The Girl is Not For Christmas - Emma V Leech Page 0,92
outburst, but his lips quirked in a wry grin. “Sadly, yes,” he replied.
“No.” She folded her arms, glaring at him. “No, you don’t. You don’t have the least clue, you great numbskull. Honestly, if only I could make you see—”
“You’ve made me see so much,” King said, smiling. “You’ve made me realise what is important, and I can never thank you enough for that. My God, Livvy. You are the most astonishing creature. Truly remarkable. To think of everything you have achieved here. I am so proud of you.”
She flushed with pleasure at the compliment. “Oh, well, it was hardly just me. Mr Trethewey had the idea to grow it, and then the information from his friend, and without Ross…”
King stepped closer, unable to stop himself, and pressed his finger to his lips.
“You made it happen, Livvy. You’ve kept this family together, been mother and father when you’ve had to be; you are the strongest person I have ever met and you make me feel ashamed for having buckled and given in when you kept going under far harder circumstances.”
Livvy shook her head, tears in her eyes now.
“Oh, no. Not harder, for I had my family. I was surrounded by the people I loved and who loved me. They lifted me up when I was utterly blue devilled. You were all alone, King, and that is the hardest thing in the world, and I am so, so proud of you. Whatever happens after Christmas, don’t be alone anymore. Find someone to care for, someone who cares for you. Please, my love….”
Her voice quavered and King could not bear it. He took her in his arms and held her tight.
“Don’t be alone anymore,” she whispered.
King buried his face in her hair and squeezed his eyes shut. The idea of not being alone if Livvy was not with him…
He could not bear the thought of anyone taking her place, for no one could. She had snuck into his heart despite his best efforts, and now she’d gotten a hold of him. It was only now he realised how weak he’d been in the past, for his loneliness and despair was nothing to pain of knowing he must give her up. Yet he would bear it, for her. He would not let her down, not let her faith in him be proven hollow. He would survive, he would watch from a distance, cheering her on as she married another and saved her family, and no doubt grew a bloody pineapple empire. God only knew she could do it. She could do it, and he would be glad for her, even as he died a little more for every day that she was not in his life.
Chapter Nineteen
16th December 1818.
And the scales fall…
Livvy padded through the darkened corridor, candle in hand until she got to King’s door. Silently, she turned the knob and pushed it open, about to step through when she came face to face with Mr Walsh.
Livvy gave a little squeal as Walsh stepped hurriedly out into the corridor, closing the door behind him.
“I’m so sorry, Miss,” he said, looking wretched. “I’ve tried talking sense to him, but he won’t have it and… and I’m to sleep in his room until we leave.”
Despite the darkness hiding the furious flush of colour that was scalding Livvy’s face, she did not doubt Walsh was aware of her heightened colour. The heat being given off her cheeks must be akin to standing before a crackling fire. Damn you, King!
“I see,” she said, mortified that the bloody man had employed a… a bodyguard to defend his honour. Argh.
“Please, Miss, you’ve got to understand, for all his wild ways, his lordship… he’s…”
“Noble and generous and kind, and honourable to his bones,” she finished with a heavy sigh.
Walsh’s lips turned up in a smile. “Ah, you have got him figured out then.”
Livvy nodded. “I suspected when you came after him. You are obviously a very accomplished valet, Mr Walsh, and no doubt in some demand. Why you would stick to a man of the kind his reputation suggested he was made no sense at all… unless there were something about him that inspired a deep sense of loyalty.”
“That’s, King, a regular conundrum he is. I don’t mind telling you I’ve been at my wit’s end these past few years. It’s been so good to see him here, to see him heal. He’s happy, or at least, he would be if it weren’t all about to end.”