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“You thought I had Margo?” and without giving her chance to reply his lips sought hers with an urgency that left Lorna bereft. It was as though time stood still. The blood pounded in her head. This was the culmination of all her dreams and she returned kiss for kiss, content in the knowledge that he loved her.

When he eventually released her, the first thing he did was pick up the brooch. “I’m glad I came back for this,” he said, “otherwise we might never have seen each other again.”

“How did you get here so quickly?” Lorna asked. “I saw you leave from the top of the mountain. You couldn’t have returned in such a short time.”

He smiled mysteriously. "I'll show you.”

Outside Lorna saw the
Poiret
anchored in the cove. “But—the reef?” and then suddenly suspicious, “You were lying!”

Shamefacedly Ashley nodded. “I wanted to keep you near. Can you blame me?”

Lorna pretended an annoyance she did not feel. “And the house. Why didn’t you tell me about that?” He put his arm round her waist, drawing her close. “When I kidnapped you I intended bringing you here, but when you said I couldn’t manage without my home comforts I decided to teach you a lesson.” His eyes twinkled wickedly. “Do you still think I can’t live simply? I rather enjoyed it. If you like we can spend our honeymoon under the palms, and live on bats and breadfruit, instead of in my little bungalow as I’d planned. Which would you prefer?”

Lorna smiled adoringly. “So long as we’re together I don’t care where we are.”

Then he kissed her—a long, satisfying kiss that left Lorna in no doubt as to her future happiness.