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It was all her.
Together, they worked their way down the row, planting each bulb with care and precision. As he covered a bulb with soil, Dorian sat back on his heels, surveying their work with a sense of accomplishment. The bed looked no different than it had before, but in a matter of weeks, the bulbs would sprout and grow, their green shoots pushing up through the earth to unfurl into a glorious display of color.
As they worked, Titan trotted over to investigate their activities. He sniffed curiously at the freshly dug earth, his wet nose leaving imprints in the soil.
Patience laughed and gently pushed his muzzle away, saying, “No, Titan, these bulbs are not for you to dig up!”
Titan tilted his head, as if considering her words, then flopped down beside them, content to watch their progress with his intelligent eyes.
“I cannot wait to see them bloom,” Dorian said, standing and turning to Patience with a smile. “To think that we have played a part in bringing such beauty into the world—it is a wonderful feeling, is it not?”
She beamed at him once again and wrapped her dirty arms around his neck. She kissed him lightly, with just a hint of passion, but he was already aflame.
“I love it that you understand what I feel when I work with plants,” she murmured. “Today…now…is my favorite day ever. I’ve said this to myself several times recently, and yet each succeeding day surpasses its predecessor.”
His throat contracted and he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her tighter to him. “I find myself thinking exactly the same.”
They kissed, standing in the sun, surrounded by sprouting life and the new garden, which was quite barren still, but filled with happiness. When they broke apart, afraid that they would need to hurry back into the house to satisfy their growing ache for each other, Patience looked at several gardening tools, which were leaning against the brick half wall.
“Would you mind helping me rake the next garden patch?”
“Not at all,” he said.
He picked up the rake, and a quick burst of laugh escaped her lips, then another.
“Well, well, well. The notorious rake of London, now raking leaves in our humble garden. How the mighty have fallen!” Patience teased, her eyes sparkling with mirth.
He grinned and looked at the tool in his hand. “Only for you, love.”
While they were raking, Titan spotted a red squirrel darting along the brick half wall. With an excited bark, he bounded after the tiny creature, his large paws clumsily attempting to navigate the narrow surface. The squirrel, quick and agile, easily evaded Titan, pausing atop the wall to look victoriously at the massive hound. Titan wagged his tail and panted, as if this was a delightful game. Dorian and Patience exchanged amused glances, chuckling.
Dorian had forgotten the last time he’d tried to jest, but he wanted Patience to keep laughing. It was such a glorious sound that resonated in his chest like a bell chiming.
“How are your roses doing, Patience?” he asked.
“No disease. Growing well.”
“I heard somewhere that talking to plants helps them grow,” he said. “Do you think it would help if I recited Shakespeare’s sonnets to the roses?”
Patience stopped raking and burst out laughing. “Dorian, are you trying to make a jest, darling?”
He straightened and leaned on the rake, enjoying the sight of her beautiful face as she laughed. “I am.”
The same sort of infectious laughter was born right in his chest, and he chuckled as he looked at his dirty hands. “Look, love, I may not be able to grow a single flower, but I seem to have a real talent for growing the dirt under my fingernails.”
Patience laughed even harder. Wiping the corners of her eyes with her sleeve, she managed, “Please stop. I love your attempts, but seeing you try to make a humorous remark is funnier than your jests themselves.”
He grinned. Good God, when was the last time he had tried to make someone laugh? He must have been six. His papa was away, and he was dancing around in front of Chastity and Mama, making very comical faces. It was a relief Papa had left the estate for a day or two, and the three of them felt like they were free.
His pathetic mind came up with another thing: “You’re right, love. I used to think my only talent was to direct my valet to tie a cravat perfectly. But now, I’ve discovered a new skill—the ability to make a complete fool of myself in front of you.”
Patience giggled and came to him, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. “You’re not. I lo—” She cut herself off abruptly, and all humor fell from him.
Lo—loved him?
The ground careened under his feet.
She glanced over her shoulder at the pond where he swam every morning. Then she looked back at him with mischief in her eyes.
