Page 102 of Forget Me Not

“We can go anywhere you like,” he said. “And we’ll make certain to look in on your little Lord Falstone, and we will spend ample time at home as well.”

”I would like that,” she said.

Lucas kissed the top of her head. “What else would you like, my Julia?”

“A new book on mathematics,” she said.

“Of course.”

“And”—a little mischief had entered her tone—“I would also like to know what you brought me from Paris.”

Lucas let his hands slide down her arms and stepped back enough to meet her eyes once more.

“I hope that you like it.”

She untied the ribbon and folded back the brown paper. Lucas watched her face, hoping to see delight instead of disappointment.

“Oh, Lucas,” she said breathlessly.

“Do you like it?” He couldn’t be certain. She looked more shocked than anything else.

“It is breathtaking.” She looked up at him once more. “It must have come very dear.”

“It was too perfect to pass up.”

Julia lifted his offering from its wrapping: a dainty silver chain held a silver pendant with delicate whorls forming a frame around an oval-cut blue topaz. “No one has ever given me anything like this before.”

“I saw it in a shop. I kept coming back to it, kept telling Kes how well I thought it would match your eyes. He, being both logical and grumpy, told me that if I didn’t buy it for you, he would, if only to stop me from yammering.”

She smiled at him. “Have I told you how grateful I am that you introduced me to the Gents? I adore them.”

He brushed his finger under her chin. “And they love you. How could they not?”

A blush touched her cheeks, just as it had increasingly often at Brier Hill. Perhaps she was softening toward him once more.

“Will you help me put it on?” she asked.

“Of course, sweetheart.” He took the necklace from her and slipped it in place, stepping behind her. He closed the clasp.

Julia set her open palm against the pendant and turned enough to look back and up at him. “Do you know what I love most about this?”

“What?”

“All the years I thought you’d forgotten about me, you hadn’t. Even far away, you were thinking of me.”

“There will never come a day when you aren’t in my thoughts and in my heart.” He moved to face her once more. “Remember that when you wear this. And think of me.”

“I will,” she said. “Every time.”

“And will you trust that I value you and want you in my life, that you are the most crucial part of that life?”

A soft smile lifted her expression. “I will try.”

He bent close and pressed the lightest, briefest of kisses to her lips. “We’ll begin there, sweetheart. We’ll begin there.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Julia spent the remainder ofthe day with Lucas. They laughed together, reminisced, talked about the subjects Julia was studying and the places he thought she might enjoy visiting. They spoke of the poor little boy who’d lost his father, Lucas showing the same kindness he’d offered her when her sister had died. It was a pleasant afternoon, lovely and reassuring and very nearly perfect.

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