“I love you, Sadie Allen.” And then he paused, uncertainty flashing through his eyes. “Do you think you could love me?”
“I already do,” she said. “I have for a very long while.”
His reaction was immediate. He crushed her to him, kissing her almost before her words came out. She melted into him, relishing his strength, his heat, and his love. It was that last one that slipped into her body—quietly at first—but growing into a roar of surprise and delight.
He loved her!
“No, no, no!” Prinny exclaimed, though there wasn’t much heat in his words. “She hasn’t said yes!”
They broke apart, and Sadie glanced up at the prince, who stood with his hands on his hips. “Yes,” she said directly to the regent. Then she turned to Lord Heath. “Yes, yes, yes. I will marry you. Because I love you—”
“I love you,” he said the words at the exact same moment she had.
“Excellent!” the prince declared. “And I shall very much enjoy seeing the event in St. James within the week.”
“What?” they both said, again at the same moment.
“Well,” the prince said. “You told me you have been thinking of this for weeks now.”
He had?
“Er—” began Lord Heath.
“You told me this outing was so that we could see and approve the union.”
That’s how he got the prince here?
“Yes—”
“And you told me St. James is where you wished to wed.”
“Well, yes—”
“Then we shall see it done,” the prince stated.
And so it was.
They were wed five days later by special license and with all of thetonthere who could cram into the seats. Prinny beamed with pride as if he had orchestrated the whole thing. The countess declared her a beautiful bride with adorable attendants in Lord Heath’s children. Connall gave her away with obvious glee. Apparently, Lord Heath had written to ask his permission to wed Sadie the day after the picnic. And that was just one of the very thoughtful things the man had done.
But after all the pomp was over, after his children were put to bed and the two of them were alone in his bedroom, Sadie finally had a moment to speak candidly with her new husband.
“I have something to tell you,” she said. “Something I’ve wanted to say for a bit now, but there hasn’t been a moment to speak.”
“Yes, my love?”
She smiled, the flash of warmth moving through her whenever he said that word.
“I’ve laid my mother to rest,” she said. “The banshee is gone. Her opinions no longer hold me for good or ill. I’ve married the Sassenach and I couldn’t be happier.”
He kissed her, his touch gentle. And when he pulled back, he smiled. “I am very glad to hear that. Because I have married my love, and I feel ready to burst from joy.”
She grinned. “Well, we do have one last thing to check, you know.”
He frowned. “What?”
“One of those dreams—my nightmares—she came after we had done it all. We haven’t tested that yet. I haven’t lost my virginity.”
“Oh dear,” he said as he gathered her into his arms. “That is an oversight. We must check to see that no banshee destroys our peace.”
