Belle watched him walk to his room then glanced at the door to see Hew close it behind him. She frowned. “I thought you would be on your way back by now. Mr. Galloway seemed to think Baron Keating had much to discuss with you.”
“I do need to speak with him.” He started toward her. “We’ll need to coordinate with the Home Office and the railroads to take Pennywhistle into custody and charge him with sabotage, among other crimes.”
“Don’t forget arson.”
He smiled. “I wouldn’t dare, and I didn’t dare leave without speaking to you first.”
“Go on. You want to thank me for giving you the brilliant plan last night? I told you my father was alive, and I told you my plan would work.”
He was standing beside her chair now, looking down at her. “I should always listen to you. You were right. About everything.”
Belle opened her mouth then closed it again. She was used to acting more confident than she felt, used to putting on a brave face with young, handsome men like Hew Arundel. That was if they looked at her twice. And now Hew was looking at her quite intently.
“Do you know what else you were right about?”
Her heart had begun to beat faster, making her feel a little dizzy and lightheaded. “No,” she said, her voice all but a whisper.
“You said I would beg you to marry me.”
“And?” Her heart was about to leap from her chest. This was not happening. He was not about to propose.
“You were right.” He sank to one knee and took her hand.
“What are you doing?” Panic crept into her chest and gripped her lungs so that she couldn’t seem to take a deep breath.
“Your hand is shaking,” he said. “And you look a bit pale.”
“I’m hungry.”
Hew nodded and squeezed her hand. “Is that it? Or is it that you aren’t as sure of yourself as you pretended, and now that what you wanted is happening, you can’t seem to believe it.”
She tugged her hand out of his. “What I wanted?” She shook her head. “I never said I wanted to marry you. I said you’d beg me because one day you would realize the same thing I did.”
“And what’s that?”
“That you love me and want to be with me.”
Hew nodded. “I did realize that. I also know you love me and want to be with me.”
“In my weak moments, I might have said that.”
“And in my weak moments, I told you I’d never marry again.” He took her hand again, catching it and holding it tightly after she tried to evade him. “I was afraid. I can admit it.”
Belle looked into his eyes. They were that dark velvet blue she so loved. Finally, she stopped fighting him.
“I didn’t want to trust you,” he said. “I didn’t want to love you. But you tore down every single one of my defenses, and I think I loved and trusted you before I even had a chance to fight it.”
“I disagree. You fought it quite well.”
He smiled. “God, how would I ever live without you? I can’t, Belle. That’s the truth. Marry me.”
She opened her mouth to agree, but her throat was so dry she couldn’t seem to speak. Hew took that to mean he hadn’t said enough.
“I know you have your concerns. I told you about my first marriage. I blamed the failure on Clara, but I was wrong to put the whole of the failure on her. I made mistakes too. I married for the wrong reasons, first of all,” he said. “I never loved her. Not like I should have. But I love you.”
Belle felt her heart leap into her throat. He’d said he loved her before, but not like this, not looking at her like he did now, not with his heart all but on his sleeve. His vulnerability all but broke her.
“You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved. The only woman I believe I will ever love. Belle, you made me want to risk everything again. If you tell me no, I’ll respect your decision, but please God, don’t tell me no.”
“I won’t,” she said, her voice cracking.
Hew seemed to crumple before her. “I understand. I—”
She tightened her grip on his hand, just as it began to loosen. “I mean, I won’t tell you no. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“You’ll marry me?”
She nodded, and then she was swept up and into his arms. He was twirling her about, kissing her face, telling her he loved her. Belle adored every moment of it, but finally his lips met hers, and she grasped handfuls of his hair and kissed him back. He groped for a moment, sat on the couch, and pulled her into his lap, still kissing her. His mouth went to her neck, and he murmured words of love and praise. She was laughing and crying, telling him, “I love you too.” Then she took his face in her hands and pulled back. “But don’t think I will leave the tea shop. I’ll never give it up.”
“Good,” he said. “I’d never want you to.”
Belle felt her heart rise like that balloon she’d seen float into the sky once over Hyde Park when she was a young girl. She’d marveled at how light and weightless it had seemed, and now she felt as though she could fly too. “Do you know what I want?” she asked.
“What’s that?”
“Let me show you.” She bent to kiss him again, and then there was the sound of a throat clearing. Hew jumped up, setting Belle on the floor and stepping away from her.
“Sir.” He nodded at her father who had just stepped out of his bed chamber. At least Belle hoped he had just stepped out.
“I hope from what I’ve just seen that congratulations are in order?”
Belle ran to him. “He wants to marry me!” She hugged her father. He hugged her back.
“But do you want to marry him?”
She laughed. “Of course. I love him.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
She nodded. “I’d give up the Pan Long Yin Hao for him.”
“Not the one from the Emperor of China.”
“Yes. I love him that much.”
He looked at Hew. “You’re a lucky man.”
“I have no idea what you just said, but you’ll never have to give up the Long Pan—er, I’ll never ask you to give up a thing. I’ll give you everything you’ve ever wanted and more.”
BELLE HAD THOUGHT HEW was exaggerating in the heat of the moment. Didn’t all prospective grooms pledge the earth and the sun and the moon as well? She should have known better. Hew didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep—though he sometimes took his time in keeping them.
First, he disappeared for three weeks. He’d told her he had to return to the Farm—wherever that was—and he’d be back in London to marry her as soon as possible. He’d arranged for Belle and her father to stay at Mivart’s as long as they wanted. But Belle and her father were more than happy to return to their flat and Howard’s Teas & Treats. The shop still smelled of smoke, but they worked tirelessly to repair the fire damage, air it out, and restock the teas and other sundries. Mrs. Tipps checked on them daily, and Mrs. Price helped with the cleaning and dusting. They tried to keep her from stocking. She tended to misplace items and then one found them in the oddest places later. As much as Belle wanted to dislike Mrs. Price, she had to admit, she was a helpful neighbor. And Belle didn’t mind that there seemed to be growing affection between her father and Mrs. Price. After all, she didn’t want her father to be all alone when she married.