Page 115 of Lord of Fortune
She plucked at a bit of it, and a piece tore off in her hand. Beneath, there was ground and the edge of something that wasn’t dirt. She pushed at the moss and uncovered the edge of something pale and brilliant.
Moving the moss aside, she exposed it entirely—a small, pink, heart-shaped stone nearly the size of her palm. She picked it up and wiped the rest of the moss and dirt away. “Penn,” she said softly. “Is this tourmaline?”
He turned and looked at the stone in her palm. “I believe so.” His lips spread into a wide grin. “It’s certainly heart shaped.”
She lifted her gaze to his. “Is this it?”
He nodded. “It has to be.”
“How can we know for sure?”
He tipped his head to the side. “I don’t suppose you can use it to make me fall in love with you—that’s already happened.” He smiled again, and she laughed in response.
“Assuming this is the real artifact with whatever enchantment these thirteen treasures possess.”
He looked at her in surprise. “Now you’re doubting if this is real?”
“No, I’m sure it’s real, and that it’s likely enchanted, unlike the faux heart and the dagger.” She tipped her head to the side. “We can’t test it, of course. It will only work for Gideon and others like him—descendants.”
“That’s true. I suppose he can try it out, then.”
She ran her thumb over the beautiful stone. “What a dangerous thing, to meddle in matters of love. What if someone like Thaddeus had this and was able to use it to make me love him?” She shuddered. “I may understand why the Order seeks to keep these treasures hidden.”
Penn was quiet a moment, his brow creasing. “It is a concern. I should hate for them to be used for evil purposes. For that reason, I’m glad to turn them over to Gideon. Perhaps he’ll be able to find a way to keep them safe. Hopefully, we can see him soon to discuss it.”
Amelia looked up at him. “We? Does that mean you wish me to accompany you?”
“Of course. I’m still waiting for your answer to my question.” He curled his arm around her waist and drew her against his chest. She held the heart between them. “I don’t ever want to let you go. Do you think you can put up with being an adventurer’s wife? I can promise it won’t be boring.”
“No, I can’t imagine it would.” She looked down at the heart briefly, then lifted her gaze to his. “Are you certain this is what you want? You like your freedom, and if you aren’t an earl, you’ll still have that—”
He gazed at her intently. “Amelia,youare my freedom. You’re the home I never knew I wanted, the one I think I was trying to avoid. The only home I’ve ever known is with my parents. Before that, I didn’t belong anywhere, and since then, I think I’ve been…restless. Searching, but not for treasure. For you.”
Her heart swelled with joy. She stood on her toes and gave him a brief but satisfying kiss. “I will be your wife whether you’re an adventurer, a scholar, an antiquary, or an earl.”
He picked her up and swung her around with a laugh. Then he kissed her soundly before setting her back to the earth again. “We should hurry back before it gets dark.”
She tried to hand him the stone, but he curled her fingers around it.
“You keep it,” he said. “In your pack. You’ve worked very hard for this, and your grandfather would be exceedingly proud.”
She hoped so.
Later, after she’d applied a salve to his arm and properly dressed his wound, they lay in bed at the inn, a fire sparking in the hearth and the treasures they’d collected displayed on a small table. The dagger, the fake heart, the White Book of Hergest, and the Heart of Llanllwch. It was quite a haul, as Penn had noted earlier.
“When I went down to fetch our dinner, the innkeeper said he and Mr. Hughes would take care of the bodies in the forest.”
“Is the innkeeper part of the Order, then? He did encourage us to see Mr. Hughes.”
“I’m not sure,” Penn said. “And he may not tell me if I asked.”
Amelia snuggled against his side, laying her head atop his shoulder. “Do we need to leave terribly early for Monmouth? I’m rather exhausted.” She yawned to punctuate her statement.
He rolled over on top of her, surprising her and eliciting a gasp from her lips. “Mrs. Bowen—”
She narrowed her eyes playfully at him. “I’m not Mrs. Bowen yet.”
“The innkeeper thinks you are, and I prefer to keep to the charade.Mrs. Bowen, if you think you’re exhausted now, just wait until I’m finished with you.”
“Is that a promise, Mr. Bowen?”
“One I intend to keep until my dying breath.” He kissed her, his tongue delving deliciously into her mouth. After a moment, he paused. “On second thought, I intend to keep it forever because one lifetime simply won’t suffice.”
He kissed her again, and Amelia wondered if even forever would be enough.
