I followed her down the carriage step to the road. Across the foreshore, I saw my love seated upon a large rock next to the galley with Mr. Kent standing at his side, both in heavy greatcoats and holding the brims of their hats against the cold breeze.

Upon seeing me, Evan raised his other hand in greeting, unfolded his tall, lean self from his vantage point, and started across the sand to meet me halfway.

I waved back, my own smile as bright as my sister’s.

As Mr. Kent fell in behind Evan, I took Julia’s hand and we forged our way through the scrubby undergrowth to the sand. The chilly wind upon the open beach blew with a great deal more ferocity than on the road, and we both gasped as it grabbed at our breath and wrapped our skirts around our legs.

“Good timing, Renegade,” Evan called, treading with some agility over the sliding sands. “The tide is turning.”

I stepped forward to receive his outstretched hands. The wind immediately caught the brim of his hat, and so I received only one hand. But it was enough, for it pulled me into a tight embrace against his chest. A rather similar embrace was happening nearby, although Mr. Kent had somehow jammed his hat on his head more tightly and had both arms around my sister.

“How is your jaw?” Evan asked, squinting down at my face. “Is all the swelling gone? No loss of sensation? Your teeth firm?” He laughed at my expression. “I know, I know. But I have been so worried.”

I angled my chin for his scrutiny. “It is healing well, see?” I said.

“Then I can kiss you without causing any pain?”

“You can,” I said solemnly.

He bent into a slight clash of hat and bonnet brims. With a smile, he pulled off his hat and tried again, his lips gently pressing upon mine. Definitely no pain. A great deal of pleasure, in fact. I leaned in closer, all of the past week rising within me into a fierce, heart-racing kiss that snatched at my breath far more thoroughly than any sea wind. The dark beach around us slid away into just the sensations of his smell and warmth and breath and the press of his need against mine.

“Gus!” Julia’s voice, projected with a great deal of volume across the sand, wrenched us apart.

“What?” I blinked to see an old sailor a few yards away watching us.

“Tide’s in, sir,” he said to Evan with a nod. It was too dark to see his face, but I felt his amusement. “Got to load up quick or we’ll miss it.”

“Thank you,” Evan said, but he did not release me from his embrace.