Lady Beneath the Veil. Sarah Mallory
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Название: Lady Beneath the Veil
Автор: Sarah Mallory
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Историческая литература
Серия: Mills & Boon Historical
isbn: 9781472043559
isbn:
They retired to their separate rooms that night. Dominique did not sleep, but lay tense and still in the middle of the bed, listening. She convinced herself that she was dreading a soft knock at the door, but when it never came she realised just how disappointed she was. Yet what could she expect? Gideon had never wanted to marry her; he was in love with the actress who had taken her place. So much in love that now he could not even bring himself to use her name.
* * *
At breakfast the following morning Gideon was all consideration. He escorted her to her chair, poured her coffee and helped her to the freshest of the toasted muffins before sitting down to his own meal.
‘You are right,’ he declared. ‘I cannot continue without a name for you.’
She bridled instantly.
‘I have a perfectly good name, thank you.’
‘You have indeed.’ He smiled at her and she found her anger melting away. ‘I have been thinking about it.’
‘You have?’
Had he stayed awake to relive their night together, as she had done? The little flare of hope quickly died.
‘Yes,’ he continued. ‘We could shorten it to Nicky. A pet name, if you like.’
‘My grandfather, the old earl, used to call me that.’
‘There we have it, then. I shall call you Nicky—but only with your permission, of course.’
She gave him a shy smile.
‘I should like that, si—’ She noted his sudden frown and corrected herself. ‘I should like that, Gideon.’
* * *
By the time they reached London Dominique thought they were getting on famously. They laughed at the same things, shared a love of music and poetry, talked for hours, like true friends. But not lovers. Gideon was polite and considerate, but nothing more, and Dominique, afraid to risk the fragile bond between them, lay awake in her lonely bed and ached for him to come to her. It would not do, however, to admit such a longing, so she hid it behind a smile and accepted as much companionship as her husband was willing to give.
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