Gracious Lady

by Carole Mortimer

  Hurt before you were hurt—or because you were hurt; it was an instinctive response she couldn't possibly blame him for. 'But Jennie told you upstairs that it was you I loved,' she said ruefully.

  'Among several other choice things,' he admitted with a grimace. 'She also told me you're doing your Open University course so that you can eventually go on to be a teacher?'

  She had confided that to Jennie during the weekend. Teaching was something she had wanted to do before she met Malcolm, and she had found it was still some­thing she wanted to do once that marriage was over. 'It's probably going to take me years,' she nodded. 'But I've done almost three years now—'

  'I know that,' Maximilian told her gently. 'The report, remember?' he prompted at her puzzled look.

  Did she remember! She also remembered how angry its very existence had made her feel.

  'I know,' Maximilian soothed as he saw her ex­pression. 'But Paul was only doing his job. But Sophie, there was nothing detrimental about you in that report. If anything it just made me admire you more.' He met her gaze with steady intensity. 'You have survived, Sophie, grown stronger, against overwhelming odds. There is no way I, or anyone else for that matter, could ever criticise you for that!' He put his hand beneath her chin, raising her face to his. ‘If you'll marry me, Sophie, I'll do everything in my power to ensure that you can only grow stronger. You can go to university full-time, if you like, be a—'

  'Maximilian, you don't have to offer me enticements.' She touched his cheek gently. ‘I want to marry you. More than anything else,' she added huskily, knowing that she wouldn't accept his offer of going to university full-time, that she would carry on with her Open University course so that she could spend more time with her new husband. 'And I do mean you, Maximilian,' she continued in­tently. 'Your money—'

  'Means nothing to you,' he finished assuredly. ‘I know that, Sophie. I may have over-reacted about Burnett, but I have never doubted you in other ways. And although I'm sure Burnett is quite an innocuous chap, I've grown to dislike him intensely!' He frowned darkly.

  'Um—about Brian...' Sophie began tentatively, playing with one of the buttons on the front of his shirt.

  Maximilian immediately tensed. 'Yes?'

  'Don't dislike him too intensely, because I have a feeling he may marry my cousin in time, and when he does the two of you are going to be related through mar­riage!' She grinned up at him.

  'Your cousin—?' Maximilian looked dumbfounded. 'But—-'

  'It's a long story, darling—'

  ‘I remember you called me that last night,' he said gruffly. 'It made me feel quite hopeful for a while—which was probably another one of the reasons that damned newspaper upset me so much!'

  'Forget about it.' She smoothed the frown from his brow. 'It isn't important. We are what's important.' She looked up at him with love-filled eyes. She wasn't leaving, never to see him again, after all, but was going to stay with him as his wife. She couldn't believe it! It was won­derful. Marvellous. Absolutely incredible!

  'Yes,' he agreed gruffly as he saw the blaze of love in her eyes. 'And we have better things to do than worry about any of that. For one thing, you're wearing one of those pink shirts, and it seems a pity to waste it down here...' His eyebrows were raised questioningly. 'I'm sure, after our disturbed night, both of us could do with a little nap—eventually...'

  Colour warmed her cheeks as his meaning was ob­vious. She could imagine nothing more wonderful than lying in his arms as they made love together, already knew how perfect they were going to be together. 'Are you sure you feel well enough?' She hesitated only out of concern for him. 'After all, you were very ill last night—'

  'My darling Sophie—' he smiled down at her lov­ingly, holding her close against the hardness of his body, his desire evident —I suspect I will feel like making love to you when I'm ninety and feeble!'

  She returned his smile. 'In that case— She broke ff as the door opened without warning.

  Jennie came bounding into the room. 'Well?' she de­manded expectantly. 'Is Sophie going to be my step­mother or not?'

  Maximilian groaned at the interruption, burying his face against Sophie's neck. 'Well, stepmother?' he mur­mured softly against Sophie's earlobe. 'Use your new authority to get rid of my daughter for a couple of hours—before I strangle her!'

  Sophie chuckled softly, looking at Jennie over Maximilian's shoulder, tilting her head pointedly towards the door. Jennie nodded comprehendingly, their closeness being obvious, and quietly left the room again—after giving Sophie a thumbs-up sign!

  Maximilian looked up dazedly at the quiet click of the door closing behind Jennie. 'Well, I'll be damned...' He looked down at Sophie admiringly. ‘I knew you had hidden talents the night I met you—and I don't mean karate!' he added mockingly.

  She grimaced at his reminder of the claim she had made that night. 'Talking of hidden talents...' she mur­mured pointedly.

  He swung her effortlessly up into his arms. 'My room or yours?'

  'Does it matter?' She put her arms lovingly about his neck, resting her cheek against his shoulder, quite content to go wherever he took her.

  'No,' he acknowledged triumphantly. 'Nothing matters any more except the fact that we love each other. And I'm going to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I love you,' he promised huskily.

  Sophie didn't doubt it—or him—for a moment.