Page 175 of Love ad Lib
‘Anywhere they’re not.’
‘I thought you were abroad?’
‘I was. I got back this morning and legged it to Somerset to be here in time.’
‘Was this your idea?’
He pushed open one of the side doors to the Manor with his shoulder then carefully carried her through.
‘It was Estelle’s. She said I had less chance of you turning me down if I were Mr Darcy.’
She shook her head. ‘I don’t want Mr Darcy anymore. I only want you.’
He stopped walking, his dark eyes fixed on her. ‘Are you sure?’
She nodded. ‘But…’
He looked panicked. ‘What?’
‘Lucas paid me my money back this morning. With interest. He said your aunt’s fashion house had bought all his paintings.’
Henry nodded.
‘But how? Was this your doing?’
‘Libby, I would have taken out another credit card and paid him ten times over if it meant you got your money. But I knew, if you took me back, it would always hang between us. So I found another way.’
‘What did you do?’
He glanced down, seemingly embarrassed. ‘I, er.’ He cleared his throat and looked at her directly. ‘My aunt has always wanted me to model for her, but I’ve always refused. I contacted her and said that I would do it if she agreed to buy the entirety of Lucas’s collection.’
‘Oh my god! That must have been such a lot of money!’
He shook his head. ‘It wasn’t what Lucas wanted, but he’d run out of other options and was about to be arrested for blackmailing his models. Part of the deal was that he paid you back with interest.’
She swallowed. ‘So, are the paintings going to be displayed around the fashion house and their shops?’
Henry smiled. ‘The other part of the deal was that the paintings are to be exhibited in room SS14 only.’
‘And where is that?’ she asked, imagining the worst.
‘SS14 stands for “Sous-Sol Quatorze”, and “Sous-Sol” is French for basement. Room fourteen is the one at the very back. It doesn’t even have the privilege of containing cleaning products or box files.’
Libby felt guilty for the laugh that escaped. ‘Does Lucas know?’
He shrugged. ‘Don’t know and don’t care. All I care about is you and making sure he doesn’t screw over any of the women who posed for him.’
Love rushed through her and she smoothed away the lines in his forehead.
‘You’re the best of men, Henry. Thank you.’
His cheeks darkened. ‘It means you have your freedom back. You can go wherever you want.’
‘I want to be wherever you are. I just want to be with you.’
He swallowed. ‘Libby, I need to tell you something. I’m leaving Conqueror. I have to help Estelle save Foxbrooke.’
‘Oh!’
