Page 16 of A Rogue's Downfall
“Amy.” She felt his cheek come to rest against the top of her head. There was soft reproach in his voice.She sighed with contentment.
He rocked her against him, feeling her body relax against his. He kissed the top of her head after a whileand chuckled. “Nothing has developed quite the wayI imagined it today,” he said. “I do believe you areon the verge of falling asleep, Amy, when I picturedthis moment as one of blazing passion.”
She raised her head and smiled at him slowly and sweetly, the smile extending all the way back into hereyes. “All in good time,” she said. “James—”
“—is going to have to be taught that his father has needs at least as urgent as his own,” he said. “I suppose I am going to have to let him be satisfied first,aren’t I?”
“Yes,” she said. She was still smiling. “Come with me? Don’t leave me. Come, too.”
He wrapped one arm about her waist and led her toward the door. “And then afterward,” he said, “myturn.”
“Yes,” she said with a sigh of utter contentment. “I am going to enjoy having two men in my life, not justone.”
But he paused suddenly when he already had a hand on the doorknob. “Goodness,” he said. “I almost forgot. The most important question is still to be asked.Will you marry me?”
She stared up at him blankly.
“You will observe that your finger is bare,” he said. “Will you marry me, my love? Because you love meand for no other reason?”
“Oh,” she said, looking down at her hand. “Oh, yes. Yes, Hugh. For that reason. And for no other.”
“Well, then.” He released his hold on her andreached into a pocket. “Let us cut this to the bareessentials, shall we?” He fitted her wedding ring overher finger and slid it on. “With this ring I thee wed,my dearest love. Because I love you. For all time.”
He kissed her and smiled at her and drew heragainst his side with an arm about her waist again. Shenestled her head against his shoulder as he opened thedoor. They climbed the stairs together slowly, murmuring nothing of any great importance to each other.
Morse, who had been waiting in the hall for a chance to get into the drawing room to clear up—thathad been his excuse for loitering there, anyway—smiled with smug satisfaction and turned back towardthe kitchen rather than proceeding with his intendedtask. He had something of importance to share withthe other servants.
