The Ghost of Christmas Past (14 page)

She
saw the carriage when she was about a hundred yards from the vicarage. It was a
fine carriage, but not her aunt's. She saw a figure come out of the vicarage
door and look down the street towards her. He wore light, trousers, and a cream
coloured jacket, more suited to tropical climes.

“Elizabeth...”
She saw his lips form her name, and her heart did a triple somersault.

The
basket fell to the floor, breaking the eggs and scattering the flour, but
Elizabeth did not care. She ran to Liam's outstretched arms.

“I
thought you had forgotten me,” she said, when he had finished kissing her.

“No,
my love. I was going to tell you I was coming, but I just needed to get here. I
wanted to be sure I was free of the ghost of Christmas past before sullying our
love with her presence. And now I am, and we can marry. You will marry me,
won't you?”

“Oh
yes!” Oblivious to people watching from the street, including the sisters, who
had turned back to watch the romantic drama unfold, she kissed him.

“I
want you to know I’ll be true to you. I am not the man I led you to believe at
your aunt’s Christmas ball. A man who would deceive the wife he vowed to love.
I would not for one minute offer you anything other than my utter devotion.”

“And
I want you to know,” said Elizabeth lowering her voice so that the spectators
couldn’t hear, but answering the longing in her whole body, “that I intend to
be your wife in every way. I mean...” She blushed, afraid he would think her
too forward. Instead she saw the same hunger in his eyes that she knew shone in
hers.

“Then
the sooner your father marries us the better,” he said in a husky voice, before
kissing her again. “Do you think he’ll do it today?”

“I’m
sure he would if we asked.”

“Or
do you want to wait? Have a proper wedding, and the wonderful dress you
deserve. Not that you don’t look utterly beautiful in the one you’re wearing.”

“I
want to be your wife now, today,” she said. “I’ve waited long enough.”

“I
love you, Elizabeth Dearheart,” he cried out, picking her up in his arms and
spinning her around. “My dear heart ... And now I can let the whole world know
it!”

The
sisters watched from afar, each with a smile on their face.

“Well
I never,” said Miss Graves, dreamily.

“No,
dear, I don't suppose you ever did,” said Mrs. Chatterbucks.

The
End