by Penny Jordan
Lindsay smiled through her tears, ripping open the envelope and taking out her father's letter. It put down in his own words exactly what Tom had said.
Silently she handed it over to Lucas for him to read, and then both of them were silent, Tom let himself out of the study leaving them together.
'When I think of how close I came to refusing your love,' Lucas shuddered deeply like a man emerging from an unpleasant dream.
'I can hardly believe it,' Lindsay admitted. 'That Daddy should have had such a complete change of heart
Lucas was nuzzling her ear, sending trickles of pleasure darting down her spine. 'I suppose this means now that we'll have to call our first son after him,' he mock grumbled.
'What son's that?' Lindsay asked dreamily, leaning against him, secure in the circle of his arms.
'The one you threatened me with in order to get me to marry you, hussy,' Lucas reminded her.
'Ah, yes, that one,' Lindsay agreed with a secret smile. 'Do you know Lucas,' she added thoughtfully, 'I'm still not sure whether or not . . .' She paused delicately and looked at him with hopeful encouragement ...
'Later,' Lucas told her mock warningly. 'Remember we've still got a house full of wedding guests.'
'Oh I'm sure they wouldn't miss us,' she claimed provocatively. 'They're having far too much fun gossiping about how astonishing it is that we've got married . . . and so quickly.'
They both laughed and then Lucas bent his head and said softly to her. 'They might not miss you but I certainly would. So much so that I never intend to let you get more than an arm's length away from me.'
Beneath his lazy teasing, Lindsay could sense the controlled force of his love for her but she still couldn't resist asking hesitantly, 'Lucas, if I hadn't come back that night, if I . . .'
He placed his fingers against her lips to silence her. 'That half bottle of whisky I drank was by way of saying farewell to my self control and honour,' he told her wryly. 'I had already decided that first thing in the morning I was coming after you. I would have dragged you back with me if I'd needed to Lindsay. It didn't take more than ten minutes in the house without you for me to admit that my love for you was too strong for me to resist . . . that despite what your father had wanted, I loved you . . . and I was going to come after you and tell you exactly that. I was also going to get down on my knees if necessary to beg you to give me another chance.'
'You were!' Lindsay sighed theatrically. 'Damn, and I went and spoiled it all.'
A six-year-old guest looking for the cloakroom opened the study door, and then quickly shut it again, returning to the drawing room to announce rather breathlessly that she had just found the bride and groom kissing in the study. Her father tweaking one stubby blonde plait grinned over her head at her mother and said smilingly, 'Then let's just leave them to it shall we poppet. After all, that's what weddings are all about.'
