Other visitors stopped to gaze at the painting, their murmurs appreciative.
“It is a fitting memorial to the earl,” Glory said sincerely.
“Longmere would have been pleased,” Pippa said in quiet tones. “All he wanted was recognition for his work. That is the irony of life, I suppose: now that he has his greatest desire, he cannot enjoy it.”
Privately, Livy thought that Longmere had been a bigger fool than she realized if his wife had not been his greatest desire.
She touched Pippa’s dark sleeve. “How are you faring, dear?”
“Some days are better than others.” Pippa’s blue eyes darkened with grief…and some other emotion that Livy couldn’t quite name. “I will get through this.”
“I know you will,” Livy said. “Perhaps some distraction will help?”
“Charlie said the same thing,” Pippa replied.
Livy lifted her brows. “You have been talking to Charlie?”
“Yes, and she proposed a rather intriguing diversion.” The spark that lit Pippa’s eyes banished some of the shadows. “I may just take her up on it.”
Epilogue
Strathmore Castle, Scotland
A few months later
As Livy surfaced from sleep, she drowsily reached for Ben. Instead of her husband, she found a folded note on his side of the bed; it was labelled “A Riddle for Livy.” Yawning, she sat up and read it.
For My Queen,
Who last night sat so prettily upon my throne,
I have written this my first, and likely last, poem.
Come find me where our love first took root…
It’s cold out so wear your boots.
“That riddle is too easy,” she murmured.
Then, smiling from ear to ear, she tossed aside the covers and rang for her maid.
Soon she was dashing through the snow toward the pond. The sun was bright, casting diamonds across the fluffy white landscape. She knew she was on the right track when she spotted Ben’s large footprints. She followed his trail to a Scots pine by the side of the pond.
Looking up, she saw something dangling from the lowest branch.
Mistletoe. Tied safelyawayfrom the water.
A smile curved her lips as strong arms circled her waist.
“I have you just where I want you, Your Grace,” Ben murmured in her ear.
She turned around in his arms, gazing happily up at her handsome duke. Since their marriage, contentment had erased the weary lines from his face. He looked younger; free of shadows, his eyes were the sultry blue of a summer night.
“There is no other place I want to be,” she said simply. “Happy Hogmanay, Ben.”
Love and desire smoldered in his gaze. He claimed her lips in a kiss that curled her toes in her boots. When they parted, she was gasping, her breath crystalline puffs in the air.
“We should go back inside and celebrate properly,” he said.
