Page 134 of Sands of Sirocco
She didn’t have to answer.She held the paper steady, watching as the yellow flames curled around the corner.Then the paper gave a bright burst, the whooshing sound of fire crawling quickly up the sides.The charred edge crept inward, glowing, leaving ash in its wake.
Ginger blew on the flames, to help them spread, and the ashes lifted into the air like the winds of the sirocco that had swirled through her life, bearing her here.The concession would join the dust and the sands on the ancient stone and she would never be beholden to it again.
Epilogue
Strolling hand in hand with Noah through the Upper Barrakka Gardens of Valletta, Ginger glanced at the couples seated at the restaurant they’d just left.They dined outdoors, to the gentle balm of piano music and the birdsong from the surrounding trees.Warm with the flush of the red wine they’d shared, Ginger leaned against Noah’s arm, feeling peaceful.
“Have I told you today how handsome you look with that beard?”She grinned up at him.
“Once or twice.”Noah tugged her through the arcades—a series of graceful, sweeping arches—toward the view of the harbor that lay just beyond them.
The views of the city and the Mediterranean from this vantage point were breathtaking.The waters sparkled in the twilight, beneath a cluster of clouds tinged with pinks and yellows from the light of the fading sun.A cool breeze whipped past them, and she scooted closer to Noah.In response, he slipped his arms around her, drawing her back against his chest as they faced the harbor.
The weather here was perfection.
Despite the naval ships in the harbor, she could imagine this being their honeymoon.Instead, they were hiding here like escaped convicts, and the ships in the harbor carried soldiers and wounded, more signs of a war whose pulse continued, however faintly.
Even with the reminder of war and death, all her fears of Stephen were easy to keep at bay while here on the island of Malta.Even as awful as the encounter with Osborne had been, he didn’t hold a candle to the fear Stephen inspired in her.Here, they seemed to be beyond the reach of the dangerous winds of war they’d faced in Egypt, but were they really?
As Noah’s lips skimmed her temple and then grazed her jaw, she murmured a low, satisfied groan only he could hear.“Don’t tempt me while we’re still in public.”
His chuckle was deep in his chest.“You’ll find the temptation isn’t at all one-sided.”
Church bells tolled the hour, a peaceful interruption to their conversation.Noah’s eyes shifted toward the skyline.She reached for his hand.His fingers encircled hers.On the levels below the area where they stood, cannons faced the sea.
“We should get back to the hotel,” she said regretfully.“You’ve been on your feet far too long today.And I should check to see how Jack is feeling before he retires for the night.”
“And you pretend you’re not a nurse anymore.”Noah didn’t move or release her.“You can leave Jack to Sarah, though.”
“I know.But I’m tired too.”It was a fib, but he wouldn’t protest if she said that.Truthfully, she wanted to stay here.Their dinner al fresco had been intimate and wonderful.The locals were charming when they learned they’d just been married, bringing bottles of wine to the table and desserts like Helwa tat-tork—a delicious nut fudge.“Let’s stay here on Malta.We can find a small house that overlooks the sea and have a few children running barefoot in the grass.”
His smile was charmingly sweet as he dipped a soft kiss to her lips.“Sounds like heaven.”
She thought of her father’s house here.While they had decided it was too dangerous to go there, she understood his purchase more.Had her father loved this island?It wouldn’t have surprised her.He’d loved the sea.
The turquoise-blue waters of the bay shimmered in the sunset.Beyond that, the sandstone city seemed to come to life as the glow from lamps spilled through windows in the houses.
Sighing, she leaned back against Noah, listening to his heartbeat.They swayed together, the soft trill of piano music drifting from the restaurant.Then she remembered the present she’d brought for him in her handbag and startled.
“What is it?”Noah looked down at her, concern in his eyes.
“No, no, nothing bad.I’ve just remembered something.”She opened her bag and dug out a pouch.“I bought this for you a few days ago at the market with Sarah, but the man at the store said he may need to size it.”She held the pouch out to him.
Noah gave her a curious look.He tugged at the strings, then emptied the contents into the palm of his hand: a silver ring, with a filigree Maltese cross stamped into it—a cross-like shape with eight points.A thistle was engraved in the center of the cross.
She’d never given him anything before and couldn’t help the jitter of nerves in her stomach.“It’s a wedding ring.For you.”She took it out of his palm and slipped it onto his finger.“Some soldiers I treated had them, and I always thought it was sweet.Since you’ve given me two, I thought I might get you one.What do you think?”
His eyes darted to hers, then he looked down again at the ring on his hand.Moistening his lips, he seemed at a loss for words.
He hates it.
Then he lifted his gaze to hers again.
His eyes were red-rimmed, glassy.A glad cry choked in her throat.“Do you like it, then?”
Rather than answer, he bent and lowered his lips to hers, kissing her as though they were alone.Her heart thudded, her senses alive at the touch of his lips.
When he broke away, she was breathless.“You can’t kiss me like that here.”
