She huffed, released him, and slumped on the pillows, openly frustrated. “He’s not above lecturing me, either.”
Devlin grinned. “Never mind.” He leaned over her again and dropped a kiss on her nose. Sitting back, he met her gaze. “As we’re already married, we can’t have another wedding, but I intend to tell you that I love you several times each day—just so you don’t forget—and I will endeavor to show you as well, in all that I do, every single day for the rest of our lives.”
She smiled gloriously; as vows went, she was delighted with that one. She reached out and caressed the rough line of his stubbled jaw. “And for as long as we live, I’ll treasure your love and love you in return, with all my heart.”
“That,” he said, capturing her hand and brushing a kiss to her fingertips, “is all we can do and all we can ask.”
She drew in a deeper breath, then glanced at the window. “I’d better get up and get washed and dressed—and you need to wash and change as well.” She wrinkled her nose at him. “I was thinking before you woke that you look thoroughly disreputable.”
He laughed. “All your fault, my lady.” But he obediently rose from the bed, retaining his hold on her hand to help her up.
Making use of the support, she pushed back the covers, swung her legs over the bed’s side, and sat on the edge.
“How’s your head?”
She looked up to see him peering anxiously at her face. “It aches a bit, but is by no means unbearable.”
He didn’t look convinced.
Ignoring that, she poked at the band. “What did Sanderson say?”
Devlin described the wound and Sanderson’s predictions. “He said you would probably wake sometime in the afternoon.”
She opened her eyes wide. “What time is it?”
He glanced at the clock on her dresser across the room. “Nearly half past eleven.”
“Good Lord! The children will be wondering what’s become of me.” She looked at him. “Of us.”
“I’m sure they will have slept in.” Dryly, he added, “They had a disturbed night, if you recall.”
She huffed and waved a hand at him, urging him to step back and help her up.
His lips set, but he grasped her hands and drew her to her feet.
He shifted to her side and slung an arm about her waist, clearly worried that she might faint again, but learning all she had, understanding all she now did of herself as well as him, had filled her with confidence and calmed her previously turbulent emotions. She felt strong and steady.
She smiled reassuringly, gently eased her hand from his hold, and stepped away from his hovering support. “Can you ring for Parker?”
He looked adorably uncertain, but after waiting for several moments to confirm she was steady on her feet, he crossed the room to the bellpull. “She would, of course, have been here, watching over you, but I ordered her away. I wanted us to be alone when you woke.”
“Thank you,” she replied with feeling. He tugged the bellpull, then she waved him away. “You’d better go and make yourself presentable, or you’ll frighten the staff, let alone the children.”
He hesitated; she could see him debating whether or not to stay until Parker arrived.
She hid a grin. “Go—or Parker will be shocked and then disapproving. You know she will.”
He huffed, but finally turned and headed for the door to his rooms. “I’ll wait on the other side of the door until she arrives. If you fall, call, and I’ll come running.”
She smiled.
With his hand on the doorknob, he halted and looked back. “Wait for me. We’ll go up to the nursery together.”
He was all earl now. Still smiling, she tipped her head in acquiescence.
As the door closed behind him, she arched her brows and murmured, “I suspect that, from now on, we’ll be doing a lot of things together.”
She was looking forward to forging their new, improved, love-based marriage with a full and eager heart.
