there’ll be no problem there. But what about Lucifer?”
“Luce ignores other animals. He seems to believe they’re beneath his dignity, but he never had any problems with the collie Micah used to keep.” She dropped a kiss on Willow’s massive head and then reached around Connor to scratch Rowan. “Poor old Butch died barely a month after his master and I’ve missed him. I’ll be glad to have dogs, especially if you’re away on a regular basis. Between them and Luce, I won’t feel so alone.”
“You’ve been alone a long time, haven’t you?” he asked. “How did you manage?”
“Lucifer helped a lot,” she said. “I survived, but I can’t say I enjoyed the loneliness. It will be good to have more company when you’re away.”
“Good.” He drew to a stop in front of a pair of massive double doors. “Close your eyes.”
She shot him a skeptical look, but complied. He opened the door, and drew her into the newest part of the house.
“I smell flowers,” she said.
“Open your eyes.” She did, and he watched in delight as she gazed openmouthed at his grandmother’s conservatory. “You won’t be the only gardener in the family. So let’s go pick out your wedding flowers.”
* * *
Belinda sat on the bed in the room she’d been assigned, Lucifer draped over her lap and Willow panting at her feet. The two had sniffed at each other, Luce had batted away Willow’s nose when the pup tried to play, and then they’d settled down into peaceful coexistence. Belinda only hoped she and Connor could manage to live together with as little strife as these two. While he seemed to have no concerns, she was far less sanguine about the idea of marrying a virtual stranger. How long would it be before he grew tired of an older woman, not just in years, but in experiences? Not to mention one who hadn’t been raised or educated in the same manner as he. Yes, the passion between them was remarkable, but how long would that last?
A tap on the door startled her out of her gloom and she rose to open it, expecting Connor again, or perhaps a maid. Instead, the elder Lady MacKay stood, a basket in her slender arms. “May I come in?”
“Certainly.” Belinda lifted the basket and set it on the bed while the other woman came in and took a seat on the vanity stool. “What can I do for you, ma’am?”
“Call me Nan, dear. All my grandchildren do.” She nodded at the basket. “I’ve brought some things for you to use. I wore the pearl hairpins at my own wedding and would be pleased if you would borrow them. I know you already had a bath this afternoon, but there are some scents and things in there, in case you couldn’t bring any of your own. I brought violet and rosemary, since I wasn’t sure what you like. The girls will have other choices if you prefer.”
Belinda smiled. “You guessed correctly. I usually blend the two. Thank you.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Evelyn said. “You’ll have to make me some to try.”
“Here.” Belinda handed over the one small pot of hand cream she’d brought with her. “There’s a touch of lavender as well, since it soothes the skin.”
Evelyn rubbed a dollop on her age-spotted hands. “This is a lovely texture. You’re very gifted.”
“Thank you.” Belinda sat on the edge of the bed and wound her fingers through Luce’s fur. “Was there something you wanted? You could have sent a maid with the perfumes and hair pins.”
Evelyn’s eyes, a soft green that might have once been emerald, sparkled with humor. “I wanted to speak with you, of course. You are about to marry my only grandson.”
“And yet you’re all being very kind,” Belinda said on a sigh. “Which I don’t understand at all. How can you be sure I won’t murder him in his sleep?”
“We can’t.” Evelyn gave her a sad smile and sat next to her, patting Belinda’s hand. “That’s a lesson I’ve had to learn the difficult way—by experience. Our family has seen its
“Luce ignores other animals. He seems to believe they’re beneath his dignity, but he never had any problems with the collie Micah used to keep.” She dropped a kiss on Willow’s massive head and then reached around Connor to scratch Rowan. “Poor old Butch died barely a month after his master and I’ve missed him. I’ll be glad to have dogs, especially if you’re away on a regular basis. Between them and Luce, I won’t feel so alone.”
“You’ve been alone a long time, haven’t you?” he asked. “How did you manage?”
“Lucifer helped a lot,” she said. “I survived, but I can’t say I enjoyed the loneliness. It will be good to have more company when you’re away.”
“Good.” He drew to a stop in front of a pair of massive double doors. “Close your eyes.”
She shot him a skeptical look, but complied. He opened the door, and drew her into the newest part of the house.
“I smell flowers,” she said.
“Open your eyes.” She did, and he watched in delight as she gazed openmouthed at his grandmother’s conservatory. “You won’t be the only gardener in the family. So let’s go pick out your wedding flowers.”
* * *
Belinda sat on the bed in the room she’d been assigned, Lucifer draped over her lap and Willow panting at her feet. The two had sniffed at each other, Luce had batted away Willow’s nose when the pup tried to play, and then they’d settled down into peaceful coexistence. Belinda only hoped she and Connor could manage to live together with as little strife as these two. While he seemed to have no concerns, she was far less sanguine about the idea of marrying a virtual stranger. How long would it be before he grew tired of an older woman, not just in years, but in experiences? Not to mention one who hadn’t been raised or educated in the same manner as he. Yes, the passion between them was remarkable, but how long would that last?
A tap on the door startled her out of her gloom and she rose to open it, expecting Connor again, or perhaps a maid. Instead, the elder Lady MacKay stood, a basket in her slender arms. “May I come in?”
“Certainly.” Belinda lifted the basket and set it on the bed while the other woman came in and took a seat on the vanity stool. “What can I do for you, ma’am?”
“Call me Nan, dear. All my grandchildren do.” She nodded at the basket. “I’ve brought some things for you to use. I wore the pearl hairpins at my own wedding and would be pleased if you would borrow them. I know you already had a bath this afternoon, but there are some scents and things in there, in case you couldn’t bring any of your own. I brought violet and rosemary, since I wasn’t sure what you like. The girls will have other choices if you prefer.”
Belinda smiled. “You guessed correctly. I usually blend the two. Thank you.”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Evelyn said. “You’ll have to make me some to try.”
“Here.” Belinda handed over the one small pot of hand cream she’d brought with her. “There’s a touch of lavender as well, since it soothes the skin.”
Evelyn rubbed a dollop on her age-spotted hands. “This is a lovely texture. You’re very gifted.”
“Thank you.” Belinda sat on the edge of the bed and wound her fingers through Luce’s fur. “Was there something you wanted? You could have sent a maid with the perfumes and hair pins.”
Evelyn’s eyes, a soft green that might have once been emerald, sparkled with humor. “I wanted to speak with you, of course. You are about to marry my only grandson.”
“And yet you’re all being very kind,” Belinda said on a sigh. “Which I don’t understand at all. How can you be sure I won’t murder him in his sleep?”
“We can’t.” Evelyn gave her a sad smile and sat next to her, patting Belinda’s hand. “That’s a lesson I’ve had to learn the difficult way—by experience. Our family has seen its
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