Harris perked up. “Has she, madame?”
“Oh, yes. And you know, it’s such a beautiful night. There’s a lovely summer moon. What a perfect night for a stroll around the grounds, Meg was saying. Why don’t you go find her, Harris? I’m sure his lordship won’t mind. Will you, Nicholas?”
“Not at all. Run along, Harris. I won’t be needing you again tonight.”
“Thank you, sir.” Harris made a formal bow before, wholly out of character, he turned and dashed from the room.
Nicholas chuckled. “I don’t believe it. Harris and sour Meg?”
“Meg is not sour,” she retorted. “And they have been very friendly for some time now.”
“Is love blooming there, too? You know about Ellie and Lord Barrett, I assume? You know everything before I do.”
“I’m so happy for Ellie.”
“You don’t think she’s too old to be contemplating matrimony?”
“You can’t be serious, Nicholas,” Reggie giggled.
“I suppose not.” He grinned, watching as she trailed her hand through the water. He caught it as it neared him, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. “I have you to thank, you know, for my childhood dreams coming true. She would never have told me if not for you. You know, don’t you, Reggie, how awful it is to wonder about your mother all the time? Who was she, what was she like? You lost both of your parents when you were only two.”
She smiled gently. “I had four wonderful uncles to tell me everything I wanted to know about them—including faults, of which they spared no detail. But you did have your mother all along, you just never knew it.”
“One of the things Ellie told me is that we Eden men only love once. That should delight you.”
“Should it?”
“Doesn’t it?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Reggie said evasively. “I’ll let you know after we have our talk. Care to have your back scrubbed?”
She scooped the sponge out of the water without waiting for an answer and moved behind him. She was grinning, but he couldn’t see her expression.
“I suppose you would like an apology?” he began uncomfortably.
“That would be nice.”
“I do apologize, Regina.”
“What for?”
“What do you mean what for?” he growled, turning to look at her.
“If you would be a little more specific, Nicholas.”
“I’m sorry I was such a dolt during our engagement.”
“No, you weren’t very nice at all. But I can forgive you for that. Go on.” She began running the sponge along his back, then up around his neck, very slowly.
“Go on?” He sounded bewildered, and Reggie threw the sponge at his head.
“You left me. Or have you forgotten?”
He grabbed hold of the sponge. “Blister it, you know why I did.”
Reggie came around to the side of the tub and looked down at him, hands on hips, her eyes glittering. “I beg to differ. I do not know why. It is the only thing I have not been able to figure out.”
In a quiet voice, with no fight in him, he said, “I couldn’t remain near you without…”
