Hand in hand we ran down the wide sweep of stairs to where Max, surrounded by pistol hipped police, waited.
The dark curls were as unruly as ever, and the brown eyes gleamed with an expression that sent my heart racing.
“I’m ready,” I said simply.
“Not yet, Brat. Not yet.” From his hip pocket he drew a delicate necklace. The gold and lapis lazuli one he had given me for my birthday and which I had so pettishly left behind me. The two cherubs soared upwards against their background of blue. I felt tears prick the back of my eyes as he gently fastened it around my neck.
“And this.”
The interested policemen crowded round and Peggy began to dab at her eyes as Max very gently and very firmly, slipped my engagement ring back into place.
“Now, Brat. Now you’re ready.”
“Oh Max,” I said. “I do love you.”
The officer cleared his throat. “There is not much time.…”
Max smiled down at me. “ Claudette and Fedor are going to be a little surprised when we turn up under police escort!”
“Oh goodness,” I said. “Your mother!”
“My mother?” Max asked mystified. “ What about my mother?”
“She wants to become a Justice of the Peace. Uncle Alistair asked me specifically to keep out of any trouble!”
“Then all I can say,” Max said, looking round at the squad of policemen, “ is that we’d better not have any wedding photographs taken!”
And regardless of our audience he took me in his arms and kissed me.
Copyright
First published in 1979 by Hale
This edition published 2013 by Bello
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Copyright © Margaret Pemberton, 1979
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