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The tour continued along a wide gallery surrounding an indoor garden with a soaring roof of iron and glass As the maître d’hôtel expounded on the amenities of the hotela water supply drawn froardens where afternoon tea was served dailya full ballroom paneled with red Verona marble and lit with Louis XIV crystal chandeliersGabriel’s patience rapidly wore thin
"Thank you for the tour," Gabriel finally interrupted as they neared the grand staircase with its balustrade of wrought bronze imported from Brussels, decorated with scenes of the twelve feats of Hercules There was no doubt the maître d’hôtel would describe each feat in excruciating detail "We are ed However, I’m afraid Lady St Vincent and I have already taken up too much of your time We’ll retire to our suite now"
"But my lordI have not yet related the story of Hercules defeating the Lernean Hydra," theto a scene on the balustrade At Gabriel’s glance of refusal, he persisted hopefully, "Hercules and the Horses of Diodelance at the staircase, Gabriel thanked the ed her up the steps with him
"But he was about to tell us a dozen stories," Pandora protested in a whisper
"I know" Gabriel didn’t stop until they had reached their private suite, where their valet and lady’s h Ida was ready to help Pandora change fro clothes, Gabriel decided to dismiss her "I’ll take care of Lady St Vincent You and Oakes won’t be needed for a while"
Although the statement was hardly salacious, either in content or delivery, the fair-haired, round-faced lady’s maid blushed a deep shade of pink and bobbed a curtsey She paused only for a brief, terselythe suite with the valet
"What did she say to you just now?" Gabriel asked Pandora, following as she investigated the suite, which including sitting rooms, service rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and a private veranda with a view of the ocean
"She told me to drape my dress across a chair rather than throw it on the floor Also she cooing to sit on it"
Gabriel frowned "Her manner with you is too fahis Khan of lady’ss I’ve lost" Her voice echoed slightly as she went into the marble-tiled bathroom "Also, she told me I was a donkey-headed halfwit if I didn’tthe bathrooe porcelain bathtub, fiddling with two sets of spigots and faucets, one silver-plated, the other polished brass
"Why are there so many of these fixtures?" she asked
"One set is for freshwater bathing, the other for seawater"
"Truly? I could take a seawater bath right here?"
"Indeed" Gabriel grinned at her expression "Are we a bit less surly about our honeyave him a sheepish smile "Perhaps a little," she admitted In the next moment she threw herself at hi the fine treh her slender body, Gabriel held her , love?"
Pandora kept her face against his chest "I’ht"
Of course She was a bride on her wedding night, facing the prospect of cli into bed with a man she scarcely kneith the certainty that there would be pain and embarrassment A wave of tenderness came over him, but at the same time, disappointment settled like a stack of bricks on his chest There would likely be no consun himself to whatever preliminaries she would allow, and then perhaps in a day or two, she ht now," she said, "so I can stop worrying"
The statement derailed Gabriel so completely that he couldn’t speak
"I’oose," Pandora continued "I won’t be able to eat dinner, or read, or do anything until it’s over with Even if it turns out to be pure agony, I’d prefer that to waiting"
His heart leapt in relief and desire, and he let out a controlled breath "Darling love, it won’t be agony I pro wryly, "Most of it" Ducking his head, he found a soft place on her throat with his lips, and felt the tight ripple of her s "You liked our ht rendezvous, didn’t you?" he asked softly Another s, and she nodded He could feel the effort she wastheue Her response was soft at first, the innocently carnalcaresses She relaxed and leaned against hi on hi into him The hairs at the back of his neck bristled in excitement, while heat danced and rioted in every part of his body With difficulty, he ended the kiss, cradling her face in his hands, watching her long inky lashes sweep upward to reveal drowsy blue-black eyes