"Love, don't cry," he pleaded. "It's very upsetting for me to see you so miserable."
She tried to stop crying long enough to explain she wasn't miserable at all. Colin moved his hand away from her mouth and gently wiped her tears away.
"I didn't have anything to give you when I married you," he told her. "And yet… on our wedding night I knew you loved me. I had trouble accepting it at first. It seemed so damned unfair to you. I should have remembered a comment you made to me about the prince regent. That reminder would have saved both of us a good deal of worry."
"What comment did I make?"
"I told you I'd heard the prince regent was taken with you," he answered. "Do you remember what you said to me then?"
She did remember. "I told you he was taken with what I am, not who I am."
"Well?" he demanded in a rough whisper.
"Well, what?"
Her smile was radiant. She finally understood.
"I thought you were fairly intelligent," he drawled out.
"You love me."
"Yes."
He leaned down and kissed her. She sighed into his mouth. When he pulled away, she looked properly convinced.
"Have you also worked it out in your mind?" she asked.
He didn't understand what she meant by her question. He was busy unbuttoning the top of her gown. "Worked out what?"
"That I fell in love with who you are, not what you are," she answered. "It was your strength and courage that drew me to you, Colin. I needed both."
He was so pleased with his wife he had to kiss her again. "I needed you," he admitted.
He wanted to kiss her again. She wanted to talk. "Colin, you present yourself to the world as a man struggling to build a company."
"I am a man struggling to build a company."
He rolled to his side so he could get her robe and gown off her more quickly.
"You aren't a pauper," she announced. She sat up in bed and started tugging her robe off her shoulders. Colin helped her.
"I had a good look at your books, remember? You've made an amazing profit, but you poured every bit of it back into the operation and the result is very impressive. You've been trying to build an empire, but if you'll only step back and take a good look you'll realize you've already accomplished your goal. Why, you have close to twenty ships now with cargo orders stretching into next year and that must surely convince you that your company is no longer a struggling venture."
He was having trouble listening to what she was telling him. She'd shed her robe and was now inching her gown up over her head. His throat tightened up on him. She finally got rid of the barrier. He immediately reached for her. She shook her head at him. "First, I would like you to answer a question for me, please."
He might have nodded but he couldn't be certain. A fire burned inside him and all he wanted to do was bury himself in her. He was so damn anxious to touch her, he was literally destroying his shirt in his hurry to get the thing off.
"Colin, when is enough enough?"
Her question required concentration. He didn't have any to spare.
"I'll never be able to get enough of you."
"Nor I you," she whispered. "But that isn't what I was asking…"
Colin silenced her with his mouth. She couldn't resist him a moment longer. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave in to the wonder of his passion… and his love.
He was demanding, yet incredibly gentle with her at the same time. His touch was magical, and while she was in the throes of her own blissful surrender, he told her again and again how much he loved her.
She would have told him she loved him, too, but Colin had worn her out and she couldn't find the strength to speak. She rolled onto her back, closed her eyes, and listened to her pounding heartbeat while the air cooled her feverish skin.
He rolled to his side, propped his head up on his hand, and grinned down at her. He looked thoroughly satisfied.
He stroked a path from her chin to her belly, and then his hand gently rubbed the flat of her stomach.
"Sweetheart, do you have something you want to tell me?"
She was feeling too content to think about anything other than what had just happened to her.
Colin was going to nag her until she told him about the baby, but Flannaghan started banging on the bedroom door then, interrupting that intention.
"Milord, your brother's here. I put him in the study."
"I'll be right there," Colin shouted.
He muttered about his brother's bad timing. Alesandra laughed. She didn't bother to open her eyes when she said, "It would have been bad timing ten minutes ago. I would say he was being very considerate."
He agreed with that assessment. He started to leave the bed, then turned back to her. She opened her eyes just in time to watch him lean over her and place a kiss on her navel. She brushed her hand across his shoulder. The hair on the back of his neck curled around her fingers.
Colin was letting his hair grow long again. That sudden realization hit her all at once. She was so pleased she almost started crying again. She didn't, of course, because Colin had told her he found it upsetting to see her weep, and she doubted he would understand anyway. She understood, though, and that was all that mattered. Marriage hadn't turned out to be a prison for her husband.
He was puzzled by the look on her face. "Sweetheart?" he asked.
"You're still free, Colin."
His eyes widened over that remark. "You say the strangest things," he remarked.
"Your brother's waiting."
He nodded. "I want you to think about my question while I talk to Caine. All right, love?"
"What question?"
Colin got out of bed and pulled his pants on. "I asked you if you had anything else to tell me," he reminded her.
He slipped his bare feet into his shoes and started toward his bedroom in search of a fresh shirt. He'd shredded the one he'd been wearing.
"Think about it," he told her. He grabbed his jacket, winked at her, and then left the room.
Caine was sprawled out in the leather chair next to the hearth. Colin nodded and sat down behind his desk. He reached for his pen and paper.
Caine took one look at his brother and broke into a wide grin. "I see I interrupted you. Sorry," he added.
Colin ignored the laughter in his brother's voice. He knew he looked disheveled. He hadn't bothered with a cravat. He hadn't bothered to comb his hair, either.
"Marriage agrees with you, Colin."
Colin didn't pretend indifference. He looked up at his brother and let him see the truth in his expression. The shields were gone.
"I'm a man in love."
Caine laughed. "It took you long enough to realize it."
"No longer than it took you to realize you loved Jade."
Caine agreed with a nod. Colin went back to writing on his paper.
"What are you doing?"
Colin's grin was a bit sheepish when he admitted he was starting a list.
"I seem to have caught my wife's obsession for organization," he said. "Did you talk to the viscount?"
Caine's smile faded. He loosened his cravat while he answered. "Harold's a mess," he said, referring to the viscount. "He's barely coherent. The last time he saw his wife they had an argument and he has spent every minute since tormenting himself over the harsh words he said to her. His anguish is aching to see."
"The poor devil," Colin said. He shook his head, then asked, "Did he tell you what the argument was about?"
"He was certain she'd taken a lover," Caine answered. "She was receiving gifts and Harold jumped to the conclusion she was involved with another man."
"Hell."
"He still hasn't figured it out, Colin. I told him about the gifts our wives received but he was too sotted from drink to understand the ramifications. He kept saying his anger swayed Roberta into running away with her lover."
Colin leaned back in his chair. "Did he have anything helpful to add?"
"No."
The brothers lapsed into silence, each caught up in his own thoughts. Colin pushed his chair back and bent over to take his shoes off. He tossed off his left shoe, then his right, and was about to straighten up again when he noticed the lining protruding from his left shoe.
"Damn," he muttered to himself. His most comfortable pair of shoes were already wearing out. He picked up the shoe to see if it could be repaired. The thick insert fell into his hands.
He'd never seen anything like it. He immediately picked up the other shoe and examined it. Flannaghan chose that moment to walk into the study with a fresh decanter of brandy so that Caine could have a drink if he was so inclined. He took one look at what Colin was holding in his hand and immediately turned around to leave.
"Come back here, Flannaghan," Colin ordered.
"Did you wish a drink, milord?" Flannaghan asked Caine.
"Yes," Caine answered. "But I want water, not brandy. After seeing Harold tonight, the thought of a hard drink turns my stomach."
"I shall fetch the water at once."
Flannaghan tried to leave again. Colin called him back.
"Did you wish some water?" the butler asked his employer.
Colin held up the insert. "I wish to find out if you know anything about this."
Flannaghan was torn between his loyalties. He was Colin's servant, of course, and was certainly loyal to him, but he had also promised his princess not to say a word about the bootmaker.
Flannaghan's silence was a bit damning. Caine started laughing. "From the look on his face, I would say he knows a great deal about something. What are you holding, Colin?"
He tossed the leather insert to Caine. "I just found this hidden under the lining of my shoe. It's been specifically made for the left foot."
He turned his gaze back to his butler. "Alesandra's behind this, isn't she?"
Flannaghan cleared his throat. "They have become your favorite shoes, milord," he hastened to point out. "The insert made your shoe fit your heel much better. I pray you won't become too angry over this."
Colin wasn't at all angry, but his butler was too young and too caught up in his worry to realize that fact.
"Our princess realizes that you are a bit… sensitive about your leg," Flannaghan continued, "and for that reason she did resort to a little trickery. I do hope you won't berate her."
Colin smiled. Flannaghan's defense of Alesandra was pleasing to him. "Will you ask 'our princess' to come in here? Knock softly on her door, Flannaghan, and if she doesn't immediately answer, assume she's asleep."
Flannaghan hurried out of the study. He realized he was still holding the decanter in his hands and quickly turned back to the study. He put the brandy on the side table and once again left.
Caine tossed the insert back to his brother. "Does the contraption work?"
"Yes," Colin answered. "I didn't realize…"
Caine saw the vulnerability in his brother's eyes and was amazed. It wasn't like Colin to let anyone see beyond the smile. He suddenly felt closer to his brother, and all because Colin wasn't shutting him out. He leaned forward in his chair, his elbows braced on his knees.
"What didn't you realize?"
Colin stared at the thick heel of the insert when he answered. "That my left leg was shorter than my right. It makes sense. The loss of muscle…"
He forced a shrug. Caine didn't know what to say to him. This was the first time Colin had acknowledged his condition and Caine wasn't certain how to proceed. If he sounded too nonchalant, his brother might assume he didn't care. Yet if he sounded too earnest and prodded him with questions, Colin might slam the door on the subject for another five years.
It was damned awkward. And in the end he didn't say anything. He changed the topic. "Have you talked to Father about Catherine yet?"
"Yes," Colin answered. "He promises to be on his guard. He's alerted his staff, too. If anything else is delivered, Father will see it first."
"Is he going to warn Catherine?"
"He didn't want to worry her," Colin replied. "I insisted. She needs to understand this is a serious matter. Catherine's a bit… flighty, isn't she?"
Caine smiled. "She isn't completely grown up yet, Colin. Give her time."
"And protect her until she does grow up."
"Yes."
Alesandra appeared in the doorway with Flannaghan at her side. She wore a dark blue robe that covered her from chin to slippers. She walked inside the study, smiled at Caine, and then turned to her husband. Colin held up the insert for her to see. She immediately lost her smile and started backing out of the room.
She didn't look frightened, just wary. "Alesandra, do you know something about this?"
She couldn't tell from his expression if he was angry or merely irritated with her. She reminded herself that her husband had vowed his love for her just minutes before and took a step forward. "Yes."
"Yes, what?"
"Yes, I know something about the insert. Good evening, Caine. It's good to see you again," she added in a rush.
She was deliberately being obtuse. Colin shook his head at her. "I asked you a question, wife," he said.
"Now I understand your question," she blurted out. She took another step forward. "Just before you left my chamber you asked me if I had something to tell you and now I realize you'd found the insert. All right, then. I'll tell you. I interfered. Yes, I did. I had your best interests at heart, Colin. I'm sorry you're so prickly about your leg, and if you weren't, I could have discussed my idea with you before sending Flannaghan to the bootmaker. I had to force your man to take on the assignment. He's most loyal to you," she hastened to add lest he think Flannaghan had somehow betrayed him.
"No, Princess," Flannaghan argued. "I begged you to let me take on the assignment."
Colin rolled his eyes heavenward. "What made you think of the idea?" he asked.
She looked surprised by his question. "You have a limp… at night, when you're tired, you do tend to limp a little. Colin, you are aware you favor your right leg, aren't you?"
He almost laughed. "Yes, I'm aware."
"Do you agree you're a fairly intelligent man?"
