Then he spied the uneaten bowl of ambrosia mash on the bed table. “You don’t like cherries or pineapple? Too light on the coconut?”
She stroked Hope’s cheek. “My hands are a little full, not that I mind.”
Daniel was never this indecisive, but he hadn’t felt like his whole world was before him either. Humor. That and arguments were how they’d distracted each other.
“I think if you tasted my ambrosia, Jemina, you couldn’t resist it.”
“Daniel—”
“No. I am quite serious.” He took a step, forcing his feet to the table. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, he filled a spoon with his mash and waved it under Jemina’s nose. “I suppose I will have to feed you like this one.”
“It’s not necessary.”
“It is absolutely necessary.” He put a finger to her lips and smoothed that cupid’s bow with his pinkie. “Open.”
When she did, he put a spoonful into her mouth.
A cross between a laugh and yum squeaked out. “You didn’t say there were bananas and pomegranates too.”
“I’m unpredictable when it comes to mashes.” He fed her another and another until a third of the bowl was gone.
A touch of juice drizzled down her chin. The urge to dip and sip the offering pressed. Jemina was seductive, and she wasn’t even trying.
“You’re an expert. Not too much on the spoon, just the right amount. An expert and a good host.”
Good host maybe, but he was no saint. The path to sin and a cupid’s bow was too close to his child. Yet he stared at her glancing back at him, remembering him, even desiring him with her lovely eyes.
Daniel bounced up. “That’s probably enough.”
She pushed at a frizzed curl. “I must look awful. Lord—”
“Daniel. It’s Daniel to my prisoners. Be intimate with my name.”
“Daniel, do you have curl papers?”
“Hmm. No. Ribbons. Pink ribbons, I’m sure I can find those. Pink is Hope’s favorite color. She fusses something terrible when forced to wear another color.”
“Rebellious in nature so soon. I love her.”
His heart stopped. Then it started as his swallow went down slowly. Hope really had chosen. Any fear of Jemina not wanting to be a stepmother was extinguished.
What should he say, now that he knew what he wanted? “Daniel, I’m going to tell you my plans. I’m not going to hide. I want to contact my family. I should know why the St. Maurs put me away. Did they blame me for the loss of their son?”
Nothing good could come from her digging into theMinervaor the St. Maurs. “What if we wait until you’re better before we talk about the past?”
“There’s never going to be a time for you to help. Will there be, Daniel?”
He rocked back and then looked down at Hope. “My child is getting to know you. She likes you. She’ll expect to see you. If the St. Maurs have power over you . . . I don’t want you taken from us because of terrible people. We almost lost you tonight. Can I please have a week or two of not fretting about you or Hope?”
Her forehead wrinkled. “Must you always think the worst will happen?”
“I’m a barrister. I’ve seen the worst, but tonight you’ve stopped the worst. You saved my Hope.”
“You gave me hope when you rescued me from Bedlam.” She settled deeper into her pillows. “Well, what do we do in this period?”
“I’m a patient man. We can have a torrid affair later, and it will be long and torrid.”
“How long? How torrid?”
