She inhaled a ragged breath and her voice wobbled. “You have every right to think ill of me, after what I’ve done.” She turned away and stared out the window. “’Tis true that I was involved with the powder, though I give you my word had I any other choice I would have gladly spoken of it.” Returning to face him, she willed her tone to stay even. “I know I was wrong, but you must believe me when I say that I wanted nothing to do with it. I never wanted to—”
“I know.” He smoothed his palm against her cheek, sending a spray of gooseflesh down her neck and arms. His eyes trailed over her face, robbing the breath from her lungs. “You are not to blame, and if I had been more astute, if I had had less pride and fear for my own heart, I would have seen that from the beginning.” He stopped again, this time cupping her face with both hands and speaking so tenderly Kitty’s heart swelled until it pushed tears from her eyes. “I love you, Kitty. I love your virtue, your passion for good, your kindness and strength. I love the fire in your spirit and your yearning for right. I want to spend the rest of my days with you. And more than anything I want you to know that you being a Tory—”
“Stop.” Kitty placed a hand on his chest. A light from within glowed, warming her body with the brightness of truth. “Nathaniel, that’s what I wanted to tell you—one of the things I wanted to tell you after church this past Sunday. God spoke to me. He showed me the errors of my thinking and I know now, without a grain of doubt remaining, that your cause, the cause of freedom, is God’s cause.” She paused, and lifted her chin. “I’m a patriot.”
Nathaniel’s dark brow narrowed and his head tipped slightly. He never moved his gaze and his mouth tightened.
Kitty licked her lips and shifted her feet. She smiled, hoping such would coax a response from him. “Are you not pleased?”
His expression didn’t change and a surge of panic inched up her back. “I do hope you are not upset. Nathaniel, you must know I wouldn’t jest about something like this to entice you to say you love me—”
Nathaniel swooped down, cutting off her words with a kiss that turned her knees to liquid. His warm breath on her face mixed with her own and she clung to his chest to keep from melting to the ground. He pressed her to him, smoothing his hands down her back and gripping her as if he wished to mold her to him forever.
He broke away, breathing heavy. The brightness in his eyes matched the glistening of his lips. “Nay, I am not upset. I’m delighted to the point of utter disbelief. Though I do believe you Kitty, completely.” A deep, quiet chuckle rattled in his chest as he lowered his head. “And I must ask you to stop your bewitching ways, or I won’t be able to resist you as I should.” His eyes wandered to her mouth and he shook his head. “You never answered me.”
“Never answered you?”
“I asked you to be my wife. Am I to believe my feelings are not returned?”
Kitty’s heart grew wings. “Do you believe they are not?”
He stepped closer and nuzzled her ear with his nose as he whispered. “Marry me tomorrow, and let me begin to cherish you the way I desire to for the rest of my days. For I can no longer withhold my longing for you Kitty, not when I am consumed by so true a love.”
Ever so slowly, he trailed kisses at the edge of her hair and down to her mouth. His warm, possessive kiss removed every other thought from her mind. He directed her face upward and continued sharing his passion until he finally pulled away, staring at her with parted lips and hooded eyes.
“Marry me?” His voice carried no louder than a prayer.
She nodded, her throat too thick to make a sound.
He must have seen the unspoken answer in her tear-filled eyes. Tucking the stray hair around her ear he leaned closer. “Are you opposed to an afternoon wedding?”
“Nay,” she whispered.
Trailing a finger around her ear and down her neck, Nathaniel’s mouth twitched upward into a smile that whispered of delicious secrets to come. “I am glad to hear it. As of tomorrow night you will no longer be Miss Katherine Campbell. You will be my Mrs. Nathaniel Smith.”
Epilogue
Nathaniel stood in the far corner of his parlor, watching his newly pronounced wife smile and giggle with her sister and several other women in the opposite corner. He hadn’t expected the wedding to be such an occasion, though he should have known as much. It seemed women spent their entire youth planning such an event, and he wouldn’t have it ruined for Kitty, no matter how he wished it were already over. ‘Twas surprising what a few women could produce in less than a day when it came to such a thing.
A smile warmed his face as he glanced at the table in the center of the parlor. The only request Kitty had made for their sacred day was that a large vase of white flowers be placed in the room when they spoke their vows. The thought nestled in his heart and he loved her all the more.
Thomas approached, a cup of cider in his hand. “You name the moment, man, and I shall usher all from the house so you may enjoy your wife, as I can plainly see you wish to.”
“Is such a thing so terrible?” Nathaniel chuckled. “All in good time.”
Thomas took a sip. “I am very pleased.”
“Pleased?”
“Aye.” Thomas smirked. “’Tis no secret, I’m sure. You must know Eliza and I have always wished the two of you would marry.”
“Did you?” Nathaniel tried to jest, but all humor remained subdued under the peaceful serenity of the moment. “Then I suppose I ought to thank you and your wife for hoping such, for I can assure you this union is more joyful than I could ever have imagined.”
Thomas cupped his arm. “And may your joy be ever constant, my friend.”
As if Eliza had heard her name, she tugged at Kitty’s arm and pulled her away from the few others leading her in the direction of the men. Eliza stopped in front of them and winked at Thomas. “’Tis becoming late. We best be going.”
Thomas cleared his throat and set his drink on the small table beside him. “Aye, I do believe you are right.”