“Do not let Lady Rachel win. Do not let her stop you from loving this woman who means the world to you. Lady Rachel is behind all of this and she is the one who has been working so hard to keep me from my sweet Mary, but I will not back down.
It is my hope that you will not either—that you and I may work together to pursue the love we have for these beautiful young women,” Crispin said, making every effort to say what he needed to say.
The blacksmith sighed and picked up his hammer again. “I do not know if she will agree to be mine.”
“How else will you find out?” Crispin asked again.
“I do not know if any of this will make a difference for you or your Lady Mary. Charlotte still might not be willing to admit to her lies and her mother is unlikely to ever back down from any of this,” he said.
“Which is why it will take more than just me. Mary’s father is keeping me far away, but I am not afraid of him,” Crispin said. Finally, he looked the blacksmith square in the eye and asked him the question he knew no man could turn down.
“Are you afraid?”