the insert for her to see. She immediately lost her smile and started backing out of the room.
She didn't look frightened, just wary. 'Alesandra, do you know something about this?'
She couldn't tell from his expression if he was angry or merely irritated with her. She reminded herself that her husband had vowed his love for her just minutes before and took a step forward. 'Yes.'
'Yes, what?'
'Yes, I know something about the insert. Good evening, Caine. It's good to see you again,' she added in a rush.
She was deliberately being obtuse. Colin shook his head at her. 'I asked you a question, wife,' he said.
'Now I understand your question,' she blurted out. She took another step forward. 'Just before you left my chamber you asked me if I had something to tell you and now I realize you'd found the insert. All right, then. I'll tell you. I interfered. Yes, I did. I had your best interests at heart, Colin. I'm sorry you're so prickly about your leg, and if you weren't, I could have discussed my idea with you before sending Flannaghan to the bootmaker. I had to force your man to take on the assignment. He's most loyal to you,' she hastened to add lest he think Flannaghan had somehow betrayed him.
'No, Princess,' Flannaghan argued. 'I begged you to let me take on the assignment.'
Colin rolled his eyes heavenward. 'What made you think of the idea?' he asked.
She looked surprised by his question. 'You have a limp… at night, when you're tired, you do tend to limp a little. Colin, you are aware you favor your right leg, aren't you?'
He almost laughed. 'Yes, I'm aware.'
'Do you agree you're a fairly intelligent man?'
She was turning his words back on him. He held his frown. 'Yes.'
'Then why didn't you try to reason why you were limping?'
He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. 'A shark took a bite out of my leg. Call me daft, Alesandra, but I assumed that was the reason I limped.'
She shook her head. 'That was the reason for the injury,' she explained. 'I looked at the bottoms of your shoes. The left heel was barely worn on each pair. Then, of course, I knew what to do.' She let out a sigh. 'I do wish you weren't so sensitive about this issue.'
She turned to look at Caine. 'He is sensitive, though. Have you, by chance, noticed?'
Caine nodded.
She smiled because she'd gained his agreement. 'He won't even talk about it.'
'He's talking about it now,' Caine told her.
She whirled around to look at her husband. 'You are talking about it,' she cried out.
She looked thrilled. Colin didn't know what to make of that. 'Yes,' he agreed.
'Then will you let me sleep in your bed every night?'
Caine laughed. Alesandra ignored him. 'I know why you go back to your room. It's because your leg hurts and you need to walk. I'm right, aren't I, Colin?'
He didn't answer her.
'Will you please say something?'
'Thank you.'
She was thoroughly confused. 'Why are you thanking me?'
'For the insert.'
'You aren't angry?'
'No.'
She was astonished by his attitude.
He was humbled by her thoughtfulness.
They stared at each other a long minute.
'You aren't angry with Flannaghan, are you?' she asked.
'No.'
'Why aren't you angry with me?'
'Because you had my best interests at heart.'
'What a nice thing to say.'
Colin laughed. She smiled. Flannaghan came running into the study and thrust a glass of water at Caine. His attention was centered on Alesandra. She saw his worried expression and whispered, 'He isn't angry.'
Caine drew her attention when he announced he was going home. Colin didn't take his gaze off his wife when he bid his brother good night.
'Alesandra, stay here. Flannaghan will see Caine out.'
'As you wish, husband.'
'God, I love it when you're humble.'
'Why?'
'It's so damned rare.'
She shrugged. He laughed again. 'Is there something else you wanted to tell me?' he asked.
Her shoulders slumped. The man was too cunning by half. 'Oh, all right,' she muttered. 'I talked to Sir Winters about your leg to gain suggestions. We spoke in confidence, of course.'
Colin raised an eyebrow. 'Suggestions for what?'
'For ways to make it feel better. I made a list of his ideas. Would you like me to fetch it for you?'
'Later,' he answered. 'Now, then, is there something else you wanted to tell me?'
The question covered a broad range of topics. Colin decided he'd have to remember to ask her that question every other week in future so that he could find out what she'd been up to.
She wasn't about to blurt out another confession until she knew what he was fishing for. 'Could you be more specific please?'
Her question told him there were still more secrets. 'No,' he answered. 'You know what I'm asking. Tell me.'
She threaded her fingers through her hair and walked over to the side of his desk. 'Dreyson told you, didn't he?'
He shook his head. 'Then how did you find out?'
'I'll explain how I found out after you tell me,' he promised.
'You already know,' she countered. 'You just want to make me feel guilty, don't you? Well, it won't wash. I didn't cancel the order for the steam vessel and it's too late for you to interfere. Besides, you told me I could do whatever I wanted with my inheritance. I ordered the ship for myself. Yes, I did. I've always wanted one. If, however, you and Nathan would like to use my ship every now and again, I would be happy to share it with you.'
'I told Dreyson to cancel the order,' he reminded her.
'I told him Albert had decided he wanted it.'
'What the hell else have you kept from me?'
'You didn't know?'
'Alesandra…'
'You're pricking my temper, Colin. You still don't understand how much you hurt me,' she announced. 'Can you imagine how I felt when I heard Nathan say that he and you were all set to use Sara's inheritance to build the company? You made such an issue out of turning your back on my inheritance.'
Colin pulled her onto his lap. She immediately put her arms around his neck and smiled at him.
He frowned at her. 'The money was put aside by the king for both Nathan and Sara,' he explained.
'My father put his money away for me and my husband.'
She had him there, he thought to himself. She knew it, too. 'Your father wonders why he's still in charge of my funds, Colin. It's embarrassing. You should take over the task. I would help.'
His smile was filled with tenderness. 'How about if I helped you manage it?'
'That would be nice.' She leaned against him. 'I love you, Colin.'
'I love you, too. Sweetheart, isn't there something else you want to tell me?'
She didn't answer him. Colin reached into his pocket and pulled out her list. She snuggled closer to him.
He opened the paper. 'I want you to be able to talk to me about anything,' he explained. 'From this moment
