He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Good.”
Caroline closed her eyes for a few seconds. She wanted to close off all her senses so that she might savor the moment in her mind. No sight, no touch, no smell—nothing to distract her from the exquisite joy in her heart.
“Caroline?”
“Shhh.” She waved her hand at him and then, a few seconds later, opened her eyes and said, “There. What were you going to say?”
His expression was curious. “What was that all about?”
“Nothing, I—Oh look!” She pointed up at the sky.
“What?” he asked, his eyes following her finger.
“The sky must have cleared up. The stars are out.”
“So they are,” he murmured, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. “But then again, you were the one who said they were there all along.”
Caroline squeezed his hand in hers. “Yes,” she agreed. “They were.”
A half hour later they were dressed—albeit rather disheveled—and trying to slip into the house as quietly as possible.
James, however, was waiting in the front hall.
“I told you we should have used the back stairs,” Caroline muttered.
“I assume you're back for the night?” James said mildly. “Perriwick wanted to lock the door, but I wasn't sure you'd brought a key.”
“We've decided to be married,” Blake blurted out.
James merely lifted one eyebrow and murmured, “I thought you might.”