The Wolf's Pursuit (London Fairy Tales #3)(68)

"She married another, and they had beautiful children. Handsome, strapping men, who then had even more handsome sons." He grinned as Gwen swatted him.

"Wilkins was the man?"

He nodded. This was the part he hated, the part that made him sick. "Wilkins was so angry, so bitter over what had taken place, merely because he did not have the station or the money in order to provide for her, that he developed a strong hatred for the gentry, for royalty, anyone in a higher station."

Hunter closed his eyes. "He never stopped loving my grandmother. She would be hard to forget. She often entertained royalty from other countries and on the night of a party, she entertained some of Russia's royalty. Wilkins snuck in uninvited. Grandmother and he had another fight and my grandfather, bless his heart, tried to kick Wilkins out, but Wilkins was drunk. He had a pistol. He shot my grandfather and then shot my grandmother."

"Hunter!" Gwen wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheeks. "So he decided to kill off your entire family."

"No, I do not believe so, though his hatred was strong. I always knew my grandparents had been shot by a madman. I just hadn't known who had done it until now."

"Then how do you know this information? I guess I don't understand. It is horrible, truly horrible, Hunter, but how do you know?"

"He left a book of conquests, people he'd killed, things he'd done. Hollins offered it as a peace offering in order to lessen his sentence."

Gwen held him for a long time before sighing into his chest. "Are you happier, now that you know how your grandparents died?"

"Yes and no. It saddens me to think of their lives cut short, merely because of a man's jealousy and hatred. I'm surprised he was able to look at me, let alone stand in the same room as me." Hunter swallowed the dryness in his throat. "There is one other thing."

Gwen tensed. "The woman you spoke of earlier?"

"Love, it is not what you think. Calm down before I am forced to frolic with you again."

Gwen blushed bright red and pushed at his chest. He tightened his hold around her and sighed. "Dominique has asked me to go on a mission. A private one."

"No." Gwen shook her head. "We've just been through a mission, and you know I would not let you go alone."

"Don't I know it?" Hunter kissed her pouted lips. "Ash has it in his mind that he needs to do a penance for disappearing for so long, even though he saved our lives. Apparently it will never be enough."

"So he is to find a woman?"

Hunter kissed Gwen's neck. "Not just any woman, Dominique's cousin. I do not know the specifics, but she was forced into hiding. It is Dominique's wish to bring her here and give her a Season, thereby marrying her off and offering her his protection."

"Where is she now?"

"She was brought into Scotland a day or so ago and has been waiting for communication from Dominique, but considering everything that has recently taken place, it hasn't been a smooth transition."

Gwen said nothing for a minute and then turned to him and kissed him firmly across the mouth. "So you are staying?"

"As long as you want me."

"Forever," Gwen whispered across his lips.

"That, my dear, is a long time to live with a wolf."

Gwen leaned back and winked. "I'll be sure to keep my pistol loaded."

Hunter kissed her chin. "Good. You know how I like violence before frolicking."

Another blush stained Gwen's cheeks. "Stop using that word!"

"Frolic, frolic, frolic."

"Sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep," Gwen taunted. "Wasn't that your choice word before?"

"No." Hunter shook his head seriously. "I believe I also talked a great deal about nuts and breadcrumbs. And squirrels."

"You are a strange man." Gwen sighed and then giggled.

"It is why you love me so much. Life is too predictable with other fellows. With me you'll always be guessing."

With that Hunter pulled her into his arms and dove under the blankets.

Another hour later, Gwen rubbed Hunter's back and whispered, "I love you."

"And I you…"

"Good." She sat up in the bed. "Because we have to attend Dominique and Isabelle's house for dinner tonight."

"Will Montmouth be there?"

"Oh, I hope so." Gwen winked. "Perhaps he will get his wish and finally get to shoot you."

"One can only dream," Hunter said dryly, and then attacked his insatiable wife for the third, fourth, perhaps it was the fifth time that morning.





Epilogue





One month later, following the battle of Waterloo

Hunter glared as Montmouth placed his pistol atop the table, as was his custom every time Hunter and Gwen came to visit. He was convinced Hunter was going to slip up at least once, giving him the pleasure of being able to steal Hunter's life from him. At least now it was a joke, or at least Hunter told himself that so he wouldn't strangle the man. They had come to an agreement of sorts. Hunter kept his flirtatious comments to his own wife, which of course had been his intention all along, and Montmouth would keep his gun out of reach.