‘It’s a beautiful morning. Come and see.’ Violet opened their bedroom window and gazed out at the moors.
‘I like the view from here.’ Lance threw an arm behind his head and lounged back against the bedhead. ‘Though I’d prefer it without the dressing gown. Why do you ever bother putting that thing on when you know I’m only going to take it off you again?’
‘Because I don’t want to horrify the gardeners if they look up.’ She turned and gazed around their new chamber with satisfaction. ‘I like this new room. I like this wing of the house, too. It really is a fresh start. I wonder why we never thought to simply choose a bedroom of our own together before.’
‘Mrs Gargrave’s indomitable will.’
‘She calmed quite considerably when I told her we’d be closer to the nursery.’ She peered at him coyly from under her lashes. ‘When the time comes for producing an heir, that is.’
Amber eyes flashed appreciatively. ‘You can’t say we’re not putting the effort in. You’ve worn me out.’
‘I’ve worn you out?’
‘Yes.’ He stretched both arms above his head and yawned. ‘For a small woman, you have a surprising amount of energy, not to mention imagination. I think I might have injured my back this time. I may have to lie here all day to recover.’
‘What about the mine?’
He opened his arms out towards her. ‘What’s the point of having a bad leg if you can’t use it as an excuse to sleep in once in a while? Now come back to bed and nurse me.’
‘You’re incorrigible.’
‘You were warned.’
‘Repeatedly. Why do you think I tried to run away?’
‘Twice.’ He grinned. ‘Am I such a beast?’
‘Yes, but you’re my beast.’
She clambered on to the bed, nestling against his shoulder and rubbing her cheek gently against his chest. He felt warm and solid and temptingly snug. Maybe they could lie there for a bit longer... But it was a beautiful day outside, perfect for the purpose she had in mind.
‘Are you enjoying your third month of marriage, Mrs Amberton?’ He dipped his head to press a kiss into her hair.
‘I got more sleep during the first two...’ she stroked a hand over his stomach ‘...not that I’m complaining.’
‘It’s your fault for being so damned irresistible.’
‘That’s not what you said before we were married. You said you could wait seven years.’
‘Don’t remind me,’ he groaned. ‘Two months was long enough. I would never have made it to a year with my sanity intact.’
‘Then it’s lucky you didn’t have to wait so long after all.’
She sighed as his lips rubbed across her throat and then started to move downwards, surrendering herself briefly to the feeling, just as she had twice the night before and once already that morning. But this time, she admonished herself, she wasn’t going to surrender, not completely. She had her own plans for the day. After that, however...
She slid out from beside him, spinning around to straddle his thighs and drop a kiss on to his chest, before jumping quickly off the bed. ‘But you do need to wait until tonight. Come on!’
‘Tease.’ Lance heaved himself up behind her.
‘It’s the only way I know to motivate you.’ She laughed gleefully. ‘Come on. There’s something I want to show you outside. It’s a surprise.’
They dressed and wandered out of the house and across the lawns, arms around each other’s waists. The gardens were in full bloom, a riotous mixture of colour and sweet scents all vying for supremacy in the summer sunshine.
‘Here we are.’ She stopped at the entrance to the maze.
‘My surprise is in there?’
‘Yes!’ She grabbed his hand, pulling him down a long corridor and around a series of bends.
‘You know where you’re going, I suppose?’ He followed after her obediently.
‘I’m starting to find my way around.’
She stopped when they reached the centre, gesturing towards the rose arbour in the corner. Between her and Martin they’d restored and repainted the wood, trimmed the rose bushes and trailed them delicately around the frame. ‘It looked so sad and neglected before.’
‘It was.’ Lance looked sombre for a moment. ‘This was one of my mother’s favourite places.’
She squeezed his hand. ‘Now we can sit here together.’
‘Yes.’ His voice cracked slightly. ‘Thank you, Violet.’
‘You gave me her sitting room. I wanted to give you something of hers as well.’
‘You’ve given me more than I ever deserved. I never imagined that I could be this happy.’
‘Me neither.’ She sighed. ‘This place really is like a fairy tale. I can’t wait to show Aunt Caroline when she comes to visit.’
‘Why don’t you invite her for a house party this summer? And your uncle Ben and all your new cousins, too.’
‘You wouldn’t mind?’
‘Why would I? It would save us all traipsing back and forth to York every weekend.’ He squeezed her hand back. ‘I told you they’d love you.’
‘So you did. It was just hard to believe back then.’
‘You’ve come a long way. We both have.’
‘I still can’t believe that my father refused to let them visit me.’
She frowned and he tugged her against him. ‘Maybe he wanted to keep you all to himself. I’m starting to understand the impulse. But that’s all in the past now. A wise woman once told me that some things are best left there.’
‘You’re right.’ She wrapped her arms around him gratefully. ‘What about Arthur? Will he mind a house party?’
His expression wavered. ‘I think Arthur has his own plans.’
‘He still wants to go back to sea?’
‘I doubt that it would be possible any more. Now his secret’s out, he’d have a job finding a skipper willing to employ a viscount. But he’s still determined to leave.’
‘Then you have to let him.’
‘I know. I only hope he finds someone to make him as happy as I am.’
‘Who would have thought it, a timid mouse and a reprobate?’
‘A kitten and a beast?’
‘Violet and Lance.’ She lifted her head up to kiss him lightly, and then not so lightly, on the lips. ‘Who will Arthur find, I wonder?’
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this story, you won’t want to miss
these other great reads by Jenni Fletcher:
MARRIED TO HER ENEMY
THE CONVENIENT FELSTONE MARRIAGE
BESIEGED AND BETROTHED
Keep reading for an excerpt from FROM COURTESAN TO CONVENIENT WIFE by Marguerite Kaye.
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