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"It’s not oysters" Marcus strode to the doorway and gestured to her "The delivery is for you Come to the entrance hall"
"Very well" Methodically Aline stoppered the cut-glass bottle of glue that she used to seal the envelopes, and closed a box of red afers When all was in order, she rose from the desk and followed Marcus to the entrance hall The air was steeped with the heady fragrance of roses, as if the entire hall had been rinsed with expensive perfuht of ht in frohtly furled buds, solorious full bloom Two footmen had been recruited to assist the driver of the cart, and the three of the outside to fetch bouquet after bouquet wrapped in stiff white lace paper
"Fifteen dozen of thele white rose left in London"
Aline could not believe how fast her heart was beating Slowly she le rose fro the delicate bowl of the blossoers, she bent her head to inhale its lavish perfuainst her cheek
"There’s soaze, Aline saw the butler directing yet another foote wooden crate filled with brick-sized parcels wrapped in brown paper "What are they, Salter?"
"With your permission, my lady, I will find out" The elderly butler unwrapped one of the parcels with great care He spread the waxed brown paper open to reveal a daent note to the smell of the roses
Aline put her hand over her h, while some unidentifiable e worried her terribly, and at the saance of it
"Gingerbread?" Marcus asked incredulously "Why the hell would McKenna send you an entire crate of gingerbread?"
"Because I like it," came Aline’s breathless reply "How do you know this is fro look, as if only an i a little with the envelope, Aline extracted a folded sheet of paper It was covered in a bold scrawl, the penmanship serviceable and without flourishes:
No hts, no sea of endless blue
Neither words nor tears, nor silent fears
will keep nature…none was necessary Aline closed her eyes, while her nose stung and hot tears squeezed from beneath her lashes She pressed her lips briefly to the letter, not caring what Marcus thought
"It’s a poem," she said unsteadily "A terrible one" It was the loveliest thing she had ever read She held it to her cheek, then used her sleeve to blot her eyes
"Let me see it"
Immediately Aline tucked the poeainst the tightness of her throat, willing the surge of unruly emotion to recede "McKenna," she whispered, "how you devastate ave her a handkerchief "What can I do?" he ht of a woman’s tears
The only reply that Aline couldyou can do"
She thought that he was about to put his ar, but they were both distracted by the appearance of a visitor who entered the hall in the wake of the busy foot in with his hands thrust in his jacket pockets, Adaazed at the proliferation of white roses with a bemused expression
"I presu his hands froe," Marcus said, hisbusinesslike as they shook hands "Your arrival is well timed, as I believe Lady Aline is in need of some pleasant distraction"
"Then I shall endeavor to be both pleasant and distracting," Adaracefully over Aline’s hand
"Cohtening on his
"What an excellent idea" Adam reached out to one of the bouquets heaped on the entrance table, broke off a perfect ivory blosso his arh the hall to the French doors at the back of the house
The gardens were brilliant with suet- plots of roses shot through with garnet clee stone urns filled with rainbows of Oriental poppies Descending the terrace steps, Adaravel path that led past neatly clipped yews Adam was one of those rare people as co patiently for her to speak
Feeling soothed by the serenity of the garden and Adah "The roses were froathered that," Adam replied dryly
"There was a poeave it to him Adam was the only person on earth who in the center of the path, Adam unfolded the slip of paper and scanned the few lines
When he glanced at her, he see of pain and pleasure in her eyes "Very touching," he said sincerely, returning the poe I’inally planned"
Considering the words carefully, Adam seemed inclined to venture an opinion, then appeared to think better of it He shrugged "If that’s what you think best, so be it"
No one else of her acquaintance would have htly as they continued to walk "Adas I adore most about you is that you never try to advise me what to do"
"I despise advice--it never works" They skirted the edge of the ically a McKenna everything," Aline confided, "but it would turn out badly, no matter how he responded"
"How so, sweet?"
"The moment that I show McKenna my scars, he would either find them too horrible to accept, or worse, he’ll pity ation or honor…and then he’ll eventually coret his decision, and wish to be rid ofinto his eyes everyif that was the day he would leave ood"
Ada thing?" she asked
"I never define these ," Adaiven the circu for the sake of one’s own sanity"