“No. I can feel how wound up you are from the events. You need to relax and then rest.”
“What about you? You were nearly killed today.”
He chuckled. “Not even close. I knew he’d pull early, and I was ready.”
“You were shot at!”
“I’ve been shot at before.”
She huffed, her eyes closing, and she looked like she might cry.
“Everything is fine now. We have a future to look forward to. We will have a house, a family, your sisters, my siblings. Lark Hall will be full of laughter and love again.”
Tristan looked to where the others waited. Lady Amelia nodded and they went inside to give them privacy.
Tristan turned to face her and cupped her cheeks. “We did it.”
“We did what?”
“We fought and we won. We didn’t give up. Frankly, this is an outcome I never imagined. I thought my future would be endless days working to pay the debt. Then I’d bring my siblings home, but there would still be so much work to do. Now, well, there is still a fair amount of work once we get home, but you’ll be with me and that makes everything lovely.”
“You’re not making sense.”
“I’m not?” He kissed her lips. “How about now?”
“I think I’m beginning to understand.”
He kissed her again. “Better?”
She nodded.
“Every day I get to spend with you is the best day I’ve ever had. Now we’ll have a lifetime.”
“A lifetime with you sounds perfect,” she said.
“Then how about a bath with me too?”
Her eyes widened. “We can’t do that! They’ll know.”
“They know we’re engaged and won’t care.”
“This is wicked.” But she smiled and drew closer to him.
“This is love. Love is allowed to break the rules.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Tristan sipped hiscoffee, and Flick shook out the newly hung curtains she’d sewn herself. In the past three months, Lark Hall had taken on a whimsical transformation. Fresh flowers in the front room. Neatly ironed curtains framed every window. Pillows on the sofa and chairs. More pillows than he thought necessary, but who was he to argue?
She loved to make things. She loved colors and music and joy, and she’d woken up Lark Hall after a long period of darkness. His brother tore into the room, something wet in his fist.
“What is that?” Tristan asked warily.
“It’s a frog I found! Can I keep it?”
Felicity turned from the window. “But frogs don’t live in houses. They live in creeks where they can stay damp and eat bugs.”
Dougal’s bottom lip popped out. “But I like him.”
