It was difficult for Kit to comment because she was so stunned. Shyly, she determinedly freed the silk counterpane from his grip and tugged it back up over her breasts. ‘I’m far from against the idea, but you’re not supposed to overdo things, remember? We’ve already been up most of the night and... Exactly how wildly passionate are you intending to be?’
‘That’s for me to know and you to find out, angel. Now, stop wasting time worrying about me overdoing things, shut up, and let me propose again...but properly this time.’
Kit lost any inclination to argue. Keeping quiet was suddenly not such a challenge after all.
Pushing back his tousled dark hair, Hal made his handsome face assume a serious expression.
‘Katherine Blessington, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife and making me happy...far happier than any man has a right to hope to be on this earth?’
‘Yes, Henry Treverne, I will. I’ll marry you. Because I can’t imagine ever living without you and I love you much more than words could ever say. But I still won’t stop trying to find the right ones to tell you.’
His strong arms enveloped her then, and there was a magical sense of time standing still. It wasn’t just Hal who would remember these precious moments forever. Kit would hold them in her heart until the day she died.
A sudden sharp knock at the door made her gasp. Her pulse raced in shock. It raced even more when Hal’s father’s resonant voice enquired loudly, ‘Hal? Are you and Ms Blessington ready for a cooked breakfast? I thought we could all have it in the dining room this morning, and Mary tells me it’s going to be ready in about twenty minutes. Does that give you both enough time to shower and dress?’
Shaking his head in amusement, and hardly looking at all surprised, Hal answered, ‘Make it half an hour and we’ll be there on the dot. Thanks, Dad!’
‘Don’t mention it. It’s nice to have you home, son.’
Sir Henry’s receding footsteps echoed clearly round the room as he made his way back down the stone flags of the corridor.
‘Your father sounded like he knew you were in here with me.’ Kit’s blue eyes widened in disbelief. ‘How could he possibly know that?’
‘I told him last night that I was going to pay you a visit and propose to you. Turns out he didn’t have to be so patient in waiting for an answer as to when I’d marry and return home after all.’
‘You mean—you mean you discussed the fact that you love me and want to marry me? What did he say? Was he surprised? I don’t expect he was very happy. I’m sure he must believe you could do a whole lot better for yourself than me. Tell me, Hal—was he angry?’
‘Stop doubting and torturing yourself, will you? Of course he wasn’t angry. My father knows how lucky I am to have found you, and he certainly doesn’t think I could do any better. Class isn’t such an issue nowadays—and nor should it be when two people fall in love. And I’m no Prince Charming, devoid of any faults, so don’t kid yourself that I am, Kit. It’s me who’s the lucky one in this relationship. And the only thing my dad wants to be assured of is that I’m with someone I love, who loves me. He was as pleased as punch when I told him how I felt about you. He said he knew you were something special the moment he set eyes on you. Apparently my sister confirmed it for him. She talks to him on the phone at least once a day and she spoke very highly of you.’
‘All right, then. You’ve convinced me.’
‘Where are you going?’
Having thrown back the covers, Kit was hurriedly stepping into her pyjama bottoms and reaching for the top half that lay discarded on the counterpane. Her hair tumbled in a riot of burnished copper waves down over her slim pale shoulders and alluring naked breasts and Hal thought she resembled an enchanting elfin sprite from one of his and Sam’s childhood fairy stories—but a very sexy red-haired sprite. He almost wanted to pinch himself, to check he wasn’t dreaming that she’d agreed to marry him.
‘I’m going to go and take a shower and then get dressed. I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to turn down the offer of a cooked breakfast any time soon. When I’m done I’ll come and help you.’
Hal couldn’t help releasing a very audible curse and, echoing his frustration, his injured leg began to throb. ‘It’s bad enough that I have to endure the thought of you showering naked on your own when I want to join you. There’s not much I can do about that...but then to suffer the indignity of you looking at me with those big baby-blue eyes like I’m some poor helpless invalid...’ He cursed again and impatiently scraped his hair back off his forehead. ‘You have no idea what I’d give to be able to get up and carry you into that blasted shower myself!’