The trip back to the house in Oxford took two weeks. Alex required surgery on her leg and time to allow the rest of her injuries to improve before attempting the journey. Henry and Alex made the trip without Simon. He’d disappeared after getting them both to the hospital. He told Henry he’d be in touch. So far, he hadn’t even sent a text.
With Simon gone, Alex adopted his recliner as her favorite place to prop up her feet. Henry stood in the doorway of the den and enjoyed the sight of her healing and growing whole again. Immersed in a book, she hummed Vivaldi between sips of tea, while wearing a baggy Oxford sweatshirt. Her loose skirt hung over the edge of the footrest and a small fleece blanket covered her lap.
“Henry, if you’re going to stare at me and get all sentimental and sappy, I’m going to have to check into a hotel. You’re becoming pathetic.”
He loved her attitude. “It’s nice to see you home finally.”
She shut the book and placed it on the table next to her. “Remember, this is only a resting stop for me. I have bigger and better things to do than sit around all day sipping tea. You’re an anchor on my ambitions.”
He would support any decision she made, but would do everything in his power to convince her that her place was with him. “Really? You have ambitions?”
“I was thinking of finding a new job.”
“A job?” After all the suffering she went through, she needed to rest.
“Unlike the aristocracy of England, some people need to work.”
Henry laughed. “An heiress to a biotech fortune needs the money less than I do.”
“It’s not always about the money. Perhaps my father should donate my trust fund to your family foundation, or maybe I’ll start a foundation here to help organizations like the Ripon Women’s Group. If you let me, my first priority will be to renovate the wing.”
He’d let her redesign the entire castle in fluorescent colors if she stayed.
“You also have to contend with Luc’s inheritance. What will you do with several million euros?”
“That one is easy. I’m donating the money to the countries that’ve had their treasures stolen from pirates like Luc. I hope it helps return some of them to their rightful owners.”
“I’m proud of you.”
“I’m proud of you, too. You rescued me, despite the dangers, although I’m glad Simon was there with you.”
“I more than held my own.” He lifted his hand. It was still wrapped up, but an inventive surgeon replaced the lost bone and made his hand functional.
“From what Simon told me, you saved my life and his, too. Not bad for a navy medic.”
“Don’t forget my stint in food preparation.”
“How could I forget?”
“Simon needs credit, too, for providing the weapons and keeping me sane enough to rescue you.”
“He’d be even more heroic if he didn’t disappear after telling me all the amazing things you did to save me.”
Simon’s job required him to disappear now and then. In this case, he also needed to separate himself from the three bodies found in Luc’s house. Henry would miss his companionship and his cooking. “He’ll be back after he ties up some loose ends.”
“I hope so, but I’m keeping the chair until I leave.”
“Agreed.” Henry patted his pocket. She couldn’t leave him. They were both capable of surviving alone, but were far better together, like bangers and mash. He sat on the edge of the recliner and brushed his good fingers through her hair. She leaned into his caress, and they both existed in each other’s company for a few moments.
“You left something with me a few weeks ago. It belongs to you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the engagement ring, lifted her hand, and slid it onto her finger.
She stared at it. “I love this ring, but I can’t wear it.”
“Why not?” Henry’s heartbeat raced. He wanted to marry her for real. With her in his life, everything made sense. Everything had more depth and meaning and fun.
She held her hand out and continued to examine the ring. She shook her head. “It belongs to the Countess of Ripon. Mr. Baum will implode if he knows you’ve handed it over to some American commoner.”
“You’re not common. Besides, my uncle used a few of his political connections to remove Mr. Baum from his post.”
“Powerful family. Perhaps the next trustee will care about the Ripon Women’s Group. It almost makes me want to stay and help out. Transforming back into a Northrop instead of a Lemoine, however, means I can’t live in sin with my boyfriend. I need something more permanent. Bostonians are far more conservative than Parisians.”
Henry grimaced at how difficult Alex was being, but then his smile broke through as he realized what she’d said.
“Since marriage to me would be as permanent as it gets, will you agree to be my countess?” The hole in his heart filled completely. Alex wanted to marry him.
“No.” She sighed and continued to assess the ring. “I’ve agreed to be your wife. I’m not some damsel in a Regency novel. This is the twenty-first century, and I don’t particularly want an earl.”
“If you hate earls so much, why do you have ER tattooed here?” He brushed his hand over her breast and let it linger.
She slid her hand up his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. “For practical reasons. They were the only letters I could make out of L and P without missing the train to New England.”
“To me, it’ll always mean your undying love and devotion to me.” Henry kissed her temple.
She sighed in response. “Whatever. We still need to negotiate this whole title thing. It would ruin my creative reputation to be a stuffy countess. Perhaps you could abdicate.”
“One doesn’t abdicate a title, only a throne. You must have missed that when reading your books in the barn.”
“The barn was pretty small. Why don’t you give the title to your uncle?”
“If you’d like, but we’d have to give up the castle and the hedge maze. They go along with the title. And he’d never allow the Ripon’s Women Group to use the east wing.”