Tessa hastily wiped her eyes. Her grandfather hobbled over, and she rose, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before relinquishing the place next to Mama. She crossed over to Harry, who tipped up her chin, his gaze concerned.
“Everything’s fine here,” she whispered. “How’d things go in there?”
He smiled, putting an arm around her waist.
Relieved, she snuggled against him.
Grandpapa gave Mama his handkerchief.
“I’m sorry to put you through this, my jewel,” he said gruffly.
“You didn’t put me through anything.” Mama blew her nose and straightened her shoulders. “We Blacks stick together. I haven’t done anything for you that you haven’t for me.”
Before Tessa could puzzle out her mother’s words, Grandpapa cleared his throat. “Speaking o’ family, you’ll want to congratulate the newest member.”
Felicitations and a toast with champagne followed.
“Now that the danger’s o’er, got work to do. The underworld’s in shambles,” Grandpapa said matter-of-factly, “and I’ll need all ’ands on board. I expect you to ’elp with the rebuilding.”
Thrilled at Grandpapa’s acceptance of her beloved, Tessa looked expectantly at Harry.
“It would be my honor, sir,” her fiancé said gravely.
She beamed.
“Well, missy, ain’t you going to offer a ’and as well? God knows you’ve been pestering me ’bout it long enough. Now that I need you, all you do is stand there, smiling like a fool.”
She stared at her grandparent’s stern countenance, the loving acceptance in his dark eyes, and she blurted, “The House of Black can count on me, Grandpapa.”
“It always ’as, Tessie.”
He kissed her on the forehead and then declared it was time to give the betrothed couple some privacy. On his way out, Mavis at his side, he paused briefly at Grandmama’s portrait. He said nothing, only smiled—a heartbreaking smile of love that had known joy and suffering and had never failed.
Tessa felt tears press against her eyelids once more.
“Am I marrying a watering pot?”
At Harry’s gentle teasing, she sniffled. “Of course not. We Blacks don’t cry. What took you and Grandpapa so long in the study? Did he give you any trouble? Because if he did—”
“He accepted my proposal straightaway.” Harry looked bemused. “Told me he’d always wanted an alliance with my family.”
“Then why was he pushing me to marry Ransom?”
“Can’t you guess?”
“Grandpapa was campaigning for the duke…so that Iwouldn’tchoose him?” She planted her hands on her hips. “Why, the devious old codger!”
“Don’t you like the way things turned out?”
She did, but she couldn’t very well admit that she liked beingduped. “If Grandpapa wanted you to be his grandson-in-law so much, what took you so long in the study?”
“We had other things to discuss.”
“Such as?”
“Black wanted me to arrange a meeting with Inspector Davies.” Harry gave her an amused look. “In order to express his gratitude.”
“I can’t believe we owe a debt to Peelers,” she muttered.
