“Thank you,” she murmured as she pinned the orchids to her navy dress.
“Shall we dance?” he asked, gesturing to the floor.
She realized then that he wasn’t wearing his sling. “It’s gone!”
“The doctor changed his mind about surgery. He told me I could remove it just this morning. I’ve been warned every way from Sunday that I can’t do much with it, but he didn’t disapprove of the idea of me leading a beautiful woman around on the dance floor, so long as the song is slow.”
“Then we should dance to celebrate,” she said, taking his hand.
They pushed into the crowd of RAF men, army officers, WAAFs, land girls, nurses, and doctors. When they found a patch of dance floor, Graeme slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her to him. “Here we go,” he said.
“Where did you find orchids?” she asked.
“I have my methods,” he said, a twinkle in his eye. When she laughed, he added, “Highbury House isn’t the only big house in the area. I happen across Lord Walford of Braembreidge Manor walking his dogs from time to time. His house was requisitioned for a school, but he refused to leave because he has a prizewinning collection of orchids. When I explained the situation, he gave me a few.”
“He gave you his prizewinning orchids?” she asked.
He grinned down at her. “I told him that they would be worn by the most beautiful woman in the world tonight. Lord Walford is a bit of an old romantic underneath it all.”
He pulled her closer to him, and it seemed the most natural thing to rest her head lightly against his shoulder.
“This isn’t hurting you, is it?” she asked, glancing up at him.
“Not even the littlest bit,” he said.
“Good,” she murmured into the warm wool of his jacket.
When the song ended, she reluctantly began to step away, aware of the couples breaking apart all around her. But although he dropped her hand and let his arm slide from around her waist, he twined his fingers in hers. “Do you fancy a walk in the gardens?” he asked.
She cast a glance around. “Are we supposed to?”
“I don’t think Mrs. Symonds will mind,” he said, jerking his chin to where the mistress of the house was laughingly protesting being led out by a senior officer.
“I’ve never seen her look that happy before,” said Beth in awe.
“I don’t think she laughs often. It’s a shame.” He tugged her hand. “Let’s go.”
She let him pull her toward the lime walk. New green leaves fanned out above them in the soft light of the early evening.
“Have you thought of the end of the war?” he asked her as he tucked her hand into the crook of his arm.
“Haven’t we all?”
“I mean, have you thought about what you’ll do? Or where you’ll go?” he asked.
She paused. “I thought that maybe I could ask Mr. and Mrs. Penworthy if they could afford to have me stay on. If they need me, that is.” She paused. “I can’t go back to Dorking.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t have a home there any longer. My aunt made it clear that she’d done her duty by me. I’m on my own.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not. When she took me in, I didn’t have anyone in the world, and I would have likely ended up in an orphanage otherwise. But she made it clear from the beginning that she didn’t want me.”
He shook his head. “How could anyone not want you?”
She didn’t demure at the compliment. She liked hearing Graeme say these things. Colin had written sweet things to her, too, but she couldn’t help feeling it had been a pantomime of a happy couple.
“What would you want to do if you could do anything with your life?” Graeme asked.
“I would want to be around people who care about me,” she said automatically. “I might stay in Highbury. I know the people at the neighboring farms. Shopkeepers recognize me when I go into the village. The librarian holds books for me just because she thinks that I might enjoy them, and Stella always has a pot of water on for tea when I come to make my weekly delivery. Even Mrs. Symonds is kind to me. I’ve never had that before.”
“You’re not dreaming of a life in London?” he asked.
She shrugged as they turned onto the path at the top of the sculpture garden. “What is there for me in London?”
“I thought all women wanted fashion and theater and restaurants and glamour,” he said with a laugh.
She paused, resting a hand on his arm to stop him, the heady scent of the first lavender blooms drifting over. “If I wanted those things, there would be nothing wrong with that, but I don’t. I want other things.”
“There are so many things I want to ask you. A thousand questions. I don’t want to spend one day with you, but a thousand days.” He grew serious now. “I wonder, Beth, if I could ever hope that you would spend those days with me by your side.”
Her grip tightened. “Graeme, what are you asking me?”
She watched as he lowered himself to one knee, grasping her hand as he went.
“I don’t know when this war will end, but I do know that when it does, I want to come home to you.” He swallowed then and asked, “Elizabeth Pedley, would you do me the greatest honor and say you’ll be my wife?”
“Graeme, we hardly know each other,” she breathed.
“If this war has taught me anything it’s that life is too short to wait when you know what you want,” he said.
“You’re certain?” she asked.
“I thought I was going to be the one asking the questions.”
“Be serious. This is marriage we’re talking about. Forever.”
He lowered his forehead to the hand he held clasped in his hands. “You’re right. I just… Those days when I see you out in the fields or in the garden have been the happiest of my life. You’re a beacon in the night sky, Beth. Please be mine.”
There were so many reasons to say no. She’d known him for only a few short months. She hadn’t met his family. She had to sort out the mess with Colin. And yet, when she stared down at the man whose eyes were fixed on hers, none of that mattered. He was the one she wanted.
“Yes,” she said in a quiet voice.
“Yes?” he asked.
She laughed. “Yes!”
He surged up, catching her around the middle with his good arm and pulling her into a kiss. A proper kiss. Their first. She sank against him as he cradled the back of her head in his hand, his lips moving slowly over hers. She clung to the lapels of his jacket, desperate not to let this moment go.
When finally he broke away breathless, he stroked a thumb along the line of her jaw. “I was so certain you were going to say no. But since you didn’t…” He pulled out a slim package from the inside pocket of his uniform jacket. “I will get you a ring, but until then, perhaps you’ll accept this.”
She pulled the twine and brown paper from the package. It was a long, slim metal case with “Derwent” painted on the top. “You bought me pencils?”
“For your drawings.”
She threw her arms around him and kissed him. “You wonderful man!” She laughed and kissed him again. “Why would you ever think I would say no?”