Startled, she looked at Gregory. “How many are there outside?”
“Most of the Hall’s residents. And others, like Julia, were here, but have gone back to wait in the house.” He smiled at her. “Virtually everyone turned out to find you—you are much loved here. Never doubt it.”
Even in the diffuse light of the lantern he held hooked over the fingers of one hand, the expression in his eyes sent her heart soaring.
He reached the bottom of the steps and paused. He glanced briefly up, and she did, too. The others had vanished into the twilight above.
She tightened her arms about his neck, and as she looked his way again, he bent his head, and she stretched up and drew his lips to hers.
The kiss was full of emotion—some of it tentative, but all of it real—as recognition, understanding, and acceptance flowed between them.
As they reluctantly drew back, she murmured, “I would have panicked, but I knew you would come for me.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “Just the thought of losing you…I couldn’t bear it. Couldn’t even stomach thinking of it.” He raised his head and looked into her eyes. “You have to marry me and put me out of my misery.”
She smiled mistily and knew her heart shone in her eyes. “You haven’t asked me yet.”
“I plan to—you know that. But for you…I want to do it properly, with the right fanfare and atmosphere and everything else you deserve.”
She wouldn’t care but sensed that for him, “doing it properly” meant something, so she inclined her head and, still smiling, replied, “And when you do, just so you know, I plan to say yes.”
He smiled, then lightly laughed and bent and kissed her again, and she welcomed the caress and returned it and rejoiced.
“A-hem!”
The noisy clearing of a large throat had them breaking apart and glancing up at the top of the steps.
Rory stood silhouetted against the darkening sky, haloed by the lanterns of those still waiting on them. “If you two lovebirds are quite finished, there’s a small army waiting to see with their own eyes that Caitlin’s all right.”
She laughed, and Gregory smiled and obediently carried her up the steps and into the evening’s gloom that was held at bay by the lanterns carried by a cheering throng.
As people gathered around, patting her shoulders, arms, or legs or catching her free hand and squeezing it, Gregory’s words, “you are much loved here,” echoed in her mind.
These were the people she’d spent the past years helping, and they’d turned out en masse to help her.
Her heart swelled as every last one crowded close to reassure themselves she was unharmed, unhurt, and in good spirits.
Millie handed back Caitlin’s handkerchief, and others praised her for her quick thinking in dropping it.
“Gave us heart, it did,” Jenkins informed her.
Old Blackie grinned at her. “Finding it told us we were on the right track.”
But Millie had started frowning. “But what about your legs? Why is Mr. Cynster carrying you?”
That was an excellent question. Caitlin arched a brow at the gentleman in question. “I’m perfectly all right, and I’m sure I can walk.”
His lips compressed, and she felt his grip on her side and legs tighten. “You were wobbling in the crypt, and the ground out here is the definition of uneven.” He raised his head and, to the others, confidingly said, “Best, I think, that I carry our chatelaine-cum-steward safely to the house.”
Unsurprisingly, there were murmurs of agreement, some tinged with concern at the suggestion, however vague, of any lingering weakness.
Caitlin suppressed the urge to insist she was perfectly capable of walking the hundred or so yards to the house. If she was going to accept Gregory’s offer of marriage, presumably she would have to grow accustomed to such displays of protectiveness.
Especially as her cousins and uncle were only too likely to step up in Gregory’s stead.
“Right, then.” Plainly taking her silence as acquiescence to his cosseting, Gregory hefted her slightly and stepped forward. “Let’s get you back to the Hall.”
He started walking, carefully stepping over the rocks and shattered stones littering the ground, and the others fanned out to either side and followed, an escort of happy, relieved friends bearing them forward on a wave of affection.
