“I had another in mind. But wanted to pop in to say hi to Ernst and Stella. Have you seen Emmanuel lately?”
“Here and there. Dom Watson lost his wife of sixty-seven years last month. Came in here to drown his sorrows. Emmanuel sat with him all night. He was a real comfort. Dom’s actually traveling to see his kids.”
“Give our love to Dom. Hope we see him while we’re here.”
“Wait a minute.” Daffy stepped around Gus. “Ernst, you just spoke in whole sentences.”
Ernst huffed. “My friend, I’ve a degree from Haxton. Do you think I was born in this pub?”
Now that was the surprise of all surprises. Astounded and laughing, Daffy dashed from the Belly with Gus and down the steps to the quay.
She pulled him to a stop. “We’re climbing to the Hand of God?”
“Why do you think I told you to wear boots?” Gus grinned. “I wanted to see the view on a summer day.”
She raced ahead of him to the footbridge, no longer afraid of heights and of the perilous climb. Love was with her. This time she led Gus up the steep climb to the cleft in the rocks.
“Keep your eyes on me.” Her words were bold. “Don’t look—”
“To the right or the left. Don’t look down.” Gus’s hand rested on the middle of her back. “You lead, I’ll follow.”
The summer growth covered large portions of the path. Daffy led Gus over a fallen branch, under a trunk growing out of the cliff, around rocks, climbing higher and higher.
But this time the sun had warmed the breeze. As Daffy grabbed onto a tree branch to pull herself to the next level, the spectacular view of the calm sea-blue water widened before her, meeting the blue horizon at some faraway point.
At last they broke into the clearing and stepped into the nook known as the Hand of God. The grass was long and lush, woven with wildflowers.
“It’s like our own personal garden.” Gus turned a half circle.
“When we’re here, I think it is.”
“I climbed up when I visited last week.” He took her hand, pulling her alongside him. “I sat with my legs over the side for the better part of two hours. Just thinking and well, praying.”
“What did you think and pray about?”
“You. Me. Our lives. How when we first climbed up you were terrified and brokenhearted about Thomas. When I thought I was all cool and Coral, but I wasn’t. Didn’t even realize the truth until she curtsied in front of me and said, ‘Your Royal Highness.’”
“We’ve returned here as slightly different people. Not arrived, but on our way.”
“On our way. Yes.” He reached in his pocket and slowly bent to one knee. “Your first proposal was a surprise in a loud, noisy pub with everyone watching and a ring intended originally for another. So what I hope to be your second—and last—proposal comes with you standing in a quiet garden on top of the world, only the seagulls and God watching. The ring I’m offering was purchased with you and just you in mind. It’s not even from the Family vault. I shopped, alone, and selected a ring that most reflected your heart.” Gus lifted the lid to reveal a diamond set in platinum surrounded by sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. “The sapphires for your eyes, the rubies for your hair, the emerald for the life of your heart.”
“Gus, I—” Her tears spoke a better word.
“Daffodil Daisy Caron, will you marry me?”
“Yes, of course, I’ll marry you.” She dropped to her knees in front of him, not caring at all about the soggy wetness. “Finally I’ll be able to write the true tales ofMy Life with the Princeby Daffodil Caron, House of Blue.”
“Her Royal Highness, Princess Daffodil.” He slipped the ring on her finger, then raised her up, cupped her face in his hands, and sealed their pledge with a kiss.
They stayed in the cleft for a long time, talking, dreaming, planning. Kissing. She liked the idea of an October wedding after all.
When they climbed down and walked hand in hand up the quay steps, motors honked, people called out their names. They paused to wave and give by passers a quick photo op.
“How about one of Stella’s meat pies and chips?” Gus pointed to the pub.
“Food. Good.”
With a laugh, he grabbed her to him and kissed her temple. “I love you.”
