Lightning Encounter (19 page)

‘It's never too soon to start planning for the future. Life must go on.' And yet, even as he spoke, she wondered if he could bear to remain in the village after all that had happened. It would wrench her heart to leave Hamblewick, but if he wanted to leave she would go with him willingly.

But when she said as much, he smiled a tender ghost of a smile, and promised to remember only the happy times. ‘There is just one thing,' he said, his tone slightly pensive. ‘It might take some time to put the house in order, and we seem to have wasted such a lot of time already. And,'—his fingers tightened on hers—‘my quarters haven't suffered any damage at all. So, my darling, do you fancy starting married life in one room over a garage?'

‘Plus kitchenette,' she said huskily. ‘Stop
offering
me Paradise.'

Contentedly, happily, she went into his arms.