The Chain of Destiny (19 page)

‘In the car. Hello, Suzannah.' He had come to a halt before her and took her hands in his, and neither he or Suzannah noticed Mrs Meredith dragging the children back to the house.

‘How did you find me?' she whispered.

‘It wasn't too difficult, my darling—your hair—people notice it. What did Phoebe say to make you run away?'

She gave her hands a little tug, but he tightened his gentle hold, and when she looked up into his face she could see that she would have to answer him. ‘Well,' she began, ‘she said that you and she were going to be married and that you were sorry for me and felt that you had to help me and that I was an embarrassment to you…'

She sniffed and her eyes filled with tears.

‘Oh, dear, oh, dear,' said the professor at his most soothing. ‘And, of course, you believed her.'

‘Well, I didn't want to, only you didn't seem to like me…'

‘My dearest love, I not only like you, I love you. I fell in love with you the very first time we met, but I must confess that I didn't realise it for some time, although I was plagued by an urge to look after you from the moment Phoebe told me that she had sacked you. But you refused my help in no uncertain manner, didn't you? It was then that you took possession of my heart and mind.'

‘You never said anything,' she said sharply. She gave another tug and he laughed softly.

‘Don't get cross, my darling; several times I thought
I would take a chance, and always you backed away and started talking about the weather. But now no more of that. Will you marry me, Suzannah? And I want the answer now, so don't start arguing!'

‘I never…' She began and saw the look in his eyes. ‘Oh, Guy, of course I'll marry you, and I'm sorry I ran away, only I love you and I thought that you didn't love me…'

The professor let her hands go at last and wrapped his great arms around her. ‘And that, my darling, is something I must disprove to you.'

He kissed her slowly and then quite fiercely, so that she had no breath to speak, only just enough to kiss him back.

The sun had gone in and a fine drizzle was drifting down. Suzannah couldn't have cared less; she was in heaven, and as for the professor, that most observant of men, he hadn't even noticed; he had his heart's desire.