‘I’m here to stay, do you understand that?’ she said. ‘No more foolishness; we’re going to be married.’
He nodded, smiling faintly.
‘If you take me on, it’s that lifetime commitment that you didn’t want,’ he warned her.
‘Leave me to worry about that.’
‘Evie, listen to me. Once this is done, I won’t let you go, ever. I’ll be jealous and demanding, possessive, selfish, unreasonable-’
‘That’s understood,’ she said with a shaky laugh. ‘I’ll just kick your shins.’
‘Be warned. Leave me before it’s too late.’
‘You fool, it was too late long ago. We just didn’t realise it. It’s all right.’ She kissed him gently. ‘It’s all right-all right-’
Then he yielded, dropping his head on to her shoulder with a sound that was like a sob. She held him close, soothing him silently.
When he looked up, Hope was standing there in the gloom.
‘Did you do this?’ he asked.
She nodded.
‘Thank you-Mother.’ His voice lingered on the word.
Hope gave a little satisfied smile and moved away until she was lost among the trees. They could do without her now, and she had a wedding to plan.
The two in the garden didn’t see her go. They had set their feet on a long, troubled road, where there would be bitterness as well as joy. But the joy would be there, all the sweeter for the struggle. And they would travel together, with no turning back.
Lucy Gordon
Lucy Gordon cut her writing teeth on magazine journalism, interviewing many of the world’s most interesting men, including Warren Beatty, Richard Chamberlain, Roger Moore, Sir Alec Guinness and Sir John Gielgud. She also camped out with lions in Africa, and had many other unusual experiences which have often provided the background for her books. She is married to a Venetian, whom she met while on holiday in Venice. They got engaged within two days.
Two of her books have won the Romance Writers of America RITA® Award:
You can visit her Web site at www.lucy-gordon.com
