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Back Carved in Stone Save as PDF
Chapters (52)
  1. Half Title Page
  2. Books by Elizabeth Camden
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. Historical Note
  48. Questions for Discussion
  49. Coming 2022
  50. About the Author
  51. Back Ads
  52. Back Cover

“I would do anything in the world for you.”

The breath left her lungs in a rush. How long had it been since she could lean on a man she could implicitly trust?

“I think I’m falling in love with you,” Patrick continued, without shame or embarrassment. “That means there’s no mountain I won’t climb. No wall I’m not willing to blast through on your behalf.”

A spark of pure joy burst to life. “Oh, Patrick . . . I feel the same. I know there may be a few stumbling blocks ahead for us—”

He stopped her with a kiss, then grinned at her. “You’re tiny enough for me to pick up and carry over them.”

She laughed in delight as he stood and lifted her from the chair, twirling her as effortlessly as though she were a loaf of bread. This was what she’d always wanted in a man. A protector. A man she could trust with her deepest secrets, her heart, her soul.

He set her on the ground, and she clung to him tightly. “God bless you, Patrick. You’re taking a piece of my heart with you to Pittsburgh, but I’ve never felt so safe trusting it to anyone before.”

He clasped her so tightly that she felt the pounding of his heart. He would come through for her. Finally, finally she had a man she could lean on.

18

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When Gwen received a summons to join her family on Uncle Oscar’s yacht for a Sunday afternoon sail, she decided to decline. She wanted to spend that time with Patrick before he headed off for Pittsburgh. But when she called Oscar’s house to decline the invitation, she got her marching orders.

“I insist the entire family attend,” Oscar said. “We will be discussing bank business, and your presence is mandatory.”

Nothing in the world was more tedious than bank business, but Oscar was adamant, and since the college’s funding still teetered on the edge of destruction, Gwen dared not disobey.

The sun was shining as she arrived at the marina. Everything felt brighter this morning. She was young and in love. The sky was a cloudless blue. Patrick was going to Pittsburgh to find her an answer about Liam Malone, one way or the other.

Gwen climbed the steeply angled gangway to board the Black Rose, her uncle’s grand yacht that had a staff of eight deckhands, four stewards, two cooks, and a captain. The crew kept the teakwood deck polished to a high shine, and the brass fittings gleamed in the sunlight. Belowdecks were staterooms for eighteen people, a cardroom, a dining room, and a bowling alley.