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‘I am happy.’
‘Are you? Are you really?’ Sophie demanded, slipping her arms around her mother’s deceptively fragile-looking shoulders.
Brushing some wayward locks of blonde hair off Sophie’s face, her mother smiled proudly. ‘How can I not be happy when I look at you and see what a wonderful young woman you’ve grown into?’
‘So, you don’t mind that I’ll be living in Spain? You won’t be lonely?’
Her mother made a scoffing noise, and though Sophie saw the emotion backed up in her eyes, she could see it was happiness. ‘You’re really sure?’
‘Certain, darling. I’ve no time to be lonely—I’m on far too many committees, and Xavier’s mother has already asked me to accompany her on her next visit to the Rancho del Condor. And now, darling, it really is time for you to change into your going-away outfit. Xavier will be getting impatient.’
‘You can visit us any time, you know that,’ Sophie stressed, impulsively giving her mother one more hug. ‘And as well as visiting the Rancho del Condor, Xavier has promised to take you to Peru to see the medical facilities on our next visit.’
‘Will you stop worrying about me?’ Sophie’s mother said with an accepting smile, as she began to undo the cunningly concealed hooks and eyes on the back of Sophie’s gown. ‘I’m absolutely fine. You and Xavier should concentrate your efforts where they’re needed most. There’s a lot of people out there that need you both, Sophie. You know you’ve both got my blessing, so go to it, young woman!’ With one final proud and loving glance, Sophie’s mother left her to join the rest of the wedding guests waiting in the grand ballroom that linked the west and east wings of the Martinez Bordiu palacio, or their ‘town house’, as Xavier jokingly referred to the family mansion in Barcelona.
‘May I come in?’
‘Xavier, I didn’t hear you.’ Sophie wondered if she would ever get used to the sight of her husband, and the easy familiarity between them. It still sent a thrill straight through her every time she looked at him. And today he looked more devastating than ever in the dove-grey formal suit he had worn for their wedding, with a crisp white shirt to point up his bronzed skin, and the sapphire silk tie bringing out the blue in his eyes—eyes that were trained on her face at this moment with a look that suffused every part of her with happiness and desire.
He gently drew down the hand that had flown to her breast in surprise and took her into his arms. ‘Thank you for looking so beautiful today, for being so gracious to our guests—and, of course, for agreeing to become my wife.’
‘Will the day ever come when you stop teasing me?’ Sophie demanded softly, seeing the glitter of laughter behind his dark glance.
‘I hope not,’ Xavier growled, playfully nibbling her neck. And when he let her go at last there was an irresistible intimacy and humour in his look as it tracked appreciatively over her.
She was still wearing the flimsy white lace bra and thong he had insisted on buying her to wear beneath the wedding dress now pooled at her feet. And they might never catch their flight to the tropical island he had leased for the duration of their honeymoon, Sophie realised, if he didn’t stop looking at her that way. She knew Xavier was thinking the same thing that she was. ‘There’s no time,’ she warned, leading him on at the same time with a flash of her eyes, and then melting into him when he kissed her again.
‘There’s something missing from that outfit,’ he murmured critically, holding her at arm’s length to look her up and down.
‘I know. I’ve got it right here,’ Sophie told him, reaching for the beautiful Peruvian shawl.
‘Let me,’ Xavier insisted, draping it around her shoulders. ‘Now, go quickly and get dressed, or I can’t be accountable for my actions and we will miss our flight. Don’t look so disappointed. We’ve got the aircraft to ourselves, of course, and, as I’m sure you remember, there’s a large and very accommodating bed in our private quarters…’
When they were on the point of leaving Sophie’s rooms at the Martinez Bordiu mansion, she touched Xavier’s arm to hold him back. ‘Before we go, I’ve got something for you.’
‘What is it?’ he said, frowning a little when he saw her face had grown serious as she looked up at him.
‘This,’ she said simply, unclenching her fist to show him what she had been holding.
For a moment Xavier just stared at his brother’s leather wristband. Then, taking it from her, he put it into his breast pocket for safekeeping. ‘How can I ever thank you for this?’ he murmured.
‘Lola found it. I had it repaired for you. Won’t you wear it?’
‘I don’t need to wear it now,’ Xavier said as he took her into his arms. ‘Armando is in my heart, and in everything you and I do in his name. And it was you who taught me that, Sophie. You showed me how to look forward instead of back. And, although Armando’s wristband will always be one of my most treasured possessions, his real legacy lies in our partnership, and in each young person who comes to the Armando Martinez Bordiu Medical School in Spain to be trained.’
‘I love you, Doctor,’ Sophie whispered, standing on tiptoe to plant a kiss on his lips.
‘And I love you more, Doctor,’ Xavier insisted with a wry smile. ‘To hell with that flight!’ he added, sweeping her into his arms.
