Another moment passed before her mouth took on a teasing tilt. “I first have to decide if you have groveled properly enough.”
His own mouth curved. “You won't make this easy, will you?”
“Certainly not. I have endured two years of pent-up fury and frustration. You have a great deal to atone for, my lord husband.”
“Amazingly enough, I am looking forward to the prospect. I will even throw myself into the water behind us if it will help get me back into your good graces.”
The laughter that tumbled from her lips made him crave to kiss her. He wanted to hear that sparkling laugh every day of his life. He ached to see Eleanor smile, to touch her, to hold her in his arms. To wake with her beside him. To love her for the rest of their days. She was warmth and laughter, and she was his. Damon could scarcely believe his good fortune.
His features gentling with tenderness, he rose and held out his hand to her. “Come with me, Elle.”
She didn't hesitate to oblige, yet she was curious what he intended.
“Where are we going?” she asked as he led her along the graveled path toward the south end of Rosemont's beautifully landscaped gardens.
“I want to show you my wedding gift to you.”
“What is it?”
“You will have to wait and see, love.”
Eleanor fell silent when Damon refused to reveal anything more. After a while, she realized they were nearing her own special rose garden, the one her brother had created for her when she was ten in order to ease her loneliness. Marcus had given her a rosebush each year afterward on her birthday, as a remembrance of his love.
She wondered why Damon had chosen to bring her here… until they reached her special place. There, adjacent to her own garden, was a patch of newly tilled ground adorned with a similar spiral path. At the very heart of the new spiral, a single rosebush, lush with rich red blooms, had been planted.
Eleanor came to halt, a little stunned. “You are giving me a rosebush as a wedding gift?” she asked Damon.
“Yes. This one is to mark the start of our years together. I thought we would plant another on each anniversary, to mark the passage of time.”
Eleanor's eyes filled with tears. Damon had remembered how precious her garden was to her, and he had duplicated it for her. The knowledge melted her heart.
“You
“Certainly, I do. I told you so, Elle.”
She bent to pluck one perfect rose and brought it to her lips, breathing in its delicious scent. “This is worth more to me than rubies and diamonds, Damon.”
He reached up to wipe away a tear with a gentle forefinger. “I will be giving you rubies and diamonds, as well, love. The Wrexham jewels are safely stored in a bank vault in London. But meanwhile, I wanted you to know that I consider our union much more than a mere marriage of convenience.”
“Thank you, Damon,” she whispered, smiling with joy.
He took the rose from her and tucked it behind her ear. “I'll make you another vow, Elle. There will never be a day you won't know how much I love you.”
“I mean to hold you to that vow,” Eleanor said softly.
She had longed for love, for a cherished husband to grow old with, for children. And she knew Damon would fulfill her yearning. She saw a thousand sensual promises in his dark eyes as he gazed back at her.
Turning to gaze down at her new rose garden, she gave a dreamy sigh and rested her head against Damon's shoulder. “Aunt Beatrix will be relieved that we have made up,” Eleanor murmured. “She thinks you are the key to my happiness. I only regret that her own hopes for happiness have been crushed. She was greatly hurt to learn that Signor Vecchi was behind the threats against Prince Lazzara. But I suppose it is better for her to learn his true nature now, before her affections became even more deeply engaged.”
“No doubt. I was surprised that Vecchi would go to such lengths to keep you from wedding Lazzara, but I have no regrets that he succeeded.”
“You were clever to have divined the signor as the perpetrator.”
“I had help-from the Runners and from Havi-land. There is a great deal more to Haviland than meets the eye.”
Eleanor laughed to herself. “I would imagine so. A woman can sense these things, you know.”
“Is that so?” Placing his finger under her chin, Damon made her look at him. “You don't have a partiality for Haviland, do you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Good. I don't ever want to see you flirting with him again, wife.”
“You won't. I only did so to make you jealous.”
“It worked-although I was far more jealous of Lazzara. I am glad to be rid of him, I must say.”
“In truth, so am I. He offered to make me his mistress a short while ago.”
“Did he now.” Damon's eyes glittered dangerously, gratifying Eleanor with his possessiveness. “He's fortunate then to have left the premises before I learned of it.”
“He thought that since you were consorting with your mistress, I would be at liberty to take lovers outside our marriage.”
“You will never be free, love. I am your husband for now and always.”
Eleanor smiled with happiness. “Fanny will be pleased to know her advice succeeded.”
“Fanny?”
Realizing her slip, Eleanor hesitated, debating how much she could honorably reveal about Fanny. But she wanted Damon to know about their friendship since she had every intention of continuing it. Besides, Damon could be trusted to keep Fanny's identity a secret.
“Fanny Irwin wrote the book on capturing a husband, in addition to offering me private counsel on how to win your heart.”
Damon's eyebrows shot up. “A notorious Cyprian is the anonymous lady author?”
“Yes. She obviously could not publish it under her own name, but who better to advise women on how to deal with men than a noted expert? She also penned the manuscript I have been reading. Fanny is attempting to turn over a new leaf by entering a less disreputable profession. There is a certain gentleman she hopes to marry, so she is aspiring to earn her living as a novelist.” Eleanor sighed again, this time with fondness. “I am exceedingly grateful to Fanny. She helped me capture the husband of my dreams.”
“I am not so grateful to her,” Damon remarked. “Because of her book, you nearly landed Lazzara.”
Eleanor shook her head. “I don't believe there was ever any real danger of that. I could never have loved Prince Lazzara because I had already given my heart to you.” Raising Damon's hand, she held it against her cheek. “I love you, Damon. I love you so much that it frightens me.”
“Then we are well matched.”
Staring back into his eyes, she saw her own love reflected there-and heard it in Damon's tone when he added in a low voice, “I know Joshua would be happy for us.”
She smiled mistily, acknowledging his concession. “I hope with all my heart that he would be.” She paused. “Marcus will certainly be happy for us.”
“I trust so,” Damon said, his tone turning dry. “Perhaps now he won't cut out my liver as he threatened.”
“Marcus threatened you?”
“Yes, but his protectiveness of you is one of his most sterling qualities.”
Suddenly Eleanor found herself being drawn into Damon's arms. “Enough talking, wife. We should be kissing instead. I expect you to show me your love with deeds, not words.”
“You realize that we could be seen by the gardeners?” she asked, amused.
His smile pierced her heart. “Do you want to stop?”
“Certainly not.”
His eyes, bright with laughter, gazed into hers. Then his lips came down to meet hers with a poignant
