Hiding Rose (Saved By Desire 5)

“Well, the only one we haven’t been driven out of was barely habitable. It would be nice to stop in a house I don’t have to leave again within a day or so.”

“You need somewhere more permanent,” he murmured lovingly. “It can be arranged.”

“Can it?” she asked.

He grinned. “I work with the Star Elite. We can do anything.”

The only shadow lurking within her brilliant morning of happiness was the threat of the man they were trying to avoid.

“What about Chadwick?”

“He is being watched by my colleagues for now. It doesn’t matter how many more reinforcements he recruits, they will all be arrested before they can leave Edinburgh.”

There was an air of satisfaction in his voice that made her look at him. She knew there was more he wasn’t telling her but suspected it was best he didn’t tell her. What did matter was that he was there and cared just as deeply about her as she did about him.

“Do you think we will be alright?” she asked a little warily.

“What do you mean? Of course we will be alright. What makes you ask?” Barnaby murmured around the tender kisses he placed on her temple, cheeks and lips.

“Well, we hardly know each other. The first night we met I seemed to get on your nerves a lot,” she mused with a smile.

Barnaby boomed a laugh. “I have to confess that you were very vocal but then if some strange lunatic hauled me into the night I think I would protest as well. It wasn’t my best work, I can assure you.”

Suddenly, all humour vanished. He looked intently at her and waited for her to meet his gaze. “But then again, I think it was my best work yet,” he whispered.

Rose smiled at him. After several moments of contented silence she turned her attention to where they were.

“Just where are you taking me now?” she asked with a curious frown.

Barnaby lifted his brows at her and grinned. “Ever heard of Gretna Green?”

Rose pestered him for a little while but he adamantly refused to tell her what Gretna Green was. In the end she gave up. Whatever Gretna Green was, whatever was there, she knew this man beside her wouldn’t lead her into anything he wasn’t prepared to face with her. She trusted him – his strength, his judgement and yes, h

is honesty.

“Alright, Gretna Green it is,” she murmured only to squint up at him suspiciously when he began to laugh.

“What? What is it? Tell me,” she demanded, playfully whacking his arm.

“Gretna Green is a place where people get married. This is Scotland, Rose, where things are done a little differently to England. We can marry here without the legal requirements, broadsheet notices, or requisite waiting period England demands. I want you to marry me just as soon as we can get there.” He paused when his voice turned husky. “We should be there soon. Marry me and we can go to London together as man and wife. You can stay in my house there, with me, without risking censure from anybody because of anything we have done on this trip. You can then write to your parents and tell them that you ran away with me. With the protection of my name they cannot touch you, or demand your return. I shall, of course, countenance no support of them,” he warned.

“I don’t want you to,” she replied. “I have only just realised how sadly my life has been lacking of, well, life. I would be happy if I never went back to their house again.”

“So Gretna Green and then London it is?” He asked hopefully.

Rose saw the love that shone brightly in his eyes. Smiling softly she daringly leaned up and kissed him, right there and then in front of his colleagues, who whistled and cat-called in teasing celebration.

“Gretna Green and London it is,” she whispered; her cheeks aflame. “I love you, Barnaby. Whatever the future holds for us I know this is right. I don’t how I know, I just do. With you by my side I can face anything,” she assured him.

“Good, because I want at least three or four children and a big house in the countryside somewhere. I can change my work around a little so that I am not away from home for long periods of time, but I need to keep working with the Star Elite.”

“I know,” she replied tenderly. When he lifted his brows at her, she smiled in loving reassurance. “Having experienced first-hand just what kind of men you work to put behind bars I fully appreciate the need for the work you do. I don’t mind, really, because I have spent the majority of my life with my parents fending for myself. I shall wait for you to come back to me whenever you can.”

There was such a calm acceptance in her voice that Barnaby turned to stare at her. At first he wasn’t sure she really meant it but, when she turned a loving look on him that rocked him to his very core, he knew he had no reason to doubt her.

She would indeed wait for him, and he would hurry back to her.

The End.