A Daughter's Destiny (36 page)

“No talk of that until you are better.” She laughed as she pointed to his arm in a splint. “I do not want to bump that and hurt it worse.”

“Your touch might help it heal faster.”

Leaning on one elbow, she looked down into his face which remained gray. “I have made a decision.”

“Have you?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to tell me?”

She twisted a lock of his hair around her finger and smiled. “Your father has offered to advance me the funds I need to rebuild L'Enfant de la Patrie.”

“If you want my opinion—”

“I told him yes.”

He chuckled. “Did you think I would step between you and your dream? I have seen how despairing you looked each time you spoke of how impossible it was to rebuild the salon.” He ran his finger along her cheek. “How did you persuade Father to part with even a farthing?”

“He said if it fails, it will be your inheritance that suffers.” She laughed as she nestled beside him again. “But it will not fail. Grand-mère cannot wait to get back to cooking.”

“Neither can you.”

“And what of you, Evan? If you do not wish to be tied down to the salon and a wife and—”

He captured her lips before whispering, “You have changed me, Brienne. I want to spend every possible minute with you. It does not matter if it is in your salon or where.”

“If the war continues, it may be years before we can return to Château Tonnere du Grêlon.”

“I am not LaPorte, honey. I do not want you for your father's legacy, just for the sweet kisses you can share with me.” He smiled sadly. “And mayhap, by the time we can get to France, we will have found your sister.”

“And my brother.”

“Your grandmother said she believed he was dead.”

“Mayhap, mayhap not. I do not deem anything impossible since you persuaded me to fall in love with you.” She kissed him lightly, then whispered, “Shall we get married in the new L'Enfant de la Patrie?”

“I do not want to wait that long.” He reached across the bed and picked up a slip of paper from the bedside table. “This special license was delivered a few minutes ago. We can get married this afternoon, if you are willing.”

“By your friend Devereux?” She laughed along with him. If she had not been so drugged, she would have recognized Evan's friend who had been sent to guard her while Evan searched for Grand-mère. Evan's explanation had helped her understand why he had not been surprised by the announcement of the so-called marriage. He had not told her that the marriage was false, because he had not wanted to chance LaPorte forcing that information from her and making the marriage real.

“I thought you might want to ask Père Jean-Baptiste to come here and marry us.” He chuckled. “Open the drawer of the bedtable.”

Brienne did so gingerly, not trusting the glint of amusement in his eyes. When she drew out the thunderstone vase, she lay back in the pillows and cradled it. “Where did you hide it?”

“In the room where we spoke with my father. I just slipped it amid all the other pieces on the mantel. The best place to hide something is in plain sight, and I figured you would be able to find it if necessary.”

She set the vase on the table and cuddled closer to him. “You are a scoundrel, Evan Somerset.”

“I am.”

“And I am a respectable
duchesse
.” She laughed. “Or mayhap not.”

His mouth descended on hers as his arm slipped beneath her shoulders. The hunger that had grown more whetted while they were apart seared her as he kissed her face.

“Don't become too respectable,” he whispered against her hair, his breath caressing her ear. “I have loved you as an actress and as a runaway wife. You lost your heart to a smuggler and thief. If we become too respectable, we might lose what we have.”

She drew back in dismay. “Do you believe that?”

“Of course not.” He laughed. “I just do not want you to think you have changed me completely. I have to tell you a few tales to keep you on your toes, honey.”

She drew his face toward hers. “On my toes is not where I wish to be with you. I would rather be in your arms.”

As their lips touched, the vow was branded into their hearts. At last, she had learned what destiny the thunder-stone vase had brought her.

A love for all time.

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2000 by Jo Ann Ferguson

Cover design by Neil Alexander Heacox

ISBN: 978-1-5040-0882-2

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