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“But don’t you see, Lark?” Henry asked, leaving her hands pressed against his chest as he held her waist. “I don’t need your fortune.

All I need is you .” He brushed the curls blowing over her brow.

“Traveling and writing and exploring—that is not who I am. That was what simply fell into my lap after my parents died. I had lost who I was before that. But being with you…I have found myself again.”

Lark drew in a shuddering breath, staring up at him to see his own eyes shining with tears in the glowing gold of the fading sun as it hedged closer to the horizon.

“With you,” he continued, “I have known no greater joy. Any other excursion I could go on would pale in comparison—and that is purely because of your presence on this one.” He paused, staring deep into her eyes and speaking with such fervor, she could hardly breathe.

“I know you have dreams of your own to travel, and I will do everything within my power to help them come to fruition. I will work day and night just to have you by my side. From this moment forward, I cannot be parted from you, my darling Lark. Please tell me we may live the rest of our lives fulfilling both of our dreams. Together. Please tell me…” He broke off, his voice overcome with emotion.

“Please tell me you will accept my hand in marriage.”

Lark stared up into his eyes, feeling his heart racing beneath her hands and overwhelmed with her own love for this man bearing his soul to her.

“Yes, Henry. With all of my heart, I will marry you.”

He let out a breath as he smiled, as if he’d been holding onto both until she answered.

“As if there ever could have been any doubt,” she said with a laugh, though her tears were now steadily streaming.

“You cannot say that after last night,” he joked right back.

He wiped away her tears, both hands cupping her face now. He smoothed his thumbs across her cheeks before leaning down to settle a soft, lingering kiss upon her lips.

She accepted it, returning his affection with such overwhelming love, it could hardly be contained.

After only a moment, Henry pulled back, staring into her eyes. “I would love to give you more, were it not for our audience.”

His eyes flicked over her shoulder, and she turned back to the carriage where faces pressed against the glass like children ogling through the window of a pastry shop.

She couldn’t help but laugh. “I suppose we ought to go share the good news with them.”

He offered her his arm, and she wrapped her hands around it, leaning into him closely as they meandered toward the carriage, the sun dipped halfway into the Cornish sea.

“I take it your aunt does not disapprove of me too heartily?” Henry asked.

“On the contrary, she’s the one who pushed me out of the carriage to begin with.”

Henry chuckled. “Perhaps she can help her husband approve of me again.”

“Yes, but that will take some work,” Lark admitted.

“I fear I did not seek his permission to marry you.” He dropped his tone. “Not that he would’ve given it.”

She waved a passive hand. “I give my own permission. At any rate, Mother heartily approves already.”

He peered down at her. “Does she?”

“Oh, yes. She will be quite happy when I tell her that her plan to have me wed by the end of the Season has been accomplished.”

He stopped, facing her directly with mild curiosity. “Plan?”

She raised an uncaring shoulder. “Oh, did I not tell you? My mother and I made an arrangement. I could only go on the excursion if I agreed to do my best to find myself a husband before, during, and after.”

“Oh, you did, did you?” he asked, narrowing his shining eyes. “So this has been your plan all along, has it? To enchant me and entrap me to be your husband?”

“Heavens no. It only became my plan after I discovered you were not Mr. Dunn.”

He threw back his head and laughed, then wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her in the air before spinning her round and round.

Lark laughed with delight until he set her feet back down on the ground and kissed her once more. Afterward, he pulled back, took her hand in his, then continued on their way.

“Now,” he said, “speaking of arrangements…Are we still in agreement to carry on with our own?”

“You mean to see who shall win the title of ‘Best Bird Observer in All of England’?” She gave him a knowing look. “Sir, we have signed a binding agreement. Of course we shall carry on. The full two weeks now, as first discussed.”

“Excellent,” he said. “And we needn’t make any changes due to our impending marital status?”

“No, I think all is in order still.” She gave him a sidelong stare. “Unless you intend to distract me, in which case, we shall have to add another rule.”

“However could I distract you?” he asked innocently, though the glimmer in his eyes told her he knew exactly how he could—and would.

“We really should return to the others now,” she said.

His wink sent her heart into a frenzy, but she welcomed it.

For as she faced the carriage—Aunt Harriet and the others rushing forth from the door to join Lark and Henry with open arms and happy tears—Lark knew that perfect joy she now experienced was only a small taste of what was to come.

And she couldn’t wait to experience the rest.