‘Yes. To the Cap’n.’ For as long as he wanted her, for whatever he wanted her as. She loved him, she was his. Papa, she thought. Forgive me, but he is my life now. I ruined your plans the moment I left Bradon. I cannot live without Luc.
‘Right, miss. Don’t know as we can get your stuff off again, though.’
‘It doesn’t matter, just so long as we don’t forget Grace.’
‘I wouldn’t do that, miss,’ Ferret said with an emphasis that cut through her preoccupation with Luc. Ferret and Grace?
It took some argument and several guineas before the captain agreed to put another two passengers and their hand baggage off, but at last, as the ship lost way and the pilot boat came alongside, she was scrambling down the ladder with Ferret’s hands on her ankles guiding her safely. ‘If you’ll excuse the liberty, miss.’
‘Of course.’ And Grace seemed to be positively enjoying it when her turn came.
The cutter cast off and headed for shore. ‘What’s that?’ the pilot said, scratching his head and pointing at an identical craft heading out towards them. ‘Late passenger, I reckon.’
There was a man standing up in the bows, rock-steady, at home on a ship. A man she would know anywhere. ‘Luc,’ she whispered.
Hands reached out to stop her as she fought her way forwards amongst sailors and coils of rope. Then she was standing on the prow as he was and as the boats lost way and came together he reached out and caught hold of her and swung her across to him.
‘Averil. You were coming back to me?’
‘Yes. To you.’ She stood there in the circle of his arm and everything vanished, the onlookers, the tossing boat, everything but him. ‘You were coming for me?’
‘I love you. Why did I not know before? I love you.’ He looked down at her, and for the first time she saw real uncertainty on his face. ‘Do you think you could …? You came back. I thought I would be too late. I rode harder than I ever have in my life and yet I thought I would be too late. But you are here for me …’
‘Because I love you, too. More than anything, more than everything. I love you, Luc.’
‘Thank God.’ He closed his eyes and pulled her tight against him and she could hear his heart thudding as though he had been running. ‘Let’s go home.’
Luc was so silent beside her in the carriage on the long drive back from Tilbury that Averil wondered if he had changed his mind. But his arm as he held her against his chest was rock steady and his breathing was even, like that of a contented man. After a while she felt pressure on the top of her head and realised he was resting his cheek on her hair. She wanted to close her eyes and just luxuriate in being loved, but there too many things to worry about yet.
‘Should I go into the country for a while until Bradon gives up looking for me?’ she asked after twenty minutes.
‘He is going to know soon enough,’ Luc said.
‘But he will call you out!’ Averil wriggled free and twisted on the seat to look at him.
‘He’ll humiliate himself if he does—you were not known to be his betrothed, so if he fights me over you it will become common knowledge that he was jilted. If there was a chance he could get you back without a fuss, then that would be one thing—that was what I was afraid of, that he’d snatch you if he found you—but he won’t be able to do that now.’
‘But why not? We know he is ruthless and cold-blooded—’
‘A married woman is of no use to him,’ Luc said so calmly that for a moment she missed his meaning.
‘Married? You mean to marry me?’
‘Of course.’ His smile as he saw the realisation hit her was pure, unclouded joy. ‘There is no need to worry about banns—I can swear the allegation and get a licence from the vicar at St James’s church just opposite Albany. I can prove residence easily enough, even though I am hardly a regular churchgoer. You do not mind St James’s?’
‘Mind? But you cannot marry me, Luc. You want a Frenchwoman. And my grandfather was a grocer, for goodness’ sake!’
‘So you came back to be my mistress?’ It was his turn to stare now. ‘You love me enough to do that?’
‘Of course,’ she said, impatient that he did not understand. ‘For as long as you want me.’
‘I want you for ever.’ He shook his head, as frustrated as she by their mutual incomprehension. ‘I did not understand what it was to be in love. I made all those stupid conditions, set up barriers that mean nothing. Yes, you are English, but you can learn French, we can divide our time so the children can grow up in both countries. Our first son, of course, will inherit the title, so he must always feel more French than English, but I know you will support me in that.’
‘Children,’ she murmured, and nodded, too moved for words. Their children. She wanted to kiss him because the look in his eyes answered every doubt she could ever have that he loved her.
‘D’Aunays do not marry trade,’ Luc said bitterly. ‘I can just hear the words in my head. I was a fool, a prejudiced fool. Well, this d’Aunay will marry for love. All that matters is that I have found an intelligent, brave, beautiful woman whom I adore and who will stand by my side.’
It was a dream come true, and like all dreams, nightmare lurked on the edges. ‘Bradon could sue you for alienation of my affections, the loss of my dowry.’