‘Amy, sweetheart, there is something that I must tell you.’
It was the following afternoon and Amy had taken Joss’s arm for a stroll on the terrace after luncheon, for all the world, she had said laughingly, like an old married couple. Joss had stayed with her all night and most of the morning, first in the tester bed in the smaller room and then in the bridal bed, whose pristine perfection had been most satisfactorily disordered. He had finally dragged himself away only to dress and they had somehow managed to get themselves downstairs to eat.
The sun was warm and Amy felt drowsy. She leant against the terrace balustrade and smiled at him sleepily. ‘You had better be quick then, for I fear I shall fall asleep soon! I think I need to take a nap this afternoon.’
‘That will be delightful,’ Joss said promptly. ‘I will join you.’
Amy blinked at him. ‘In the afternoon? But surely that would be most scandalous—’
Joss shrugged. ‘I said that we should shake this old house up, did I not? I intend to start as I mean to go on. And tonight we may run barefoot through the gardens and—’
‘Enough!’ Amy held up a hand. ‘I thought that you had something to tell me?’
‘I did. You distracted me.’ Joss came across and kissed her very gently, taking both her hands in his. ‘Amy, when I tell you this I beg you not to be angry with me.’
Amy was starting to feel concerned. ‘Joss, what is this?’
For once Joss seemed at a loss. ‘I did think about never telling you—’
‘Joss!’ Amy broke in sharply. ‘You are making me so nervous that I beg you will tell me at once!’
‘Very well.’ Joss gave her a lopsided smile. ‘It is the lottery money, Amy. I have to tell you that it was my ticket that you found. It was my thirty thousand pounds.’
Amy stepped back, eyes narrowing. ‘Yours? But you said that it was not! Are you making this up to tease me? What was the number?’
‘Two thousand five hundred and eighty-eight,’ Joss said obligingly. A smile was twitching the corner of his mouth. ‘Oh dear, you look very angry.’
‘I am not angry, precisely…’ Amy was struggling with a variety of emotions. Indignation won. ‘Well, upon my word! I have heard of people claiming prizes that do not belong to them, but why refuse a prize that does? It makes no sense! Why did you not tell me?’
Joss drove his hands into his pockets. ‘I am not sure.’
Amy frowned. ‘But I asked you! I asked you directly if it was your ticket and you said that it was not!’
Joss shook his head, turning slightly away. ‘I would only have gambled the money away and I thought that you were more deserving…’
‘You let me keep it out of pity?’ There was a note of hurt in Amy’s voice. ‘Perhaps you thought that I might buy myself some pretty dresses and look halfway presentable—’
Joss caught her in his arms. ‘To my mind you look most presentable without your clothes—’
‘Joss!’ Amy beat her fist against his chest in mock anger. She could feel her indignation melting like ice in the sun. ‘Oh, this is too bad! To trick me like this! To marry me under false pretences! I suppose you thought that I needed the funds to pay for my charitable ventures?’
‘The thought did cross my mind. I was so enjoying sharing them with you, sweetheart!’
Amy struggled. Joss held her fast and after a moment she relaxed against him.
‘I suppose,’ she said in a mollified tone, ‘that the fact that you let me keep the money is really evidence of your noble nature, Joss. I have always said that you are an honourable man—’
‘Minx!’ Joss said. ‘If you mention my noble nature one more time I shall kiss you until you reconsider your words.’
Amy smiled and tilted her face up to his. ‘Is that a promise?’
She saw his eyes darken as they took in the captivating line of her lips. He lowered his head until his mouth was an inch from hers. ‘It could be…’
They kissed again, breathless, happy.
‘But, of course…’ Amy pulled away and put her hand against his lips ‘…you have possession of my fortune now, Joss, so that you have regained your lottery win!’
‘There is always the interest to pay on the sum,’ Joss murmured. He moved her hand aside and bent closer, his lips an inch away from hers. ‘You also owe me for the money you have already spent…’
Amy smiled as his mouth touched hers in a butterfly kiss. ‘I fear you will never regain it. You will be forever out of pocket. You have gambled and lost, Joss Tallant.’
‘No.’ Joss was smiling at her with so much love it made her quite dizzy. ‘I gambled and won, Amy Tallant, for I gained far more than the lottery prize.’ He swung her up in his arms. ‘That you cannot dispute. Winner takes all.’
ISBN: 978-1-4268-3689-3
THE EARL’S PRIZE
First North American Publication 2003
Copyright © 2002 by Nicola Cornick
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