I continued to grin, unabashed. ‘Sorry to disappoint.’
‘You don’t look sorry.’
‘Oh my. Indeed?’
His small dark eyes scrutinized me for a long moment. ‘You look…happy.’
The grin on my face slowly morphed, until a soft, sincere smile was left, unlike any I could remember having on my face before. ‘I am.’
‘Hm.’ His jaw worked for a moment—then he glanced at Mr Ambrose. ‘Maybe we can discuss who shall take care of the wedding costs at a later date.’
Giving me a long look, Mr Ambrose’s hand squeezed mine. ‘Agreed.’
‘So…’ Reaching out, I took his gnarled old hand. ‘Will you give it to me? For free?’
He knew what I meant. His jaw worked, and, after a moment of intense struggle, he nodded.
‘You have my blessing.’
A Warning to the Grim Reaper
Chapter 33
‘Cold, Hard Commitment’ from Mr Ambrose’s Point of View
I stood there, in the garden, gazing up at the window pane at the back of the hotel. The window pane that blocked my way to her.
I knew it was a waste of money to pay for this much glass. I should just have left the windows empty instead, customer complaints be damned!
Well, no matter. This problem was easily resolved.
Bending down, I picked up some gravel from the path that ran behind the building and hurled it against the window.
Plink.
I waited.
And waited.
And waited another long, long moment.
By Mammon! Three entire moments of waiting? This whole ‘love’ thing was really getting out of hand!
Or at least that’s what I thought until she opened the window and I saw her face.
For one long second, we gazed at each other in silence, I ordered.
‘Come,’ I ordered.
Her face twisted in a way that made me want to tear the wall down, as well as any other obstacles that stood between us. ‘I can’t. I…I might have caught the disease. I can’t come near you until—’
My eyes narrowed. ‘Miss Linton?’
‘Yes?’
‘Get your derrière down here right now.’
‘I thought you had promised not to give me any more orders.’