63. Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Cassandra was woken by a commotion in the hall. She didn’t know how long she had sat in the drawing room, staring into an empty future with an aching heart, before exhaustion had overcome her, and she had sunk into a restless sleep.

But now she was awake and braced herself to deal with the aftermath of the fire. She hoped she wouldn’t be required to identify the body. The thought of seeing her husband’s charred remains was more than she could bear.

She staggered to her feet and pulled her shoulders back. She had faced adversity before, and she would face it again. With God’s help, she would survive.

Cassandra stepped into the entrance hall, which was filled with a surprising number of people. That explained the disturbance that had roused her.

No one seemed to notice her arrival until she spoke. “Rowson, could you please tell me what is going on in my house?”

Everyone turned to look at her, and the hubbub stilled as the crowd parted, revealing the man at the centre.

Jethro.

His jacket was charred and there was soot smeared over his beloved countenance, but he stood there, in the hallway, gazing at her with such love in his eyes that she wanted to burst .

Cassandra shivered. She must be hallucinating, imagining what her heart most yearned to see. But no, he was striding toward her, saying her name, concern etched on his features.

She let out a hysterical whimper. How bizarre was that? He looked concerned about her .

But they’d found a body. He was dead, wasn’t he? This could not be real. She must be dreaming.

Jethro stopped in front of her, repeating her name, as the overwhelming aroma of smoke that lingered on his person attacked her nostrils.

You couldn’t smell dreams, could you? Her pulse quickened as he reached out a sooty hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

She grabbed his arm and squeezed it. That felt solid enough. And then she lifted her hand to his face—the dear face that she thought she would never see again—and wiped away a dark smudge.

Her fingers traced the outline of his lips, and she could feel him trembling beneath her touch.

The realisation hit her. There was no doubt about it. Jethro was alive.

She looped her hands around his neck and drew his face near to hers.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” she whispered in his ear.

Closing her eyes, she did what she’d wanted to do all day. Ever since she realised how much she loved him. Before her heart had broken because she believed she’d lost him.

Cassandra raised her lips to his and kissed him with all the love in her heart.