Page 5 of Enduring Promise

Russ, still flustered, put his dainty teacup down harder than he intended, the sound interrupting the serenity of the beautiful sitting room.

“Sorry,” he croaked. He’d always considered himself a nimble man. He’d go where the story took him and risked whatever was needed to get to the truth. He could play the part. But for some reason, the idea of being suddenly married to Hillary was enough to make his palms sweat.

Hillary shot him a comforting look and it settled him a bit. She took his hand as Sophie led them out of the large room and up a grand staircase.

Their footsteps were muffled by the plush, ornate carpet that covered each step. When they reached the top, Sophie stopped before a large set of double doors, each carved with intricate details that hinted at the estate's long history. She turned to them with a polite smile, her hands clasped in front of her.

“This will be your suite for the duration of your stay,” she said, opening the doors to reveal an elegant room bathed in the soft glow of antique sconces. The room was vast, dominated by a grand four-poster bed draped in luxurious fabrics, with a sitting area by the windows that overlooked the estate's expansive grounds.

“Wow,” Russ said through a long breath. He felt Hillary’s elbow jab him gently. There was a part to play here. They were meant to be an affluent couple and while it was beautiful here, he needed to tone down how impressed he was.

“Thank you, Sophie,” Hillary sang. “We’ll let you know what else we need.”

With a slight bow Sophie stepped out of the room and closed the doors tightly.

“Not too bad,” Hillary said, waggling her brows playfully. “Just how I pictured my honeymoon suite."

CHAPTER 5

Hillary padded softly across the thick carpet, her bare feet sinking into its luxurious fibers as she towel-dried her hair. The oversized robe wrapped around her felt like a cloud, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so refreshed. "That shower," she murmured, mostly to herself as she brushed through her damp hair, "was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced."

Across the room, Russ stood in front of the large, open closet, studying the array of clothes that Madame Fournier’s staff had mysteriously managed to arrange for them. His robe hung loosely around his shoulders, his hair still damp and unruly from his own shower. She couldn’t help but watch him, noticing the way he seemed just as uncertain in this extravagant setting as she was.

Russ reached for a dark shirt, holding it up thoughtfully, and Hillary’s mind wandered to their current predicament. She found herself wondering if he was planning to get dressed right there, in front of her. When they’d been crammed into cars and dingy motel rooms, there had been no room or time for modesty. They’d changed where they could, not bothering with the formality of privacy. But now, with all this space, with a roomthat was practically designed to make them feel like royalty... what were the rules?

She bit her lip, hesitating as she brushed her hair. Should she look away? Give him space? Or was it ridiculous to suddenly start caring about such things after everything they’d been through?

Russ glanced back over his shoulder, catching her watching him, and his mouth rose into a half-smile. "What’s on your mind, counselor?"

Hillary flushed, momentarily thrown off guard. "Nothing," she said quickly, clearing her throat. She gestured with her hairbrush, trying to sound casual. "Just wondering what you were thinking down there? This is quite the cover the Kinross organization has given us. You seemed a bit thrown off downstairs.”

“And you seemed like you didn’t skip a beat. You jumped right in. You’d be great in undercover work.”

“It took me a second,” she laughed. “But once I realized what was going on, I figured I could lean in to being some newlywed rich heiress. I feel like I can pull that off.”

Russ chuckled, turning back to the clothes. "You know that probably means we’re going to need to be a convincing couple.” He pulled the shirt on over his shoulders but hesitated before fastening it, as if he too was navigating the unspoken rules of their arrangement.

There was an awkward pause, and Hillary decided to fill the silence. "I mean, it’s just... different, isn’t it? Having all this space. Privacy, I guess. We haven’t really had that since... well, since all this started."

Russ nodded, buttoning his shirt with careful, deliberate movements. "Yeah, it’s strange. But it’s good right? We could be holed up in some horrible place. We’re lucky.”

She laughed softly, watching him. "You might want to ask my last few ex-boyfriends. You’re married to me now, they wouldn’t call you lucky.”

“They sound like idiots.” He finished with his shirt and turned to face her, his eyes holding a playful glint.

Hillary smirked, rolling her eyes. "And a party,” she said, changing the subject. “We’re going to really have to put on a show there. I’m wracking my brain trying to figure out why they would send us here. A large event where we’ll encounter loads of people. It seems risky.”

“I’ve seen enough thriller movies to know a place like this probably has a bunch of secrets. It’s likely all trapdoors and hidden passageways.” Russ ran his hand along the wall as he made his way over to her. He was pretending to check for false walls and hidden passages.

“You can’t joke around like this when we’re downstairs.” She tried to ignore the fresh clean scent of all the expensive products he’d used in the shower. This was serious business and even if his muscles were flexed under the material of his shirt she needed to focus. They both did. “I don’t know exactly what the plan is but it’s clear we need to play the part. We’re a newly married couple with a lot of money and expensive taste. Whatever reason the Kinross organization had to bring us here, we need to be ready.”

“You got very lucky.” He stepped in dangerously close to her and brushed her still damp hair off her shoulder. “I am going to be an exceptional husband.”

“Oh yeah?” She felt something roll through her stomach.

He cocked up a brow and smiled. “Well, it’s my first time really, but I’m a quick learner and a big believer in beginner’s luck.”

The knock on the door took her out of the moment, and she was sorry for it. She wanted to see where that was leading.

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