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"Oh, Nathaniel, no!" She laughed and shook her head. "It was wonderful. I would not change a single second."

He drew her into his arms. She went willingly, resting her hands against his chest and looking up into his handsome face. His hair was a little disordered, and he had abandoned the elaborate cravat he had worn for the ceremony. She reached up and smoothed a stray curl away from his forehead, enjoying the warmth of his skin beneath her fingers.

"I love you," she said softly.

"And I love you, Cathy. More than I ever thought it possible to love another person."

He bent to kiss her, and she slipped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer. There was something different about kissing him now. She had no need to worry about being discovered by her father or interrupted by her sisters, and when Nathaniel's arms tightened around her waist, she felt herself relax against him with a happy little sigh. He kissed her slowly, taking his time, and she found herself smiling against his mouth at the thought that they had all the time in the world.

When he finally drew back, he rested his forehead against hers and smiled. "Are you happy, my darling?"

"Oh, Nathaniel. I do not think I have ever been so happy in my life."

He kissed her again, slow and sweet this time, before drawing back to look at her properly. "And are you ready for our next adventure?"

She laughed and nodded. "Oh, yes, husband." She grinned up at him, feeling the last of her nervousness disappear, and reached for him.

He laughed and caught her about the waist, lifting her easily into his arms. Kate gave a little cry of surprise before laughing and wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him as he carried her towards the bed. He lowered her onto the soft counterpane and followed her down, supporting himself on one arm as he brushed the hair away from her face. For a moment he just looked at her, his expression so full of love that her heart gave a painful squeeze.

"Oh, Cathy," he murmured, bending to kiss the corner of her mouth. "My beautiful wife."

She reached up to touch his cheek, running her fingers along the line of his jaw before drawing him down to kiss her properly. His lips moved slowly against hers, and she felt his hand settle at her waist before slipping around to the small of her back, drawing her closer. She could feel the warmth of him through the thin cotton of her nightdress, and when he pressed a kiss to the hollow of her neck, she shivered in delight. He smelt of his familiar lemon and sandalwood and every sense seemed overwhelmed by his nearness. He smiled against her skin, and she could not help smiling too.

"Are you quite comfortable, my love?" he whispered.

"One thing troubles me," she admitted, tugging at his coat. "I should like to be closer to my new husband if I may."

Nathaniel gave a delighted laugh and stood, stripping off his coat and waistcoat and flinging them heedlessly across the room. When he dropped back down to her, Kate caught his face between her hands and kissed him again.

As the kiss deepened into something more urgent, his hand slipped beneath the edge of her nightdress to caress the bare skin of her calf, and Kate felt a delicious shiver run through her. She drew him closer, enjoying the warmth of his body against hers and the way his fingers moved slowly over her skin. She had imagined so often what it would be like to be his wife, to travel the world together and spend their days making wonderful discoveries. And now it was all before them, a whole life to share with this man she loved so dearly.

When his lips moved from her mouth to the sensitive skin of her throat, she tipped her head back and closed her eyes, drawing a sharp breath as his hand travelled slowly upwards beneath her nightdress. She slipped her fingers beneath his loosened collar, eager to feel the warmth of his skin and was rewarded by a soft groan as she pressed her lips to his neck.

She had spent so much of her life trying to understand the world around her, but now she was content to let Nathaniel show her something she had never experienced before. She trusted him, and as she relaxed into his arms and surrendered herself to his kisses, she felt no nervousness, only the growing excitement of discovering this new part of their life together.

There would be time enough for adventures tomorrow. Tonight, Kate had a husband to discover, and she intended to take her time about it.

Epilogue

Giza, Egypt, 10 months later

"I am starting to think that whoever first suggested using camels as a means of transport must have been addlepated," Kate remarked, adjusting her position upon the saddle for what felt like the twentieth time.

Nathaniel laughed and turned to look at his wife, who was sitting perfectly upright despite the ungainly movements of the animal beneath her. Kate was an exceptional horsewoman, and he had seen her manage some spirited animals with an ease that put his own abilities to shame. But a camel was an entirely different proposition.

"I thought you were enjoying yourself, my darling. You insisted that you wished to ride one."

"I do not regret it," she replied, giving the animal a suspicious look. "But I cannot understand why it must walk in such a peculiar fashion. At least a horse moves its legs in a sensible order. This fellow seems to be attempting to rearrange my bones."

He laughed again, and Kate found herself smiling despite the discomfort. She was in Egypt, after all, riding across the sands beside her husband under a dazzling blue sky. She was not about to allow an uncomfortable camel ride to spoil the occasion. She had never imagined she would make such a trip, never mind with a husband in tow.

"Come now, Cathy," Nathaniel said, urging his camel a little closer to hers. "I promise you shall forgive the poor beast in a moment. Look ahead, my love."

Kate followed his gaze, and all thoughts of the camel vanished. Ahead of them, the great pyramids of Giza rose from the desert sands, their enormous shapes silhouetted against the clear blue sky. She had seen drawings of them and read every account she could find, but nothing had prepared her for their size. The Great Pyramid towered above the others, its vast limestone blocks catching the morning sunlight. She stared in amazement, struggling to comprehend how people thousands of years ago had managed to build something so extraordinary.

"Oh, Nathaniel," she breathed, reaching out to catch his arm. "Look at them! Good heavens, I had no idea they would be so enormous!"

He smiled at her, although his attention was no longer upon the pyramids. He had visited Egypt before, and while the ancient monuments never failed to impress him, he had been looking forward to this morning for an entirely different reason. He had wanted to see his wife's face when she first laid eyes upon them, and the expression she wore now was worth every uncomfortable mile of their journey.