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Guy laughed lightly. “Beautiful, brilliant Arabella,” he murmured.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because you are trying to make a plan, aren’t you?” he said. “Very well: Tell me your clever plan. How do you mean to fix this?”
A thousand options flew through her head, but she ignored them all. She already knew what to do.
“I shall…talk to you,” she said hesitatingly.
He nodded, smiling. “Good plan.”
“I shall apologize for running away.”
“You’ve done that.”
“And seek your forgiveness for hurting you.”
“You have that.”
“And then…” This was new to her, but it was too important; she must not get this wrong. “I shall ask you… What do you need from me, so I never hurt you like that again?”
“One thing.”
“Anything.”
“Trust me. Trust me to love you. Trust me to know my own heart. Trust me to look after yours.”
His eyes looked into hers, so deeply he must have seen all the way to her heart. She felt her heart open to him in sweet surrender. Blessed peace flooded through her.
“Yes,” she said firmly. “Yes.”
“I truly love you. You do see that.”
“And I love you.” She tilted her head. “Considering I had never uttered those words before today, I’m getting quite good at saying them, aren’t I?”
“Do keep practicing, though.”
“Every day.”
Which reminded her: One thing remained undone.
She took one step away from him. Gripping both his hands, she looked into his beloved face. His fingers curled around hers.
“Guy,” she said slowly, “now that we are completely free…”
“Yes?”
“Perhaps this might be a good time for me to ask you…”
“Yes?”
She inhaled deeply, and as her chest swelled with air and joy and love, she felt her mouth widen into a broad, helpless smile. “I was wondering, Guy Roth, if you would do me a great honor…and marry me?”
His smile matched hers. “I thought you’d never ask.” He lifted her hands and pressed a light kiss to her knuckles. “Yes, Arabella Larke, I will marry you. Yes.”
* * *
The gown madefor Arabella’s wedding was no more beautiful than her other gowns, but it transformed her as no other outfit had ever done. She studied herself in the mirror, examining every inch of the white skirt and bodice, the profusion of bluebells bursting around the hem. She looked utterly like herself and yet like someone completely new.
