Chapter 10 - The Next Dance
Later that evening, as the guests drifted out into the summer gardens, Nell walked out onto the grand marble terrace overlooking the sparkling waters of the bay.
The night air was warm, carrying the sweet scent of blooming jasmine and saltwater.
Rafe stepped out beside her, shedding his suit jacket and placing it gently over her shoulders.
“Are you cold?” he asked softly.
“Not at all,” Nell smiled, turning to face him, leaning her back against the stone railing. “I was just thinking about the first night I stood here.”
“When Teddy dropped those glasses?” Rafe asked, his jaw tightening slightly at the memory.
“No,” Nell said softly, reaching up to touch his face. “When I looked up at the top of the staircase... and saw you watching me.”
Rafe wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close against his chest. “I knew the moment I saw you that you didn't belong on your knees, Nell. You were the bravest person in that room.”
“You memorized their names,” Nell murmured, remembering. “Everyone who looked away.”
“And I made sure none of them will ever set foot in this house again,” Rafe replied firmly, kissing her forehead.
He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket, opening it to reveal a delicate platinum ring set with a brilliant, flawless emerald surrounded by diamonds.
“Rafe...” Nell gasped quietly.
“My family’s past was dark, Nell,” Rafe said, looking directly into her eyes with total sincerity and deep love. “But my future is yours. I don't want to run this estate alone. I don't want to build a life without you.”
He slipped the ring onto her finger—a perfect fit.
“Nell Whitaker,” Rafe whispered, leaning down until his lips were inches from hers. “Will you stay at Ravenscliffe... not as my maid, but as my wife?”
Nell smiled, tears of joy sparkling in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck, lifting her face to his.
“Yes, Rafe,” she whispered against his lips. “A thousand times, yes.”
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As their lips met in a deep, passionate kiss under the warm summer stars, the gentle waves of the harbor washed against the shore below, singing a song of a new dawn, a cleared name, and a love that had conquered the darkest shadows of Boston.
THE END
