She closed her eyes and groaned. ‘I could have died when she came out with all that stupid teenage dream stuff.’
He stopped kissing her hand and just held it very tightly. ‘I’m really not sure you’d like living in a castle. They seem cold and inconvenient. And what if you decide you want to live in America? Just . . .’ He swallowed. ‘I would like you to marry me.’
Her eyes flew to his, so dark and intense, and her breath hurried from her lungs. ‘If I was married to you, I think I’d be very happy living in an apartment in Starboard Walk,’ she said, softly. ‘And maybe I could get to work in a castle?’
He pulled her close, closer, limb against limb. ‘We could always get married in one.’
She tried to pull away, to see his face. ‘Seriously? People do that?’
‘Of course. Get married, have the reception, stay for the whole weekend. The only thing is . . .’ He looked suddenly rueful.
She waited, dreading some disappointment that was going to come along and spoil things for her. ‘What?’ she whispered, eventually.
His kissed her lips. ‘I’m no prince.’
Epilogue
The Teapot looked and smelled the same. Honor stepped in through the door, holding tightly to Martyn’s warm hand, trying to quiet her butterflies. Aletta was clearing heaped tables, but not rushing herself as she sprayed and wiped. She smiled rosily.
Ru and Robina were behind the counter, cleaning down the kitchen, Ru with his back-to-front baseball cap and Robina in her bandana. Without looking up, Robina called, ‘I’m sorry, we’re just closing.’
‘That’s OK,’ said Honor. ‘We came to talk.’
Ru’s head whipped up. His grin was a blaze of pleasure. ‘You’re back!’
‘I guess I am,’ Honor agreed, beaming back. She’d called him whilst she’d been away but been deliberately vague about her plans, needing to settle her mind and get used to things working out with Martyn. And file for divorce. Martyn had rescheduled a shoot for the first time in his career, so that he could stay while she tied up loose ends like that.
Robina frowned, her eyes flickering coldly over their clasped hands. ‘What about?’
Honor pulled out a chair and sat down. ‘I think you’ll be surprised.’
Aletta untied her apron and hung it on the hook just inside the kitchen. ‘Time,’ she told Robina, tapping her watch to show her hours were up. Robina just nodded. Honor wished that she’d been able to get Robina trained like that.
Expectantly, Ru took a chair at the wooden table and then, with a put-upon sigh, so did Robina. ‘I suppose you expect me to apologise,’ she began, ungraciously. ‘Little Ru told me about the tricks Stef played. He guessed it was from me Stef got all the information he needed, so I suppose you’ve worked it out, too.’
‘I figured you must be involved.’
‘He got me to ring you and pretend there was something for you to sign, so that you’d be out at the right time. While he,’ she indicated Martyn with her head, ‘was out running. But I didn’t know what your husband planned. You can’t pin anything on me.’
‘Ex-husband. Almost.’ Honor nodded, slowly. Martyn was cradling her hand in both of his as if he were an earth, there to absorb any shocks Honor received. ‘So, what was it you thought he was up to?’
Robina shrugged, looking down at her fingers, short nailed and red from cleaning. ‘I don’t know. It’s not my problem. I have enough of my own crap to deal with.’
‘Soppy and Crusty have gone,’ Ru put in, chin resting on one palm.
Honor switched her attention to him. ‘Gone? You’re kidding me.’
He pushed off his ball cap so that his hair fell forward. ‘Just for a couple of weeks. Crusty said she needed to be somewhere where someone would take care of her, so she was going to stay with her parents in Bristol. Then Mum and Soppy got in a massive row and Soppy said she would take Crusty in her van.’
Robina’s bottom lip trembled. ‘They’ll be back, soon. When Kirsty is better and Sophie cools down. They’re my family.’
Honor shifted, awkwardly. Took a huge breath. Screwed up her courage, gripping Martyn’s hand. ‘Really . . . ? That would be me.’
Ru made a small noise. Honor saw that he was grinning. And with Martyn’s solid, warm presence beside her, it gave her the nerve to say what she should have said at the beginning of the summer. ‘My name’s Freedom. Freedom Lefevre.’
Robina stared. She looked from Ru to Honor. Expressions flew across her face. Denial. Curiosity. Then, finally, dawningrealisation. ‘I didn’t know.’ Her voice was high with surprise. ‘I didn’t know it was you.’
‘I know. And it doesn’t matter. I don’t want anything from you — I just wanted you to know.’ Her eyes grew hot. Martyn slipped his arm around her, kissing her temple, looking steadily at Robina, as if daring her to say anything that would hurt.
