To Tempt an Irish Rogue by Kaitlin O'Riley Page A

with a thud. She skipped over to them, and sidled up to Paulette. She placed her hand in Paulette’s.
    “I think she likes you,” Declan whispered in Paulette’s ear.
    “I like her too, so it’s mutual,” Paulette said, grinning.
    He offered Paulette his arm and they walked along the meandering path slowly so Mara could keep up with them.
    “I have a question for you,” he asked.
    “And what is that?”
    “I’ve been wondering about all the French names.”
    Paulette’s lyrical laughter lightened the air around him, filling his chest with an emotion he did not recognize. A deep coldness within him suddenly melted, filling him with a warm sense of peace he hadn’t experienced before.
    “Oh, that’s because of my mother,” she explained. “She’s French.”
    “Ah, now it all makes sense.” He nodded in understanding. “I suspected as much.”
    “But we all have English middle names.”
    “And yours would be?”
    “Victoria.”
    “For the queen.”
    “Yes. I am very queenly, am I not?” Paulette laughed sweetly.
    “Yes, I can see the name suits you.” He winked at her playfully. “So all your sisters work in the bookshop as well?”
    “Well, most of us that is. Juliette, the second oldest, and Yvette, the baby, never had much interest in the shop and spent the least amount of time there. Lisette has always been a great help, but it’s mainly been just Colette and me. We took over the shop after our father passed away. We redesigned the store and changed everything from the layout to what types of books we sold. Our bookshop is doing so well, we’re opening another store.”
    “Is that right?” Looking at her with increasing admiration, he liked the idea of Paulette’s business being successful. Even though he knew the bookstore belonged to all of the Hamilton sisters, in his mind the shop was Paulette’s alone.
    “Yes, we should be ready to open by the end of October. My brother-in-law, Quinton Roxbury, the one married to Lisette, designed the new store for us. We helped to design it. I’ve never been able to give my ideas for a building as it was being built before and that was the most exciting part of it. Everything is being crafted especially to our specifications and requirements. It will be quite modern and beautiful.”
    “I would love to come see it sometime.”
    “Oh, I’d love for you to see it! They are very near to completion and the construction should be done soon. Quinton thinks I’ll be able to look over the finished space within the next week. Then we shall have the furniture installed and the book inventory stocked and hire new employees.”
    “Will it be called Hamilton’s as well?” he asked, intrigued by her passion for her work. She was fairly brimming with enthusiasm, making her look even more beautiful with her eyes alight with excitement.
    “Oh that’s a secret for now. Only Colette and I know the name of the new shop and we’re saving it as a surprise for the opening day.”
    “Can I have a hint?” he asked, giving her a mischievous smile.
    She laughed but wouldn’t give him one.
    “I’ve also started reading the book you chose for me.” He gave her a knowing look. “The Law and the Lady.”
    “And what do you think of it?”
    “I think you are trying to tell me something with that story, lass.”
    Again Paulette’s sweet laughter warmed his heart. “Perhaps I am. Let me know what you think when you finish it.”
    Walking with Mara and Paulette on his arm, Declan had the impression that people who passed by them assumed they were a happy, young family. He could not recall that he and Margaret had ever walked in a park together with their daughter. Being in London was such a contrast to the depressing environment they had been living in with Margaret back at Cashelmore Manor. The grief during the past year was terrible enough, but the anger and tension in his marriage had been unbearable.
    He had no other option but to get away from Ireland, for