'And then there I was,' she smiled.
'And I was so full of joy to see you, I forgot totally all that guff about cutting you out of my life-and asked you to marry me.'
Yancie's smile became a beam. `That's what happens when you're caught with your defences down.'
Thomson smiled a loving smile at her. `The only problem with will-power versus a syringe full of something sleep-inducing. I managed to get the question out-but couldn't stay awake to hear the answer.'
Was he again asking her to marry him? Yancie felt that he was, and she now knew that, as she loved him, so Thomson loved her. But this totally alien shyness that seemed to go hand in hand with this love business was getting in the way again-and she was both shy and unsure.
But Thomson was looking at her, a touch of strain there in his look when, as she hadn't answered, he continued, `I thought, when you didn't come to see me again, that I had your answer, your refusal. But, given that you have come to see me now-in spite of my mother's interference-may I take it you don't believe I was engaged to someone else?'
Yancie took a deep and steadying breath. And repeated back a phrase he had used earlier. `While I'm willing to concede there's a vast amount I don't know about you, I think I've learned enough to know that…' she broke off to fly solo '…to know that your integrity is without question. And, while I'll agree that it took me a long while to get there, to get to see it-this love thing is a devil for clouding the issue-I just couldn't see that you would allow yourself to get in the situations we did, a couple of times, if you were serious about someone else.'
'Oh, sweetheart,' Thomson breathed. `Is it any wonder that I love you to distraction?' Yancie smiled a dreamy kind of smile-it all seemed so totally incredible. Thomson gave her a tiny shake. ` So-please-will you marry me?' he asked.
She let go a sigh of a breath. `Oh, Thomson,' she whispered, her heart in her eyes. 'I'm certain that if you can put up with my mother, then I can put up with yours.'
'I'm going to take that as a yes,' he stated positively.
Her heart was so full, she had trouble speaking. But she managed, `I'd be glad if you would.'
And Thomson, hearing her choky words, laughed a tender, joyous laugh and gathered her to him, his mouth against her mouth. `Life,' he murmured positively, `will never be dull again.'
A month later Ralph Proctor escorted his stepdaughter down the aisle. Behind them, dressed in scarlet silk and lace, and looking beautiful, were Yancie's cousins, black-haired Fennia and red-headed Astra. They had attended to her every need that morning. But now, as Yancie went down the aisle to the mann she would marry, Yancie could think of nothing but him.
Tall, dark and straight in his morning suit, he turned as she reached his side, and her heart almost stopped, he looked so handsome. His breath seemed to catch too when he saw her in her exquisite bridal gown. She wore a veil, but he was able to see into her face.
He caught her hand, and, as if he had forgotten the existence of anyone but her, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. `This has been the longest month of my life,' he breathed so only she should hear.
'For me too,' she whispered. And they smiled tenderly at each other, then Astra and Fennia together took charge of her bouquet, and the vicar stepped forward and, amongst joy, tenderness and love, Yancie Dawkins was married to Thomson Wakefield.
They posed for photographs afterwards. `Thank you for marrying me, Yancie Wakefield,' Thomson murmured lovingly, his arm firm about her waist.
'The pleasure was all mine, Mr Wakefield, sir,' she answered softly.
They both burst out laughing. Never had either of them been so wonderfully in tune-or so wonderfully happy.
Jessica Steele
