that will never melt.’
She smiled at the significance of the ice and the wood entwined, her world and his.
‘And I thought you should have something that was yours on our tree.’
‘I can’t believe you did all this just to tell me you love me.’
‘I do love you, Penny, I fell completely and utterly in love with you almost from the very first time we met. I have never met anyone so kind, so pure and sweet as you before. You make me laugh, a lot, I could talk to you for hours and never get bored and I have never felt for anyone the way I feel with you. You are right, you deserve the very best and I’m going to do everything I can to give it to you.’
She knelt down so she was face to face with him.
‘I love you too. You’ve changed my life in such a short time. I told myself repeatedly that I didn’t need a man or a family to make me happy. And in reality I don’t need one, but I do want one. My idea of a family was marriage and babies and that’s changed now. I want to be part of your family and I want to be with you more than anything else in the world. You make me happy, happier than I’ve ever been and I want to make you happy too.’
He kissed her and then pulled back slightly. ‘I’m not ruling out babies either. I know I’ve done the sleepless nights and the nappy changes but I’d love to do it all again with you.’
‘Really?’
He smiled and nodded. ‘Just, not yet, eh? Let’s give it a few months before we think about that.’
‘OK.’
‘Now, shall we hang your decoration on the tree and go to the ball?’
‘What about Daisy?’
His face fell. ‘She’s still not speaking to me, I’ve tried everything but she flat-out refuses to talk. I’m gutted. She’s at Anna’s and I think she’ll be going to the ball with them. But we’ve not had much chance to see each other today. I’m going to sort it out with her tonight. There’s no way I’m spending Christmas not talking to her. And I’m going with you to the ball and she will see that I’m serious about you and that I love you.’
She smiled. ‘OK.’
She stood up and offered out her hand for his. He took it and pulled himself up.
‘The next time I get down on one knee for you, it will be the real thing.’
Her smile grew and she didn’t think she would ever stop smiling tonight.
Holding her hand, he led her over to the tree. ‘Where would you like to hang it?’
Penny considered it for a moment. ‘How about here, between the Santa that’s showing his bum and the angel that Daisy made from an old washing-up bottle?’
‘I think that’s a bat from Halloween actually but, yes, good choice.’
Henry took it from the box and passed it to her. She hung it on the branch and it glistened and sparkled under the fairy lights. ‘Perfect.’
Henry helped her to put her coat on and then led her out.
‘Wait. We need to deliver a carving.’
‘Tonight? Now? Won’t everyone be at the ball?’
‘This is a proposal carving, and I think they’ll probably be at the ball after or before as I have to place it quite near, but I can’t ruin this guy’s big moment. We can wrap it up and take it in your car, just don’t put your heating on full blast.’
Henry helped her to wrap it up and carry it out and they drove down to the town. Under the glow of the slivery moon, White Cliff Bay twinkled and shone, still buried under a blanket of snow. It was magical, ethereal in its beauty.
The streets were completely deserted as everyone else was clearly already at the ball. They positioned the proposal carving round the back of the marquee at the end of the thin cliff path that led up from Silver Cove beach and then drove round to the car park, which was already overflowing with cars. After finally finding a space, Henry escorted her inside.
Near the entrance stood two ice carvings, the only ones to survive the power cut or to make it through the snow. Octavia had carved a stunning full sized Santa, sitting on a chair checking his naughty and nice list. It was incredible. Next to it Melody had carved a beautiful reindeer. It wasn’t the big competition of previous