Scarlet Nights (Edilean 3)

She looked at him in question.

“Grans said that in Edilean only the descendants of Angus Harcourt got a fair shake.”

“That’s probably true,” Sara said, “but then it is our town.”

Mike groaned. “Spoken like a true aristocrat.”

“I don’t think that being descended from a Scotsman who quite possibly was a thief and a kidnapper qualifies me as an aristocrat. Ariel said the man stowed away on a ship—and it wasn’t the Mayflower.”

Mike rolled onto his side to gaze at her. “You look like a lady to me.” He thought she was so beautiful sitting on the ground under the big old tree. He could see her with a wide-brimmed hat and her sewing. “This place suits you.” He rolled onto his back. He had to quit looking at her or he’d reach out to touch her. He made himself remember the case and Stefan Vandlo. Vandlo would never live in an old house, especially one as small as this one, Mike thought. From the look of the store, Vandlo was more of the gold-faucets-in-the-guest-bath sort of guy.

They were silent for a while, then Sara couldn’t help herself when she asked, “Have you ever been in love?”

“No.” Mike paused. “But I came close to it once.”

“What happened?”

“When she found out I wasn’t who I’d told her I was and they took her husband off to prison because of me, she fell out of love with me. Instantly.”

“Imagine that.”

“Later I heard she bailed his mistress out and they moved in together. But she never forgave me.”

Sara couldn’t help laughing. “What a very strange life you’ve led.”

“I guess it’s all in how you look at it. So what would you do with this place if it was yours?”

She didn’t hesitate. “First, I’d replenish the orchard.”

“Not the house first? No white marble in the kitchen?”

“Trees need time to grow. That marble is waiting for me in a warehouse somewhere.”

“You think Anders would agree to all that?”

“Anders? What happened to calling him ‘Greg’?”

“Sara,” he said slowly, “I’ve never met this man you’re engaged to, but from all I’ve heard, I don’t think he’s worthy of you. Are you sure you want to marry him? Wouldn’t you rather—”

“Don’t even say it.” She didn’t want his words to strengthen the doubt that was beginning to come into her mind. “Everything for the wedding has been arranged. I’ve been having meetings with the planner.”

“How are you going to get Merlin’s Farm if I own it?”

“I don’t know.” Sara could hear the frustration in her voice. “Since I met you, it’s like everything in my life has changed. Before you, I knew exactly where I was going, but now I … I don’t know. I can’t seem to think clearly.”

“That’s the best thing I’ve heard in months, maybe years.”

“Maybe for you, but not for me,” she mumbled.

Mike got up and held out his hands to her. When she was standing in front of him, he kept holding her hands. “Sara”—his voice was soft—“sometimes it seems like I’ve known you forever.” He leaned forward to kiss her and when she didn’t move, he was encouraged.

When he was half an inch from her lips, she said, “Did you say that to the woman whose husband you arrested?”

Mike pulled back. “What?”

“Your women, the ones you’ve wooed then betrayed. Did you say the same things to them that you do to me? You know, about how I’m the most beautiful, the most—”

He dropped her hands. Yes, he had said a lot of the same things to them as he did to Sara, but … He turned away. The difference was that this ti