James collapsed to his knees, breathing hard and Diana threw her arms about him and sobbed into this neck.
He drew her close and held tight, whispering his love in her ear, giving what comfort he could, but the panic had not yet left his body either.
After a moment she drew back, her cheeks wet with tears. “Thank you.” She burst into tears again. “I don’t know what I would have done…I would have died without you.”
“I wouldn’t have wanted to continue to live if I’d failed. If I had lost you,” he confessed.
She placed a hand on his cheek. “Do you love me so very much?” she asked as if she wasn’t certain she could believe him.
James turned his face and kissed her palm. “I love you more than life itself. I only wish that you could love me.”
Her tears welled again, and his heart sank as he anticipated her rejection.
“But I do, James Bryant, Earl of Somerton. I do love you. I loved you in London and as hard as I try not to love you, I still do.”
Instead of shouting in triumph, which was his first instinct, James pulled Diana close and kissed her deeply. She was now his and he was never going to let her go.
Chapter 16
“A pox on you Sir Orwen,”Sir Gilbert cried out. “I always knew you’d win.”
Diana jerked away from James to see Sir Gilbert crumple to the ground, a hand over his heart. Lady Isolda rushed forward and cradled the knight’s head in her lap. “Oh, Sir Gilbert, I’m sorry that it came to this.”
“One kiss from your sweet lips and I can leave this place in peace.”
Lady Isolda bent forward, her blonde hair cascading about them as her lips touched his.
Sir Orwen sank to his knees. “I’m sorry, my friend. I hadn’t meant death for you.”
“Yet, death is the gift you gave. Care for her or I’ll haunt you the rest of my days.” With that he gave his last breath.
Before their eyes, Sir Gilbert stepped from his body as it disappeared and Lady Isolda and Sir Orwen turned to ghosts once again.
The three turned to Diana and James. Sir Gilbert executed a deep bow, flourishing his hat, the red feather brushing the ground. Lady Isolda placed a hand over her heart, tears shimmering in her eyes, then blew a kiss of thank you. And Sir Orwen smiled. The first that Diana had ever seen upon his face and bowed as well.
“They are free,” Diana whispered.
As their forms began to fade, Sir Orwen turned to Sir Gilbert. “If you thought I would win in the end, why didn’t you just concede and save us all?”
“I did not truly believe you would. I simply wished to grant you a boon in the end.”
“It matters not. I still beat you and won the hand of Lady Isolda,” Sir Orwen argued.
“She’s not agreed, but I did gain a kiss,” Sir Gilbert laughed.
“I’ve suffered the presence of both of you these last three centuries and I have no intention of enduring either of you for all of eternity,” Lady Isolda announced, though her voice grew faint and soon, Diana could no longer hear the three of them bickering.
“They are free,” James finally said.
“Yes, they are.” And Diana was happy for them.
Now that the crisis had passed, the ghosts were gone and Diana’s pulse had calmed, she’d realized that in her relief, she’d confessed her heart to James. It was what had finally freed the ghosts. But it still didn’t change any of her fears.
“It wasn’t me.”
* * *
James knewthe moment he spoke the words that Diana would pull away from him, but it was a discussion they must have if they were to have any kind of future.
