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‘I told myself I had to stay away for the girls’ sake,’ he told her honestly. ‘And there was truth in that, but I was also hiding behind them. My experience of marrying someone from a different world to me was difficult. My marriage brought me my girls but little happiness. I had to prove myself every day, and still I knew that to the world I was an interloper. I knew if I was with you it would be a thousand times worse. A boy from my background daring to court the Crown Princess? I don’t care what the papers say about me, what the Court says, but I care about you. I didn’t want you put in a difficult position. I didn’t want you to ever regret choosing me.’
There it was, Jack’s truth, and Arrosa knew how privileged she was to hear it.
‘I will never regret choosing you,’ she told him, cupping his cheek and luxuriating in the rough stubble under her fingers, losing herself in the heat in his eyes. ‘Never. The Court will say how clever I am to have snared a man who has made a fortune in such a short time and will wonder how we can best use your talents here, and the papers will come around, they always do. But even if they didn’t, I wouldn’t care. I know the truth and that’s all that matters. But the girls, Jack, if we do this then you would have to be here. Would that work, would they mind?’ With the headiness of the relief over her father and the knowledge that Jack loved her, the practicalities of their situation had been too easy to ignore.
‘The girls love you and they love it here. There’s an international school in the city with a great reputation and they have been begging to stay until the snow comes. It won’t always be easy. Tansy is so nearly a teenager, there are bound to be storms ahead...’
‘But if we navigate them together...’
‘Then nothing is impossible.’ He smiled down at her and she found herself laughing in giddy relief.
‘Does that mean you’ll stay?’
‘It means that I will be looking for a place for me and the girls in the city...’
‘But...’ she interjected, and he put a finger on her lips.
‘Get them settled in school and start to figure out my life here. And while I’m doing that, I want to do some old-fashioned courting. I know I could stay in the apartment where we are, and I am getting rather fond of all those ancestors of yours even if every male is brandishing a sword in a threatening manner and every woman a fan in an even scarier manner, and I am sure you would welcome us here, but Rosy, I rushed into one marriage. This time I want to take my time.’
‘You do?’ She completely understood—and courting did sound like fun. ‘What do you have in mind?’
‘The usual. Dinner, walks, theatre trips.’ His voice deepened. ‘Kissing, I think there should be lots of kissing.’
‘Me too.’
‘And touching.’ Her knees weakened at the intent in his smile. ‘Lots and lots of touching.’
‘I could get on board with that.’ They were so close now there was no space between them, her arms wound around his neck, her body pressed to his. ‘What else?’
‘I think I will have to show you.’
She laughed out loud as he swung her up into his arms, carrying her towards the kitchen. ‘You might have to show me every day.’
‘Oh, I intend to.’ And then his mouth was finally on hers and Arrosa could lose herself in his kiss, his scent, the surety of his touch. With Jack by her side, she could face anything, any future, any obstacle. It was more than she had ever dared to dream of, and she couldn’t have been more excited about what the future held.
EPILOGUE
‘THETHEATRElooks stunning, Jack.’
Arrosa squeezed Clem’s hand gratefully. Even though her sister had become close to Jack and the girls over the last year she knew Clem still struggled with the changes to her mother’s restoration work, even with the lack of facilities and comfort in the original theatre. But Jack had worked miracles and the theatre had come alive in the way he had envisioned, from comfortable backstage areas to tempt the biggest stars to Cornwall, to a café open all year round, a fancy restaurant with sea views and a beautiful bar area. The seats were still the original carved stone and open to the air, but patrons could rent or buy seat pads and the theatre sold long raincoats for the times the elements didn’t cooperate.
They were here for the official opening night, a Gala in Simone’s honour for the local hospice, for which they had all combined their resources to lure in some big names to perform songs, musical theatre numbers, dances and scenes from Shakespeare.
The eight of them sat in the newly created Royal Box, with an actual roof and cushioned seat, its own dining room and cloakroom. Jack had created several of these VIP areas with an eye on the hospitality market and Arrosa was grateful for the shelter even as she looked nostalgically across at the seat where she had met Jack for the first time.
‘Do you wish you were performing, Clem?’ Queen Iara asked. Arrosa still couldn’t believe her mother had asked to attend the Gala in honour of her husband’s great love, but she had insisted she wanted to get to know the town where her daughter had been so happy—and to pay homage to the woman who had loved her daughter so selflessly. She and Zorien had the seats of honour at the front and Arrosa was sure she had seen them hold hands earlier—and not for the first time.
‘Part of me does,’ Clem admitted, her hand straying to her stomach. Akil had not been able to keep his word to wait a year before he proposed, and the pair had married in the spring with their first child expected at Christmas. Arrosa couldn’t wait to be an aunt—a hands-on acknowledged aunt who would always be part of the baby’s life. ‘But it is fun to be in the audience too. I’m just glad the community group still gets to use this space. Thank you, Jack.’
‘The theatre wouldn’t exist without the community—and I wouldn’t have met Rosy either. I’m just glad we had a happier outcome than Romeo and Juliet.’ Jack reached for her hand and smiled and Arrosa leaned over to kiss his cheek.
‘Me too.’ She looked down at her engagement ring, loving the way the rubies caught the light. Jack had stayed in Asturia and they had spent the past nine months really getting to know one another over a slow, sweet courtship which had given the girls plenty of time to adjust to their new lives in Asturia. Jack had proposed a couple of weeks ago, a year to the date they had met, with Clover and Tansy’s help in a play the three had written and performed for her. Arrosa couldn’t have imagined a more perfect proposal—or a more perfect ring, picked out by the girls for her.
The girls sat next to the King and Queen, bickering amicably over the programme. Over the last year Tansy had lost the last of her worried look and now had a social life to rival Arrosa’s and was pursuing acting in the youth theatre in Asturia, while Clover had developed a love of horse riding, never happier than when they were at the Artega estate and she could spend the day in the stables. Both girls would be bridesmaids at the wedding in early autumn, with Clem as maid of honour.
‘A toast.’ Akil handed around the glasses of champagne, with elderflower cordial for the girls and Clem. ‘To Simone, who I wish I had been able to meet, and her legacy.’
‘To Simone,’ they all chorused, even Queen Iara, while Clem held her cordial up to the sky, where the first stars were visible.
‘To Mum.’
‘And to Cornwall,’ Arrosa added. Clem had decided to keep the cottage so her baby would get to know the village she loved so much. Jack had sold his dream home, reassuring her that his dreams had changed, but the pair could borrow the cottage whenever they wanted, with Henri always on hand to ensure their privacy was respected.
‘And to the Asturians for making us so welcome,’ Jack finished. ‘Thank you for letting us be part of your family.’
‘Thank you for letting me be part of yours,’ Arrosa replied and as he leaned over to kiss her she made a mental note to never forget this feeling, surrounded by those she loved and who loved her, in a place dedicated to a woman who had helped raise her. Just a year ago Arrosa had felt completely alone, with the weight of the country on her shoulders. Now look at her, engaged, a stepmother, a soon-to-be aunt.
As the stage lights blazed to life and the show began, she sent a small prayer of thanks to the heavens. Nothing was impossible as long as she was with those she loved, and right now Arrosa Artega, Crown Princess of Asturia, knew she was the luckiest woman alive.
