A Certain Wolfish Charm(106)

He growled, "Then you, love, may have all of this beast you can stand."



Lily adjusted for him as he settled between her thighs. "I would accept nothing less."





Epilogue





Thoroughly amused, Simon watched Lily rush around her bedchamber in a frenzy. She was looking behind tables and under the mattress, completely unaware of his presence in the doorway.



She blew a stray auburn curl from her face and then took a deep sigh as she planted her hands on her hips.



"You do know we have servants to clean the house," he said, making her jump at least a foot in the air.



"Oh!" Lily spun around to face him. "Don't do that. You nearly scared me to death."



Simon couldn't help but chuckle. "Love, you've married a wolf. You don't scare all that easily." A light blush stained her cheeks, and Simon was certain he'd never tire of the sight. "What are you looking for?"#p#分页标题#e#



Lily flopped down on her bed and frowned. "My father's pocket watch. I know it arrived with the rest of my things from Maberley Hall, but I can't find it anywhere."



Simon crossed the floor and stood before her. "Your father's pocket watch?"



She nodded and wiped a tear from her cheek.

Simon took her hands in his and pulled her up from the bed. "This doesn't have anything to do with Oliver leaving, does it?"



The coach was waiting to take the three of them to Harrow, and Oliver was below stairs pacing the parlor, as he was anxious to leave.



Lily frowned at him. "I'd wanted to give it to him before we left. It's the only thing my father had of value, and I thought it would make a good goingaway gift. Something for him to remember me by."



Simon touched her cheek. "Ah, love, there's no boy more devoted to his mother than Oliver is to you. He doesn't need a pocket watch to remember you."



She sniffed back another tear. "Do you think he's ready for this? We could wait another year," she added hopefully.



Simon kissed her forehead. "You can't stop him from growing up any easier than I can stop the moon's cycles. It's all part of life. And he'll be fine. He's anxious to see Leo Schofield again."



At this Lily brightened. "He'll keep an eye on Oliver?"



"He promised to do so," Simon told her.



Someone coughed in the doorway, and Simon could have kicked himself for not shutting the door. He looked over his shoulder to find Billings holding a letter. "Your Grace."



"What is it?" Simon asked, stepping toward his butler to take the letter.



Will's seal. It had nearly been a month. Simon tore it open.





Dear Simon,





I trust you are well at Westfield Hall. You may be interested to know that I have located Benjamin. Please tell Prisca he sends his love. I will return when I am able. Give Lily a kiss for me.





Your devoted brother, William





"What is it, Simon?" Lily asked, stepping forward.

Simon handed her the letter and watched confusion cross her face.



"He didn't say much," she said softly, giving the note back to him.



Not that Simon was surprised. Will kept quite a bit to himself. He always had. "He said enough."



"He didn't say if they were in trouble, or why Benjamin hadn't written. He… Why did he send Prisca Benjamin's love and not his own?"



Simon pocketed his brother's note. "Don't worry about it, Lily. You have more important things to concern yourself with."



"Oliver," she said wistfully.



"Indeed. Now do you really want your father's pocket watch?"



Lily nodded. "I've looked everywhere, Simon."



"Shh." He touched his fingers to her lips. Then he closed his eyes and focused on the sounds in the room. In the far corner, he heard a faint, muffled ticking. Simon opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the sound. Lily's armoire stood in the corner, and he edged toward it.



The ticking got a bit louder.

When Simon opened a drawer inside the armoire, he could hear it better. His fingers explored through frilly lace and satin until he came across something cold and metallic.#p#分页标题#e#



When he withdrew a gold pocket watch, Lily gasped. "How did you find it?"



He winked at her. "My hearing is excellent."



"Will our children inherit all these wonderful traits?" she asked as she reached up to brush her fingers tenderly through the hair that hung over his forehead.



"Only the boys, love. Only the boys."



"Wait." Lily's brow furrowed. "Only the boys inherit Lycan traits? That doesn't seem quite fair."



Simon couldn't help but chuckle. She not only accepted him, but she wanted a house full of others just like him? How had he gotten so lucky?