"Vandalism. I love every part of you, including the grey hairs."
"Easy to say when you don't have any."
"I have several, actually. Edward gave them to me when he decided to climb onto the tall ladder at age three."
"That was your fault for telling him stories about knights and castles."
"How was I to know he'd try to storm his own battlements?"
They smiled at the memory; the terror of seeing their tiny son on the ladder, James climbing after him with a calmness that had belied his panic, the way Edward had laughed when his father reached him, completely unaware of the danger.
"We make adventurous children," Catherine said.
"We make perfect children." James pulled her into his arms. "Though I'm rather glad they're not here tonight."
"Why's that?"
"Because tonight, I want to pretend we're not the Duke and Duchess of Ravensfield. Not parents, not pillars of society, not responsible for anything except each other."
"Like that first night?"
"Better than that first night. Because now I know I get to keep you."
He kissed her then, and it was nothing like their careful public kisses or even their private passionate ones. This was something deeper...five years of love and trust and shared life poured into the connection.
"I love you," Catherine said when they parted. "More than that first night. More than our wedding. More every day."
"Even when I drag you into storms?"
"Especially then. You keep life interesting."
"Speaking of interesting..." He moved to their luggage, pulling out a familiar bottle. "Brandy. The same kind Hartwell served that night."
"You didn't."
"I did. I also asked him to acquire the exact same supper. Or as close as possible."
"The mysterious beef?"
"I hope, it's actually beef this time. Or else bread and cheese again."
Catherine laughed. "You're recreating everything?"
"Not everything. Some things I plan to do quite differently."
"Such as?"
"Well, for one, I'm not leaving in the morning."
"That's an improvement."
"And for another..." He pulled her toward the bedroom—his bedroom, the one she'd crept into that night. "I'm not waiting until after midnight."
"James, dinner is coming."
"In an hour. We have time."
"Time for what?"
