Mrs. Keller and Serena with her little boy stood on the porch watching Felicity, pleased smiles upon their faces.
Although he wanted to wrap his arms around Felicity and kiss her into oblivion, he’d exerted incredible patience over the past few days. Just a little longer. That’s what he’d been telling himself to hold back.
The wagon was waiting in front of the house, the old gelding hitched and ready to go. And of course, Sven had his horse saddled and intended to accompany them.
“Why won’t you tell me where we’re going?” Felicity asked as he led her toward the wagon, her hand tucked into the crook of his arm.
“It’s a surprise, and by definition of a surprise, you aren’t supposed to know.”
“What if I don’t want it to be a surprise?” Her brown eyes rounded with anticipation, and the slight curl of her lips hinted at just how much she was enjoying his scheming.
He patted his camera case and tripod as he passed by the back of the wagon. He’d already used the excuse that he wanted to get more photographs today, particularly one of them together. But he’d refrained from telling her the location of the pictures. And he didn’t intend to tell her until they were there.
“I’ll give you one clue. You get to spend the morning with an incredibly handsome man.”
“I do?” She feigned innocence. “Then I’ll look forward to meeting him.”
He grinned and prayed he’d get a lifetime of such banter with her.
The trip to town was filled with more of her teasing questions. As they rolled down Main Street, his heart began to thud harder, and his palms grew damp. He could admit, he was a little nervous.
What if she didn’t agree to his plans?
Over the past three days since the kidnapping, she’d been urging him to go someplace new and hide. She was afraid Gustaf had hired more than one assassin. But Sven had assured them he’d only ever seen the one. Sven had privately informed him that it wouldn’t be long before Gustaf hired another, especially once he realized he was no longer receiving communication from his man.
That meant they had a blessed reprieve from the threat of death, and the urgency of leaving Fairplay had diminished.
Even so, Felicity was worried. Philip didn’t blame her after what she’d experienced. But he’d asked her not to talk about their parting ways yet and instead to simply enjoy the extra few days they had together.
She’d agreed, but he’d still seen the hint of sadness in her eyes and had caught her looking at him with tears in her eyes on a couple of occasions, as though she was already bracing herself for his departure.
Except that he’d meant his resolve. He didn’t intend to part ways with her . . . ever.
As the wagon rolled to a stop, Felicity glanced around. “We’re getting our pictures taken in town?”
“Is there something wrong with that?”
She peered around at the boardwalks caked with dried mud, the rutted street still filled with puddles, and the gray, weathered buildings with their false fronts. Fairplay itself wasn’t a beautiful or picturesque town, but with the mountains in the distance on every side, he’d grown attached to the place. Or maybe he liked the town because of the woman he’d met there.
Whatever the case, he helped her down from the wagon, then strolled alongside her down the boardwalk with Sven only a few paces behind.
“Are you ready for the greatest day of your life?” He tried to tame the flock of birds attempting to take flight inside him.
She quirked a brow. “Greatest day?”
“It will be the greatest day for me, if you say yes.” He stopped.
“And what exactly am I saying yes to?”
He opened the door that was next to them. The church door. “Say yes to marrying me.”
24
Marry Philip?
Felicity drew in a sharp breath.
Was Philip proposing?
As if hearing her unasked question, in the next instant, he was lowering himself to his knee in front of her, still holding one of her hands. He peered up at her, his smile growing and his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I want to marry you, Felicity. And I want you to come with me wherever I go and be with me always.”
With her free hand, she pinched herself. Was this a dream?
At a movement behind them inside the church, she sucked in another breath. Charity and Patience and their husbands were beaming at her near the altar. In front of them stood Father Zieber, his prayer book open, the candelabras lit, and a smile upon his face.
After three months apart from Charity, Felicity wanted to rush into the church and give her sister a hug. A dozen questions also clamored for answers. Topmost among them was why Charity was back in Fairplay and when had she arrived.
But with Philip on his knee in front of her, his handsome face filled with expectation and his blue eyes brimming with love, she cast aside the questions and focused on the man she loved.
“Please say yes to marrying me,” he said again, “and make me the happiest man on earth.”
The word yes pushed for release, but she bit it back. He was a prince, and he’d already once told her that he didn’t have the freedom to choose his own wife without the input of his government. But she couldn’t very well say that here. Not with everyone looking on.
“I thought you couldn’t,” she whispered. “What about the law?”
“I don’t care,” he whispered in return. “I sent a telegram. I asked for their support but told them I intended to marry the woman I love regardless.”
“What if they decide to punish you for it?” She wasn’t sure how a government could punish a prince. Would they take away his title? Ban him from the country? Force him into exile?
“I am still willing to do my duty if the day should come that they want me to become—” Still on his knees, he cast a sideways glance toward their onlookers in the church.
She knew he was referring to the kingship if Gustaf was deposed. They’d talked about it more over the past few days together, and Philip had explained all that had transpired with Gustaf, the populace’s dissatisfaction, and the growing turmoil. He’d also told her about the laws and regulations and the elected governing body, all of which Gustaf had ignored as he’d taken control of the country.
After their conversations, she wholeheartedly supported Philip’s need to take the kingship and serve his country. “I don’t want to be the cause of you not fulfilling your destiny.”
“You won’t be.” He dropped his voice again so that no one could hear their conversation. “I assured the prime minister I shall still be my country’s humble servant in any capacity but shall do so with you by my side.”
“And what was the reply?”
“He hasn’t responded.” He lifted her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss there.
Although the touch was light, the tenderness, the adoration, and the desire promised much more to come—a promise that she wasn’t sure she was ready to accept. Not because she didn’t want all he was offering but because she loved him too much to hold him back from his future.
“I want to marry you here today. Now.” His voice was raspy with wanting. “Because I can’t bear the thought of spending a single second more of my life away from you.”