, his eyes searching every part of her for signs of abuse.
Emmeline shook her head. “I am not harmed.” She was so happy to see him that she could barely get the words out.
Pulling her away from the downed henchmen, he allowed the Bow Street Runners to take the criminal into custody as well. Once all of the criminal elements were in hand, Michael picked Emmeline up into his arms and carried her over to a waiting carriage.
Setting her down on the bench seat, he knelt before her, holding her hands in his.
“How did you find me?” she whispered, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
“My groundskeeper,” Michael explained.
“He is alive?” Emmeline breathed in relief. She had been concerned for the elderly man.
“He is,” Michael confirmed with a nod.
“Rebecca?”
“She is safe. Colin left her under guard at a nearby inn. He did not wish for her to be harmed in the scuffle that he knew was coming.”
Tears of joy flowed down Emmeline’s cheeks. “Thank you,” she cried out. “Thank you! How will I ever repay you?”
Michael reached up his hand to her cheek and brushed away the tears. “I was happy to be of assistance,” he reassured her. “There is no debt betwixt us.”
His words fell upon Emmeline’s heart, bringing her comfort. His tone had suggested that he was talking about more than Rebecca’s rescue.
“I was so frightened that I would never see you again,” she admitted.
“I have never regretted anything more in my life than the day that I chose duty over love and married Norman. Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?” She knew that the last time she had asked, she had been rejected, but there was something different in his eyes now that told her it was worth asking once more.
“Forgiveness was never needed. I simply needed to come to a better understanding of the woman that I love,” Michael reassured her.
“That you love?” Emmeline asked, her heart beating faster with anticipation.
“Love,” Michael repeated. Taking her into his arms, he kissed her sweetly at first, then passion overtook them both as they melted into each other.
He loves me! Her heart sang as their souls became one.