He said gently, “’Tis too late for my father to stop us now. But although I honour him, I would have allowed nothing to come between us, at all events.”
Naomi gave a great sigh of relief. “My poor conscience is easy at last! I can truly start afresh and forget it all.”
He wondered if she really could forget, and said carefully, “An Lord Collington should stay abroad, shall you mind terribly, my love?”
She smiled happily and nestled closer. “I have you,” she murmured.
It was raining when they pulled into the yard of the Ship Inn at Dover. Ostlers with sacking held over their heads ran to lead in the horses. Beaming, the host threw open the door and ushered the bride and groom into a parlour warmed by lamplight and fragrant with the smells of wood smoke and dinner.
As they walked inside, laughing, and shaking the rain from their garments a shout went up.
“Here they are!”
“Thought they could slither away and escape us!”
“You’re fairly caught, you two slyboots!”
And they were surrounded by a merry crowd of well-wishers. Morris and Horatio, and Perry Cranford; Katrina, Gordon Chandler, Gwendolyn, Rudolph Bracksby, and even Tummet, looking thinner but cheerful. All throwing rice and teasing them fondly; and Falcon grumbling that he would not be within ten miles of this place save that he’d been bamboozled by his sister, but demanding a kiss from the bride nonetheless.
“Oh, I feel sure Jamie would have been glad to drive Miss Katrina down,” said Gideon with a twinkle.
“Any where, at any time,” declared Morris fervently.
“Sooner than allow such a horrid contretemps—” began Falcon.
The commotion had attracted attention. A slender dark lady with a small girl beside her turned from the desk to glance their way.
A shrill scream rent the air. “Papa Ross! Papa Ross!”
Naomi whirled around, and turned chalk white as the curly-haired dark child ran across the suddenly hushed parlour, arms outstretched.
“Mignon! My babe!” Gideon bent, scooped her up and kissed her heartily, then turned to gather the lady into his embrace. “And my lovely Lilla!”
She clung to him, her voice breaking as she said in rapid French, “Ah, Gideon! At last we find you! My dear! My very dear! I feared you must be dead!”
Katrina whispered faintly, “Dear God!”
“I should have killed the bastard,” said Falcon through his teeth.
Gideon turned to Naomi. “Here’s a fine coil,” he said guiltily. “Of all times to have to make you known to my family! This is Madame Jean Favre and the very young lady is Mignon, my—”
“You unprincipled ’ound!” The voice came from the door, and a tall man with his left sleeve pinned up came in, water dripping from his tricorne. “Do you seek my loved ones to steal away ze very moment we ’ave land in your country?”
He threw his arm wide and caught Gideon into a hug. “This it is well met,mon ami!Mon cher amito whom I owe so much! Ah, and ’ere is Lieutenant Morris! We shake ze ’and, all so!”
Setting down the child, Gideon said, “Mrs. Rossiter, allow me to present Capitaine Favre, whose family became my own when—”
“When my dear ’usband ’e is left for dead on ze battlefield, and taken prisoner,” interposed the lady. “We would ’ave starve, madame, save that my Jean and Gideon, although they fight on different sides, they ’ave the fine friendship from school days, and Gideon take us under ’is—’ow you say this, James?”
“Under his protection,” said Morris, grinning.
“Stumblewit!” muttered Falcon.
“Oh, Gad!” gasped Morris, turning very red as many shocked eyes turned his way. “Only I—er, should not say that, of course! Assure you, Naomi, old Ross merely looked after ’em! N-nothing more, do promise you! Didn’t do a curst thing, actually!”
“’E do a very great deal,” protested Madame Favre, bewildered. “Without my Gideon’s always ’elp I ’ave not know what it would become of us!”
Naomi said feebly, “Then—then,thisis yourfamily,Gideon? But—but you said there werethreechildren, and—”
