Alexander could see the wildly swinging lights in the distance. At least the man wasn’t a total fool.

He glanced back, and still couldn’t see Huntington in the darkness.

No doubt the man was being much more cautious than Alexander on the frantic ride.

No matter, he certainly didn’t need Huntington’s help in getting Lizzie back.

Alexander pressed forward now that he had his query in sight. It took another ten minutes to catch them, and when he did, he called out to Mr. Russell to stop.

The man looked over his shoulder and Alexander could see his startled face in the glow of the wildly swinging lamplight.

His jaw set in sudden determination, and he lifted the whip, only to rethink, and set it down once more.

Alexander allowed his horse to slow, so he wasn’t in danger of clipping the carriage, and killing both the horse and himself.

At this point, Mr. Russell was aware he was there, that he couldn’t outrun him, and that his plan was foiled.

When the horses finally started to slow, Alexander knew he’d won.

When they came to a complete stop, he jumped off his horse, but kept the reins in hand.

“Lizzie!? Are ye in there?”

“I’m here!”

“Are ye injured?”

“I’m fine.”

Something in Alexander’s chest seemed to unclench, as he glared up at the man holding the reins. “Get down.”

Mr. Russell seemed to take his measure, but finally did as he was told. “Why don’t you take her and go?”

“Because, I won’t turn my back on ye for a moment. Nae doubt, you’d like to bash me in the head with a rock, and then be on your way.”

Mr. Russell laughed. “I considered bringing a gun, and am definitely feeling the lack.”

“Start walking down the road.”

“Oh, I don’t think so. You’re right about one thing. If I were to win a fight between us this night, if you were incapacitated, I could be on my way with Lizzie.”

“Mr. Russell. I will refuse to marry you even if you do manage to stand me up in front of a preacher!”

“Oh, I don’t think you’ll be so cavalier, after you’ve been living with me for a while. Perhaps a babe in your belly will change your mind, right quick.”

Alexander understood the man wanted to rile him, to force him to make a wrong move, but even so, the growl that erupted from his throat was involuntary, as was rushing the man.

Russell tried to step back out of the way, and mayhap to trip him, but the fist that Alexander swung under hand toward the man’s jaw connected solidly, throwing him back.

Alexander straightened again, both fists clenched, ready to go head to head, when he realized the blackguard was out cold.

He shoved him with his foot to make sure, but Russell didn’t so much as move.

That was it?

Alexander smirked. So the cowboy had a glass jaw. Ha!

Keeping an eye on the downed man, Alexander went to the carriage door, and untied the twine around the outside. He opened the door. Lizzie, seated on a bench, stared back at him in the gloom.

“Alexander,” she breathed in relief, and he realized she’d had no way of knowing who would open the door. “Are you all right?”

He didn’t feel all right. His jaw was tight and the muscles in his chest and arms were tense as his glance flickered between Lizzie and the man on the ground.

“I’m fine. And you?”

“I am unharmed.”

He had a sudden urge to leave her bound, shut the door, and turn the carriage toward Gretna Green. He let out a deep breath and instead reached inside the carriage and plucked her off the seat. He stood her on the hard-packed dirt so he could untie her as he kept an eye on Noah Russell.

She leaned against him, her face against his chest as she exhaled, and unexpected tenderness well within him.

“Ye sneaked outside to meet him after dark.” His voice was hard, gruff, without an ounce of mercy or understanding.

“Yes, but you were never supposed to know about it.”

“I would, however, like an explanation.”

He finished untying her, and she stepped back. Her chin lifted, her lips tightened, and he couldn’t help but be amused by the familiar stubbornness, even as there was no way she could defend her actions.

“He proposed marriage to me in London, after we’d broken our engagement.”

He hadn’t expected that. “What did ye tell him?”

She hesitated. “He was very convincing.”

Rage spiked within him. “I suppose he told ye he loved you, and that it would be flowers and rainbows all the time in America,” he sneered.

She glanced at the man behind her and chuckled. “No, actually he was quite honest about the fact that he didn’t love me, but that he thought he could someday. And that he needed my dowry, and that he had every intention of putting it to good use to ensure our future together.”

He looked at her, incredulous. He thought he’d been shocked before, but she’d managed to confound him further. “And ye considered him?”

“Well, we were through, remember? And I did like his honesty.”

Alexander grimaced. “I suppose it didnae hurt that he’s pretty to look upon?”

She grinned up at him, looming over her in the darkness. “It didn’t hurt in the least.”

Her grin faded. “Anyway, it’s not as if I did anything wrong. I was trying to do everything right. In fact, now that I think about it, all of this is your fault.”

“Ach,” he scoffed. “As I knew it would be.”

“Thank you. I’m glad that you acknowledge that you had a hand in this.”

He made another impatient noise. “How so?”

“If you had given us a moment to be together today, I could have told Mr. Russell that I could not accept his proposal, as I’d already accepted yours.”

His jaw tightened as he fought off welling rage. “I can’t believe ye even considered it.”

“Well, part of me thought that it was a perfectly elegant solution. I leave to go and live across the ocean, and the stain on my family’s reputation fades away. Everybody gets what they want.”

His hands clenched into fists in front of him as he tried not to reach for her. “If you leave, how do I get what I want?”

“You could marry someone else and forget all about me.”

“Forget about ye?” His eyes were fierce as he advanced upon her. “Forget about ye, will I? Forget about the adventures we had when we were children? Forget about the first girl I ever kissed? Forget about the young lady who wrote me all of the letters, telling me every detail of her life, and her thoughts? Forget about the lady I’ve been courting, and fallen more and more in love with each day? Forget your voice, your scent, your laughter?” He realized he was advancing on her when she lifted her hands to his chest.

“Alexander?”

“I think that you’re the one who is forgetful and needs reminding.” He pulled her close and kissed her, and she melted against him, as usual, which went a long way toward dissolving his anger.

A moment later he lifted his head. “Well?”

“Well, we weren’t to be married anymore, were we? I had to marry somebody, didn’t I?”

“Nae, you did not. Ye could do what I was planning and go the rest of your life without having anyone, if ye couldn’t have the one ye wanted.”

She smiled at that. “When he asked me I was worried that you’d gone to Scotland with a new bride. You had said you might.”

“I would never!”

“You said you might.”

“So this … that’s how it’s my fault, is it?”

She seemed to think about it, and then she nodded.

Jaw clenching, he studied her for a long moment, and finally realized that none of it mattered. The stars in her eyes were for him. She was eating him up with her gaze, looking upon him as a girl looked upon her hero. He laughed. “What am I tae do with you, Lizzie?”

She grinned. “Well, I suppose, since you’ve belonged to me since the moment I was born, you’re going to marry me.”

She glanced back at the fallen man, and there was satisfaction in her expression. “Unless you’ve changed your mind, of course.”

“Nae, though ye are mired in scandal, I suppose I’ll take ye.”

She gasped, and gave him a shove. “Take me, will you? Like an unwanted package?”

He grinned at her. “I didnae say ye are unwanted. But after I’ve saved ye from yourself, and redeemed your honor by marrying ye, I’m going to expect much in return.”

She crossed her arms and glared at him. “Oh, really? And what exactly do you mean by much?”

He gathered her resisting body into his arms, and waited until she relaxed against him again. “I’m going to want it all, Lizzie. Your laughter, your beauty, your spirit, and most of all, your love. Because I do love ye, ye crazy girl, to distraction and back.”

He seemed to hesitate. “Lizzie, will ye marry me? I know ye’ve felt ye never had a choice.”

She lifted her gaze and searched his. “Maybe it’s you who wants the choice?”

He laughed, without humor. “What choice has there ever been for me? I close my eyes and I see no one but ye. I hear your laughter, smell your sweetness. I see the fire that is your hair, and also the one in your soul. I’m in love with ye, so there’s never been a choice for me. I’ve never wanted one.”

Russell groaned, and moved slightly, and Alexander lifted Lizzie and set her on his horse before climbing on behind her.

“Are we just going to leave him here?”

“Unless ye wish me to beat an injured man, then I’d suggest ’tis for the best.”

They started back in the darkness, and Alexander wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against him. “Ye never gave me a response?”

“I thought I did.”

“Not the one I wanted.”

She arched her neck so she could press her cheek to his. “All right, I admit it. I love you. I love you so much.” Her voice broke as she gripped his arms as if to hold them tighter against her. “I realized that I always have and I always will. I’ll marry you because it’s what I want, too. I can’t live without you, Alexander.”

Relief surged through him as he held her tight in the darkness and breathed in her scent. He blew out a breath and sucked in another. “Aye, then.” He swallowed against the tightness in his throat. “’Tis just as I suspected. But still, ’tis nice to hear it.”

He smiled as she giggled in the darkness.