Samantha was shy and obedient but fierce when those she loved were endangered. She had accepted him completely in spite of his bastardy. When he was acting like a bastard, she had refrained from using that word on him. He had almost called her a pathetic cripple. He would never forgive himself for that.
His wife had bravely subdued her fear and walked down the church aisle in front of all those aristocrats. Her reward had been humiliation, which he had compounded by resuming his social life, so that she could read about it in the Times.
Rudolf smiled, remembering how she had rebelled by eating those kippers. God, he had let her learn a hard lesson that day.
He loved her but had never spoken the words she’d needed to hear. When he found her, he would tell her he loved her every day for the rest of his life.
After Olga had ruined their wedding, Samantha had wept when she read the Times. His wounded princess had told him she wanted to go home and—
Rudolf sat up straight. Samantha had wanted to go home to the cottage. His princess had gone home.
Rudolf looked at the Venus medallion and put it in his pocket. He was going to the cottage to collect her, and then he was going to give her the medallion to toss in the Thames.
His expression darkened. If Vladimir ever realized what Samantha had done—
While Rudolf was ordering his horse saddled, Samantha was just awakening. She sighed and touched her belly. “You’ll get your bread as soon as I get up.”
She lay there for long moments that stretched into an hour. She tried to summon her energy, but depression weighed her down. Finally, she rose from the bed and walked into the kitchen.
“You’ll have oatmeal in a little while,” Samantha told her belly, sitting at the table to eat her bread. Tonight, she would remember to bring a piece of bread to bed with her, and then she could eat it before she arose.
After washing and dressing, Samantha made herself a breakfast of oatmeal and tea. It wasn’t the duke’s dining room, but she would survive.
Samantha wondered what Rudolf was doing. Did he know that she had gone? If he did, how was Victoria bearing up under the pressure he was putting on her?
The kettle boiled, and Samantha poured hot water into her teacup. She put the kettle back and sat down, but her spoon slipped out of her hand and fell beneath the table.
Samantha crawled beneath the table to recover the spoon and never saw the cottage door open. Then she noticed the boots planted on the floor beside the table.
Samantha started to rise but hit her head on the table. “Ouch,” she said, and backed out from under the table.
Kneeling on the floor, Samantha looked up into black eyes. Rudolf knelt and touched her head. “Did you hurt yourself?”
Samantha shook her head. She didn’t know what to do and had not expected her husband to find her this quickly or to be so amenable when he found her.
“Victoria did not tell me where to find you,” Rudolf said with a wry smile. “I did my best to frighten her, but she is not as easily frightened as you or the children.”
Samantha smiled at that. “How did you find me?”
“I remembered that you considered the cottage your home.”
Samantha worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Are you punishing me by sending me to Sark Island without you?”
“How does a mortal punish an angel?”
Samantha blinked and shook her head as if trying to clear it. Apparently, she was having a delusion or dream. That must be it. She was still in bed and enjoying a wonderful dream.
Rudolf looked puzzled. “What is wrong? Is it the baby?”
Samantha placed her hand on his chest. “You feel solid and real.”
“Of course, I am real.”
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked. “You aren’t the same.”
“I have been an ass,” he admitted.
“Yes, you have.” Samantha nodded her head in agreement.
Rudolf laughed. He yanked her into his arms and held her tightly. His lips descended to hers in a devouring kiss.
“I brought you a gift.”
Samantha smiled in confusion. “A gift?”
Rudolf stood and offered her his hand as he’d done on the night of Emerson’s ball. Samantha dropped her gaze from his black eyes to his offered hand. She placed her hand in his and rose from the floor.
Wrapping his arms around her, Rudolf kissed the crown of her head. Desperation tinged his voice when he said, “Please, Princess, do not ever leave me again. I love you too much to live without you.”
Samantha hid her face against his chest and wept. He had said the words she longed to hear. He loved her. She had never felt this happy in her life.
“I am glad that Grant is not here,” Rudolf said, stroking her back. “He would be complaining about how stupid girls are.”