Kissing her felt just as wonderful now as it had all along, of course, but he couldn't help imagining that it also felt slightly more pleasant. There had long since stopped being any doubt in his mind that Anne loved him and wished to stay by his side--but there was something even more wonderful about knowing no one else could object to it either.

They hadn't changed by becoming man and wife, no, but the world had let them settle that much more easily into it. He couldn't help being entirely pleased about that.

"You do have me, Anne."