Page 49 of Once Upon a Reckless Rogue

To be honest, he had not thought about which church she belonged to, though he knew most Spaniards were Catholic. “How will God be happy if we don’t?” He lay down beside her, so they were face to face. “I love you. I want you to be my wife. I cannot be happy without you. We can get married here and at home. Lord, I will marry you five times if that will satisfy your conscience.”

She laughed, but stopped, holding her side. “You would marry me twice?”

“If you will come with me.” He touched her face softly.

“Will your mother accept me?”

“She will love you because I love you.”

Elena shook her head. “I don’t think that is how it works, Tomas. Women do not think the same as men. She may not think I am good enough for you, and I am Spanish. I am sure she would expect you to marry an English girl.”

“I know my mother,” he said, slipping a strand of her honey-silk hair over her shoulder. “It may not be easy, but if we love each other, nothing will part us.”

“Other than death.”

“Other than death,” he repeated, but there was amusement in his eyes.

“I will not say yes right now, but when I am better and we get to Cadiz I will give you my answer.”

“You will not run away again to test me?”

“I wasn’t testing you.”

“Then what was your reason for leaving without even saying goodbye?” You broke my heart.

“I…was scared. I wanted to love you, but I didn’t want to leave, but I wanted to be with you, but England is so far away and…I was confused.”

“You think this doesn’t scare me too? I have never felt like this about anyone. I never wanted this. I was here to do a job, not fall in love with the prettiest doctor in Spain.”

“I am not a doctor, Tomas.”

“What is the difference between you and your father?”

“I cannot grow a beard, and I lack the male parts that make people trust a doctor. They think a woman does not have the brains, the knowhow, or the strength to be a doctor. I have not studied at any university of medicine. I just…know what I know.”

“And that is enough for me and personally, I don’t think you would suit a beard.”

She sighed. “Do not make me laugh. I will burst your inferior stitches.”

“In future, I will leave all stitching of wounds to you.”

“Anyway, I will not be able to heal anyone in England. They will think I am trying to poison them or call me a witch.”

“You may be surprised. They will be wary, of course, but women would prefer another woman to treat them, I am sure.”

“Perhaps,” she replied with a yawn.

“Sleep now. I will not be far away.” He kissed her on the lips and left the bed.

He went downstairs and drank a lot of the local sherry, Fino. He didn’t usually indulge so much, but this had been quite a day, and the sherry went down far too easily. What was he going to do if they got to Cadiz and she would not marry him? How could he leave? The thought of kidnapping her flashed across his brain. Lord, she would never forgive him. Why would she not marry him? What was she waiting for? A sign from the stars?

*

When Elena awoke the next morning, opening her eyes, she blinked several times before the pain in her side reminded her of what had happened only yesterday. Elena turned her head to find Tomas next to her, his chest rising and falling reassuringly in sleep. Studying his face, she etched each feature in her mind. He loved her. He was hers, and he wanted to marry her. Her heart swelled with love for him as tears welled in her eyes.

Tomas should not love her; she was a difficult person and had her own thoughts on things. She liked things in a particular way and usually spoke her mind, even though it was not always wise to do so. Oh, but she loved him for his patience, his clever mind, his survival spirit. A man who cheated death only to save her body and soul.

Elena had not realized how lost she had become. Tomas Markham was her true north, but Spain was her home. Or it was. Only the memories of her father and brother had kept her here, but it was not right to live for memories.