The Pearl of Penang by Clare Flynn (best books to read for students txt) 📗

bewildered. ‘Nothing you’ve done can make any difference to how I feel about you. I love you and I always believed you loved me too.’

He went towards her, bending down to kneel on the floor in front of her chair. He took her hands in his. ‘I do love you. It was only the thought of you, of seeing you again, that got me through those dreadful years. My first thought each morning and my last thought at night was of you. I’ll love you, Evie, till the day I day I die. Nothing will ever change that. But I’ve changed. I’ve seen such things, done such things. I’ll never be able to wash the stain of that away from me.’ He leaned back on his heels. ‘And look at me, Evie. See what’s become of me. What they did to me. Under these clothes, my body is covered in welts. My back will never heal. I’ll carry the marks the Japanese guards made on me for the rest of my life. I’m a broken man, Evie. A collection of scars and bones. How can I expect you to love me? If you could see me you’d feel only disgust.’

Evie’s heart swelled and she slipped off the chair to join him kneeling on the floor. Bending forward, she kissed him, softly, feeling the warmth of his lips against hers. ‘I can never feel anything but complete love for you, Arthur. You are the love of my life and I thank God for sending you back to me.’

She kissed him again, tentatively at first, then as he responded, their kiss deepened and his arms went around her, holding her as if he wanted never to let her go.

Evie let her lips explore his face. His thin lined face. The dark sunken area around his eyes. ‘Come to bed,’ she said at last. ‘Show me those scars and I’ll show you how much I love you.’

Arthur gave a deep, shuddering sigh. ‘You need to know. I’m going away, Evie. The Permanent Secretary offered me a new posting this afternoon. I’ve accepted. I’m going to turn down the Oxford job. I’m leaving England.’

‘Where? When?’

‘In a couple of weeks. Kenya.’

Fear closed her throat and she felt her mouth dry. He had come to say goodbye. She felt a conviction that, come what may, she belonged with this man. She stroked a hand over his face. ‘Where you always wanted to return. You’ve finally got what you wanted and deserved. Back to those primeval plains – that savage beauty you love so much.’

‘You remembered?’

‘I have remembered everything you ever said to me, Arthur. It’s what’s kept me going all these years.’

‘Will you come with me?’ His voice was quiet, disbelieving.

Her heart leapt inside her ribcage. ‘Of course, I will. I’d follow you to the ends of the earth, Arthur Leighton.’

‘Really? You’d leave everything here and come to Africa with me? A broken wreck of a man?’

‘Try and stop me.’

‘What about the children?’

‘We come as a package. That’s the only condition. As long as they want to come too. And knowing how Hugh feels about lions and elephants I think it’s a foregone conclusion. I’d like Jasmine to want it too – but I have a feeling she will. But what about you, will you have us all?’

‘Nothing would make me happier.’ Arthur gave a rueful smile. ‘He knew, you know.’

‘Who knew? And knew what? You’re speaking in riddles again.’

‘Doug. He asked me to take care of you and the children. He said he knew you loved me.’

Evie was distraught. ‘He knew?’

‘He told me was glad. That we would have each other.’

‘But you were married to Veronica.’

‘Doug never liked poor Veronica. And maybe he knew what would happen. A dying man’s vision. You heard Veronica died in a camp?’

Evie nodded. ‘Mary Helston was interned with her. Mary told me Veronica saved her life. She said Veronica was the only reason Mary and several others survived. Veronica was incredibly brave and stole food and medicines. But the Japanese caught in the end.’

Arthur’s mouth twitched and a look of sadness darkened his face. ‘Is that how she died? They executed her? Do you know how?’

Evie shook her head. ‘Mary wouldn’t tell me anything else. She can’t bear to talk about her experiences under the Japanese but she wanted me to know what Veronica did for them all.’

‘So, the poor girl finally found a way to redeem herself. There was always a well of goodness deep inside Veronica. I’m glad it found a way to reach the surface.’

He kissed her again, slowly, lovingly.

‘So, will you marry me, Arthur?’

‘You’re proposing to me?’ His face broke into a broad grin and he drew her close to him again. Then he grew serious. ‘You might want to change your mind when you see what they did to me. I’ll understand if you do.’

‘I promise you, Arthur Leighton. There is nothing that will ever make me change my mind where you’re concerned – well, unless you decided you don’t want my children too.’

‘My dearest darling, Jasmine and Hugh will be loved and cared for by me as if they were my own. Doug was my friend. And I’m Jasmine’s godfather.’ He frowned. ‘But that’s the other thing you need to know. After what I went through, it’s possible I may not be able to father a child of my own.’ As soon as he’d said it, he added, ‘I may be firing blanks. But as I can attest right now, I don’t think there’ll be any problems in getting the guns to fire.’ He grinned at her.

Evie needed no more encouragement. She jumped to her feet and took his hand. ‘Come on. We have a lot of time to make up, my darling.’

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