The Perfect Wife's Perfect Revenge

After all, carving a seal takes a surprising amount of strength.

"Aren't you eating?"

Gwyneth glanced up to find Hawthorne watching her with a hint of a smile at the corner of his eyes. Embarrassed, she offered him the meat pie in her hand.

She really was hungry; paired with the savory blood pudding broth, she took a hearty sip, making the pie taste even better.

"I'm good," he said. "I bought them especially for you."

Gwyneth didn't hold back after that. Out of the six pies Hawthorne had brought, she polished off five, and only when she truly couldn't manage another did Hawthorne help her finish the last one.

She drained the rest of the broth, then settled contentedly onto the lounge chair in the garden. With a full belly, a warm patch of sunshine, and nowhere she needed to be, she felt so satisfied that even the thought of becoming royalty sounded like too much trouble.

Seeing her so delighted, Hawthorne felt an unexpected surge of happiness himself.

Like a magician revealing a trick, he produced an elegant little box and handed it to her. Gwyneth eyed him suspiciously as she began to unwrap it.

"What is it? Jewelry?"

"No."

a moment-inside was a full set of Holbein paints. She looked up at

"These are for me?"

down for you last week. Check if all the colors are there; if anything's missing,

touched-the Langford family had never lacked for such things. Growing up, if she wanted something, all she had to do was

What mattered was that Hawthorne had

Occasionally, he'd give her small gifts things she never really cared for, though she never said so. After they broke up, she'd almost returned

that mattered to her. She still remembered nearly fainting with excitement at the auction when she saw a lump of lapis lazuli-the rarest and most vibrant blue pigment, worth five times its weight in gold. Many artists had ruined themselves chasing it, and some had died

never afford that

of brushing that opulent color

perfect," she said

Truly, nothing was missing.

when Hawthorne's arm slipped quietly

you like it?" he

the sensitive skin behind her

spine. Gwyneth's

it,"

but he wasn't finished. His voice

whispered, "or do you

his trap. Her eyes cleared