Seeking Persephone (23 page)
It was, apparently, all he needed to hear. “I have missed you,” Adam whispered in the moment before he kissed her.
Their only other kiss, discounting the one he’d not returned, had been breathtaking, leaving Persephone in awe for some time afterward. This kiss proved quite different. Where the last had been intense, this was endearing and tender. Adam held her to him as if he meant to never let her go.
Persephone touched his face softly with her fingertips, hardly daring to believe this turn. The ruts of his scars were there beneath her fingers. Adam did not pull away, did not flinch under her touch. She slipped her arms around his neck and returned his attentions kiss for kiss, embrace for embrace.
“You do that very well,” Adam breathed when they finally broke apart.
Persephone smiled.
“Mother has invited us to Town for Christmas,” Adam said.
Persephone recognized the sacrifice that suggestion entailed. She shook her head. “I want to spend Christmas at home.”
A look of disappointment flashed through Adam’s eyes, and Persephone knew on the instant he had misunderstood.
“At Falstone,” she said. “With you.”
“The
ton
would not believe that even if they heard you say it.” Adam took one of her hands in his and raised it to his lips.
“Then we shall have to convince them.”
He kissed her fingers. “I may enjoy London yet.”
“Your mother would be pleased to hear that.” She nearly sighed out loud at the comfort of leaning her head once more against his shoulder.
“I need to spend some time with my mother.” A hint of emotion touched his voice.
“So do you still think marrying me was a mistake?”
“It was never a mistake. I simply didn’t see it for the miracle that it was.”
“A miracle,” Persephone repeated with quiet awe.
“Does this mean I can come to your castle?” a voice asked from the doorway.
“Artemis,” Persephone quietly warned, stepping away.
Adam pulled her immediately back to him and addressed Artemis himself. “Our castle is in need of a good exploration,” he said. “I believe we should schedule one. Perhaps if you have no other plans for Christmas, you might do so then.”
Artemis grinned and ran to where they stood, throwing her arms around Adam’s legs. “You’re the best duke that ever lived!” she declared.
“Yes, he is.” Persephone smiled up at Adam.
“Yes, I am.” Adam didn’t force down his grin. “The luckiest, at least.”
Artemis continued circling them, even spinning as she did so. Again and again she thanked him.
“You realize she will bring the rest of the family, and Falstone will be overrun with people.”
Adam nodded. “Which means I will probably be in a foul mood from time to time.” His expression turned more serious. “You will, once again, have to save me from myself. You have done that, you know.”
“Saved you?”
“My Persephone,” he whispered in her ear. “Do you know I would have come for you no matter how far you’d gone?”
“Hades always came for Persephone,” she echoed his earlier explanation.
He lightly kissed her again. “And she always returned home.”
“Always,” Persephone repeated. “Always.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah M. Eden read her first Jane Austen novel in elementary school and has been an Austen Addict ever since. Fascinated by the Regency era in English history, Eden became a regular in the Regency section of the reference department at her local library, painstakingly researching this extraordinary chapter in history. Eden is an award-winning author of short stories and has been a Whitney Award Finalist for her novels Seeking Persephone (2008) and Courting Miss Lancaster (2010). You can visit her at www.sarahmeden.com.
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