His expression turned fierce again. ‘I told you, I don’t care about the blasted money! Your father’s cousin’s neighbour’s cat is welcome to it, for all I care!’
‘No, they’re not. The other claimant rejected the will. The money’s already mine—ours. If we were to get a divorce, it would probably be all yours.’
‘I would never...’
‘Then you’re stuck with me.’ She smiled, releasing his hands to fling her arms around him. ‘Or you’ll have to think of a good reason to divorce me because I won’t do it. I love you, too,
Captain Lancelot Amberton, and I don’t want a divorce, not ever!’
Epilogue
‘It’s a beautiful morning. Come and see.’ Violet opened their bedroom window and gazed out at the moors.
‘I like the view from here.’ Lance threw an arm behind his head and lounged back against the bedhead. ‘Though I’d prefer it without the dressing gown. Why do you ever bother putting that thing on when you know I’m only going to take it off you again?’
‘Because I don’t want to horrify the gardeners if they look up.’ She turned and gazed around their new chamber with satisfaction. ‘I like this new room. I like this wing of the house, too. It really is a fresh start. I wonder why we never thought to simply choose a bedroom of our own together before.’
‘Mrs Gargrave’s indomitable will.’
‘She calmed quite considerably when I told her we’d be closer to the nursery.’ She peered at him coyly from under her lashes. ‘When the time comes for producing an heir, that is.’
Amber eyes flashed appreciatively. ‘You can’t say we’re not putting the effort in. You’ve worn me out.’
‘I’ve worn you out?’
‘Yes.’ He stretched both arms above his head and yawned. ‘For a small woman, you have a surprising amount of energy, not to mention imagination. I think I might have injured my back this time. I may have to lie here all day to recover.’
‘What about the mine?’
He opened his arms out towards her. ‘What’s the point of having a bad leg if you can’t use it as an excuse to sleep in once in a while? Now come back to bed and nurse me.’
‘You’re incorrigible.’
‘You were warned.’
‘Repeatedly. Why do you think I tried to run away?’
‘Twice.’ He grinned. ‘Am I such a beast?’
‘Yes, but you’re my beast.’
She clambered on to the bed, nestling against his shoulder and rubbing her cheek gently against his chest. He felt warm and solid and temptingly snug. Maybe they could lie there for a bit longer... But it was a beautiful day outside, perfect for the purpose she had in mind.
‘Are you enjoying your third month of marriage, Mrs Amberton?’ He dipped his head to press a kiss into her hair.
‘I got more sleep during the first two...’ she stroked a hand over his stomach ‘...not that I’m complaining.’
‘It’s your fault for being so damned irresistible.’
‘That’s not what you said before we were married. You said you could wait seven years.’
‘Don’t remind me,’ he groaned. ‘Two months was long enough. I would never have made it to a year with my sanity intact.’
‘Then it’s lucky you didn’t have to wait so long after all.’
She sighed as his lips rubbed across her throat and then started to move downwards, surrendering herself briefly to the feeling, just as she had twice the night before and once already that morning. But this time, she admonished herself, she wasn’t going to surrender, not completely. She had her own plans for the day. After that, however...
She slid out from beside him, spinning around to straddle his thighs and drop a kiss on to his chest, before jumping quickly off the bed. ‘But you do need to wait until tonight. Come on!’