A Brazen Lady And The Shunned Duke (Faces of Love Series #3) (8 page)

* * *

I
woke
the next morning to the early dawn while lying in Kent’s arms. He was so warm that I didn’t want to leave. I snuggled even closer against his chest and felt him stir. He kissed the top of my head.

“As much as I don’t want you to, you probably should go,” his deep voice said against my hair.

I nodded in agreement. Instead, I snuggled against him deeper, breathing in the scent of his bare skin.

Finally, I got out of bed reluctantly and dressed in my nightgown. Kent watched me all the while from his bed.

“I’ll see you at breakfast then?” I said, leaning down to give him a final kiss. He grabbed my arm to hold me steady and kissed me longer.

I pulled back, both of us grinning like silly kids who were caught doing something naughty.

“Until breakfast, my love,” he whispered against my lips.

I successfully snuck back into my room without anyone noticing. Luckily, Ettie was still fast asleep.

We had a late breakfast and then began our journey back to London. Ettie was puffy eyed and quiet most of the trip home. I sat next to her in the carriage, doing my best to console her with Kent’s ever present eyes on me the whole ride home.

He stopped in front of my brother’s townhouse to drop me off first. I gave Ettie one last squeeze, willing her to overcome her heartbreak with my love for her. Then Kent led me out of the carriage and into my brother’s home.

Before we even got up the steps, the door burst open and the Duke and Duchess of Bellingham came storming out angrily.

The duchess was holding a silken handkerchief to her breast with smelling salts in her other hand. The duke, on the other hand, looked ready to kill.

“How could you, Scarlett? After all we did for you, you had to go and run off. You just ruined yourself without any thought of how this would affect the duchess and me!” he shouted accusatorially.

“I did no such thing,” I huffed back. “And even if I did, it would be my choice to do so.”

“Why don’t we take this conversation inside?” Kent said, eyeing some curious passersby. The duchess made a weird wailing sound and looked like she was about to faint when she realized that people were watching this exchange.

The Duke of Bellingham nodded in agreement and we were all ushered into the house. We marched silently through the hall and to his private study.

He walked behind his imposing desk, arms crossed and eyes glaring. “Well, explain yourself, Scarlett.”

“Henrietta was the one that ran away to elope,” I explained. “Kent and I were going to stop her.”

“Elope with whom?” the duchess asked.

“Lord Byron. It’s a long story. I am very exhausted, and I would much rather tell you the whole tale another time.” I was lying, as I had no intention of ever telling them what had caused such a whirlwind trip.

“Either way, you have to know how this looks. You went off alone with the Duke of Kent!”

“I completely understand your concern,” Kent chimed in. “Scarlett and I are in love. I would be happy to make it official right now and ask for your permission for her hand in marriage.” Kent grabbed my hand in his and squeezed it.

“I am sure that was your horrid plan all along,” the duchess accused.

“It doesn’t matter what you think,” I argued. “I love Kent and I am going to marry him.”

“Not if I don’t agree to it,” Bellingham stated.

“One letter to Mother and your opinion will no longer matter. Neither her nor Father will deny me my choice in marriage.”

“You do understand the scandal this will cause, what people will say,” the duchess said in her reprimanding-a-child voice.

I held my chin up a little higher. The sooner we were married, the sooner I would be out of her house. I would no longer have to stand her downward cast eyes at me or her belittling words.

“I am prepared to marry Scarlett by any means necessary. As you said, her virtue is on questionable grounds. As a gentleman, I would prefer not to use that, but I will if I need to.”

My brother’s face turned bright red with rage. Kent had hit a soft spot. I knew he would never do such a thing, even to force a marriage. However, the thought of an even more scandalous backlash was enough to shut up Bellingham.

“Fine; I see no other choice than to accept your proposal of marriage on behalf of my sister.” He turned and faced me. “I hope you know what you are doing.”

I leaned in closer to Kent, resting my hand on his chest. I looked lovingly into his eyes as he looked down at me. I thought of our lovemaking the night before, and waking up in his arms. It was something I knew I wanted for the rest of my life.

“Absolutely,” I said.

* * *

T
he wedding was
a beautiful ceremony among friends and family three short weeks later. Even my mother and father came from the country to attend the event. I couldn’t have been happier to have married my wonderful duke.

Kent thought it would be nice to holiday for the next few months after the wedding. First we went to Liverpool and then took a ship farther up north to Glasgow, where we stayed a few months at a friend’s estate.

We decided to return home before winter set in though. Julia had been writing me often and had invited us to join them at the Colonel’s home for Christmas. He would be on holiday for a few months.

I was excited for Kent to meet the brother and sister-in-law that I loved so dearly. Julia would also be expecting her first child soon. I was jumping at the chance to meet my future niece or nephew.

We decided to take the roads back down to Julia and Henry. The summer had extended enough that it was a warm autumn and the roads were holding up well. We both enjoyed driving along the countryside and visiting new places.

On our way down to them, we were also able to stop at Kent’s country home in Colwyn Bay. It was only a day’s ride from my brother’s place and I was thrilled to know that I would still be able to go visit them when I wanted.

Just before leaving, I received a letter from Julia. It was a few weeks old, since it had taken some time to catch up to us as we were moving around. I read it as we sat in the carriage for the remainder of our journey to meet them.

D
ear Scarlett
,

I was so happy to get your prompt response to my request. Henry and I both look forward to having you here for the holiday season.

Henry has just returned home for the next few months, since the cold weather has currently hindered His Royal Majesty’s Armies. He plans to stay home at least through the new year.

He also came home just in time for the birth of our first child. I am happy to announce that we have a beautiful son. We have christened him Alexander Fitzwilliam.

I can’t wait until you are here with us also and will get to meet him in person. He is a strong little man with rosy chubby cheeks and his father’s blue eyes. I also have been recovering well from the ordeal. My sister, Duchess Gaffton, has come by regularly with her two little ones and helped me adjust to motherhood.

I can’t wait to see you again, and to get to know the Duke of Kent better.

Sincerely,

Julia

I
folded
the letter in my lap and thought on her words as we continued to ride.

“Any new information?” Kent asked me from across the carriage.

“Yes. Julia has had her baby. A boy. They named him Alexander after Henry and my grandfather. She says both of them are doing well.”

He grabbed my hand and pulled me across the carriage to sit by him. It was becoming a regular habit of his. He wrapped me into his arms. “I am sure you will be excited to meet the little lad, right?”

“Of course. I am excited for you to get to know Henry and Julia better too. I just know you will get along with them.”

He leaned in and trailed kisses down my neck. I giggled against the small bristles that dusted his chin from our travels.

“Are you sure that Henrietta will be alright with us not joining her in London for Christmas holiday?” I asked.

“She is staying with my uncle. I am sure she will be fine.”

I thought back to his uncle as he continued to nibble on my ear. Lord Rainer had warmed up to me since mine and Kent’s marriage. I was irritated at the fact that it was because he had gotten what he wanted out of it. I waved the thought out of my mind. It didn’t matter now. Kent and I were happy with each other, and that was the only thing that I cared about.

“You know,” he whispered against my ear. “I wouldn’t mind if we had a little one of our own.”

“I think we have caused enough scandal. Just think of what people would say if we had a child right away.”

“I know what they would say. That I took advantage of you to trick you into marrying me.”

He kissed me softly on my lips. I thought back to the night in the inn. I was the one who’d snuck out of my room and came to him. It was the boldest thing I had ever done in my entire life. I didn’t regret it for one second. I knew that Kent loved me and I had felt the same for him long before I snuck into his room that night. Our passion had no sway on the reasons we were married.

“If I remember correctly, I was the one who took advantage of you,” I replied against his lips.

He leaned against my forehead, looking at me with his emerald eyes. A wicked grin spread across his lips that sent little butterflies a flutter in my stomach. I didn’t know if there would ever come a time that this man didn’t have an overwhelming effect on me.

“So you did, my love,” he murmured. “And I plan to return the favor every chance I get. I don’t care what people say or think. I love you. I am ready to start our family now.”

He took me into his arms, laying me down against the seat cushion. He really meant right in that moment. I was happy to satisfy him. He was, after all, my husband.

We lay in each other’s arms after we were done, lulled by the rocking of the carriage. Soon we would be arriving at Henry’s home and we would have to go back to being proper. For now, I enjoyed just being sprawled against his chest.

I looked up at him through thick lashes. “Did you really mean it?” I asked.

“Mmm,” he responded, his own eyes closed.

“About having a baby. You would be fine if we started a family now?”

He opened his eyes and looked down at my face resting against his chest. Cupping my face with his strong hands, he brushed the pad of his thumb against my recently swollen lips.

“Of course I did. When you are ready, I am ready.”

“Good,” I said, laying my head back down in satisfaction.

“So what does that mean? Are you ready then?” he asked with an airy laugh in his tone.

“No, not
ready
. I’m already pregnant,” I stated matter of factly.

He sat up, abruptly lifting me from his chest to sit across from him in the carriage. “Truly?” he asked, excitement glittering in his emerald eyes.

“Yes. I didn’t want to tell you until I was completely sure. I am fairly certain it happened right away, maybe even on that night I seduced you.”

“Well then, it is a good thing I blackmailed your brother into letting me marry you right away!”

We both laughed about it as he held me in his arms. The schematics of when the pregnancy occurred didn’t matter. I was his and he was mine long before that night we’d shared.

“Well, good. I’m glad we will have some of our own news to share when we get to your brother’s house!” he said joyously.

He gently rubbed the almost unnoticeable bump at my belly and kissed me again softly.