“It's nice here,” he whispered, kissing her hair. It too still smelled as it had—musk and smoke and the soft scent of her. “I mean, to lie with you here. In bed. Together.” His whole body blushed.
Naked below the sheets, she stirred against him, and he found that, after all, he was not so very tired. “It is,” she whispered.
They kissed.
Later, as they lay together, sleepy and content, she rolled over and looked into his face. He smiled and reached up, gently stroking her hair.
“You're so lovely,” he whispered.
“You're rather handsome too,” she whispered.
He laughed. “You think so?”
“I always did.”
He smiled, not sure if that was true. “Really?” he asked.
“Yes, really. It didn't mean I wasn't heartily fed up with you, mind you.”
He chuckled. “I did deserve it.”
“Probably,” she said.
He sighed and moved closer, enfolding her in his arms.
“You know,” he murmured sleepily as he heard her breathing reach the pace of near-sleep.
“I know...?” she finished, making it a query.
“I was thinking. About that place you mentioned. The one in the hills. With the goats.”
“Chickens,” she countered, rolling onto an elbow, looking down, smiling. “We're going to have chickens, remember, dearest?”
He laughed. “Goats and chickens, why for pity's sake not? We can have both.”
“I prefer chickens...” she trailed off.
He laughed. “As you will. In any case. I was thinking, my father has land in the north, up near Devon. We could go there, once a year. There's a little cottage on the place, good fields...it's perfect.”
She rolled over and smiled into his face. “You mean it?” she asked. “You really mean it? A little cottage, with just us? No servants and dinners and people wanting us to talk about the weather?”
He laughed. Reaching up, he drew her down toward him to kiss her. She smiled as he did it.
“Really,” he promised. His eyes met hers and held them. “I mean it. More than I ever meant anything before. I wouldn't want it any other way.”
She smiled and lay down beside him. “I love you, William. William Andrew North.”
“And I love you, Catharine Marguerethe LeFevre. With all my heart. Always.”
She smiled and lay down beside him, and they lay together, listening to the silence and watching the sun rise.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Her Fiery Heart
Chapter 1: Discovery and decisions
Chapter 2: A surprising discovery
Chapter 3: Getting to know each other
Chapter 4: A tense moment
Chapter 5: The road home
Chapter 6: A return of sorts
Chapter 7: A secret meeting
Chapter 8: An unexpected occurrence
Chapter 9: A difficult matter
Chapter 10: In France
Chapter 11: In the darkness
Chapter 12: New ways to be
Chapter 13: A message
Chapter 14: Return home
Epilogue:
Her Fiery Heart: Brides for the Earl's Sonsa Page 11
