Page 12

Ten

S arah hung up the last of the clothing she’d brought with her and sighed before shutting the door to the little closet Ian had pointed out before he left. She had the feeling her wardrobe was nowhere near what it needed to be for a weekend with people like the ones he had described.

And clothing was the least of her worries.

EHN. The name nagged at her. Of course it was familiar; everyone knew about their charity efforts all around the world. But those initials meant more to her. As she recalled, the woman Brad had married was associated with the organization somehow. She wished now she had paid more attention to the article she had read announcing their engagement.

Still, Ian had said that the representatives who were coming were all men. “Corporate executives and their wives” had been invited, according to him.

She took an unsteady breath, determined to calm herself. It was silly to worry needlessly.

Even though she’d already changed, she still had almost an hour before dinner. Daniel told her it would be a garden reception, so she’d opted for dress pants and a sweater. Catching her reflection in the mirror as she walked toward the door, she shrugged. It might not be dressy enough, but at least she’d be warm if the evenings here were as cool as they’d been farther to the north in Scotland.

She opened the door and went downstairs to the main room. Her shoulder bag, housing her ever-present laptop, sat on the sofa where she’d left it when they first entered. She moved it to a small desk by the front door, stopping to look around.

Muted pastel tones blended in the cottage, giving it a comfortable feel. The central room included a small kitchenette area, which Sarah decided to investigate now. A tiny refrigerator held ice cubes, soft drinks and a bottle of wine. A small microwave and a sink filled the remainder of the narrow space, and an electric water kettle perched on the counter that ran the length of the little kitchen.

Sarah turned to examine the rest of the room. The wall opposite the front door was almost completely swallowed up by a large stone fireplace flanked on either side by glass doors. The doors exited out to an enclosed garden area with a small patio table and chairs. An enormous pillow-strewn leather sofa faced the fireplace.

The wall opposite the kitchen was covered in a floor-to-ceiling bookcase broken by two doors, one of which led upstairs to her bedroom. She supposed the other must lead to Ian’s room, although his luggage sat inside the front door.

She picked up his suitcase, surprised at how light it was in comparison to her own, intending to put it in his room.

Only to find it wasn’t a bedroom at all.

“Wow.” Letting go of the suitcase, Sarah nodded in appreciation. This had to be the best bathroom she’d ever seen, even taking into account television commercials and magazine ads. Shiny black marble covered the floor and walls, highlighted by one wall of mirrors and accented with towels and candles in a rich red. She walked to the tub and ran her hand over the edge. It looked like a swimming pool in comparison to her tub back home. She could imagine how the room would shimmer with all the candles lit, bouncing light off the mirrors.

“Welcome to Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” she muttered.

She left the room, taking the suitcase back to the front door. Hands on her hips, she looked around to see if she’d missed something. Maybe this wasn’t the Caretaker’s Cottage where Nessa had indicated Ian would stay. Maybe Ian had simply dropped off his luggage here.

Remembering an unexplored door in her bedroom, she turned and went back upstairs. There were three doors. The first was to the small closet where she’d put her things.

The next opened into a bathroom she’d discovered earlier, quite modest by the standards of the one downstairs. She backed out. The last door opened into another closet, much larger than the one she’d used, with clothing already hanging.

Men’s clothing. No wonder Ian’s bag was so light. It appeared he had a full wardrobe of clothing here. There were even shoes lined neatly on a rack toward the rear of the closet.

It would seem that she had found Ian’s room.

She had a flashback to meeting her hosts and remembered Nessa’s remarking that Ian had told them so much about her. Now she wondered exactly what he’d told them. It was a question she fully intended to have answered.

“Sarah?” Ian’s voice echoed up from downstairs.

Talk about timing.

Narrowing her eyes, she turned to the stairs. This would be as good a time as any to ask him.

Reaching the bottom, she found Ian carrying a grinning Will.

“Look who I found sitting outside our door.”

As soon as he swung the child to the floor, Will ran to her, throwing his arms around her legs and hugging tightly. She thought of her first meeting with the boy and how she’d been flooded with wave after powerful wave of joy flowing from him. It was almost enough to make her miss Ian’s reference to our door.

Almost.

“Hello, Will. Come to visit?”

The boy nodded but glanced sheepishly at Ian.

“Escaped to visit is more like it, eh, Wills?” He scooped up his bag and started upstairs, turning at the last minute. “I’m no sure where his nanny has gotten to, but we’ll deal with that when we get to the main house. Do you mind entertaining our wee guest while I get ready?”

She shook her head. “No problem.”

He arched an eyebrow and gave her a slow smile. “You look lovely. I’ll be down in a bit.” With that he turned and took the stairs two at a time.

“Come on, Sarah.” Will tugged at her sleeve. “Bunches of butterflies live in this garden. I want to show you.”

She smiled and allowed the child to pull her outside as she heard the shower turn on upstairs.

Apparently her question would have to wait until later.

***

“Are we ready?”

Sarah jumped at the sound of Ian’s voice.

After shutting the patio door behind him, he joined her and Will. The three of them set out for the main house, the little boy holding Ian’s hand.

Sarah studied Ian from under her lashes. As usual, he looked like he’d stepped off a magazine page, right down to the damp ends of his hair curling at his neck against the silky material of his ivory sweater.

She quickly looked away when he turned his head to speak to Will.

“What happened to yer new nanny?”

“I wanted to visit Sarah.” The boy didn’t meet his gaze.

“And?”

“I asked for Hide and Seek.” Will’s face lit with a mischievous humor. “When Nanny covered her eyes, I left.” He shrugged his little shoulders.

“You know, with all the strange grown-ups here this weekend, I’m thinking it would be much better for you to stay close to Nanny.”

The little boy nodded. “But I wanted to see Sarah. I like her. You said I should help make her feel welcome,” he reminded.

Ian’s eyes sought out Sarah’s over the top of the child’s head. He appeared to be holding back a grin. She could understand why. This was one determined six-year-old.

“Wills, how about if I promise to bring Sarah up to yer room to say good night, and I make sure you get to visit with her each day we’re here. Will you stay with Nanny then?”

The boy looked up at Sarah, catching her hand with his free one. “You’ll do that? Come to see me each day?”

“Of course I will. I’d like that very much.”

Will’s smile at her response was accompanied by a pulse of emotion so strong Sarah thought for a second her knees might buckle. She had never experienced such amplified emotions from any other person as she received each time she touched this boy.

The child tightened his grip on her hand, calmly watching her with big eyes. “And you’ll come to say good-bye before you leave?” Ian stopped, giving the child his full attention. “We promise.”

“Okay, Uncle Ian. It’s a deal.”

They had reached the garden and soon heard voices. Daniel and a young woman appeared around the first bend in the mazelike path.

“Look, Nancy, you only have one thing to do for the next few days. Is it too much to ask that you do it? He’s only six. With your training, I’d think you could maintain surveillance on one small six-year-old.” Daniel ran his hand through his hair, which was already quite disheveled, as if his hand had followed the same path many times in the last few minutes.

“Daddy!” Will ran to his father, who bent to pick him up, hugging him close.

“Wills came out to the cottage for a visit.” Ian exchanged a look with Daniel as his friend handed the child over to the nanny. “But he’s promised no to do it again without his nanny. Isna that right?”

“Absolutely.” Will grinned at all of them. “You’ll remember to come say good night?”

“Absolutely,” Ian echoed back as the boy and his nanny turned toward the house.

Ian dropped back beside Daniel on the narrow path, leaving Sarah to walk alone in front of them. She could hear them talking quietly behind her. Even when it sounded as though the men had halted, the buzz of their whispered conversation becoming too indistinct to follow, she continued forward, drawn by the sound of laughter ahead.

Coming to the end of the path, Sarah moved onto the terrace before she stopped to survey the scene in the garden courtyard. It was beautifully set up, delicate chairs in groups of twos and threes around a small central pond. Large iron stands held multiple candles, which, along with strings of lights, shed a subtle illumination over the gathering. Soft music floated through the night air, delivered by unseen speakers.

Nessa stood at a food-laden table on the opposite side, speaking to two women. Sarah suffered a small twinge of embarrassment when she saw the other women wearing dresses, but pushed it down in favor of practicality as she realized the temperatures were already dropping.

To her left, at the far end of the pond a bar had been set up, complete with a smiling bartender. In front of it stood two men whose backs were to her, their heads lowered, deeply involved in a discussion. They turned, drinks in hand, and one of them raised his head, glancing her direction.

She froze, unable to look away, recognition jolting through her.

His eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed as he sauntered her direction.

“Oh, shit,” she breathed, feeling her stomach drop. Her worst fear had come to pass. Her ex-husband was here.

***

Ian scanned the group from the edge of the courtyard. He listened to Daniel’s initial assessment of the men who had arrived—the men whose files they had discussed in detail earlier today. But his friend’s words faded into background noise as he watched Sarah standing several meters in front of him.

The rounded neckline of the cream-colored sweater she wore exposed just enough skin to emphasize how soft and feminine she looked. Very touchable. Especially with her loose curls brushing right above her shoulders. Like spun gold. His fingers flexed as he thought of running them through that hair.

Stay focused.

She distracted him and that was dangerous. For all of them. He couldn’t afford to let that happen.

Centering himself, he was immediately aware of a difference in her. The unnatural rigidity of her stance telegraphed her tension across the distance. He wondered that the entire group didn’t see it, but no one else seemed to notice. He tracked the direction of her gaze. The man she watched smiled as he approached her, but there was nothing friendly in his expression. He reminded Ian of a fox stalking its prey—not particularly large, but quite fearsome for its sly behavior.

Ian studied him. He was a fit-enough-looking man, probably in his mid- to late-forties, with light brown hair. He exuded the type of confidence that comes from years of controlling other people.

Ian held up a finger to stop Daniel’s running commentary. “Who’s that? The one headed toward Sarah.”

“Bradley Tanner. He’s the one I was telling you about.” Daniel frowned. “Why? What is it?”

“I’m no sure.”

Lowering his head, Ian blocked out his surroundings and concentrated. The distance was no challenge for someone with his abilities. Enhanced hearing was only one of the gifts of his Fae blood. Once he blocked out all other distractions, he could hear their conversation clearly.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the Ice Queen herself.”

Ian jerked his head up in time to see Sarah’s face color and her arms tighten around her middle in the self-protective gesture he’d come to associate with her.

“Brad.” Her tone was tight and clipped.

“I must say, I’m surprised to see you here. Are you with someone?” He took a drink from the glass he held, his smile turning malicious. “Hard to believe anyone here would want something like you to warm his bed.”

“I can see you haven’t changed at all.” Sarah glared at the man.

“Why should I? I wasn’t the nutcase. You were. So, have you found yourself some ancient Brit who’ll put up with your crazy nonsense?”

A wave of resentment washed over Ian and he started forward. A waiter passed and he snagged two glasses of champagne off the tray. Whoever the bloody bastard was, he wasn’t going to get away with speaking to Sarah like that. It might not be fashionable to challenge the bugger to a duel in this day and age, but there were other ways to handle him.

“I take it that’s a no? As I recall, you weren’t comfortable with people, didn’t want them touching you.” He took another drink and then sneered. “Oh wait. I remember now. It’s only men you’re no good with.”

“Really?” Ian interrupted. Catching Tanner’s eye, Ian flashed a humorless smile as he joined them. “And here I was thinking she was quite good.”

He moved close behind Sarah, ignoring her flinch when he pulled her back against his chest. A shiver passed through her as he carefully wrapped his arms around her, both glasses held out in front of them.

“Sorry I’m late, luv.” He leaned down to kiss her neck, just below her ear, nuzzling for perhaps a moment longer than necessary. Never taking his eyes from the other man’s, he inhaled deeply, enjoying the feel and the scent of her. “I stopped to get yer champagne. Who’s yer…friend?” He continued to stare at the man as she accepted the glass with a trembling hand.

Before she could answer, the man extended his hand. “Brad Tanner, chief financial officer for EHN International.”

Ian met it with his own. “Ian McCullough.”

“Lord Ian McCullough,” Daniel interrupted. “Earl of Dunscore.”

Focused on the man in front of him, Ian hadn’t even noticed his friend join them. He smiled as Tanner’s eyebrows rose. Titles occasionally served their purpose. Especially with men like this one.

“And how exactly do you know my Sarah?” He emphasized the word, watching as the other man’s jaw muscle twitched. Sarah stiffened in his embrace just before Tanner answered.

“Because she used to be my Sarah. We were married. Briefly.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“Not briefly enough,” she muttered.

Ian tightened his arm around her, allowing his fingers to caress her shoulder. Better that than allowing his fingers to squeeze the man’s neck, which is what he’d prefer to do right now. Ladies were not meant to be treated so thoughtlessly, particularly not in public.

“Well.” He shrugged carelessly, though it took effort. “We all make mistakes.”

He’d made one, for instance. He’d judged Sarah to be na?ve, unsure of men based on lack of experience. It appeared he’d been wrong. She was unsure of men based on bad experience. Now that he’d met the man she’d been married to, it made perfect sense. If she’d ever had any self-confidence, this idiot had done his best to destroy it.

The pain and embarrassment he’d seen in her eyes the one time she’d looked up ate at him still. He slid his hand from her shoulder up to her bare neck, tightening his grip so she couldn’t pull away, using his thumb to stroke small gentle circles under her ear-lobe. The exact spot where he’d kissed her.

Finishing his champagne, he concentrated on serenity, on how much pleasure he found in touching her. He allowed it to fill his mind, ignoring the conversation around him. Henry had judged her to be a Sensor, and Henry was rarely mistaken. If that were the case, the emotions would flow through his fingers into the very core of her. He knew the instant she felt it. The trembling stopped and she relaxed against him, her head tilting away, allowing his thumb greater access. He doubted she even realized she’d moved. But he was acutely aware of it.

As was Brad Tanner, if his stony expression was any indication.

The second man had joined them, Daniel introducing him as Paul Stephenson, chief operating officer for EHN. Ian shook his hand, but didn’t relinquish his hold on Sarah. The man was older, with gentle eyes. Ian was almost willing to bet this man wasn’t connected in any way to what they were looking for.

But Tanner? Ian would enjoy his being involved.

“So, McCullough, what kind of work do you do?” Tanner’s eyes flicked from Ian’s face to his hand on Sarah’s neck and back again.

“My properties take up most of my time. At least the time I’m willing to devote to work.” Tanner seemed like a man easily influenced by wealth and title. Ian was willing to use that.

“My wife, Marlena, is over there.” Pointing at the appetizer table, Stephenson spoke quietly to Sarah. “Would you like me to take you over and introduce you?”

“No,” Ian answered for her. “Thanks, but I’ll do that. We’ve neither of us had anything to eat since morning, so that looks like the spot for us. If you’ll excuse us, gentlemen?”

The grateful smile Sarah gave him as he steered her across the courtyard disappeared when they saw the men following a short time later.

Nessa had already started introductions, beginning with Marlena Stephenson, a tall matronly woman with a ready smile. She turned toward her other guest, a statuesque young woman with long blond hair and pouty red lips.

“And this—”

“This,” Brad interrupted, putting his arm around the younger woman as he arrived at the table, “is my wife, Nicole.” He smirked as he brought his gaze up from his wife to look at Sarah. “Isn’t she lovely?”

“Oh, Bradley…stop it,” Nicole giggled. “Call me Nicki. Everyone does.” She turned and batted large brown eyes in Ian’s direction, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Nessa here tells us you’re an honest-to-God duke.”

“Earl, actually,” Ian corrected, pleased at the irritation that flashed across Tanner’s face. He decided that Sarah must have noticed it as well since she discreetly smothered her chuckle in a cough.

“Daddy will really get a kick out of that.” Nicki smiled at the group, allowing her hand to drop to her side. Exchanging her empty champagne glass for a full one as the waiter passed by, she favored the whole group with another of her blinding smiles.

“Daddy?” Ian turned a questioning look toward the woman’s husband.

“Alexander Storey,” Brad filled in. “Nicole’s father is the founder and CEO of EHN. He and Mr. O’Dannan arrive tomorrow.”

“Mr. O’Dannan?” Ian had begun to feel a bit like a parrot, but he had his own part to play. After all, as a social guest of Daniel’s, he wouldn’t have any reason to know who these people were, even though Daniel had briefed him on all of them when he’d first arrived. All except this O’Dannan.

“Personal executive assistant to the chairman of the board. I’ve only just heard from him this past hour,” Daniel added. “If all goes well, Mr. Servans, the chairman himself, might even join us for our big dinner event.” He smiled at everyone gathered and lifted his glass in a toast, playing his role to the hilt. “Even on such short notice, several willing donors have already agreed to attend. And I’ve offered to up my own donation if the chairman joins us.”

“Money’s about the only thing that’d bring that man out,” Marlena muttered under her breath, and her husband frowned in her direction. She shrugged and turned away from the group, refilling her plate from the selection at the table.

Ian held back his smile, thankful for his superior hearing.

“We’re so excited about your little weekend, aren’t we, Bradley?” Nicole gushed. “When I heard we were going to be spending four days partying with real royalty here, I simply agonized over which designer to wear.” She handed her empty glass to her husband. “Bradley, honey, could you find me another one of those?” She turned back to the others as her husband headed to the bar. “But then I figured it really wouldn’t matter ’cause none of y’all shop in Dallas like I do, so I’m bound to be wearin’ somethin’ different from what all of y’all are.”

Airhead. Wasn’t that the term he’d seen used on Henry’s telly? This particular version of airhead couldn’t be over twenty-five if she was a day. He studied Brad as the man brought back his wife’s drink and handed it to her, a smug look on his face.

The topic of conversation had changed to the availability of challenging golf courses in the area, with the women discussing shopping in the nearby towns. Sarah remained quiet, his arm still around her shoulders.

“Ian, what say we take these two over to Mendip for a round of golf first thing tomorrow? We can be back before the ladies are even up.” Daniel grinned at him, knowing how much he hated the game.

“Of course. Ring me up at the cottage in the morning.” It would be a good opportunity to see what they could learn about the rest of the board of EHN from their guests.

Ian felt Sarah rise on her toes and lean into him. He tilted his head down to her.

“When does Will go to bed? We did promise to say good night,” she whispered, her breath flowing warmly over his ear and down his neck.

He could have simply responded, but he caught Brad watching them and chose instead to pull her close. Answering into her opposite ear gave the impression he was embracing her and, in fact, gave him the opportunity to do exactly that. An opportunity he found himself more than willing to seize.

“We’ll go now,” he whispered back.

He wasn’t sure if he was more pleased with the way she shivered in his embrace or by the expression of irritation that passed over Brad’s face.

He looked up and smiled at the group. “Sorry to leave such good company, but Sarah and I need to call it a day. We’re both tired from our long drive down.”

“Oh, but it’s still early,” Nicki protested.

“I’m sure that, unlike you, my dear, Sarah needs her sleep.” Brad squeezed his wife’s shoulder, a victorious half smile on his lips.

“It’s no sleep she’s leaving for,” Ian murmured just loud enough for Brad’s benefit. He grinned as they walked away. It felt good to see the smile wiped right off that smug face.

***

Will had been waiting for them when they’d reached his room, determined not to fall asleep until they arrived, as if he feared they might not come. By the time they’d tucked him in and given him good-night kisses, his little eyes had closed and his breathing was slow and even. Sarah had never seen anyone go to sleep so fast.

She took a deep breath as they walked slowly across the plush carpet of lawn, Ian holding tightly to her hand. Her mind swirled with the tumult of emotions she felt. She should pull away, but the contact gave her comfort and she wasn’t willing to give that up just yet. It had been an unsettling evening. Unsettling? It had been horrendous. Seeing Brad, hearing him again had opened old wounds she’d thought long closed. All the humiliation she’d felt so many years ago flooded back.

Only Ian’s presence had saved her tonight. He had been there for her through the whole of it, smoothing her path. Sooner or later she would need to deal with what had happened, answer the questions that would surely come.

“I’m sorry for all that…scene tonight, Ian. I know it must have been uncomfortable for you.”

She attempted to pull her hand away, but he held on to it, using it to pull her closer to him. Tucking her under his arm, he stopped and looked down at her.

“I dinna feel at all uncomfortable.” There it was, that devastating smile again. The one that made her breath catch in her throat. “In fact, I rather enjoyed myself.”

“Enjoyed yourself?” She shuddered. “Well, I want you to know that I appreciate your stepping in like that.” They were walking again, his arm still around her. “I was so shocked to see Brad here, I couldn’t think at first. I had heard that his wife was somehow connected with EHN, but I had no idea he worked for them, let alone was one of their executives. Had I known, I wouldn’t have come.”

“Then it’s my good fortune you dinna know. I’m grateful to have you with me, regardless of what happened back there. That’s no yer fault.”

“Still, you pretty much saved me from making a complete fool of myself.”

Ian chuckled, tightening his arm in a little hug. “It took no great effort on my part. But you do realize the consequences of what we’ve done, do you no?” He looked down at her again, his hand moving from her shoulder to her neck.

“Consequences?” Did that come out as a squeak?

“Everyone assumes we’re a couple now.”

“Oh.”

“So I’m afraid we’ll have to continue our little pretense.”

“Oh.”

He’d done it again. Robbed her of her ability to make conversation that consisted of more than one syllable. Must have something to do with his thumb moving in that little circle under her ear as it was now. As it had earlier. Relaxing her. Calming her.

The cottage was directly ahead. Hadn’t she wanted to ask him something about the cottage this afternoon?

Wait a minute.

“Is this the Caretaker’s Cottage?”

“Aye. That’s what it was used for long ago, so they continue to call it by that name.”

“But there’s only one bedroom,” she blurted out, turning to look at him.

“Aye.” An enormous grin covered his face. “You noticed that, did you?”

“Should I assume your friends already thought we were a couple?”

He shrugged, sliding his hand down to her shoulder. “It appears as though they did. I’d planned to ask Nessa about a change of rooms at the reception, but I got a wee bit distracted. I’m afraid we’ll have to leave things as they are now.”

“How could they have made a mistake like that? I thought you said you’d told them about me.”

He ducked his head in a sheepish gesture. “I did tell them about you, but I guess they jumped to their own conclusions.” His hand slid back to her neck. “You see, Sarah, in all the years I’ve been coming to stay at Glaston House, I’ve never brought a woman with me before.”

They’d reached the cottage, but instead of going inside, Ian pulled her to sit next to him on the bench outside the front door.

“It’s a fine evening. Much too fine to go inside yet. What say we stay out for a bit and enjoy the stars.”

Leaning his head back against the wall of the cottage, he closed his eyes and they sat silently for several minutes. She had begun to wonder if he might have fallen asleep when he moved his arm to her shoulders, his fingers lightly caressing her neck.

“How long were you married to him?”

Finally the question she had expected. “Officially, about a year. But in reality, it was only a few months. I think we both knew right away we’d made a mistake.”

“A mistake?”

“Yes. I was young, and we rushed into marriage without taking the time to really know one another. It was all such a very long time ago.” She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to ward off the memories. She’d never spoken of this with anyone. That had been a horrible time for her.

Brad had no patience for what he considered her psychotic behavior. No concept of her actually being able to feel his emotions each time she touched him. When she’d tried to explain, he’d thought her insane. And once he found out how long he’d have to wait to have access to her trust fund, he was done with her. Even after all these years, with only a little effort, she could still recall exactly how his contempt and greed had felt the first time she’d touched it.

“How old were you when you married?”

Her eyes flew open. She hated the whole age discussion, but she had been the one who opened the door to it when she allowed herself to talk about that part of her life. She sighed in resignation. It would have come up sooner or later anyway. “We married the year I turned twenty-one.”

Ian snorted. “Disna seem to me that was so long ago.”

Of course he’d think that. He was only twenty-eight. It seemed a lifetime ago to her.

“I should never have married him. My grandmother tried to convince me I was making a horrible mistake.”

“Then why did you do it?”

She took a deep breath. It had taken her years of soul searching to figure out the answer to that question. And even longer to admit to it.

“I thought myself in love. I thought Brad would save me from…” She stopped herself. She couldn’t tell him the whole truth. Couldn’t tell him she had yearned for someone who would understand and accept her for what she was. Someone who would shield her from the emotions of others. “From growing old alone.”

“And how is it yer grandmother was the one to try to change yer decision to marry?”

“My mother and I lived with her. Then, after my mother’s death, it was just the two of us.”

“How old were you when you when yer mother passed?”

“Six.”

“And yer father? Why dinna you go to live with him?”

“My parents split up shortly after my birth. I didn’t know my father at all. He came to see me once after my mother’s death, on my seventh birthday. I remember being surprised that he even knew it was my birthday, since I’d never seen him. We sat in my grandmother’s parlor while he asked me questions, trying to get to know me, I guess. Anyway, a month or so later, an attorney showed up at our front door, informing us my father was gone and I was his only heir. Grandmother claimed the money was the only reason Bradley had for marrying me. As it turned out, she was right.”

She shook her head, attempting to rid herself of the empty feelings those memories carried with them. “But I was so sure I could make it work.” So sure that when she told him about her differences he would understand and accept her as she was. So sure that the intuitive warnings she had were as wrong as her grandmother. “So, I married him.”

His hand slid to her neck, the warmth of it comforting her. “I’ve found over the years that even my mistakes teach me something. Did you learn from that experience, luv?”

“Oh yes.” She paused, willing the tears not to fall. “I learned the importance of honesty. I also learned you can’t make something real just because you want it badly. Sometimes you must accept things as they are.” She had learned to accept that because of her differences she would always be alone.

“I see.”

She wondered how much he did see. His thumb started its marvelous circular pattern under her ear and soon she leaned her head back against the wall next to his. Her eyes drifted shut and her body relaxed in the peaceful quiet.

She jumped when he once again broke the silence.

“By the way, when you were being so observant about the cottage having only one bedroom?”

He turned to look down at her, catching her eyes, and she felt a blush building on her face, heating the area of her neck covered by his fingers. She knew he must feel it as well.

“Did you also happen to notice the bloody big sofa in the great room?”

She nodded.

“Good.” He leaned back against the wall and stared up at the starlit sky. “Because that’s where I’ll be sleeping. If you need to find me for any reason.”

“Oh.”

Damn. Reduced to single syllables again.