He hung his head.
Daisy felt a great wave of relief sweeping through her. She leaned forward and kissed Becket on the cheek and said, “Come on, love. We’ll let bygones be bygones.”
♦
Harry was walking past the Lyon’s tea shop in Victoria an hour later and glanced in at the window. Bernie was sitting there alone, looking at his watch.
Harry walked into the tea shop. “She didn’t arrive?”
“No,” said Bernie gloomily. “I’d better get back to the office.”
Once back at his desk, Harry sat with his head in his hands. In that moment, he hated Rose for the way she kept haunting him, the way he could not get her out of his head.
Bernie knocked and came in. “There’s a lady to see you, captain.”
“I’m busy…” Harry was beginning to say when Bernie stood aside and Rose walked in.
“Why have you come?” demanded Harry harshly. “I thought you had run away to Scotland to avoid me.”
“I did,” said Rose quietly, “and now I have run back again. My parents will be furious. I must send them a telegram.”
“Why have you come?” demanded Harry again.
Rose was dressed in a tailored blue velvet walking dress and on her shiny brown curls was a jaunty little hat tilted to one side.
She regarded him steadily and then said in a voice that shook slightly, “I have come to ask you to marry me.”
He walked quickly round the desk and took her hands in his. “Do you know what you are saying? Why do you want to marry me? Are they threatening to send you to India again?”
“No,” said Rose. “I-Il-love you.”
He swept her into his arms and kissed her, and all the passion that he had suspected was in Rose surged up to meet his own.
♦
“Have another glass of champagne,” Becket was saying.
“I’m tiddly already,” said Daisy. “Oh, well. Why not?”
♦
“You know, Daisy. I’ve tried and tried. But I don’t think I’m ever going to be a gentleman.”
“Amen to that!” said Daisy. “Bottoms up!”