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“I haven’t asked you anything yet,” Leo laughed, watching as she leaned forward in her seat, giggling.
“Oh, then ask me,” she pleaded.
“Will you marry me?” he asked and opened the box.
“Oh . . .” Another gasp escaped her as she looked down at the ring. Nerves fluttered in Leo’s stomach, like a hundred butterflies dancing, in the silence that stretched between them as he waited for her answer. “Leo, you certainly know how to pick a ring, don’t you?” She reached into the box and pulled it out. Pure gold with three sapphires and tiny diamonds, Leo had used some of his savings to make the purchase.
“Chloe?” Leo murmured, needing her answer.
“Of course, I’ll marry you!” She declared and moved toward him. When her arms wrapped around his neck, he embraced her too, pulling her forward warmly into his arms. He laughed at her eagerness, just as she pulled back long enough to put the ring on. In their movements, one of the oars began to slip off the boat. “Leo, it is beautiful.”
Leo was distracted, looking to that oar. He stood up and reached for it, trying to stop it from falling, and the boat rocked beneath them.
“Leo. Leo!” Chloe called just as Leo began to tip. He fell out of the boat and into the water, with such a splash that bubbles appeared around him in the water. Pulling his head back to the surface, he took a deep breath and grabbed the escaped oar, aware that Chloe was laughing from the boat.
“Chloe!” he said, controlling his own temptation to laugh as he crossed toward the boat. “That was not supposed to happen.”
“Ha! Perhaps not, but I’m glad it did. It wouldn’t be a proposal from you if you did not do something clumsy, would it?” Her smile was so great, that Leo didn’t feel like a fool for falling in the water. He felt the lightness of the moment and the true happiness that was between them.
With the ring on her finger, she extended her hand to help him out of the water.
“I can’t wait to tell Maeve!” Chloe said as Leo fell back into the boat.
Epilogue
Chloe
One Month Later
“Chloe, love, you are so excited you cannot stand still!” her father’s words prompted Chloe to laugh as she stepped out of the Duke’s house, carrying a bouquet in one hand and clutching to her father’s arm with her other.
“Of course, I can’t,” Chloe said in emphasis. “All I wish to do is be at the church.”
“Have no worries. We will be there very soon.” Arthur tapped her hand, which rested his arm, bestowing such a soft smile on Chloe that her excitement calmed a little and she managed to stop bobbing on her toes.
She had seen much of her father recently as they had prepared for the wedding, and she was very glad for it. He had made more than one trip to London to see her and the business too. There was a time when he was nervous of London, after he had lost so much money, she thought him rather fearful of facing the ton again, but those worries had melted away now. One of her fondest memories was the first time her father had seen her shop, standing in front with a tear in his eye.
“I am glad this day has come, Chloe. Truly.”
“You are?” Chloe asked as they stood on the driveway before the carriage that was to take her to the chapel.
“Very much. Goodness knows how long you and Lord Felton have danced around one another—”
“Wait . . . you knew?” Chloe said, her eyebrows shooting high across her temple. “You knew that he and I—”
“That you both did not find it easy to speak of what you felt? Oh, very much,” Arthur declared with a laugh. “I had my suspicions and hoped for a long while that you two would soon speak to each other, but I was only convinced of it when you turned up back at my house after the troubles with your business.”
“Ah, that was a hard time.” Chloe chewed her lip briefly and remembered the way she had fled London after the rumors that had been spread about her.
Since then, much had changed. Her business was prosperous, and many customers returned to the shop, claiming they were always smart enough to discern the rumors were lies. Chloe often laughed at the absurdity of the ton and their pride and hatred at being duped. Mr. Alfred Baker had accepted Chloe’s offer of an olive branch, and their new line of designs were being stocked in both shops. It drew customers to both of their businesses, and to Chloe’s delight, Mr. Baker had not seemed jealous since.
Perhaps everything will be well now!
Delighted at the thought, Chloe returned her eyes to her father.
“I was upset at that time,” Chloe said softly.
“Very, but it was not about the shop alone. I may be old, but I am no fool yet,” Arthur said with a wink. “You would not stop speaking of Lord Felton, so much so that I wrote and told him where you were.”
