Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (107 page)

Chapter 16

The festivities were well under way by the time Alejandro and Elena arrived. The village square was lit with

paper lanterns and a large

wooden platform had been set up for dancing.

Long tables for food were set up outside the Everyone was dressed in their best and in high spirits. Tonight was a night for merriment, a chance to forget about the troubles of daily life for a few magical hours.

"It's

Elena exclaimed. "It seems

like ages since I've come to a festival in town."

studied her for an awkward

moment. "Didn't we come in the past?" he asked quietly. There was relatively little to do in the way of social life in the village and even less if you were slightly isolated like they were, living a bit beyond the villages and self-contained on the pazo. He couldn't imagine not participating with the other locals whenever they could.

Elena shook her head.

not

the first

couple years we were married." She on.

Scott

"But you were busy. There was business to look after and you were often gone to Santiago di Compostela. Making business

and

building our little fortune was important to you. It took a lot of your time. There is no sin in hard work."

"But it is a sin to neglect my wife."

andro

felt the familiar twinge of regret. He'd not been the best husband and he still didn't know why.

Still, he couldn't have been the worst husband.

She had saved his life,

all, and had seemed

glad to have him back. Certainly, she'd welcomed the passion they shared. Those were not the behaviors of a woman who had hoped her husband was dead.

"It will not happen again, Elena." He her hand to his lips and kissed it. He spoke his thoughts out loud. "Maybe it was an honest, meant mistake to put the pursuit of money over our marriage. But it was a mistake, nonetheless.

Perhaps my

with death has realigned my

priorities into the correct order this time."

She favored him with a tentative smile, a shadow in her eyes where her delight over the evening had been. "I am

Elena. I've made

you sad. I didn't mean to."