fear-as though even now he felt like he was exposing himself. A child who’d been brought up in foster homes. Who’d struggled to be independent. Who’d struggled not to need, and who’d come to the same sweet conclusion that she had.
That need wasn’t such a bad thing. In fact, need could be the most glorious thing in the world.
‘How can you love me?’ she managed, and he smiled.
‘In a million ways. Far too many to count. But Rose, your freedom…’
‘I am free,’ she told him. ‘I’m free to go wherever I want in the world. I’m free to leave the shadows of Max behind, and move forward without guilt or regret. You’ve given me that. I’m not sure how, and I’m not sure why, but you have. I’m free to be my own woman and I’m free to love. And I do love, Nick. I choose to love you.’
‘You do?’
‘Yes.’
Still he didn’t move. It was like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
‘We’ll have to live here.’
‘Oh, no. A castle. In the most beautiful country in the world.’ She smiled up at him, feeling dizzy with happiness. ‘I’ll try to bear it.’
‘We’ll be in the public eye. It’s a goldfish bowl, royalty.’
‘It might be fun,’ she said, with a certainty that was becoming stronger by the minute. ‘I felt claustrophobic here as a kid, but I’d have a lot more freedom now. Us in our tent on the front lawn…I expect we’d shock the socks off the tabloid press at least once a week.’
‘I’ll never ask you to have babies.’
She stilled. There was so much between them.
Why was he not holding her?
‘You won’t?’ she whispered.
‘Rose, to be asked to bear Max’s baby…’
‘It was different,’ she said, thinking it through, trying to figure things out for herself. ‘It was just…It just felt wrong. You know, Max had that sperm frozen when he was seventeen years old. He never discussed it with me. It was like a bolt from the blue. If I’d had a baby, it would have been like bearing a child that belonged to Max’s past. And any baby I have I want to belong to the future. So if you and I wanted a baby…’
‘I never thought I would,’ he said softly, wondrously. ‘I never imagined I could possibly want to bring a child into the world. But you know, with you…If we had a castle…’
‘And Ruby as a grandma. She’d make a great grandma.’
‘She will.’ His smile was back now, with vengeance. ‘And maybe we could even include Gladys and Bob. Just a little bit.’
‘You’d do that?’
‘I’ll talk to them,’ he said. ‘If you want. They’ve been part of your life for so long that it might hurt if they don’t give us their blessing.’ He frowned. ‘Maybe some of that independence money you’ve just knocked back could set up a fund for a veterinarian practice in the town-in Max’s name.’
‘Oh, Nick,’ she said, awed.
‘I know,’ he said softly, and grinned. ‘I’m wonderful.’
‘And handsome and kind and clever.’
‘And
‘I’ll give you humble,’ she said and glowered, and her glower was so delicious that he chuckled.
‘Rose?’
‘Yes?’
‘Most of all I want you,’ he said.
‘Nick?’
‘Yes?’
‘If you don’t kiss me right this minute I might do something I might regret.’
‘What might that be?’
‘I might have to kiss you first,’ she said, and it was a near thing. A very near thing. Who kissed who?
Rose didn’t know. She didn’t care. She fell into Nick’s arms, and he kissed her until her toes curled.
While at the glass doors of the conservatory three people stood and watched this second wedding-ceremony. The joining of this man to this woman to become man and wife.
‘I did get to see it after all,’ Ruby said, and smiled and smiled.
‘And there’s the coronation to come,’ Erhard said, deeply satisfied.
‘And maybe…’ Julianna smiled through the glass at her sister, and then turned to usher the two oldies away. After all, what was a sister for but to protect her sibling?
‘Maybe there’ll be the odd christening to come too,’ she said softly. ‘I think the succession to the throne of Alp de Montez is assured. And I think we can safely leave them to it.’
Marion Lennox
