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Imogen stepped over a fallen pew into the aisle herself. “I enjoy chemicals.”
His brows shot up and Adelaide laughed, feeling light, her heart full of joy.
Henry stopped at the sound, turning toward her and kissing her until she sighed and gave herself up to him. When the kiss broke, he pressed his forehead to hers and said, low and perfect, “I’m going to marry you, Adelaide Frampton. And I’m going to spend the rest of my life loving you.”
She closed her eyes and whispered, “Tell me that last bit again.”
Another soft kiss to her lips. “The bit where I love you for the rest of our lives?”
She nodded, tears glistening. His breath caught. Would he ever grow used to those beautiful eyes? He’d have a lifetime to try.
“I love you, Adelaide Trumbull.” He kissed her, quick and sweet. “Frampton.” Another kiss. “Carrington.” A final one. “Duchess of Clayborn.”
She shook her head and gave him a small smile, her heart impossibly full. “Not those yet.”
It wasn’t true. She bore the names already in his heart. In hers, as well.
Henry took Adelaide’s hand, leading her from the church to find Imogen and Duchess piled into the carriage Sesily had summoned for them. Henry had other plans—a walk through the labyrinthine streets of Lambeth, slower than usual, for all the long lingering kisses he delivered as they made their way past the docklands and over Westminster Bridge, to the fourth turret from the Westminster side.
“It’s not the morning,” he said, softly. “But I hope it will do.”
The moon had risen and the river gleamed silver—a different kind of beauty to be wrapped in.
“Tell me again what you would wish for,” he said, pulling her close.
“You,” she said, lifting her face to his. “I wished for you.” He captured her face in his big, warm hands and tilted her up to stare into her eyes. “I wished for you, strong and noble and kind and standing by my side. Protecting me. Loving me.”
He nodded, serious and stern in the moonlight. “What else?”
She shook her head. “Nothing else. He would have loved me. That’s all I wanted then.”
“And now? Now what do you want, Adelaide?”
“Now . . .” She met his eyes, so blue. So honest. And gave him honesty in return. “Now, I just want you. However you come.” She shook her head. “But it seemsimpossible. That you might love me like this. Even knowing all my secrets. My past. What happens when the wide world knows you’ve married a thief from Lambeth? What would you get done then? What laws would you pass then?”
He shook his head with a little smile. “Hang the wide world. If they won’t let me pass the laws, I’ll fight alongside you to change the world another way. You glorious, brilliant, strong woman—I will spend the rest of my life trying to be worthy of standing at your side.”
A single tear spilled down her cheek at the words, at the feeling of finally, finally believing him. She lifted herself up to his lips, kissing him thoroughly, and whispered her love.
Catching her close, he spoke, the words rough in her ear. “You nearly destroyed me when you left me. No more leaving me.”
“No more leaving you. I promise.”
He nodded and slipped a hand into his pocket, extracting a small box—and Adelaide sucked in a breath when she recognized it, beautiful filigreed oak. The ring inside gleamed in the moonlight when he removed it and took her hand in his.
“Marry me?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
He slipped the ring onto her finger. “When?”
She smiled. “Now. Forever.”
“Now,” he repeated. “Forever.” Another kiss. And then, “You once said my mother was my father’s sun.” He paused. “I think you were right. Until you—I did not know what light was.”
It didn’t seem possible that this was her man. That they would marry and live and love and have a houseful of children and animals. That they would argue and laugh and love... and make a future together.
Full hearts.
