AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Elijah,” she whispered, inaudible over the cheers around. She didn’t care; she held onto him tightly, tears streaming down her face.
He pulled back to look into her eyes. “We did it! Ninety-seven days!”
“Ninety-seven? My God, Elijah!”
“We made that fortune. You’re free. I’ll carry you away from this dismal island as soon as possible.” His eyes searched her face, then he frowned, noticing her black gown. “Who the hell died?”
Overwhelmed and not wanting to utter the terrible words, she could only shake her head.
“We thoughtyoudid,” Nicholas explained. “I’m grateful the news was wrong. Welcome back to London, Captain Miller.”
They shook hands, and though it looked as though Elijah had questions, the other Siderises swept him up. Vassilis shook his hand, followed by kisses on the cheek from Sirena and Pen.
When Mr. Hughes stepped forward, Elijah clasped his hand. “This first chest is for you, Hughes.”
Vassilis raised his pointer finger in the air. “Might you reconsider and give Hughes thesecondbox? I propose thatthisbox, the first to reach England so fast in all of history, be placed on display for the entire world to see…at the Great Exhibition—“
“—of the Works of Industry of All Nations!” Helen, Nicholas, Sirena, and Pen all chimed in.
“Do you approve?” Elijah asked.
Mr. Hughes nodded, smiling.
David Chadbourne stepped forward and shook Elijah’s hand. “I commend you on your return, Captain. May I ask whether Mr. Thomas made safe passage to Hong Kong?”
“Thank you, and yes, he did. Your friend is a most interesting and unusual clergyman.” Elijah looked over the Earl’s shoulder. “The dockmaster is on his way. I need to speak with him. If you’ll excuse—”
“Elijah! Just a moment,” Helen urged, pulling him by the hand. “I have to tell you something.”
He let himself be drawn close, and the others stepped away, giving them a modicum of privacy. Blinking suspiciously, he looked from them to her. “Yes?”
“I don’t want to leave this dismal island. I’ve decided to stay. Nicholas and I are to be married.”
Elijah’s eyes bulged, and his chin retracted toward his spine. “Nicholas Irons? Balderdash! Is this about the collateral business?”
“It’s far worse than that, Elijah. It’s because we love each other.” She smiled, feeling almost proud to have stunned him into silence. She squeezed his hand. “Go to the dockmaster. We’ll speak more later.”
But Elijah didn’t move. “Is it what you truly want?”
She smiled, nodding with utter sincerity.
Pulling her close, he spoke urgently near her ear. “And his family? Have they been good to you?”
“Very.”
“Then my prayers are answered, Helen.”
After they let go of each other, Elijah stalked to Nicholas. “So you want to be an honorary Miller, huh?”
Nicholas shook his head. “No. I want to honor a Miller. To love her.”
Vassilis came over and put a hand on Elijah’s shoulder. “Andyouare an honorary Sideris now!”
“I accept,” Elijah said readily.
Elijah left to speak with the dockmaster, and Vassilis turned to Helen and Nicholas. “You’re becoming Helen Irons soon. Sideris, too, as far as I’m concerned.” He cleared his throat. “May I be an honorary Irons?”
Pen, who held Adam’s arm, looped the other through Sirena’s, and they waited for Nicholas’s reply.
