He stroked her hair. ‘If you have come back to me, then what does the past matter?’ He looked away from her then, and said, as though it did not matter, ‘Of course it made me very jealous.’
She poked him in the ribs. ‘You worked very hard at hiding it until just recently. I did not think you cared a jot for how I behaved.’
‘I told myself that he would take no greater liberties than he had already, even when you were free. But if I was wrong…’ He paused again, and said with difficulty, ‘I understand how much you long for children. But I have not been able to give them to you.’ He paused and touched her belly. ‘If there is any reason why you might need to return to him, or any likelihood of an occurrence that we might need to explain, then it would be best if you told me sooner and not later.’
She could feel the tenseness between his shoulderblades as he waited for her answer. But his grip on her did not loosen. It stayed as protective and gentle as ever, even as he discussed the possibility of raising another man’s bastard. She looked up at him, and for the first time she was sure, beyond a doubt, that he loved her.
‘Harry,’ she whispered, and hugged him back. ‘You have nothing to fear. There has never been anyone but you. Nor will there be.’ She frowned, and then pushed forward with her own greatest fear. ‘There will be no surprises of that kind because of my time away. But what if there are to be no surprises at all? Even after I come home? We have been together for years, Harry, and nothing has happened. It has been so long.’ And she waited, afraid that he would turn from her again.
He smiled, and it was sad, and then he gathered her close to him again. ‘It has. But we are not too old yet, I think. And if we are not blessed then we will have to content ourselves with the future God has sent us. In any case, there is not another woman in the world I would wish at my side.’
He reached for his jacket and pulled it over them, to try to keep back the chill. It was hopeless, for the narrow tails did little to cover their bare legs, and they struggled with it, tangling together until she was laughing again. Then he reached into a pocket and withdrew the box he had offered her before.
‘Look what I still have for you. Will you accept your gift from me now? You have given me what I want.’ He kissed down the side of her neck. ‘Let me give this to you.’
Her laughter disappeared at the sight of the box. He had made her laugh. Made her believe in him again. But here he was with another jewellery box, likely to stop talking and spoil it all. ‘Must you?’
He shook his head and smiled softly. ‘You do not want more jewels? I fear I do not understand women at all. I certainly do not understand you, darling, although if you open this box you will see that I am trying to do better.’ He hesitated. ‘But, before you do, let me assure you that the thing you read in the paper was nothing. I swear. There is no problem with money that will not fix itself, given time. Do not think that the value of this gift implies a lack of funds.’
She leaned back to examine his face, and was surprised to see the trepidation there. It did seem that he was unusually worried about her response.
‘Do not be silly, Harry. It is not the value of the gift that matters to me. It never has been. As I have told you, time and time again, I do not wish any more jewellery from you. But if you mean to give me the thing, and I can no longer avoid it, then let us get it over with.’ She steeled herself and reached for the box.
He was obviously rethinking the wisdom of his gift, for he pulled it away from her at the last minute. ‘We will see how serious you are when you say that. For the contents of this box are really nothing at all. Nothing more than foolishness. But when I made it for you I did not think how it might appear…’
‘You
But he nodded, and coloured like an embarrassed schoolboy. ‘We will go to London and get you a real gift once the guests have gone…’
‘We most certainly will not,’ she said, and snatched the box from his hands, popping open the lid.
Inside, lying on a bed of velvet, as though it came from the finest jeweller in London, was a tiny straw heart, threaded through with the same ribbon she had used for the Christmas ornaments.
He poked it with a finger. ‘I fear I am not much good at braiding, although I have seen you do it often enough. I worked for the better part of an afternoon, and the results are still quite sad. But I wanted to give you my heart on a string for Christmas. You have always had it, you know. But I did not truly miss it until you were gone. I am empty without you.’
She kissed him then, with an enthusiasm that took him quite by surprise. She was crushing the box between them, and further mangling his gift, not caring in the least whether it was crooked, or crude, as long as it came from her darling Harry.
He pulled away, catching his breath. ‘It is all right, then?’
‘It is the most perfect thing I have ever seen.’ She picked up the ribbon and held it out to him. ‘Put it on me-for I mean to wear it until Twelfth Night.’
He was embarrassed again. ‘Not in front of the guests, surely?’
‘Until you wish to take it off me again.’ She gave him an inviting smile and rubbed her bare leg against his. He sighed happily in response, and took the necklace from her.
There was a knock at the door.
Which they ignored.
His hands were at the back of her neck, fumbling with the ribbon, but his lips were on her throat, warming the place where the straw was lying. She snuggled back into the wool of his jacket, squirming against him to distract him, until he had to start all over again and give her even more kisses while he re-tied the bow.
The knock came again-this time more insistent. And a polite clearing of the throat which, if it was to be heard through the heavy oak door, must have been as loud as a normal man’s shout. It was followed by the butler’s soft, ‘Your lordship? I would not normally trouble you, sir. Under the circumstances…But this is urgent.’
Elise wondered what it could possibly be that should be deemed that important, and hoped it was nothing Rosalind had done. For one more evening the house must run itself, without her help.
Harry rolled his eyes and gave an exasperated groan. He answered, ‘A moment, please.’ Then he slipped out from under the jacket and covered her up again, struggling into trousers and shirt, going barefoot to the door. He tried the knob, and then remembered the key, still hot in the coals. ‘Do you have your keys, Benton?’ he muttered. ‘You must open the door from your side. I will explain later. Or perhaps not.’
A moment later, there was a rattling of the lock, and the door opened far enough for the butler to proffer a piece of paper.
Harry took it, unfolded the thing, and read in silence for a moment before exploding with an oath. ‘Damn the man. Damn him to hell. For that is where I will send him once I catch him. I cannot believe the audacity.’
‘What is it, dear? Who do you mean to send to hell?’ She could not help but smile when she looked at him.
‘Your lover.’ He glared down at her. ‘I dare say you will be none too happy with him either. Tremaine has run off to Scotland. And he has taken my sister. I swear, Elise, this is outside of enough.’ He slapped the note in his hand. ‘“Dear Harry-” And whenever have I been the least bit
Harry shook the paper again, and then crumpled it in his fist. ‘The bastard has stolen my sister.’
‘Your half-sister,’ Elise reminded him. ‘Who, lest you have forgotten, is well of age, and should have married long before now.’
‘But to Tremaine?’ Harry made a face as though he was tasting something foul. ‘Tremaine.’ He shook his head and mouthed the name to himself again. ‘Why must it be him?’
‘I think that should be plain enough. They love each other.’
‘Well, of course,’ he spluttered. ‘I have known that for years. But I thought he would at least have the decency to court her as he should, make an offer and wait for the banns to be read. Instead he has rushed my little sister over the border like some lust-crazed animal. And he has done it while she was in my care. What am I going to tell Morley? I suspect when he hears of this he will burst from apoplexy.’ Harry considered for a moment. ‘Which means that some good has come of it, I suppose.’ He stared down at Elise. ‘You are taking this surprisingly well.’ And he smiled at her, in joy and relief, and forgot all about Rosalind.
Elise supposed she was. After all they had been through perhaps she
