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Sam sat on a log, sketching the scenery. She heard footsteps behind her and smiled.
“Beautiful,” John said as he came to stand beside her.
“Yes, the view is truly splendid, isn’t it?” she asked without lifting her eyes from her sketch.
“I didn’t mean the view.” He sat by her side and tucked a loose curl behind her ear. “I meant you,” he whispered huskily.
She laughed and finally turned to look at him. “You look well.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” He raised one eyebrow.
“I don’t know. I didn’t hear you wake up today. Did you get up early?”
John let out a long breath. “Yes, I had a nightmare again.” He rubbed his chin with the back of his hand. “They are getting farther apart though.”
“That’s wonderful.” She smiled and got back to her sketch. “What did you do today?”
“I met with Mrs. Godfrey. Amelia.”
“Oh? What did you talk about?”
John heaved a weary sigh. “Added to my troubles, I am afraid. Their life was not easy, Sam. The late baron apparently didn’t care for the girls, so he never visited them. Jeremy was an heir, and he received a generous allowance, but that all ceased the moment he died. He didn’t have his own savings, and since his death was unexpected, he didn’t have time to make arrangements with his father about his family. Since then they’ve saved and scraped as they could.”
Sam looked at him then. John’s gaze grew troubled again. She placed a hand on his knee and squeezed. “No more past, remember?”
John gave her a wobbly smile. “I was thinking of taking them to London. I mean, they are welcome to stay at Ashbury Manor as long as they please, but the girls need new wardrobes. None of them have ever had a season, although some of them are of age.”
“There is no rush, is there? This season is almost over. Perhaps we can all go together before the start of the next season?”
John smiled tenderly at her. “Anything you wish, Angel.”
Sam returned to her sketch. “Since you dislike the crowds of the season, we could go a few months before, get the Godfrey girls settled into the townhouse, and leave before thetonarrives in full force.”
“Excellent idea.”
Sam picked up her sketch and placed it before John. “What do you think?”
He looked at the sketch for a long while, then raised his smiling face to her. “Beautiful.”
“I love your smile,” she said wistfully. “Here, go sit on that rock.”
“Why?” He regarded her warily.
“Because I want to sketch you.” She shifted to a more comfortable position. John shook his head with a smile and did as she asked. He sat on the rock looking to all the world the formidable soldier that he was.
Sam laughed at him. “Are you getting ready for battle? I want to draw you smile.”
“I can’t just smile on command.”
“Think happy thoughts,” she said cheerfully.
“Hmm.” He pretended to think it over, scratching his chin. “Like making love to you?” He raised an eyebrow.
“If it makes you smile,” she said with a smug smile of her own.
“Oh, it does, absolutely.” He gave her a predatory smile, and she laughed.
