Sometime later Cynthia stopped her pacing about the library and peered out the window hoping to catch a glimpse of the returning Daniel. After her sleepless night and John’s outburst that morning, her nerves were on edge, and she wanted only to get her declaration over and done with. Especially after John’s unkind statement, she couldn’t let Daniel think she so despised him.

But Daniel didn’t come home that morning. Nor did he arrive in time for dinner, although she had a distraught Monsieur Henri delay the meal twice. In fact, she did not see him again until she had descended for supper and found him and the three boys boasting about their fishing of that afternoon. By then she was ready to scream.

She couldn’t understand his attitude. He had to know she wanted to talk to him, yet he let the boys stay up later than usual and insisted on taking them up to bed himself. She paced the withdrawing room, waiting for his return, and was just about to go up after him when Evenson came through on his rounds to close up the house. He was plainly surprised to see her and made to bow himself out.

“Evenson,” she said, stopping him in his tracks. “Where is my husband?”

“I believe Mr. Lewiston retired for bed some time ago, madam,” the butler replied. “Shall I wake him for you?”

“No,” Cynthia said with a sigh, feeling heavy. “I might as well retire too, then. Good night, Evenson.”

She didn’t wait to hear him respond.

Upstairs, she dismissed the young lady Daniel had hired to serve as lady’s maid and began taking down her hair herself. She had combed out her tresses and put on her white cambric nightgown before she saw the box on the fireplace mantle.

“And don’t think a present will get you out of discussing this, my man,” she muttered to herself as she took down the box and carried it to the bed to rest on her lap. Still, Daniel’s presents had always been wonderful, and she hurriedly pulled the lid off the oblong box. Inside lay a half dozen white sticks of candy, each thicker than her thumb.

She shook her head. “Where on earth did he find rock here in Wenwood?”

That had been one of her few joys in living in Bristol, the rock candy made by the town’s leading confectionery. She vaguely remembered telling Daniel something about it when he had first called. Grabbing one of the sticks, she took a long lick and let the sweet taste roll down her throat. Hope filled her with each swallow. Perhaps there was a chance for them if he was still willing to buy her such a present.

That’s when she noticed the red marks on the end of the white stick. Looking closer, she saw that the marks formed letters.

Letters that read I love you.

She stared at the stick for another moment before climbing to her feet. The candy trembled in her grip. She started for the door to her chamber, then stopped, turning toward the door that connected her chamber with Daniel’s. Heart pounding, she went to the closest dressing table, where she had left the key. Returning to the door, she transferred the candy to her left hand and, sticky fingered, unlocked the door with her right. The lock protested with a loud screech. He would know she was coming.

The rest of her was shaking with her hand as she pushed the door open. Daniel was standing at the side of his bed, green-satin dressing gown obviously thrown on in haste, hair tousled. “Cynthia, is anything wrong?”

Wordlessly, she held out the candy to him, lettering first.

*

Daniel had carefully avoided Cynthia since returning from Wells with his surprise. He’d waited anxiously through supper, but she had made no mention of the package he had left on her mantle, and he had realized with a sinking heart that she hadn’t found it yet. He had let the boys stay up later than usual, hoping that she would retire to her room, but she had seemed intent on confronting him. At last he had taken the boys up to bed and slipped into his own chamber. He had managed to change into nightclothes, but he’d found it impossible to sleep and had perched on his bed, listening for her footfall in the corridor.

He smiled sheepishly now. “You found it. You said you liked rock best. I hope you don’t mind.”

She swallowed, as if relishing the lingering sweet on the back of her tongue. “Do you know what it says?”

He nodded, standing a little taller. “Yes. I asked the candy maker to put in the words. The candy is special, you know. No matter how long you lick it, the words will still show. And it will say ‘I love you’ until the very end, just as I will.”

The stick fell to the ground as Cynthia cast herself into his arms. Daniel hugged her close, finding her mouth once again so near to his. She tasted of the candy, and more.

“I love you too,” she murmured. “You are everything I could have asked for in a husband, everything I could ever want.”

Daniel cradled her against him, thanksgiving rising inside him. For the first time in his life, this place felt like home.

That night they both learned that Adam was wrong. There was indeed something in life far sweeter than candy.