by Anne Mather
‘Not yet.’ Despite submitting to a sleepy kiss, Juliet insisted on wriggling up against the pillows. ‘Listen to this,’ she added when Rafe started to protest, and, resisting his efforts, she read the letter to him.
‘Hell!’ The contents of the letter were enough to put Rafe’s drowsy appeals on hold. He frowned as he pushed himself up beside her. Studying her pale face, he said, ‘Are you very upset?’
‘Upset?’ Juliet’s brows drew together and Rafe thought how utterly delectable she looked, with her nightgown slipping off one shoulder and her hair a tumbled mass of honeyed silk about her head. ‘I don’t think I’m upset, exactly. Shocked, certainly. He was still so young.’
‘Then how do you feel?’ Rafe persisted gently, sliding one hand beneath her hair, massaging the back of her neck. ‘You look awfully pale.’
‘That’s ’cos I’ve been sick again,’ confessed Juliet philosophically. And when he started to protest that she should have woken him, she pulled a face.
‘What could you do?’ she asked, stroking his mouth with her finger. ‘Besides, I don’t mind, really. Dr Charteris says it won’t last long.’
‘All the same…’ Rafe’s mouth compressed for a moment, but when his wife arched her brows he gave in. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘So what about David?’ He grimaced. ‘The guy must have had a conscience, after all.’
‘Mmm.’ Juliet was thoughtful. ‘I suppose being handed what amounted to a death sentence really focuses the mind.’ She sighed. ‘I’m sorry, of course. No one deserves to die in those circumstances. But I never loved David.’ She gave a tentative smile. ‘I know that now.’
Rafe pulled her closer. ‘I suppose you’ll be a wealthy woman again,’ he commented ruefully, but Juliet simply snuggled closer and shook her head.
‘I don’t want the money,’ she said. ‘However much or how little there might be.’ She reached up to kiss him. ‘Would you mind if I donated it to a charity?’ And at his smile of approval, ‘I’ve got everything I need right here.’
ISBN-13: 9781460393000
BEDDED FOR THE ITALIAN’S PLEASURE
© 2007 Anne Mather
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