Page 80 of Tides of Resistance
‘What’s that?’ Lizzie said, a soft smile playing on her lips. ‘Did you get me a present? You’ve already spoiled me so much, darling.’
‘I intend to spoil you forever,’ he said.
Lizzie watched him untie the velvet pouch and remove a ball of tissue paper. His fingers unwrapped the paper and revealed a glittering diamond ring.
She gasped. ‘Oh, my goodness, it’s stunning!’
‘I bought it for you in Inverness. Just knowing it was in my bedside drawer helped me get through those endless winter nights without you.’
‘My love, you are a true romantic,’ Lizzie said, staring at the ring, her heart thudding.
‘I’d better not attract attention to us by falling to one knee, but I wanted to ask you at our favourite restaurant.’
‘Go on,’ said Lizzie, a brilliant smile on her face.
‘Will you make me the happiest man on Earth by agreeing to be my wife, Elizabeth Beaumont?’
Lizzie’s eyes filled with tears of joy, and she blinked and nodded vigorously. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Oh yes, of course!’
Jack slipped the exquisite ring onto her finger, and the stone caught the light as they stared into each other’s eyes, completely oblivious to the world around them.
Jack said, ‘One of these days in the not-too-distant future, my darling, we’re going to be married with all our wonderful family and friends to witness our happiness. It might be at Seagrove, or perhaps at Uncle Luc’s chateau in Toulouse, or even at home in London. Wherever you want—we’ll make it your dream wedding.’
Lizzie’s first dinner after her return home to Regent’s Park was a lively affair. Evie was on top form, regaling them with trainee nursing stories before rushing upstairs to get changed for another date with her dashing GI. Lizzie was pleased to see her little sister in such high spirits.
Juliet was also excited because she’d received a letter from her fiancé, Oliver, and he said she could expect to see him on leave soon.
It was always the same when she returned to the family—she felt like she’d never been away, and the cheerful banter was a soothing balm for her ragged nerves. It would take some time for her to feel herself again after such a close call, and Jack said she must be patient and take it easy.
After dinner, Evie went on her date, and the others bustled about, clearing up in the kitchen.
In the drawing room, Pa studied Lizzie over his spectacles. ‘You look tired, my darling girl. I know you can’t say much, but was it a success?’
‘Yes, it was, but I’m so happy to be home.’
It was the first time they had been alone together since her arrival at the house. Lizzie took the opportunity to tell her father she had seen Nan and Pops, and they were well and sent their love. When she broke the news to him that Seagrove had been requisitioned, his clasp on the whisky glass tightened.
His eyes grew misty. ‘My brave girl. Thank you for finding them. I bet they were thrilled to see you.’
Lizzie nodded. ‘It was overwhelming to see them after so long. I wish we could tell the others … They would be so happy.’
‘Me too, but it will only raise more questions than you can answer.’
Lizzie said, ‘Talking of questions I can’t answer, Pops said something intriguing that got me thinking.’
‘Oh, yes?’
Lizzie narrowed her eyes and moved closer to her father. ‘He implied you work in the Intelligence Service and that’s why you were called back to London urgently at the start of the war. He said something about me being my father’s daughter. I didn’t tell him any details of my mission, of course, but he seemed to understand what I was doing and wasn’t half as shocked as I expected about my turning up like that.’
Pa raised his glass and took a sip. ‘He’s probably got the War Office and the Intelligence Service confused. It’s easy to do at his age.’
Lizzie raised one eyebrow. ‘He didn’t seem at all confused. In fact, he was just as sharp as ever.’
‘Well, that’s good to hear, anyway. I hope we will all be reunited at Seagrove soon.’ Pa changed the subject swiftly, as the chatter of the others filled the hallway.
Lizzie missed the family in St. Malo and regretted not being able to say goodbye to them, but she knew from experience that it sometimes went that way. She longed to tell her father all about their activities—about lovely Aunt Giselle and her delicious strawberry jam, and how Uncle Charles had helped her infiltrate the Nazi HQ. How Sophie had saved the Cohen family’s bookshop, and how Fabian and Judith were bravely sabotaging German transport networks. But she restrained herself.
If he asked how they were, she would tell him they were well. That was all she could say for now. Jack told her he had transmitted a message from the farmhouse before the rescue trip, and Fabian was a quick study. The Corsairs Network was official, and Fabian would be in touch as soon as he had something to report.
