“Summer Denning, I love you. I will protect you with all that I am, and all that I have. I want to spend the rest of our days loving you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“But…” she stutters, and he shakes his head no.
“Summer Denning, I love you. Marry me?” His dark eyes stare into hers, she sits up taller and answers firmly.
“I will marry you, Victor,” he pulls her forward and kisses her hungrily. When he pulls back, he explains his statement.
“This will all work out. He will be found and stopped.” Summer smiles at him and leans forward to kiss him.
“Thank you. What do we do with the box?”
“I will be meeting with the detective tomorrow in the city. He wants to talk to you and get more details. We will give it to him. Maybe he can find out something from it.”
“Good. I have business in the city tomorrow too.” Summer ignores his look of surprise and retrieves a flyer from the desk. Nervous about his reaction she offers it to him.
“What’s this?” He scans the flyer and opens it, reading as he goes.
“This is an informative brochure, that I wrote. After talking to your staff and people on my journey, I have found a need that I can fill.” She speaks fast and begins to pace.
He watches in amusement as she grows more animated by the second. “The immigrant community is being abused, mistreated and taken advantage of. Victor, it is a simple thing to cure some of the illnesses that many are dying from! For once, I can use my own voice to make a difference.” She stops to gauge his response.
Victor is amazed. He rises slowly and draws her close. “I am so proud of you, Summer Denning, and I will be prouder still when I can call you mine.” His acceptance is liberating. Her smile could light a dark room, and she steps in close to him.
“I am yours, Victor Yates. Now and forever more.” His mouth descends on hers, and she takes what she needs. Soft at first, then hot and demanding. Her hands pull him close, and he rips his mouth from hers.
“You are not mine, yet, Miss Denning. Pray God that your brother arrives soon, or we will not wait for him.” Victor steps away from her and runs his hands through his hair to keep from stripping her.
He collects the box, and her eyes grow serious. “I would like for my brother to be present, but if he isn't here in the next week, we shall be married without him.”
“I agree. Tomorrow we will check the post office to see if there is any correspondence from him.” Victor suggests as he walks to the door. She kisses him goodnight and giggles when he nips at her full lips.
“Good night, Victor.”
Chapter 35
The next day is full of excitement. Victor and Danny are escorting Summer into the city to collect her flyers and then visit the Detective. Once they are finished, she has talked them into visiting Castle Gardens, the island near Manhattan. It is a station used to examine and process the new immigrants entering the country. They are going to try to persuade the workers to hand out the flyers out or pay some of the runners Danny knows.
“Mr. Zhang is as good as his word, Victor. He will have the flyers ready,” she insists.
“Excellent. I don’t want to keep Mr. Steward waiting. I hired him to find out what he could about Dr. Jung. He is busy and in high demand right now.” The carriage stops in front of the print shop.
“I’ll only be a moment,” Summer says and dashes inside. Mr. Zhang and his wife are waiting with a box full of flyers ready for her approval. She pays him and promises the Hospital will be in touch, regarding a contract with his shop for future installments of her flyers. The couple is elated! It is a prestigious advance for his business to be associated with the hospital.
Mr. Zhang carries the boxes out with his three sons following. While introductions are being made, no one notices the shadow watching from across the street.
“Now, let’s be off to get lunch and meet Mr. Steward.” Victor taps the carriage roof, and they move further down the center of the city, followed at a distance by a man on horseback. He stops when they reach the restaurant and waits for them to enter before kicking his horse into a run. Dodging through the traffic of carriages, wagons, and people he disappears in the distance headed for the business district.
He leaps from the back of the horse in front of a warehouse and runs inside. “I’ve found her!”
“Bring her to me, then, but don’t harm her. I need her alive,” the boss reminds them.
“Her companions?” A burly man asks checking his pistol. Five others join him and wait in a loose circle by the door.
“Take her quietly. Don’t kill any of them or she may refuse to help us.”
“Alright then, let’s go pluck us an English flower.” The men are laughing when they leave.
Danny waits with the carriage, while Victor and Summer go inside to meet with Mr. Steward. They order tea with biscuits and wait.
“Tell me about Mr. Steward. How did you find him?” Summer wonders while she sips on her tea.
“He was recommended by a work associate. I contracted him to provide information on Dr. Rudolph’s location, not arrest him. We will need to gather proof before we can do that.” Victor glances around the restaurant and back at her.
“I don’t think my brother will require proof. In truth, I am worried about Alex’s reaction. I won't have him going to
