The Mersey Daughter (Empire Street #3)(98)
‘Don’t think about it.’ Jack could tell what was going through her mind, he knew her so well. ‘Rita, we should think about something else instead. Heaven knows I wouldn’t wish anyone dead, but you know what this all means, don’t you?’
For a moment Rita’s mind was blank. ‘What, Jack?’
‘Rita, you’re free,’ Jack said, holding her hand more tightly. ‘You don’t have to go against your beliefs and get divorced – you’re legally a widow. You can do what you want. You’re not tied to a husband who was never there, you’re out of limbo.’
‘I’m free.’ The enormity of it began to dawn on her. She hadn’t been free since she was a teenager – pregnant with Michael, with Jack abroad and not there to help her, and forced to marry Charlie in a hurry. How she had paid for that decision – although she could never have stood the shame of bearing a child out of wedlock. She stared at him in dawning astonishment. ‘It’s true, Jack. I really am free.’ Then she sighed, her eyes downcast. ‘But I’m not sure I feel that yet. Whatever I felt about Charlie, he was still my husband for all that time, and he was Megan’s father. Without him, she wouldn’t be alive.’
Slowly, deliberately, Jack rose from his chair and got down before her on one knee. ‘Rita, this isn’t how I imagined it happening and I’m not exactly prepared, but it’s a day I sometimes thought would never come. Now it has. I don’t want to rush you into anything, and you know I’ll respect your wishes above all, but I’m only on a short shore leave. So I’m going to ask you now: will you be my wife? I love you more than words can say. I would be proud to have the most beautiful woman in Liverpool as my wife. Say you will. Say you’ll marry me.’
Rita felt the tears well up, and for once they were of pure, undiluted happiness. She had lain awake many nights wondering if she’d done the right thing by refusing to seek a divorce, knowing how much Jack wanted her, and how much she wanted him right back, but also knowing that she would have felt it was fundamentally wrong. Was she being selfish in denying this to Jack, when he was out there every day putting his life on the line to defend his country? Or would she live to regret it if she went against her most profoundly held principles? The dilemma had eaten away at her. Now it was resolved. She didn’t have to choose between her beliefs and the man she loved. The dreadful events of the morning had brought about this wonderful truth.
‘Of course,’ she said simply. ‘I’d love that more than anything else in the world.’ She stared at him, this handsome, brave man who cared for her so tenderly and made her feel safe. He rose again and kissed her, gently but intensely, avoiding brushing against her so as not to move her leg.
‘Jack, I don’t think we should rush off for a special licence before you return to your ship. I want us to wait a little,’ she said, turning to him and then wincing as pain shot through her wound once more. ‘As long as I know we’re going to be married at last, after all these years, let’s wait just a bit longer.’ Her face grew solemn. ‘Charlie might have done some truly awful things, but I owe him some respect, for the children’s sake – we need a bit of time to let all the wounds heal a little. It’s the proper thing to do, and when they’re older I want the children to know that we both did right by him.’
‘You’re too kind to Charlie, even in death. But it’s why I love you so much.’ Jack encircled her as best he could with his arm. ‘I tell you what. I will be due a couple of days’ leave around Christmas or just before. Will that be long enough? Will you marry me then?’
‘Yes,’ she said immediately, not even having to think it over. ‘We won’t need a big do. It will be the best Christmas present ever.’
‘Do you mind if it isn’t in church?’ he asked. He knew how important her beliefs were, even if she didn’t attend very regularly.
‘No, I don’t mind if you don’t. It’ll be easier to plan if we don’t have a church wedding,’ she said decisively. ‘Father Harding will understand. It’s more important that we’re married than where the ceremony takes place. Oh Jack, it’s going to be wonderful.’ She leant into him as best she could. ‘You and me together at last. I can’t quite believe it. I’m so sorry Charlie died the way he did, but now we can start planning our future. Oh Jack, sometimes I thought it would never happen. That we’d be apart for ever. Now it’s a dream come true.’
He shook his head and gave a little laugh. ‘I always knew,’ he said. ‘I had faith we’d manage it somehow, some day. Rita, you’ve made me the happiest man alive. I’m going to treat you as you deserve for the rest of your life. And I can’t wait to show you just how much I love you.’
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Laura made her way down the spotlessly clean hospital corridor as she had done many times before. It had been a few days since she had visited; she’d used up some of her free time to go to Elliott’s funeral and of course she didn’t begrudge that, but it had meant she hadn’t been able to visit the captain. Even though she knew he had been progressing well, she was never quite sure what she’d find when she went through the door to his room. Although reason told her she would have been told if he’d taken a turn for the worse, she couldn’t be certain how he would be and she bit her lip in anxiety. She hesitated as she reached the door and then told herself not to be so silly. There was nothing to worry about. She knocked softly and heard his voice call her to come in.