After we left the coast we headed inland again, and I took her to a place where I figured she might find useful for her research of the paintings. The cemetery where my ancestors were buried beside the willow trees. The dogs beat us to it, knowing my destination probably. They did love the chance to run hell-for-leather at racing speeds.

I dismounted first and then lifted her down from Athena, keeping my hands on her even after I had her safely on the ground. I couldn’t help tipping her chin up to meet my lips either. “I need to kiss you again.”

“I think you should, Lord Rothvale, it’s been a while,” she teased.

“Are you being cheeky, Miss Hargreave? Will you require some of my special discipline?”

“Probably, yes, but later when we’re not visiting your ancestor’s graves.”

“Right. Let’s go say hello to them, shall we?” I took her hand and led us through the metal gates, creaking as it shut behind us.

She walked right up to the crypt where ROTHVALE was carved into the small marble building that held the earthly remains of two particularly important people who had linked Gabrielle and I together in a way I could never have imagined.

“Graham and Imogene Everley are buried here in this crypt at Donadea. Lord Rothvale number nine, the man responsible for Tristan Mallerton’s career…” She was visibly awed by being here, I could see it clearly in the expression on her beautiful face. “Wow. I’m just so—overwhelmed. I guess the best word to describe being here right now.”

“Why overwhelmed, Gabrielle?”

“I don’t know how to explain it really. It’s strange, but you have all of this history and amazing connection to this family who did so much for the Romanticism art movement worldwide, and it’s my life’s work to be studying the paintings of a certain artist who was as close as family could be without being related by blood to your family. If number nine had never mentored Mallerton, then he wouldn’t have become a great master, and I wouldn’t be studying his work, and you wouldn’t have a houseful of his paintings, or ever needed me to come here—”

I kissed her silent, as I often did. It was effective, so why change something working fine already. When I was good and finished, and not a moment sooner, I pulled back just enough so I could look into her eyes. “I know, Gabrielle. And that’s why I wanted to bring you here to pay your respects. They were important people to your life’s work and your studies, and I thought you might appreciate the chance to actually meet them… in a way. Their spirits are here, and they must have loved Donadea very much to live out the remainder of their lives here rather than at the estate in Warwickshire where it was expected they would. It’s the fates hard at work again that make it all so special.” I kissed her again and breathed in the scent of her hair before releasing her… reluctantly. I was needy now and couldn’t even imagine how I’d be once I dropped her back in London at her flat tomorrow morning. I could only guess it wouldn’t go very well on my part. We’d be needing a renegotiation of terms ASAP for days spent in London.