Her Wicked Sin (18 page)

Though her heart warmed for his thoughtful assessment, his words reminded her of his brother. When she and Henry exchanged a look, she felt certain he felt the same.

Henry cleared his throat. “I have news of Robert. Though I do not wish to sully this meeting, I’m afraid it cannot wait.”

Alice sat straight and clutched her husband’s hand. “Please, what do you know of him?”

“He is here.”

Alice gasped and drew a hand to her mouth. “He is here? Where?”

“In my wagon, bound. The stable boy is seeing to his comfort, but he will not be untied.”

John, his face a curious shade of red, knelt by his wife but focused on Henry. “Whatever is your reason for this?”

“It is a story for later. For now, know he attacked Lydia. I expect he will be imprisoned, but no matter the result of his trial, know this. If I ever again see him near my wife or my grounds, I will kill him with my bare hands.”

Even Lydia turned to him in surprise, and by the look of his parents there was little chance the story would wait for another day. But it would wait for a while, as Alice Dunham excused herself and rushed for the rear door, her husband at her side.

Once they were left alone, Henry turned and took Lydia’s hands. “That went surprisingly well.”

“Is that your assessment of a meeting from which they have both fled with haste?”

Henry laughed. “Now that we have freed ourselves from the scourge sullying our wagon, I have a proposal for you.”

“What might that be?”

“I have a small country estate of a few acres, beautifully wooded with a small, well-appointed house. Would you consider making it our home?”

“That depends,” she said. “Is there room for a family?”

Henry’s brow lifted. “Are you saying…?”

“I cannot know for sure, but I have missed my cycle, so there is a chance.”

Beaming as thoroughly as any man could, Henry leaned and softly kissed her lips. “A chance, lovely Lydia, is all I could ever ask.”

Acknowledgments

I couldn’t have done this without my husband, who kept the kids from tearing down the house while I wrote. I also have mad love for Melissa, who gave me reason to visit the Scandalous submissions page where I saw mention of a Salem story. And for KL, who dodged all the
I-love-Salem
salivation and actually took me seriously when I said I should write a witchy historical. And for Erin, who picked up the manuscript and knew all the ways to make it amazing. You all made this happen, and I can’t possibly thank you enough.

About the Author

Sarah and her husband, of what he calls “many long, long years,” live on the mid-Atlantic coast with their six young children, all of whom are perfectly adorable when they’re asleep. She never dreamed of becoming an author, but as a homeschooling mom, she often jokes she writes fiction because if she wants anyone to listen to her, she has to make them up. (As it turns out, her characters aren’t much better than the kids.) Though she adores romantic suspense, she writes in many genres. Her ever-growing roster of releases may be found at
www.SarahBallance.com
.

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