A darkness that was not only physical, but also emotional. The depth of their lovemaking had been so consuming that even now he found it difficult to comprehend exactly what she was about from the little she had told him—not an altogether pleasant experience for a man who had always prided himself on his mental and emotional acuity! Outside his mother’s suite of rooms, Diana had placed the lit candle on the hallstand and was standing in front of the door, her arms extended and her expression defiant as Jennifer used every means she could to dislodge her from that protective stance. One of which was to now reach out and grasp a handful of Diana’s hair. ‘How dare you?’ his uncle’s wife ranted shrilly as she tugged viciously on those golden curls. ‘You have absolutely no authority to stop me from entering my sister-in-law’s rooms—’ ‘Diana may not—but I certainly do,’ he announced. Diana turned gratefully to look at Gabriel as he approached them quickly, once again looking every inch as vengeful as his angelic namesake with his unfastened shirt billowing about him.
