Page 90 of A Treacherous Treasure

When he lifted his head, her eyes were half closed but staring at his mouth. He leaned in, pulling her to him, and kissed her lips.

Her arms went around his back and he kissed her again, holding her close, kissing her as if his life depended on convincing her that she would enjoy kissing him every day for the rest of her life.

When he pulled away, her eyes were still closed.

“On the contrary,” he said, speaking slowly and deliberately, “I think your second marriage will be very happy.”

When she finally opened her eyes, she gazed back at him and placed her hand on his cheek. “How do you know?”

“Because I plan to spend most of my time making you happy.”

Her bottom lip trembled. Then she drew in a ragged breath and said, “I love you.”

He hugged her tightly to his chest and said, “I love you, Rebecca. Will you marry me?”

“Yes.”

His heart soared, and he suddenly felt as if everything was right in the world.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Rebecca and Thomas took their time in the small clearing in the woods, talking and kissing. How absolutely wonderful it felt to commune with the best and most wonderful man she knew, kissing his lips, her arms around him, and his arms around her.

When he’d started kissing the bruises on her wrist, she completely lost her breath, her knees going weak at the tender, intimate gesture, and at how warm and gentle his kisses were. And when he asked her to marry him, and kissed her lips, she couldn’t imagine anything more heavenly.

When they had got back on their horses and were almost to Heywood House, she asked him, “Can you look at me and see that we’ve been kissing?” She could still feel his lips on hers.

“No.” He smiled. “You are incredibly lovely, though, and adorable.”

“My heart is so full, I don’t know that I will be able, but I think we should conceal our engagement for a while, probably until the inquest has decided who should get the treasure, and until after the trials of Gilbert Heywood and Mr. Strader. And then we should wait until everyone has ceased to talk about the treasure, and—”

“Will you have us wait until we are too old to have children?” His brows were low and drawn together.

“No. But we should wait an appropriate amount of time.”

“Appropriate according to who?”

“I don’t know. How long do you think we should wait?”

“I don’t want to wait. I would marry you tomorrow. Say the word and we shall be on our way to Gretna Green.”

She laughed. “This is a side of you I haven’t seen.”

“You haven’t seen me impatient?”

“No, I haven’t.”

He rode his horse so close to hers that their boots were touching in the stirrups, and he leaned over and kissed her again.

They rode on until the house was in sight.

“I think I might be able to wait six months, but no longer,” he told her.

“Six months? I don’t know if anything will be decided that soon.”

“Decided or not, I want my bride.”

She giggled and shook her head. “Very well.” She stared at him, feeling rather impatient to be married as well.