Nancy stood still for moments after he left, managing to come back to herself, one shaky breath at a time. Quickly, she went to take a bath and slipped into more appropriate clothing.
When she arrived at the foyer, Richard and Dash were waiting for her.
With a grin, she took her husband’s arm, letting him lead her through the garden.
At the end of the walk, Nancy felt as though there was nowhere she would rather be than here, attached to her husband.
“I’d like us to make a little stop before we head home. Is that all right?” Richard asked.
“Oh, that’s fine. Where do you wish to go?”
“Just follow my lead,” he said and kissed her knuckles softly.
With that tone of his, she’d follow him to the ends of the earth.
ChapterSeventeen
The little stop turned out to be a hill not too far from their home that overlooked a lovely field of daisies.
Richard held her hand as they walked up the hill, his other hand holding onto a small basket that a servant had hurriedly brought over to them before they moved away from the castle.
There was a tree on the hill, and he spread his jacket down for her to sit beneath the shade before he began to pull the items out of the basket.
Nancy watched as he set down some prettily decorated cakes in front of her along with a bottle of wine and two glasses.
“He really did get everything I requested,” Richard mused quietly as he opened the bottle of wine. “Thank you, Ernest.”
“What is this?” Nancy laughed as he handed her a glass.
“A little dinner with my wife,” he said, clinking his glass against hers.
Nancy’s expression softened inexplicably. “You call this a ‘little’ dinner?” she chuckled.
“Well. It is. This is only the beginning, my dear, so you’d better get used to it.”
“There is no need to go to such lengths with me, Richard. Just spending time with you enough.”
“Thisisspending time with me.”
“I can’t really win with you, can I?” she laughed.
“I think I am the one who’s won here, darling,” he said softly and stole a kiss.
“Is that so?”
“Mmhm,” he muttered, “I am quite a lucky man.”
“I find myself rather lucky too,” she said as she planted a kiss on his neck.
She felt him stiffen momentarily, so she pulled back.
“Are you all right?”
He nodded, “Yes. I…” He sighed. “You’re too good to me.”
“So you say, yet you are the one who bought me such wonderful treats. And you brought me to this beautiful place. You have always been so kind and generous, Richard. You might not believe me when I say that, but your past mistakes will not erase the impressions of your good deeds,” she assured him gently.
Richard was silent for a moment, and then he looked away from her, staring at the field of flowers below.
