Elspeth opened her eyes to see Dominic smiling down at her. His light eyes were glittering with excitement and seemed to hold all the beauty in the world.

She smiled back at him drowsily. “Again?”

He laughed. “I’d be delighted, but not until you tell me how much you like your necklace. It’s the first time I’ve ever given a lady jewels worth a king’s ransom, and I expect at least a polite thank-you.”

Her hand went to her chest and her gaze followed it. “Dominic!” She wore a long chain of diamonds interspersed with large square-cut emeralds. Facets of the diamonds caught the firelight and turned it into a dazzling array of brilliant hues that cascaded down her body. “Where did you get it?”

He nodded toward the palace across the garden. “The royal treasury. That necklace is only a small sample. The room is overflowing with chests of jewels and gold.” His index finger tapped one of the emeralds. “Just one of those stones would buy another Killara. Do you know what I can do with such an enormous fortune?”

“Create the Delaney Kingdom.” A tiny smile touched Elspeth’s lips. “Long live the king.”

“You can laugh, but that’s what a treasure like this can buy.” He pulled the necklace taut, twisting the diamond chain beneath her breasts to lift them into prominence. “I thought the emeralds would match your eyes, but maybe rubies would be better.” His head bent to nibble teasingly at her rosy-pink nipple. When he lifted his mouth, the nipple was no longer pink but cherry red and distended with arousal. “Do you fancy rubies, Queen Elspeth?”

“I fancy King Dominic.” She took his hand and held it to her breast so that he could feel the erratic pounding of her heart. “See?”

His hand closed on her breast, his thumb gently flicking the nipple he had brought to fiery attention. “I don’t think you’d be so unappreciative if I brought you another of those damn clay tablets with that hen-scratching on it.”

“I didn’t say I was unappreciative,” she protested. “I merely appreciate you more.” She lowered her eyes demurely. “As a proper wife should.”

“There’s nothing proper about you, my love.” He gathered her up in his arms, blanket and all. “As I’m about to prove.”

“Dominic!” She clutched at his shoulders as he began to stride across the garden toward the palace. “Where are we going?”

“The royal treasury. There’s something I want you to see.”

“Couldn’t it wait until tomorrow?”

“Maybe. But I want you to see it tonight.” His eyes twinkled down at her. “Call it a whim.”

Heat tingled through her as she remembered Dominic’s last “whim.” “Indeed?” Her voice sounded breathless even to her own ears. “You could have waited and let me put some clothes on. It appears all your whims involve having me naked as Eve.”

“I thought it fitting.” Dominic was now crossing the moonlit throne room. “Eve should be right at home in the Garden of Eden. You know, I think I’d have liked the people of Kantalan. I went through several chambers before I found the treasury, and every room-no matter what appeared to be its primary purpose-had some object of artistry or learning in it.” His expression was thoughtful. “Even the treasury. You would have thought the idea of the acquisition of wealth would have been at odds with-” He stopped. “But you’ll see for yourself.”

“You could let me down. You’re always carrying me around as if I were a child.”

“The floors are dusty. I’ll put you down when we reach the treasury. I lit the torches on the walls and tried to clean up the floor a little. At least you won’t be ankle-deep in dust and cobwebs. Its just ahead.” He was mounting the two steep steps leading to the tall brass-studded double doors he had left thrown open when he had hurried back for Elspeth. Then he was within the chamber, setting Elspeth carefully on her feet. He noticed with satisfaction that both the torches on the wall and the wood fire he had lit in the huge copper brazier in the center of the room were still burning brightly, the flames casting leaping shadows on white marble walls and shimmering on several gold and silver chests in the room.

Elspeth clutched the gray wool blanket together at her breast, her gaze wandering over statues in alabaster, silver, and gold, and over plates and vases bejeweled with precious and semiprecious stones. In one gold chest with the lid thrown open she caught a glimpse of long strands of lustrous black pearls, emeralds, rubies, and diamonds.

She shook her head dazedly. “So much. I can’t believe it.”

“Neither could I, but that wasn’t what I wanted to show you.” Dominic placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her so she was facing the south wall. He gestured to the intricate design carved on the white marble surface. “Look.”

“The solar system,” she whispered. “Good Lord. It’s our solar system!” A huge round sun encircled by planets occupied the entire south wall and was executed with superb artistry on the white marble. The relative size and features of each planet were faithfully detailed even to the rings of Saturn. “What is it doing here? I would have thought this would have been in the temple.”

“Perhaps the royal family was interested in astronomy.” Dominic nodded to the long alabaster bench before the copper, brazier. “Maybe the king liked to sit there among the treasures of the earth and look at the planets. It must have been very chastening for him to know that regardless of how rich he became, he could never fly from this planet to all the others.”

“Da Vinci thought we could fly. I wonder…”

“No,” Dominic said firmly. “I’m willing to accept the thought of you wandering off to find El Dorado or Atlantis as long as I can trail along beside you, but I at least insist you remain on earth.” He arched a brow. “Do you notice anything strange about that rendering of the solar system?”

“Strange?” She frowned, her gaze returned to the wall. “No, everything seems to be in order. What-” She broke off and her gaze flew back to Dominic’s face. “There are ten planets circling the sun.”

He nodded.

“But there have only been eight planets discovered.”

“Maybe they knew something we don’t,” he said softly. “Was there a telescope in the temple?”

“Yes, quite a large one in the same room that contains the lodestone.” Her eyes were blazing with excitement. “Oh, Dominic, isn’t it exciting? There’s so much to see, so much to learn. Let’s go there now.” She stopped. Dominic was laughing softly and shaking his head. “No?”

“Tomorrow. There are a few other things I want to show you here tonight.” His smile lingered. “Perhaps not as interesting to you, but I found them fascinating. They caused me to view the people of Kantalan in an entirely new light.”

“What things?”

“Step this way, milady.” He took her elbow and propelled her across the room, around the blazing fire in the copper brazier, to the open golden chest against the far wall. “Let’s see if we can find something a little more elegant than that blanket for you to wear. If I remember, I saw something in here that will do nicely.” He rummaged in the chest, tossing strands of pearls and rubies carelessly aside. “Here it is.” He pulled out a garment that glittered gold in the firelight. “I think it’s a cloak of some sort. It’s not as heavy as it looks, and it’s lined with silk.” He shook out the folds. “It’s a wonder the silk didn’t rot. Perhaps being closed up in the chest protected it.” He looked up when she didn’t say anything. “Don’t you like it?”

She touched the cloak with gentle, tentative fingers. The garment was a shimmering mesh of woven gold bordered in emeralds and pearls. “It’s magnificent,” she whispered. “It looks like something that should be worn by an empress.”

“Then it may be good enough for you.” He reached out and unclasped her fingers from the blanket. “Try it on.” The wool blanket fell to the floor and something hot and intent flared in his eyes as they ran over her glowing nudity garbed only in the necklace. “And do hurry before I realize what an idiot I am to have you put on clothes.”

She smiled shakily. “You once told me a man’s chief pleasure was in removing barriers.” She could feel her nipples tautening, her breasts swelling as his gaze touched them. “Have you changed your mind?”

“No.” He stepped closer and threw the golden cloak around her shoulders. The silk lining was a cool, sensuous shock against her warm flesh. He fastened the round emerald and pearl brooch at her throat with trembling hands. “It just becomes more difficult to wait when you know what’s beyond the barrier.”

“You don’t have to wait.” The words were spoken in a tone a level above a whisper. “It’s more difficult for me to wait now too.”

His fingers tightened spasmodically on the brooch before he forced himself to release the jewel and take a step back. “Sometimes it’s better to wait.” The pulse beating wildly in his temple and the flush darkening his long jaws belied the words. “It makes the pleasure sharper. I’d wager that the people of Kantalan knew the value of anticipation.”

“Why do you say that?”

He was searching in the chest again. “I’ll tell you-or rather show you-later.” He found the four objects he was looking for and drew them out. “Wear these.”

“Bracelets?”

He nodded as he clasped a broad band of emeralds and pearls around her left wrist. “To match your necklace.” He clasped an identical bracelet on her right wrist. He knelt before her, pushing the cloak aside. “And these are to match the bracelets.” He fastened a jeweled band around first her left ankle and then her right. He sat back on his heels and looked at her pale bare feet flowing into delicate slender ankles and sweetly curved calves. The hard shimmering jewels shown in barbaric splendor against her soft flesh and a sudden wrench of sheer lust tore through him.