Liam O'Grady halted.

The sorrow in her voice, the pain, was so deep that the Irishman stopped walking mid--step. He had been moving to the stairs, to take her upstairs to their newly furnished bedroom.

"Anything you want, sweetheart," he whispered, lowering his head to kiss her gently, a tender kiss of love. Bianca wrapped her arms around his neck, lengthening the embrace.

St Just followed the Irishman as he climbed the stairs slowly, his gaze tender. Neither man wanted to ...