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When at last he pulled away, he pressed a kiss to her temple. “There’s no rumor, is there?”

“Rumor?” she asked.

He pulled out a piece of paper from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. She skimmed it, her eyes widening. “Is this what Moray wrote to you?”

“Yes.”

“And you thought something had happened to me?”

“I thought Gowan might be spreading rumors because you’d come home unaccompanied,” he said. “I worried that you might be in some sort of danger, and I couldn’t get here fast enough.”

She shook her head. “It sounds like Moray knows you better than you think.”

“If you tell him that, he’ll never shut up about it.”

She laughed. “Your secret’s safe with me. We should go home and give him and Eva their office back.”

“Before we do . . .” He bent over and shuffled through the sketches on the floor, handing them to her as he went. Finally he held one up in the air, triumphant.

“This one is coming with us,” he said, turning the sketch from Daldour Abbey for her to see. “I’m considering having it framed and hung in our bedroom.”

“Our?” she asked with raised brows as she stuffed her sketches into her portfolio.

“Pick one of them. I’m done sleeping apart from you. We can keep separate rooms if you think it’ll scandalize the servants any less,” he said.

She laughed. “If we hang that on the wall, sleeping in the same room will be the least of their worries. Besides, aren’t I supposed to be the scandalous one?”

He grinned and looped his arm around her waist. “Then I’d better start catching up.”

Epilogue

Two weeks later

INA STOOD IN the middle of the crowded gallery, her hands clamped on her husband’s arm to prevent them from shaking. Gavin was on her right, practically holding her up, while Lana was on her left. Christine had stopped in front of them to examine a sculpture of a woman with a water pitcher. With her stood Anne, chaperoned by Moira Sullivan, for although Mrs. Breck didn’t approve of the several nude sculptures—including that of the mysterious I.R.D. that had made a stir at this year’s Royal Sculpture Society exhibition—getting into the good graces of Edinburgh’s premier matchmaker was far more important than standing on principle.

“It’s going to be fine,” said Lana, leaning into her.

Ina knew it was ridiculous to be nervous. It wasn’t as though this was the first time the public would lay eyes on one of her works, but commissions had provided only one type of validation. Now her work was being exhibited next to some of Europe’s premier sculptors and even she had to admit it was intimidating.

“I’ll never understand why the judges didn’t award Hero and Leander the top prize,” Gavin grumbled.

“An honorable mention is far more than I’d hoped for,” she said, squeezing his arm to press her body lightly against his.

“At least on Friday half of Scotland will know who I.R.D. is,” said Christine. “I’m glad you’re letting Moray write that article about you. It’s a shame Gavin couldn’t do it.”

“Moray says I’d write far too glowing an article, and he’s probably right,” said Gavin.

“I’ve instructed my butler to purchase as many copies of the Lothian Herald-Times as he can find on Friday morning,” said Moira. “There are a few members of the Royal Academy in London who shall be receiving a copy by Saturday post.”

Ina laughed through her nerves, secretly happy that the fierce, well-connected lady was on her side—as was her incredibly supportive husband. He’d approached her with the idea to publish her real identity when they’d lain tangled in her sheets after their reconciliation. He’d calmed her nerves at the initial idea and coaxed her gently until she’d agreed. Then he’d spent a good portion of the evening thanking her all over again.

“There are so many people here,” said Anne, looking around in wonder at the exhibition that sprawled over two floors of the Assembly Rooms.

“It feels as though half of Edinburgh is here,” said Mrs. Sullivan, her fan flapping in front of her to create a breeze on the unseasonably warm day.

Ina’s smile was strained, and she looked around again for her sculpture. Hero and Leander were here somewhere. She just had to find them.

Lana squeezed her arm tight and said, “You’ll feel better once you see it.”