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you a new one if you like. Whatever pleases you." Genevieve felt numbness start at her hairline and work its way down. This wasn't what she had been expecting to hear. He was supposed to want her back, not want to send her further away. "I see," she said, tonelessly. "It will never replace what I took from you, but unfortunately there are limits to the restitution I can make." "I see," she repeated, wondering why she couldn't say anything else. "Then you want me to move back to the States." "I know you don't want to come back here." She was silent. Her hurt was like bitter bile in the back of her throat. He didn't want her back. She blinked furiously to keep her tears from falling. "I'll send your things along if you wish it. I know you don't want to come back to get them " "Well, you don't know everything now, do you?" she snapped and slammed the receiver down. Damn him to hell! He was supposed to apologize, then promise her undying love, tell her he couldn't bear life without her, that the thought of facing another day without her by his side was just more than he could take. He wasn't supposed to call to tell her she didn't have to bother coming back to get her things. Why didn't he leave them out by the moat while he was at it? The phone began to ring again. She let it ring a good twenty times before she yanked the receiver up. "What?" First there was silence, then the sound of a deep voice echoing in her ear. "Come home." No request, no please, just a demand. It was the sweetest demand she had ever heard. Genevieve let out her breath slowly. "Of course, my lord." More silence. "I love you." "Oh, Kendrick," she said, fumbling for a Kleenex, "I do too." He cleared his throat gruffly. "I don't hear you packing yet." Genevieve hugged herself. What did she need with flowery phrases when she had a demanding, arrogant, impossible knight waiting for her at home? She laughed, feeling wonderfully cherished. "I have a bit more shopping to do yet." "More?" he choked. "Genevieve, I'll have to start robbing unwary travelers if you don't take pity on my funds." "Liar," she said as she lay back on the bed, smiling up at the ceiling. "Where are you?" "Face down on the table in the kitchen. Worthington was good enough to dial and then lay the receiver down where I could lean my ear on it." "Why didn't you just put your voice in my mind, like you do at home?" "You're past Seakirk's boundaries. And I don't like that, by the way. I've given the term restless spirit an entirely new meaning the past fortnight." "Is Worthington ready to quit?" "I wouldn't know. He's been spending most of his time down at the pub. What have you been doing? Besides spending my money," he added darkly. "Looking in antique shops," she said. "I wish you could see some of the stuff. I got a few catalogues to bring home." He was silent for a moment. "Then you had actually considered coming home? To me?" "Kendrick, I forgave you a week ago," she said softly. "Everything you said was true. You did what you had to do, You were out to destroy that last faceless Buchanan. I shouldn't have taken it personally." "I'm sorry, Genevieve. I wish to heaven you knew how very sorry." "It's forgotten, Kendrick." "If I had known you, I never would have done it." "If you had known me, you wouldn't have had to." His soft chuckle rumbled over the line. "Are you telling me a mere crooking of my finger would have brought you running?" At least his arrogance was still intact. "You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" " 'Tis merely a bluff to hide my insecurities." "Kendrick, I don't think you have any." "Until you're back home where you belong, I daresay you're wrong. Leave the car in London and take the train home. I'll send someone down after it later." "I still have some things to buy." "Christmas presents?" "Would you let me stay another day or two if I said yes?" "That all depends on what sorts of gifts you plan to purchase for me. Only twenty-eight more shopping days, you know." "Like you really need anything," she teased. "What I need is you," he said, his voice suddenly husky. "Hurry home. Gen." "Missing a Buchanan?" she whispered. "Kendrick, you're going soft in your old age." "If it were possible, you'd be a de Piaget before you knew it." He sighed. "Perhaps 'tis fitting that I love the last Buchanan the most. My mother would have thought it romantic." Genevieve closed her eyes as she listened to the low, soothing sound of his voice. How easy it was to imagine he was her flesh-and-blood lover, whispering promises to her in the dark. "Gen?" "Yes?" "You know, I can be a very chivalrous knight when the circumstances call for it." "Does this mean you're going to woo me, Kendrick?" "Come home and see." "I can hardly wait." There was silence on the other end of the phone for so long that she wondered if he had regretted his words. "Kendrick?" "I'm still here," he said quietly. "Genevieve, you know what you're getting in for, don't you?" "I'll survive." He was silent for some time. "Gen, perhaps it would be well if you rethought this. It isn't as though I have much to offer." "Stop it " "I could never give you comfort at night, a family " "Kendrick, I said stop!" He paused only for a moment. "I don't even think we could find a priest daft enough to wed us." "Kendrick, if you don't shut up right now, I'll hang up and take the phone off the hook." He was conspicuously silent. "Those things don't matter to me." "You cannot mean that." "Kendrick, somehow it will all work out. Don't give up before we've even given it a try." "Is that a proposal, my lady?" "Jerk. You're the one who's supposed to do that." "Make haste on your return and see what St. Nicholas slips in your stocking." Genevieve felt a laugh bubble up inside her. "You really are a romantic soul, aren't you?" "I come from romantic stock. Now, do you want to continue this expensive conversation or do you have other things to see to, such as packing?" "I'll leave day after tomorrow. And this is on your bill. Let's talk some more." He grunted. "I'll tell you of how I passed my time and perhaps that will inspire you to finish your shopping with all due haste." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |