Somewhere in His Arms (54 page)

             
“Good,” he sighed back and held her close.

             
The three-minute ride to Per Se was almost an insult to modern transportation, but Alec was determined to make this a night she would never forget. The chauffeur opened the door and Alec slid out and held his hand out for Lucy. Her heeled sandal gripped the curb lightly, and she had to hold onto him for support. Four-inch heels were simply not made for the inane task of walking.

             
Lucy ignored his soft laughter and followed beside him. Alec held the door open for her and placed a possessive hand on the small of her back. They were greeted by the host who escorted them through the elegant dining room and to a table with a magnificent nighttime view of Columbus Circle. She stared in awe at the monument all lit up like a Christmas tree.

             
“Look!” she said, pointing at the myriad lights of circling traffic.

             
“Reminds me of the Lambeth Bridge roundabout,” Alec said dryly, rolling his eyes. “We'll probably be stuck all day once we get back.”

             
“You're a great driver,” she assured her husband and placed her napkin on her lap. “Have you decided where we're going to live?”

             
He leaned forward as the waiter brought them matching leather encased iPads on which they could peruse the wine list. “As a matter of fact, love, I have.”

             
“And....?”

             
Alec chose a sake to go with the first course of the Chef's Tasting Menu which were the infamous “oysters and pearls”.  He scratched his nose, which Lucy took to mean he was nervous. “There's a house in Yorkshire.”

             
“Just a regular house?” she asked, breaking off a chunk of a buttery roll and popping it into her mouth. “Or is it one of those cute little cottages with a thatched roof?”

             
“No, no,” he chuckled. “Nothing like that. It's been in the family for years.”

             
“Oh, one of
those,”
Lucy said solemnly.

             
“Yes, one of those!” Alec sipped his water and soon the waiter brought their plates. He peered at the small mound of caviar with something akin to horror. “What
is
this?”

             
Lucy giggled and took a small taste. “It's caviar. Try it.”

             
He shrugged and dipped into it with his spoon. It was salty and sublime at the same time. The oysters practically fell apart in his mouth. “Not bad,” he grinned.

             
“About the house,” she reminded him after a sip of sake. “How old is it?”

             
“It's a family heirloom. I inherited the place after my father died.”
Along with just about everything else.
“It was built in the seventeenth century.”

             
“No kidding?” she leaned forward eagerly, fascinated at this tidbit of information. “Details, English!”

             
His splendid mouth curved upwards. “I suppose you're wondering how I finagled my way into Scarpetta.”

             
“Yes, I
was
wondering about that.”

             
“Well,” Alec began as the waiter cleared their plates, “dad was the fourteenth Earl of Northumberland.”

             
Lucy's eyes grew round. “Really? So that makes you—”

             
“--the Fifteenth Earl of Northumberland.” He shrugged uneasily. “It's just a title. There's hardly any money. In fact, the entire estate is in ruins.”

             
“But there has to be something, I mean for your mum?”

             
“Not really,” he sighed raggedly. “If there were, mum wouldn't have had to keep moving from council estate to council estate.” Alec winced at the memory of nights where she would go without food just so he could have something his belly. “There hasn't been money in the estate since the tenth earl went and popped off on top of his mistress.”

             
“So how are we paying for this?” she said lightly, watching her husband shift uneasily in his chair.

             
Alec gulped back his sake and grinned foolishly at his wife. “How do normal people pay for anything?”

             
She simply rolled her eyes and buttered a roll.              

             
The waiter brought the second course, which to Alec's horror was more caviar.

             
Lucy giggled and changed the subject. “So what does your mum do?”

             
“She went back to school and became a librarian.”

             
“That's great. Any other relatives I should know about?”

             
“Well,” he said, scratching his nose again, “there's an uncle in Glasgow that we never see. I think he's into taxidermy or something that involves the preservation of the dead and gone.” He took a sip of his wine and pushed his plate aside. “What about you?”

             
“Well, dad was an only child and mama had a sister who died when she was ten.” Lucy pushed her plate aside as well. “And grandparents on both sides died a few years back. Rudy is the only non-relative that I've ever really known.”

             
“Well,” he said, trying to lighten the mood, “you have me!”

             
“That's true.” Her eyes were warm and expressive. “I'm glad of that.”

             
Alec cleared his throat as they waited for the third course. “I hope that's the last of the caviar! I don't know why people love that stuff anyway.”

             
“It's an acquired taste, English, “ she giggled. “It's supposed to be a luxury just to taste it.”

             
“I can do without the fish eggs, thank you very much!”

             
Lucy blew a kiss at him and he gave her a wink. The evening was by far, one of the most enjoyable and decadent she'd ever experienced. From the food, to the service, to the impeccable décor, Lucy was quite certain this night would go down in history as one of the most romantic nights of her life. The dinner lasted four hours, and she had never felt so spoiled. She'd had to stop drinking wine midway through because she was growing lightheaded and opted for water for the remainder of the tasting menu. Alec did likewise, and finished with coffee.

             
Then when Lucy thought she couldn't eat anymore, dessert was offered. There were so many flavors and textures Lucy couldn't decide which she liked the most, the rhubarb and custard or the mango pudding. After that the server brought out a metal cylinder, which contained a variety of house specialty treats. She and Alec stuffed themselves on caramels and nuts, mini macaroons, and truffles. When they thought they were finished, the server brought out a huge box of chocolates also made in-house. Thirty pieces of all which they could choose to eat. Adding to this decadent damage, were sugared donuts and frozen cappuccino.

             
As they got up to leave, they were offered an adorable souvenir tin of cookies to take with them. Lucy couldn't imagine a more perfect ending to a perfect meal. They strolled out into the night, happy and pleasantly full. “Where to now, English?” she said as she peeked inside the tin.

             
“Well,” Alec began as he hailed a cab, “I'll give you a choice.”

             
“A choice?” This night kept getting better and better. “And what are those?”

             
The cab pulled to the curb and Alec opened the door for her. Lucy slid in and made room for her husband. He gave the driver a piece of paper and told him to make it snappy.

             
She was perplexed. “Alec?”

             
He turned to her and caught her hand. “We can either go back to the hotel and go to a Broadway show tomorrow night, or we can go back the hotel, get some sleep, and drive to Connecticut tomorrow.”

             
“And get married?” Her voice was a soft, eager whisper and her husband's face was darkly chiseled angles, revealing his longing.

             
“And get married,” he breathed and kissed her ring. “I know this great little bed and breakfast in Westbrook. If we leave in the morning, we can get there in the afternoon, and be married by nightfall.”

             
“I'd love to,” she whispered and pressed her lips against his. He made a tortured sound and kissed her back, his tongue darting lightly as if to give her taste of what was to come.

             
He pulled back, breathing raggedly. “There's something we need to do first.”

             
“What?”

             
“Shh!” he whispered back and said no more.

             
Eight minutes later the cab pulled up in front the Empire State Building. “Alec?” she hissed. “Why are we here? It's too late! It's closed!”

             
Alec began laughing and opened his door and climbed out. He held out his hand to Lucy who grabbed the cookie tin and nearly tripped over her heels. He paid the driver and watched the man pull away and drive off. He turned to his wife. “It won't be closed for us.”

             
“What...?”

             
“Hush, wife.” His broad shoulders shook with laughter as he escorted her to the door. There was a security guard on duty that peered at them through the glass and then unlocked the doors when he saw who it was. “Can we still go up?” Alec asked.

             
The security guard was a tall, stocky fellow who looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. “You've got ten minutes,” he answered gruffly.

             
Alec tugged along his wife who was having a difficult time keeping up with him in her heels. Next time she went out, she was wearing flats! “Alec! Stop! I can't walk in these stilts!”

             
He laughed as the elevator doors closed and peered down at her feet. “And whose fault is that, may I ask?”

             
“Ha-Ha,” she grumbled miserably. “Why
are
we going up to the Observatory at this hour?”

             
“There's something I've got to do, and I think you'll agree.”

             
“Well, I certainly hope it doesn't involve something out of
Sleepless in Seattle.”

             
“Didn't you like that movie? Mum couldn't get enough when it came out.”

             
“I don't know. It was all so unrealistic that's all.”

             
“And I suppose meeting at a casino in Vegas is more on par with reality?”

             
“Well, sure it is,” she grinned impishly at him. “Look at us!”

             
“Cheeky monkey!” he swore, his eyes darkening. “If we weren't in an elevator---”

             
“But we are!” she whispered and put a slim finger to her lips. Lucy opened the tin and offered him a cookie.

             
“Save those for later,” he growled.

             
Lucy wrinkled her nose at him in defiance and popped a small treat into her mouth. “You don't know what you're missing, husband.”

             
“Oh, I know exactly what I'm missing, wife!” Alec muttered and leered at her. “If you don't stop right now, I'll show you just how much.”

             
She gulped and closed the tin. He had no sense of humor. “Sorry,” Lucy mumbled, duly chastened. Lucy didn't utter another word until they got to the eighty-sixth floor Observation Deck. The elevator doors opened and she was immediately assaulted by a cold, stinging wind. She shivered and crossed her arms over her chest, wishing she'd thought to wear something a little heavier.

             
Alec noticed her discomfort and doffed his jacket and placed it around his wife's shoulders. She slid her arms into the sleeves and huddled into it, inhaling the scent of husband and aftershave. Lucy went over to the viewing binoculars and peered out into the glittering city. She saw the Chrysler Building glowing like a beacon, Times Square in all its electronic glory, and the grand lady herself, The Statue of Liberty. Lucy was so enthralled with the views that she didn't notice Alec had come up behind her.

             
“See anything interesting, wife?”

             
She whirled about. “You should see the Chrysler Building!” He was oddly quiet and peered through the finder, but just as quickly, he walked off towards the safety fence.

             
“Alec? What are you doing?”