"Ah well, that is a problem." She smiled pleasantly.

"How goes the refurbishing?"

"Not well." She shook her head in a mournful manner. "It's going to take much longer than expected. Why, I have yet to have so much as a single room painted."

"Then you don't know when you'll return home?"

"I have no idea."

b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, he couldn't stand another minute of this. He reached out and pulled her into his arms. "What can I do to make it go faster?"

Suspicion shone in her eyes. "What are you doing?"

"I'm doing what I have wanted to do since the moment you walked in the door." He gazed into her eyes. "You are quite irresistible, you know. And I have been unable to resist you from the moment we met."

"Oh no, you don't." She shook her head but made no effort to pull away. "You are not going to charm your way out of this."

"Why not?" He grinned. "I can be most charming."

"Yes, I remember." She stared. "But ..."

"But I have not exerted my considerable charm on you as of late?"

"I'm your wife, I don't expect you to be at your most charming every minute."

He chuckled. "Well, it does take a certain amount of effort."

"This is not amusing." She glared. "I am still furious with you."

"As well you should be." He nodded in a sober manner. "My behavior was inexcusable."

"Indeed it was."

"I was a thoughtless beast."

Her eyes narrowed. "Yes, you were."

"I never should have doubted you."

"No, you shouldn't have."

"And I shall endeavor to do better in the future."

"And?"

"And?" And what? His mind searched frantically for something else. "And I apologize?"

"And?"

"And ... Blast it all, Evie." He huffed and stared into her eyes. "I can't sleep. I can't think. I am very nearly worthless. I miss you!"

"Do you?"

"I sent flowers."

"And they were lovely." She paused. "As was your note."

"I meant every word of it." His gaze searched hers. "There is no spring in my life, in my heart, if you are not there."

She stared, then drew a deep breath. "It sounds so much better when you say it rather than write it."

"Then I shall say it more often." He paused. "I have been remiss, I think, in not letting you know how important you are to me. How my life is empty if you are not in it."

"Then you should not have let me go," she said firmly, but her arms slipped around his neck nonetheless.

He pulled her tighter against him. "I know, I was an idiot."

"Yes, you were."

"You could stop agreeing with me." He frowned down at her. "Thus far I am a thoughtless beast and an idiot." He shook his head. "I don't know how you can bear me."

"I am a woman of great fort.i.tude," she said in a lofty manner.

"Yes, you are. And you are mine." He bent his head and his lips met hers. She tasted as she always did, as she had since their first kiss. Of unknown spices and dimly remembered sweets and yesterday and tomorrow and forever. Familiar and comforting and yet still, always, exciting. Desire curled within him as it always did, from the first moment with her. As he knew it always would. What a lucky man he was to be in love with his wife. He deepened his kiss and she responded. And her own pa.s.sion echoed his. Finally she sagged against him. He raised his head and smiled. "And I am a fortunate man."

"Yes." Her voice had that lovely, breathless quality which only made him want her more. "You are."

"Have you forgiven me?"

"I am considering it." She drew a steadying breath.

He could still take her breath away. He tried and failed to hide a satisfied smile.

"You needn't look like that." She pushed weakly out of his arms. "It will take more than a bunch of flowers and a mere kiss to earn my forgiveness."

He drew his brows together. "Mere?"

"Don't be arrogant, darling. It was an exceptional kiss."

He grinned. "I know."

"Exceptional kisses are one of the reasons why I married you."

"I know that, too."

"I am still furious with you."

"I know that as well." He nodded. "And I expect nothing less."

"Admittedly, I might be somewhat less furious than I was originally."

"Then I am making progress." He paused. "Would a diamond bracelet make you less furious and help earn your forgiveness?"

"Adrian." Her brow furrowed. "I am not that shallow. You cannot atone for your sins with a mere bauble."

"It's scarcely mere," he said under his breath.

"Furthermore, my forgiveness cannot be bought."

He gasped in mock horror. "I never imagined it would. I simply thought, as your birthday is approaching, a gift in advance would not be inappropriate."

She studied him for a long moment. "You are a sly and wicked devil, Adrian Hadley-Att.w.a.ter."

"But I am your sly and wicked devil."

"Yes, you are." She tilted her head to one side and considered him. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"In the spirit of, oh, giving you due credit for your edging closer to amends ..." She held out her hand. "I am willing to accept a gift in advance of my birthday."

He bit back a satisfied grin. "How very gracious of you."

"I think so. Besides ..." She shrugged. "It would be rude not to accept. And one should never be rude when diamonds are involved. Well." She glanced pointedly at her outstretched hand.

He patted his waistcoat pocket, then grimaced. "I seem to have left it at the house."

"No doubt," she said dryly. "And I a.s.sume I need to return home to receive my bribe? Or rather, my gift?"

He nodded. "And the matching ear bobs."

"Why am I not surprised?" She rolled her gaze toward the ceiling. "We can continue this discussion later. Now, however, we should join the others. I'm certain your mother has told the rest of the family that we are in the midst of a dreadful row and I am no longer living under your roof."

He chuckled. "She wouldn't be my mother otherwise."

Evie started toward the parlor doors, then paused; her tone abruptly sober. "I am still angry with you, and hurt."

"I know," he said quietly.

Her gaze met his, and he wasn't sure he had realized until that moment how very much his lack of trust had hurt her. He ignored the thought that if she ever learned of his deception as Sir, she would be hurt again and far worse. His determination to keep that knowledge from her strengthened.

"I will make amends for my behavior, Evie, you have my word. If it takes the rest of my life."

"Oh, darling." A slow smile spread across her face. "It will."

It was an excellent dinner, which had nothing to do with the skills of Diana's cook and everything to do with the glances Adrian traded across the table with his wife. Good G.o.d, he felt as if they'd turned the clock back two years and he had to start at the beginning. He had to win her heart again. Still now, as then, he was confident of success.

Dinners, with the entire family in attendance, had become something of a tradition now that all of his siblings were adults with lives of their own. Every other month or so, Diana and her husband, James, or Adrian's mother or his youngest sister, Miranda, or Portia, both widows who had homes of their own, or Bianca, who still resided in the house she had shared with her estranged husband, or he and Evie would host the gathering. As Sebastian was now married, he and Veronica would take their turn as well although it might be wise to ease her into it as she had little family of her own. Still, her relations had joined the Hadley-Att.w.a.ters this past Christmas at Sebastian's new country home, and Veronica had handled the large number of guests with ease, all things considered. Hugh, as a widower, was never expected to have the family for dinner, which he had long joked was one reason to remain unwed.

"Evelyn," Bianca said, in a tone far too innocent to be legitimate. "Do tell us what you are doing with your house."

"Quite honestly, I'm not sure yet." Evie sipped her wine thoughtfully. "Thus far I have had a small army of linen drapers and paper hangers and painters and I've lost track of who else traipsing through the house taking measurements and a.s.sessing what needs to be done. They are supposed to come back to me with suggestions and ideas and, hopefully, solid plans for refurbishing."

"The house was your parents', wasn't it?" Miranda asked.

Evie nodded. "My guardian leased it out for years, but I lived there after my school years until I married Adrian. My secretary resides there now, which is most rea.s.suring." She shook her head. "I hate the thought of it being unoccupied."

"Understandable." Diana nodded. "Are you replacing the furniture as well?"

"Most of it, I think," Evie said. "I don't remember the house at all from my childhood, but I suspect any really good pieces vanished years ago. I have no idea if they were sold to help pay for my schooling or simply disappeared with the various tenants. What remains is sadly out of date and quite worn. The toll taken on it by tenants, you know."

Portia glanced at Adrian. "This must be a somewhat extravagant undertaking."

"But worth it." He smiled at his wife. "One can never go wrong with an investment of this nature. The house itself will be far more valuable, and new furnishings will be beneficial should Miss DeRochette ever decide she prefers to live elsewhere or marries and we decide to let the house again."

"Which I wish to avoid," Evie said firmly. "Unless it was to family or friends."

"Very wise of you, dear." Helena nodded her approval.

"Didn't your guardian die recently?" Hugh asked.

Evie nodded. "A few months ago, in November."

Helena's brow furrowed. "Why didn't I know this?"

"My apologies, Mother," Adrian said smoothly. "We might have failed to mention it."

Helena aimed a pointed look at her oldest son. "How could you fail to mention a death in the family?"

"The fault is mine, Helena," Evie said quickly. "Sir George was so distant a relative, I have never even been certain how exactly we are related. Indeed, I never met the man in person."

Helena stared. "Good Lord, I had no idea."

"Apparently, when Adrian and Evelyn married, you failed in your usual inquisition." Diana favored her mother with a pleasant smile.

James choked back a laugh.

"Nonsense." Helena scoffed. "I was well aware of Evelyn's background. I was vaguely acquainted with her parents. I knew of her education and her travels and her reputation." She glanced at Evie. "Neither perfect nor especially blemished. Frankly, I was so taken with Evelyn, I thought she was the perfect match for Adrian, that there was no need for an inquisition. Furthermore. . ." She leveled a hard glance at Diana. "I do not conduct inquisitions. In the best interest of my children I may, if the situation warrants it, make casual inquiries."

Hugh snorted. Portia's brow rose. Miranda took a quick sip of wine while Bianca bit her lip. Veronica hid her smile behind her napkin. James tried and failed to suppress a grin. Sebastian and Adrian didn't even try. His mother was an expert at ferreting out information, especially when it came to prospective spouses for her children. He had long thought she would have made an excellent agent.

"My apologies, Mother." Diana's eyes sparkled with laughter. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"Obviously you were thinking of someone else's mother." Helena huffed.

For a long moment, no one said a word, then laughter erupted around the table. Even his mother was hard-pressed to hold back a smile.

"Sebastian." Helena turned her attention to his youngest brother. "How is the work at your house coming along?"