A few days after Evelyn and Rick took their walk, the captain announced to the passengers that the ship would dock in London the following afternoon.

Evelyn could feel the butterflies' flutter in her stomach at the prospect of going back to a place that she hadn't been since her parents died. But she suspected that those butterflies were there more because she had no idea of what was going to happen between Rick O'Connell and herself once they got there.

He told her that he loved her and to hear it was wonderful. But as much as he loved her and as much as she knew she loved him, she worried that it wasn't enough for him to settle down. It was something that occupied her mind during most of the trip and now that they were only a day out of London, she began to worry.

Evelyn considered herself a sensible girl and quite independent. And just because a man told you he loved you, it didn't mean for the rest of eternity. Since telling her how he felt however, Evelyn's sensibility went out the window and she began to wonder what life with him would be like. She wondered if he wanted children and if he would be willing to travel around to different dig sites or perhaps go back to Egypt with her.

Those thoughts would bring her up short because there had been no mention of marriage. Besides, what man would be thinking of marriage to a woman that he'd only known for a few weeks? And what woman would be contemplating marriage to a man she'd only known for a few weeks?

It was a moot point of course.

Since leaving them alone to explore Casablanca the night before they sailed; Jonathan had been conspicuously absent in his self appointed duties of chaperone. He and Evelyn talked the same day that she went for a walk around the deck with Rick and she told him what he'd said.

Jonathan apologized to her for being so overprotective and declared that his short career as a chaperone was over. "I trust you old mum; it was never about that. And I suppose I trusted O'Connell as well, but it was something I felt that Mother and Dad would have expected me to do. And if I ever embarrassed you, I am sorry."

She smiled at him before she leaned over to kiss his cheek. "You never embarrassed me, really. It felt more that you didn't trust me."

His look was sheepish. "I know Evie. But O'Connell had never given me any reason not to trust that you can spend time by yourselves."

As that conversation replayed itself in her mind, she didn't hear Rick come up behind her. "Where's your brother?"

She jumped as she heard his voice and he laughed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

Evelyn smiled at him. "You do have a rather bad habit of doing that."

"I know." And he tucked her arm through his and continued to walk with her. "And you haven't answered my question."

"Some of the other passengers got a card game together and asked Jonathan to join them."

"With the luck he has?"

She put her head on his shoulder for a moment. "It doesn't matter to him. He always feels that a lucky streak is just a card away."

"And he doesn't seem to have found that card yet, has he?"

Evelyn shook her head. "And I don't suppose he ever will. It does seem to me though, that he's putting a lot of stock into getting some money for those pieces that came back with us."

Rick frowned at that. "Well, whatever he hopes to get for all of that stuff isn't going to do him much good if he has to use it to pay his gambling debts."

"Now you understand why I tend to worry about him so much." She sighed and lay her head back on his shoulder and he took her hand in his.

"It seems that looking after Jonathan is a full time job."

"And once we get settled back in London and I get a job, I won't have time to keep him out of trouble."

"Don't worry about that Evie, I'll be there to help you." He said.

Evelyn straightened up before she let go of his hand and looked at him. "I appreciate that Rick, I really do but Jonathan isn't your responsibility."

The deck was dimly lit and she didn't know if her eyes could trust what they saw because Rick O'Connell's face flushed and he suddenly looked very nervous. "If you married me he would be our responsibility."

She didn't know what to say.

He shook his head. "Forget I said anything. We haven't known each other long enough and even if we had, you may not be ready to get married and..."

Evelyn interrupted his nervous stammering when she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. She felt his arms move around her waist and pull her close when he kissed her back. She didn't know how long it went on before she felt his hands leave her waist and gently grasp her arms and put her away from him.

The look on his face was a mixture of bemusement and hope. "Can I take that as a yes?"

"You may." She smiled back at him.

"Would you marry me before we get to England?"

"Are you sure about that? It is awfully fast." She didn't want him to have any doubts.

"We can wait if you want to. We can have a big church wedding with all the trimmings if that's what will make you happy."

Evelyn smiled at him and she could feel tears begin to roll down her cheeks. "Rick, Jonathan's the only family I have. And as far as a big church wedding I don't need it. A small ceremony with the ships captain will be just fine with me."

"I just don't ever want you to regret it." Rick's voice was concerned and he put his arms around her waist.

She answered by putting her arms around his neck. "Trust me when I tell you that I won't ever regret it. What I would have regretted is if Jonathan hadn't talked you into coming with us and we might never have known that we loved each other."

That seemed to ease his mind and a wide smile broke across his face. "Evie, I don't know what kind of a husband I'll be but I'll make you happy."

"That's all I can ask for because I don't know what kind of a wife I'll be either." She admitted. "But I'll make you happy too."

"Then that's all I can ask for." He told her before leaned over to kiss her.