“Ah, but patience is a virtue, Nikolai.”

“Alas, one I have never cultivated.” He shook his head in a mournful manner. “You will, no doubt, be a good influence on me in that respect.”

“One can only hope.”

“I daresay, my nature is not easily changed.” He laughed. “But who knows what changes might be wrought with the right woman by my side.”

“Who knows, indeed?”

“Do you realize I have not yet kissed you?” His gaze drifted from her eyes to her lips and back. “Were I to pull you into my arms and kiss you quite thoroughly here and now, would your family object?”

“My family would be thoroughly shocked.” She smiled weakly. “As would I.”

“Ah, well. Then that, too, shall have to wait.” He considered her for a moment. “Not forever, I hope.”

“One never knows.” She laughed and he joined her.

“Now, then, tell me,” he said. “What manner of Christmas frivolity do you have in store for us tomorrow?”

“Oh, I thought perhaps tomorrow you would enjoy a walk around the grounds. The estate is quite extensive, and, of course, there’s the pond, and if the . . .”

Camille rattled off the plans she’d made to occupy Nikolai and the others, but her mind was anywhere but on the next day’s activities.

Whatever had come over her? She had exactly what she wanted within her grasp, and it no longer seemed to be what she wanted at all. And the blame could be laid squarely at Grayson’s feet. Perhaps not entirely, but most of it. Had he not appeared, she would have dashed aside any minor doubts she might have had and at this very moment, no doubt, be betrothed to her prince. She’d been certain that she wished to marry Nikolai—and certain, as well, that it was the hand of fate throwing them together. Grayson’s presence had managed to take those minor, little doubts— scarcely worth mentioning, really—and magnify them out of all proportion.

Still, if one believed in fate, how did one explain Grayson’s untimely reappearance after eleven years? Unless that, too, was fate.

Blast it all. She needed to give this entire matter further consideration as—it was now apparent—she had failed to do before plunging into her Christmas deception.

Certainly, Nikolai didn’t make her shiver when he kissed her hand, but it was only her hand, after all. When they shared a proper kiss, it would be an entirely different matter. Nikolai was exactly what she had always wanted, exactly what she wanted now.

Wasn’t he?

Nine

Nine

“You don’t trust him, do you?” Beryl said in a quiet voice by Gray’s side.

“No.” He glanced at her. “Do you?”