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."

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

"These are for me?"

"I had someone track them down for you last week. Check if all the

been half as surprised or touched-the Langford family had never lacked for such things. Growing up, if she wanted something, all

could easily buy paints herself, of course. What mattered was that Hawthorne

her as a pampered heiress. Occasionally, he'd give her small gifts things she

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

could never afford that royal

art student dreamed of brushing that opulent color across their

she said

Truly, nothing was missing.

in her happiness, Gwyneth didn't even notice when Hawthorne's arm slipped quietly around

like it?"

the sensitive skin behind her ear, sending a

Gwyneth's knees

love it,"

touch made her melt, but he wasn't finished. His voice dropped lower,

he whispered, "or do you

Gwyneth fell right into his trap. Her eyes