A butterfly sipped nectar from a scarlethibiscus, and he stood stock still, charmed by nature’s loveliness.Like falling under Alexandra’s enchantment, yet aware of thetransforming hardships her life presented and the final triumph ofher splendor.
He swung the shutter back and forth,satisfied with his repair, thinking how her turquoise eyes, withoutspeaking, revealed the thoughts of her heart.
Alexandra leaned through the window andsurprised him with a kiss.
“That’s a dangerous thing to do. Youshouldn’t kiss a man like that unless”
“Unless what?” Her eyes challenged him. Herlips lifted in a mirthful smile.
He leaped through the window, picked her upand placed her on the bed. “I lose count how many times we makelove a day. In no time, you will be with child”
Her face paled. Dammit.Too late.“I’m sorry. I’d do anything to take back that boorish remark.”
She looked away. “I would love to give youchildren, Nicholas, but fate has denied me. How can I describe thefeel of a tiny hand that by no means will ever be held?”
Nicholas held a greater sorrow, and a uniquepain it was, making a place in his heart for a child to never come.That once he died, he’d be erased from the world for lack of thatcertifiable stamp on his lineage.
Nicholas saw the tears in her eyes, theheartbreaking realization that hung like a lodestone around herneck.
She sobbed. “I adore children. To know, thatI will never be able to hold my own babies in my arms, to laugh andplay with my children.”
What an ass he’d been to make that blunder.The stab in her heart, speared his own. Her feelings came first. “Ilove you, and all that I want, is you.”
He kissed her but she moved out from beneathhim. “You must be hungry.”
“You’ll make a fine duchess, Alexandra.”
“I can’t be your duchess.” She rose, crossedthe small room. “While we are on the island, we can pretend
“What nonsense. You will always be at myside.”
At the table with her back to him she peeleda mango. “I would fail at being a duchess. I do not even know howto dance let alone what silverware to use.”
Coming up behind her, he rested a gentlehand on hers, eased the knife and mango out of her hands, andplaced them on the table. He motioned for her to follow himoutside. “We will begin your first dance lesson. A waltz.”
“What?” Her eyes widened in question when heheld out his hand.
“I cannot dance alone, Lady Rutland,” hesaid, leaning down to take her hand.
“Really, I haven’t danced much, only a fewvillage dances.”
“Then you have not been living.”
She shook her head, but Nicholas bowed andtook her in his arms, holding her close and started counting.
They had no orchestra, glitteringchandeliers or polished dance floor, but whirling her aroundbeneath the palms was better than any dance he had everexperienced.
“How am I doing?” She laughed aloud.
He had his Alexandra back. “You are a rarejewel and outshine any woman I’ve ever known.”
ChapterSixteen
In the corner of the garden, Alexandraperformed the onerous task of preparing a new area of land forplanting. She lifted her face to the sun and swallowed hard.Nicholas’s slip the day before rested heavy. He pretended havingchildren was not important and his denial confirmed to her morethan ever, she would release him from his vows if rescued.
She tugged at a mass of vines, yanked themfree and tossed them behind her. Although the afternoon wind hadfallen, a slight breeze off the ocean lifted her hair and cooledher heated neck from the glare of the tropical sun.
The patch was dense from years of neglectand the roots held fast to the soil. She pulled away an elephantear leaf. Two long thin bones were stretched out across the ground.She inhaled, forcing her fingers to clench around more stalks andripped away. A skeleton reclined against a tree. Bony legs led-upto a spine and rib section, and a skull leaned sideways, its eyesockets staring off to sea. Suspended from the neck and restingover the ribcage where his heart would be was a gold locket.
