“They fought on our side, sprite. And they’re disposing of the hellfire,” Harry reminded her.
“Withyourhelp. You’re the one doing all the work.”
Harry had been working tirelessly to develop safe ways to handle the hellfire. He’d set up a laboratory and conducted experiments. Tessa hid a grin; she rather enjoyed seeing her professor at work.
She fiddled with a button on his waistcoat. “Is that all you and Grandpapa talked about?”
“We also discussed what to do about Ransom.”
Seeing his taut jaw, she said quietly, “Leave it be. There was no harm done, and, besides, the duke has had to flee Town because of his debts. Let the moneylenders take care of him.”
“When I think of him abducting you, trying to force you to marry him—”
“It wasn’t quite like that.” At her fiancé’s glower, she said hastily, “I mean, nothing happened. It was child’s play to escape—”
“The memory of you swinging twenty-five feet above the ground is not one to remind me of if you’re trying to plead that bastard’s case.”
She didn’t want Harry to suffer any consequences for trouncing the duke. Besides, she didn’t think Ransom was evil, merely expedient. A prank seemed a more fitting punishment for his crime.
“Why don’t you let me take care of Ransom?” she suggested. “I’ll add him to my List of Retribution.”
Harry’s arms crossed over his wide chest, his brows lifted. “Having experienced your brand of punishment, I can assure you thatnoman is going on that list but me.”
Her knees quivered at his possessive tone, the steamy memories he evoked.
And, apparently, he had another memory to give her.
He got down on one knee. Her heart drummed as he took her left hand.
“On that note, I’d best make this official.” He cleared his throat. “Tessa Black-Todd, daughter of the House of Black, mother of ferrets, and love of my life—will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
She laughed. “Yes, yes.”
He slid a ring onto her finger. Set in a simple frame of gold, the opal glowed with a rare fire.
“Oh, Harry, it’sbeautiful.” She turned her hand this way and that.
“It was my mother’s.” Rising, he brushed his knuckles along her cheek. “She would have loved to welcome you into the family, and my siblings are eager to do so in her stead.”
Tessa looked into his handsome, steadfast face, and knew that she’d found her place of belonging. With this man by her side, she could face anything. For they had the kind of love that would endure suffering and celebrate joy and never fail.
The kind that lasted forever.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“And I love you.”
Their kiss was deep and passionate and sweet. By the time they pulled apart, they were both breathless, desire leaping between them. She couldn’t suppress a giggle.
“What’s so amusing, sprite?” he murmured.
“I was just thinking that Severin Knight was wrong. About how our partnership works.”
He swept his thumb over her bottom lip. “How so?”
“Clearly, I’m the logical one,” she said merrily, “and you’rethe one—”
Harry groaned. “Don’t say it.”
