Page 74 of Sir Hugo Seeks a Wife
Through the blur, he watched her wipe her mouth and smile at him.“I loved doing that.”
Relief shaded his exhaustion.Now his vision cleared, he saw that she looked flushed but happy.There was no trace of reluctance, thank the Lord.
He was so weary, raising a hand to clasp her arm nearly undid him.“I don’t deserve you, my darling.”
“Of course you do, Hugo.You’re the finest man I’ve ever known.”
Before he could respond to that accolade, she left the bed and went behind the screen.So in love with her, he couldn’t put two thoughts together in his head, he stared after her.Memories of that volcanic encounter swamped his mind.More than that, the loving warmth in her voice echoed in his ears.
Athene might never admit that she loved him, but what she’d just said – hell, what she’d just done – told him that she did.
Chapter 19
I pledge my life to you.
I promise to be true.
Where can we go from here?
You’re all that I hold dear.
When Athene returned to bed, she looked mighty pleased with herself.In fact, she looked like she could teach Venus a trick or two.She sat on the mattress, sliding her hip up against his.Her warmth seeped into Hugo’s body.That included his heart.
He lounged against the piled pillows, still half lost in memories of that spectacular climax.He observed her with the wonder that she always aroused in him.This morning, the wonder was more powerful than ever.“Kiss me, Athene.”
With leisurely grace, she leaned in to press her lips to his.He tasted the fresh mint of her tooth powder and beneath that, the rich flavor that was hers alone.
“We got sidetracked last night,” he said, when she at last lifted her head.
“Oh?”
“You didn’t tell me what happened after George died.”
He was sorry that he asked.The softness drained from her features, and her lips turned down.“I sat with him for a while, wondering what on earth I could do.I know it sounds selfish.Itwasselfish.But I was in a dreadful fix.My thoughts were more for my own dilemma than the death of the man I once thought I loved.I had nothing to my name.We hadn’t had much left anyway, and the people who beat him up had taken even that.”
“He wasn’t worth your tears.”
“He was young, and he died alone and too soon.”She looked even sadder, which made Hugo feel like the lowest worm in creation.“It’s a waste, however you look at it.”
“He left you in a damned pickle” An understatement, if ever there was one.Hugo felt queasy to think of the danger that she’d been in – and him not yet knowing her and able to rescue her.A penniless, lone woman trapped in a conquered city.He barely resisted remarking that he hoped George fried in hell.
A faint smile lightened Athene’s solemn expression.“Then Sylvie came.”
“God bless Sylvie.”Not for the first time, Hugo was conscious of the fragile fate that had united him with his love.If not for Athene’s chance meeting with Sylvie, she’d have faced violence – even death – in Vienna.His gut tangled in painful knots at the thought of all her remarkable fire quenched forever.
“Amen.She said I could work with her in the Margrave’s kitchen if I wanted to.”
“So you did.”
She shrugged.“It was better than going on the streets.And I already liked Sylvie.I still like Sylvie, not to mention what I owe her.”
Hugo, too, owed Sylvie more than he could ever repay.She’d kept Athene safe for him to discover.Perhaps he could do something to help her.“But how did you end up in London?”
“We both got out of Vienna as soon as we could.The French have no love for the English.Even working in a noble household, we were in constant danger.”
“Still it mustn’t have been easy to start again.”
“Easier than you’d think, thanks to Sylvie’s genius with sugar.The Margrave paid her well, and she’d put together the savings to equip a kitchen in Blackfriars.Once Gunter’s started stocking her bonbons, she was on her way.Her creations were such a success that she found investors and set up Sweet Little Nothings.”
