The Secret Heiress, page 35
“Arrivederci, Angelo.”
“Stay as long as you want,” Adrian said to Ariadne and Matt. “Make this house your own.”
“We’ll be leaving soon,” Ariadne said. “Matt and I have a lot to do.”
After everyone had gone, Ariadne and Matt sat back down on the couch in the library together, grateful to be alone. Matt slid an arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek.
“I’m so glad it’s over,” Ariadne said.
“Do you feel a sense of closure?”
“Not really.” She turned to him. “Do you think we ever do?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Certainly we won’t forget. At least a lot of what’s happened.”
“I can deal with it,” she said. “If I can deal with this masquerade, I can deal with anything.”
“Maybe rings on our fingers will make a difference,” he said.
“We’ve got plenty of time for that,” Ariadne said. “Don’t we?”
“Is that a yes?”
Ariadne brushed his cheek with her lips. “Yes,” she whispered into his ear.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to acknowledge Alexandre Dumas (père) for the inspiration for the plot of The Secret Heiress. While I would never pretend to be capable of producing a masterpiece such as The Man in the Iron Mask, I found the temptation to play with his classic story—and to make it my own—irresistible.
Judith Gould, The Secret Heiress
