“I’ve missed you,” said Janek. “It’s not the same at the hotel without you. My life is not the same without you.”
“I’ve got a job now,” said Anna. “And I thought you said that’s not what you wanted to talk about. Is it about Polly and Horace selling Anna’s Return? Because they won’t and it isn’t fair of you to try and put pressure on me.”
“Anna, for goodness sake, forget the hotel. Forget the guesthouse.” Janek pulled her closer to him and put his arms around her. “I want to talk about us. I love you, Anna. I’ve loved you since I saw you across the road on the day I started work on Carmichaels. I saw you as a good omen. Then I went and lost you, because I was too tied up in my work. Then I found you and lost you again. I don’t want that to happen anymore, Anna. I want to be with you.”
“You love me?” said Anna, her heart doing somersaults.
“Yes. If you don’t love me, then say so and I’ll go away and never bother you again. At least I know you’re safe now.”
“I do love you,” said Anna. “I do! That’s why I went away. Mary Carmichael was cruel about you…”
“I know.”
“You know?”
“Yes, she didn’t fool me for a minute. But I don’t want to talk about her now. Or ever for that matter. You’re far more interesting to me.” Janek put his fingers under Anna’s chin and raised it towards him, kissing her with such tenderness, it brought tears to her eyes. “Marry me, Anna,” he whispered. “Marry me, and I promise you’ll never have to run away again, darling.”
Anna threw her arms around his neck. “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!”
***
Nearly eighteen years after they had first walked up the path to Silverton Hall, as two young friends escaping war torn Europe, Mr. and Mrs. Dabrowski walked towards the hall again.
Anna put her hand in Janek’s, just as she had done all those years before.
“Don’t worry, darling,” he said. “You won’t be staying to clean the silver this time.”
“I know. Do you think I’m doing the right thing in coming here, Janek?”
“It’s up to you. If you want to turn around and leave, then we’ll go. But I told you on our wedding day a year ago that if you ever ran away again, you’d better be sure to take me with you.”
Anna laughed and shook her head. “No, no more running away for either of us. We’ve got even more reason to stay in one place now.” She patted her tummy.
The front door opened, and Teddy, Izzy and Sir Lionel stepped out. Lady Geraldine was nowhere to be seen, but Anna had not expected her to be there. According to Teddy, she spent a lot of time in London nowadays. Anna was kind enough to feel a little bit sorry for Geraldine, despite the way she had behaved.
Anna had woken one morning, soon after she discovered she was having a baby, and decided it was time to forgive her father. She did not want her child born into a fractured family.
Anna smiled bravely and waved at the trio at the door. Squeezing Janek’s hand tighter still, in the blissful knowledge that it would always be there for her to hold, she walked towards them and into a bright new future with the man she loved.
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