Tempted by Trouble (16 page)

‘With
me
?'

‘Oh, yes. I wanted to tear Frederickson apart with my bare hands, but it was you I was really angry with.' Once the flood-gates were unlocked it all came pouring out of him. ‘Angry with you for letting any man do that to you. For not valuing yourself. For not punching him in the eye the first time he'd come on to you.'

‘That
was
the first…'

‘For not punching him in the eye the first time he touched you, held onto your arm a little too long. I wanted to shake you, Elle, tell you that you were a fool. Tell you that you are
worth so much more than that. I wanted to shake you because you had made me believe and suddenly it was all falling apart. Shake you and hold you so that you'd know you never had to do that again. Hold you and tell you that I love you…' And he stopped. That was it. Those were the words. ‘I love you.'

‘Enough to give me your flake?' she teased shakily.

‘Enough to give you my life. Will you take it?' he asked simply.

Elle looked at him. How could you resist a man who'd lay himself bare like that? Mess up and admit it. Be so painfully honest that it hurt to watch. He'd come so far in the time she'd known him. He was always a big man, challenging life, making it back down. But he'd learnt to be kind to himself. Let people close enough to hurt and, when it had hurt, he'd still come back for more.

She'd fallen in lust with him at first sight. Thought she'd grown to love him. But this feeling was bigger than that. They'd been good for each other. Each challenging the other's fear and bringing out something shining and new in a few short weeks. What could they achieve in a lifetime?

‘Final answer?' she asked.

‘That depends. Because I'll go on asking until I get the right one.'

There was a rap on the serving hatch. ‘Excuse me, but are you open? Only we'd like an ice,' a voice said.

Elle gave a little gasp and then burst out laughing.

‘We really are going to have to stop meeting like this,' Sean said, hauling himself out of his seat. ‘Can I get you something?'

‘Yes,' she said, grinning. ‘But it will wait.'

 

Rosie came to the wedding all gussied up in pink and white ribbons. Basil was in charge, decked out in a striped blazer and straw boater.

Geli rode the ice cream bicycle in matching gear, hand
ing out ice lollies to visitors to the estate as well as wedding guests.

All Sean's nieces, under the control of Sorrel, gorgeous in pale mint silk, were dressed in ice cream coloured tulle.

In the Orangery Basil walked Elle through their friends and family as a harpist played ‘Greensleeves', and delivered her to Sean.

The ceremony was brief but moving and afterwards the word for the reception was definitely
fun
. Hattie had created a marquee that looked like a seaside show tent, flags flying. Olivia had found a Punch and Judy man to entertain the children. And there was candyfloss, bouncy castles, roundabouts and a ride-on train. There were donkey rides, too. And even a mini beach with buckets and spades.

Sean, caught by Elle's grandmother, looked around for Elle. She seemed to have disappeared and he wanted to slip away to the barn where they were spending the night before leaving for their honeymoon in the morning.

He'd shared her with everyone for long enough.

A mobile phone began to ring and Lally pulled it out of her pocket. ‘Hello? Oh, it's for you,' she said.

‘Me?' He took the phone. ‘Sean McElroy?'

‘Remember you said when I had a free evening to call you?'

‘Vividly.'

‘Well, if you can find me, it's your birthday.'

He found her waiting for him in one of the Adirondack chairs overlooking the river, a cold box at her feet.

He leaned over and kissed her. ‘Is that ice cream you've got in the cool box?'

‘I've decided that today is your birthday, Sean,' she said, lifting her arms and sliding them around his neck. ‘It's time to unwrap your present.'

He lifted her to her feet, held her. ‘Since I found you, my Elle, my Lovage, I've been reborn. Every day has been a gift.' And his kiss was a promise that he would make it his life's work to return the treasure a hundredfold.