A Surrendered Heart (31 page)
Blake shook his head. “I was so afraid for you—for us. I couldn’t bear to think of him touching you, holding you.” He shuddered.
“Then don’t think of that,” Amanda countered. She touched his cheek with her hand. “Think only of us.”
He put his hand over hers. “I know I should probably wait, but I can’t permit you to slip away from me again. I can’t bear the thought of losing you.” He inhaled a deep breath and stared into her eyes.
“Exactly what are you saying, Blake?” She pulled away slightly, but Blake refused to let her go far.
“I’m saying that I need you beside me for the rest of my life. I’m saying that I love you and want you to be my wife.”
She arched her brows and grinned. “Are you certain you’re not merely looking for someone to help with your medical practice? Uncle Quincy said you have been rather grumpy of late.”
“My grumpiness was due to losing the woman I love,” he said. “That’s not to say I don’t miss your help with my patients, too. And I’m more than willing for you to complete your medical training if that’s your wish.”
She gazed into his eyes, and when he lowered his head, she willingly accepted his kiss.
“There are many things I want to teach you,” he said before pulling her close again. He covered her lips with a lingering kiss that caused her to tremble.
“I’d be pleased to learn whatever you’d like to teach me, Dr. Carstead,” she whispered.
He tucked a wayward strand of her hair behind her ear while he continued to hold her close. “I know we’ll have to wait until your mourning period has ended, but I don’t want any misunderstanding between us. I love you and want you to be my wife. Say you’ll marry me.”
“Of course I’ll marry you. You are the desire of my heart, and I long only for us to be together always.”
Wednesday, July 4, 1900
Broadmoor Island
“I now pronounce you man and wife,” the pastor declared. “You may kiss your bride.”
Blake looked at Amanda and leaned forward. “We’re well practiced at this, eh, Mrs. Carstead?” He covered her mouth with his before she could answer.
A cheer went up from the crowd of observers. Amanda cherished the moment. It drove out all memories of her wedding the previous year. Ellert Jackson was nothing more than a bad dream pushed aside in the light of a hopeful new day. As Blake let go his hold on her, Amanda caught sight of her mother and father. They offered her a broad smile before a swarm of well-wishers surrounded them.
“Congratulations!” Michael and Fanny were the first to reach them. Fanny pulled Amanda away from Blake’s embrace and hugged her close.
“I’m so happy for you, Amanda. I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this day to come.”
“You’re telling me,” Blake said, laughing. He received Michael’s embrace and then Fanny’s as other members of the family began to gather around them on the lawn of the Broad-moor Island estate.
“You treat my cousin right,” Fanny admonished, “or you’ll have to answer to me.”
“And me,” Sophie said, tapping Blake’s shoulder.
Amanda laughed at their stern expressions. “We Broad-moor ladies know how to take care of our own,” she reminded him.
“I can vouch for that,” Paul admitted. He reached down to pick up their year-and-a-half-old daughter. Elizabeth held out several flowers she’d picked.
Amanda took the flowers and pretended to sniff their scent. “Oh, how pretty.”
“Preey,” Elizabeth mimicked, and everyone laughed.
“I’m sorry for the interruption, Mrs. Atwell,” Veda announced, bringing Fanny a bundle. “But I believe Miss Carrie is hungry.”
Fanny blushed and took her whimpering daughter. “Carrie Winifred Atwell, do you not realize this is your cousin Amanda’s day?”
“Oh, she is so beautiful, Fanny,” Amanda declared, gently touching the baby’s cheek. This only served to cause the infant to begin rooting. Carrie quickly latched on to Amanda’s finger.
“Oh my!” Amanda gasped in surprise. Everyone laughed while Fanny carefully pried her daughter’s mouth away.
“Come, little one. We’ll give you something a bit more substantial.”
“You realize, Amanda,” Sophie began, “that you’ll have to have a baby girl next year in order to continue the line of stair-step cousins. We’re counting on you.”
Amanda hadn’t expected this announcement and felt her cheeks grow hot. Blake leaned down and furthered her embarrassment. “I know I shall do my part to see that legacy continued.”
The wedding party lasted well into the evening, with fireworks crowning the events of the day. Amanda and Blake slipped away from the crowd, anxious to escape the noise and festivities.
“I feared at times this day would never come.”
Amanda nodded. She looked at her husband in the soft glow of lanterns and fireworks. She trembled at his touch, but not for the same reasons Ellert had caused her to tremble. “I’m so happy. I never thought to marry. Not really. I never felt the pressure to wed, as many women do. At least not until that disaster last year.”
He put his finger to her lips. “I never want to speak of that time again.”
She kissed his finger. “I feel the same. I just want you to know that you completely changed my mind about love and marriage. I truly thought I’d seek my fulfillment in being a doctor.”
“And you’ve changed your mind now?”
She looked up at him and shook her head. “Not at all. I intend to seek it there, as well. I plan to be the best doctor in all of Rochester.”
“Second best,” he countered.
She pulled back and put her hands on her hips. “I beg your pardon. Are you suggesting that I can’t surpass your knowledge and become an even better doctor than you?”
He laughed. “You are so competitive. Everything you know about medicine, I’ve taught you. Now you want to throw it back at me and suggest that you can best me?”
“How arrogant and prideful you are, Dr. Carstead. I’m not at all certain this arrangement is going to work out,” she said, feigning concern. She started to walk away, but he easily caught her and lifted her in his arms.
“I can see I will have to work hard to teach you to appreciate me,” he said, nuzzling her neck with a kiss.
Amanda didn’t feel like challenging him any longer. “I doubt you’ll have to work that hard, Dr. Carstead.”
Blake laughed and headed for Broadmoor Castle. “I’m not ever going to take any chances where you’re concerned. I’ve learned my lesson. One has to act fast when a Broadmoor is involved.”
Amanda giggled and clasped her hands around Blake’s neck. “I’m a Carstead now. That means I get to act obstinate, ill-tempered, and smugly superior.”
He stopped mid-step and looked toward the river. “It wouldn’t be hard to toss you into the water to cool off that opinionated little mouth of yours.”
She tightened her grasp on him and laughed. “Where I go, you go.”
He pulled her close and sighed. “That’s the first reasonable thing you’ve said all evening. And it’s a promise I give you. If I have anything to say about it, we’ll be together always. Now and forever.”
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