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Adam shrugged. “Well? We all want to hear the answer.”

Beatrice smiled. “Of course, I shall marry you. I love you.”

And then he kissed her to the annoyance of everyone present except for them and Beatrice’s family who cheered and laughed.

“Are you ready to elope?” Beatrice asked with a smile on her lips and a reddish hue on her cheeks.

Adam just shook his head. “No. I want this to be a grand affair with banns and hundreds of guests. I want my family to be present by my side when I pronounce my vows. We are going to do it the right way. We have many more memories to create.”

Then he took her by the hand and they ran out of the church, leaving the crowd to gossip and exchange outraged whispers.

After the end

A month later…

Beatrice popped a spoonful of ices into her mouth and moaned. “Mmm…”

Adam’s eyes were oddly concentrated on her mouth, his eyes dark and hooded.

“No offense to Isabel,” she said, filling the spoon once more, “and do not get me wrong, I love her! But ices with you are sweeter somehow.”

He chuckled, his gaze still intently focused on her mouth.

“What?” She paused with the spoon halfway to her mouth.

“There’s something…” He squinted, and Beatrice immediately felt self-conscious.

There she’d thought he was just admiring her lips, but had she smeared ices all over her mouth? “What? Do I have something on my face?” She rubbed at her mouth, then picked up a napkin and dabbed at her lips.

“No.” He shook his head, tsking. “Lean toward me.”

“Thank you.” She leaned a little, giving him full access to her face.

“Closer.”

She leaned a little closer, jutting out her chin.

He shook his head, his lips flat. “Closer.” He beckoned her with his hands, until, frustrated, Beatrice moved her chair and leaned so close she was only an inch away from his face.

Then he leaned in and stole a quick kiss.

Beatrice’s cheeks heated, and she looked around to see if anyone noticed their inappropriate behavior.

Adam sat back, looking as pleased as a cat who just finished a bowl of cream. “Now my ices are sweeter, too.”

Epilogue

Six months later…

The ship rocked atop the crashing waves, lurching Beatrice this way and that in her seat. She stared at the dark gray sky through the little porthole in their cabin, hoping the weather would clear soon.

She rotated a quill in her hand, dreaming up a scenario for the next scene in her book. However, she wasn’t writing, as the choppy waves and the lurching ship weren’t exactly conducive to writing. Her journal already carried a few botched pages.

Their journey to Calais, which was supposed to take a few hours, had already been delayed for over a day, and she was afraid that if the storm didn’t clear, they would be stuck on this ship for a bit longer.

While the situation didn’t bother Beatrice much, as she enjoyed sea voyages even in difficult circumstances, it was a different matter for her husband, Adam.

A slight groan sounded from behind her, and she turned to see Adam stirring, his face pale and beaded with sweat. Carefully, she set aside her journal and knelt beside him as he struggled to sit up. It was unusual, to say the least, to see this strong, muscular, confident man so weak.