Page 103 of Reckless Kiss

Jonathan took a long breath in. “How the hell did he find out?”

“Imelda was talking to my brother about us. Pete and Betty overheard and then decided to discuss us. My father was waiting in the shop and overheard.”

“Bloody hell,” Jonathan said, scrubbing his face with his hand.

“It gets worse, my love. Last night, I was introduced to my future husband.”

Jonathan’s body stiffened for a moment, and then he pulled her tighter against him. “What the hell?” he whispered.

“I don’t know when my father found out, but I think it wasn’t that long ago. He brought a man to dinner last night and told me this morning I would marry him in two weeks. It’s all arranged. Reverend Sheldon has been informed.”

“You can’t marry him. You’re going to marry me.”

“I won’t marry him, Jonathan, but what will we do?”

“We’ll get married sooner. You’re over twenty-one, so you don’t legally need your father’s permission. I have my school job, and you have your secretarial job. Nothing has changed. We’ll buy the small terraced house like we planned and live happily. You never have to return to Turner Hall if you don’t want to.”

Hope blossomed in her heart, and she beamed at Jonathan. “Do you think it will work?”

“Nothing has changed. We’re just going to do things in a different order.”

Jonathan dropped to bended knee and pulled a box from his pocket.

“I’ve been carrying this ring since Christmas waiting for the best time to propose. Now is the time. Cynthia Turner, love of my life, will you marry me and make me the happiest man alive?”

Cynthia stared at the open box to see a square-cut sapphire ring. It wasn’t huge, nothing like the jewels up at the mansion, but it was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen.

“Yes, Jonathan. I’ll marry you as soon as we can arrange it.”

Jonathan slipped the ring on her finger and kissed where it settled.

“I’ve got some arranging to do. I’ll meet you back here tomorrow. In this very spot, at this time.”

“Okay, I’ll be ready,” she said.

“Hurry back home so you don’t raise their suspicions. I’m not going to tell a soul, not even Pete. I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you,” he said.

“I love you too,” Cynthia replied, kissing him before she ran along the path up to Turner Hall.

Chapter 48

With a smile on her face, Cynthia floated on air, walking back along the private path up to Turner Hall. She spent most of the time staring at the ring, twirling it around her finger. There was a white dress in her wardrobe she hadn’t worn all summer. That would be her wedding dress to Jonathan. It wasn’t fancy, but she didn’t want fancy. All she wanted was her life with the man she loved and who loved her.

Dashing across the foyer and taking the stairs two at a time, she hurried along the corridor to her mother’s rooms. At the end of the hallway, Freddie was leaning against the wall.

“Cyn,” he said and stood in the middle of the hallway blocking her way. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want to talk to you. And you’d better tell Imelda to stay the hell away from me. You had no right to tell her about Jonathan and me.”

“I’m sorry. I told her not to tell anyone. I can’t believe she told her parents.”

“She didn’t directly, but she was talking to you in the butcher’s shop. This is your fault and, by extension, hers and her parents’ fault. I wouldn’t be in this mess if you had never told her. Did you know father is planning on making me marry the man from last night?”

“I told you not to go in the study.”

“You should’ve told me why I shouldn’t go in there. And you should’ve told me you betrayed my confidence,” Cynthia yelled.

“I’m sorry, Sis. I had no idea what would happen.”

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