The Virtuous Widow
Page 10
Breathlessly, Ellie straightened her gown. “I think it had better be the drawing room. And then…” she looked at his mouth and pressed a quick, hungry kiss on it “…the bedroom.”
Arms around each other they strolled towards the drawing room, pausing every few paces for a kiss. At the threshold they stopped. Lady Rothbury sat on a small footstool beside a low table. Amy stood beside her, her little face a study. Ellie gasped.
Amy turned. Her eyes were shimmering with wonder. “Look, Mama,” she whispered. “Have you ever, ever, ever, seen such a beautiful dolls’ house?”
Ellie speechless, shook her head, smiling as the tears spilled down her cheeks.
“Look, Mr. Bruin.”
“You can call me Papa, if you like, Princess.” Daniel turned Ellie in his arms and began to dry her tears. “I thought you told me you weren’t a watering pot,” he grumbled softly, making her laugh, even as she wept.
“Can I, Mama? Can I call Mr. Bruin Papa?”
“Yes, darling. Of course you can. He is your papa now.”
“Good,” said the little girl in satisfaction. “I told you that my Christmas wishing candle was special, Mama. It did bring Papa to us.”
“Yes darling, it did.”
“Look, everyone,” said Lady Rothbury suddenly. “It’s snowing.”
Outside the long windows, across the bright, dancing flames of the red Christmas candles, it began to snow, softly, gently, blanketing the world with white, making everything clean and new and fresh again.
And so it was Christmas Eve. Filled with peace, love, and the promise of joy to come.
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval syrprises, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
®and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner
and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ®are registered with the
United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation
in the Internal Market and in other countries.
First published in Great Britain 2008
by Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
© Anne Gracie 2002
ISBN: 9781408904381