with a few of his dockworkers and left me a bloodied mess.”
Felicity’s gaze moved to the unnatural bump in his nose, and the fellow nodded. “It took me weeks before I was able to leave my bed, but I went in search of you the moment I could.”
His words were like a song, lulling her fears and worries. Alastair inched closer, his gaze holding hers, and though Felicity searched for any sign of deception, she found none. And she could well imagine Uncle George resorting to violent means if he thought it necessary; he was not one to bother with words when action was required.
“He was always watching you. Always aware of what you were doing, who you were with. I tried to write you, but I can only assume you never received my letters.”
Felicity shook her head, her fingers twisting the edge of her cloak. “Only your farewell note, which Uncle gave me himself.”
Alastair's brows rose, and he shook his head. “I didn’t write it. I was in no state to hold a quill. And even if I had been, I would never have agreed to it.”
Eyes widening, Felicity cast her thoughts back to that scrap of paper Uncle had given her. She’d read it enough times to know its contents by heart, but the words were too few to know if Alastair’s hand had written it. Though, in her heart, Felicity wouldn’t be surprised if Uncle had forged it in an attempt to give his niece some semblance of a farewell.
“I went to our place,” he whispered. “That little spot near the Barbican where we’d stroll by the sea.”
Felicity nodded, and his expression lightened.
“For weeks, I went there, hoping you would appear and I would have the opportunity to explain myself. To tell you that my heart was still faithful. That I would love you—and only you—to the end of my days.”
Sometime in his speech, his hand entwined with hers, and Felicity peered down at it, but before she could think what it meant or what she wanted, Alastair continued in a frantic whisper.
“When he discovered what I was doing, your uncle came after me again. But this time, he threatened my family, saying he would sack my brother and make certain no one else hired him. Then he would go after my father’s debts and see my family turned out into the streets if I did not leave Plymouth immediately. I know I promised never to forsake you, but I couldn’t risk my family’s well-being. I had no choice but to leave.”
A whisper of uncertainty skittered across Felicity’s spine, but she couldn’t focus on it when Alastair stood so close to her. It was there and gone before she could give it a voice.
Goodness, she was a spinster who had long ago relinquished such silly notions as swooning, but with Alastair so near, his voice speaking the things she’d longed to hear all those years ago, Felicity found it impossible to remain aloof. This was her first love, and perhaps—just perhaps—he hadn’t been as false as the rest.
Reaching into his waistcoat pocket, Alastair retrieved a lock of fiery red hair, tied up with the green ribbon she’d worn the first time they’d met. He lifted it to his lips and kissed it before tucking it back away.
“So, I moved across the country and built a new life for myself, but I never forgot you. No other woman could compare, for they were only pale, lifeless imitations. Years passed, and I waited for the day we could have a life together.” His head dropped, and Alastair let out a heavy sigh tinged with a self-deprecating laugh. “I even took to writing you. Even when I knew I couldn’t send them, pretending gave me some peace.”
Without meeting her gaze, he withdrew a bundle of letters tied together with twine and handed them to her. “Forgive the late delivery, but these are yours.”
Clutching them, Felicity stared at the stack, uncertain what to say or think or even feel at their appearance. And her confusion only grew when Alastair raised his gaze and she found his eyes steeped in unshed tears.
“I only just heard of your uncle’s passing and rushed to Plymouth. When I found you gone, I couldn’t rest until I saw you again,” he murmured, that hand of his drifting to her cheek once more. “I did not come here demanding or expecting anything. I came with the desperate hope that you’ll allow me the opportunity to win your