A Christmas Seduction: A Regency Anthology (18 page)

It really had all worked out between those two.

The days leading up to the wedding had been spent frantically putting together a trousseau and organizing the wedding, deciding on hairstyles for Meredith as the bride and for herself and Sara as the bridesmaids.

Sara had taken longer to come round to the idea than Louisa herself had, but finally Sara had witnessed with her own eyes the love between Meredith and Lucas and it was undeniable.

Louisa sighed in contentment and, she had to admit, envy.

Seeing Meredith in the arms of a man who so obviously loved her would make anyone want the same thing, she reasoned.

The fact that she only wanted it with Hugh was something that she would just have to keep to herself.

She’d barely seen Hugh since that night in the library.

Truth be told, there’d barely been time.

Her mama and the duchess had been zealous in their preparation and nobody was given a moment to spare.

She missed him, Louisa had to admit.

Missed his teasing, missed his arrogance, even. And she especially missed his kisses and the pleasure they could give.

Snatching a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, she sagged against a nearby pillar.

“Ladies do not sag.”

The sound of Hugh’s soft voice in her ear brought a wide smile to her face and she turned to see him watching her with those incredible eyes, a wolfish smile playing around his mouth.

“And how would you know?” she asked.

“I have it on good authority,” he responded sagely.”A lady has told me all there is to know about — er — being a lady. And I’m quite sure she would never lean against a pillar in such a fashion.”

Louisa tried to match his serious expression but she was just so terribly pleased to see him.

“And are you well acquainted with this lady?”

In an instant, he looked like a predatory beast, and Louisa’s heart took off in response.

“Not as well as I’d like to be,” he said with a wicked smile.

Louisa gulped at her champagne, hoping the liquid would cool her heated skin.

“Walk with me?” he asked.

“Where?”

He shook his head slowly.

“Still so suspicious,” He smiled. ”Come, I want to show you something.”

Wild horses wouldn’t have stopped her from going with him while he smiled at her like that.

Placing the champagne glass on the tray of yet another passing waiter, Louisa took his proffered arm, and they slipped unseen from the ballroom.

Instead of going down the hallway, as she expected, he moved them toward the back of the house and out through the conservatory door.

The gardens were blanketed in thick white snow, looking for all the world like a fairy land.

“Hugh,” she hissed, “it’s snowing. We cannot go out there.”

“Oh ye of little faith,” he answered cryptically before lifting his hand to signal to someone.

Two footmen who had obviously been waiting in the shadows came forward, their arms filled with things.

Louisa watched as Hugh removed a deep red, velvet cloak from the first man’s arms and placed it round her shoulders, pulled up the hood and tied it deftly.

When he was satisfied, he turned back and took a basket from the man.  The poor footmen must have been freezing while waiting for them to appear.

Then he took a pair of her sturdy walking boots from the second man.

Louisa couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“You’ve thought of everything,” she said.

“Indeed I have,” he answered proudly before bending and removing her satin slippers, replacing them with the boots.

Louisa’s cheeks heated with embarrassment. What must these footmen think of her, allowing a man to remove her shoes out here in the snow?

Hugh ran his hands ever so slightly up her calf and she gasped and bit her lip, her cheeks heating for an altogether different reason now.

After what seemed like an excruciatingly long time, Hugh stood. His jaw was tense and his eyes in the lantern light glowed with an unholy fire.

“That was exquisite torture,” he murmured hoarsely before placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

He turned and took the lantern from the footmen then sent them inside with his thanks.

Louisa thanked them too then turned excitedly to see Hugh holding out his hand to her.

“What on earth is going on?” she asked as she took his hand.

“You’ll see. Have some patience,” he scolded.

He was enjoying himself immensely, so it seemed.

Deciding to just enjoy it, Louisa fell into step with him, a smile of excitement hovering on her lips.

H
UGH FELT LIKE A
child on Christmas morn as he led Louisa through the darkened gardens.

He had left very specific instructions with the army of footmen he’d commandeered from the wedding party, so he could only hope that everything was ready.

He’d almost given up the ghost entirely and just ruined her on the steps to the house when he’d bent to change her shoes.

Her legs were as perfect as the rest of her.

He should be bloody sainted for holding out as long as he was.

Hugh glanced down at his companion and was pleased to see an excited little smile on her lips.

She was enjoying herself, even if it was freezing.

It wasn’t much farther though, and she should be warm soon.

Finally, he could see the flicker of the lanterns ahead and he started to get nervous.

He desperately hoped this would work.

They walked a little farther and the gazebo came into view.

Louisa stopped dead beside him and gasped, pulling her hand from his to clasp over her mouth.

He watched closely for her reaction and saw tears fill her eyes.

Were they happy or sad tears?

He felt a moment of blind panic before she turned and looked at him.

Hugh’s heart stopped at the look in her eyes.

If he wasn’t very much mistaken, that was the look of someone in love.

He could only hope he was right.

L
OUISA TRIED DESPERATELY TO
keep the tears at bay but still they came.

She’d been worried that Hugh had taken leave of his senses altogether when she started to see the flicker of lights.

When they’d finally come to a stop at the gazebo she thought she’d died and gone to heaven.

The gazebo was covered in lanterns. There were lights everywhere. On the floor, strung along the roof. It was incredible.

She turned to look at Hugh and saw that he looked unsure of himself.

How could he not know that this was the most perfect thing in the world? That he was the most perfect man in the world.

“Hugh,” she breathed when she could trust herself to speak.”This is — it’s wonderful.”

He looked so relieved, and her heart positively melted.

Without giving it a second thought she reached up and threw her arms around his neck, nearly toppling him.

He chuckled in surprise before dropping the basket he held and lifting her clean off her feet and devouring her lips in a soul searing kiss.

When she finally needed to come up for air, he broke the contact, settled her on her feet and retrieved the basket before grasping her hand and pulling her the final few steps.

She saw now that there was a blanket spread on the floor of the gazebo and even some cushions scattered about.

Her eyes widened at the sight.

This was unbelievable.

“My lady.” Hugh swept a dramatic bow before helping her to sit amongst the cushions.

Louisa giggled and sat as daintily as she could.

He sat beside her and proceeded to empty the contents of the picnic basket onto the blanket.

There was, she was thrilled to see, a flask of hot cider which he promptly poured into mugs.

He handed one to her, and she wrapped her hands around it gratefully.

Next came two slices of what looked suspiciously like wedding cake.

She gasped in mock outrage.

“Why, you’re nothing more than a common thief Lord Mayford.” She grinned.

“Don’t tell or I shall say it was all your idea,” he said.

Louisa didn’t think she’d ever been this happy. Never in her whole life.

They sat and drank their cider, and Hugh fed her little bits of wedding cake since she refused to remove her hands from the warmth of the cup she clasped.

As they talked and laughed, Louisa fell more and more in love with him.

Finally, the flask was empty and the cake and cups cleared away. Hugh grasped her about the waist and hauled her onto his lap.

Louisa giggled then moved to place a steadying hand on his chest.

“Thank you,” she whispered softly. “Nobody has ever done something like this for me, and I shall never forget it.”

For a moment, he didn’t move, just stared into her eyes, then slowly, he moved her hand from his chest to place a soft kiss on the palm.

Even through her evening glove she felt its impact.

“Louisa,” he said, his tone gravelly and low. “If you would let me, I would spend my whole life doing things like this for you.”

Louisa felt her jaw drop at his words.

He couldn’t possible mean what she thought, could he?

“Y-you would?” she squeaked, hardly daring to believe it.

“I would,” he confirmed with a self-deprecating smile that she found more endearing than any of the charm he’d bestowed on her previously.

“I love you, Louisa. I think I loved you from that first kiss, three years ago. Back then, I allowed my pride to rule my heart. But pride is a poor substitute for the woman I love, and I won’t make the same mistake again.”

Louisa’s heart soared at his words.

Dear lord, could he really mean it? Could she really be this lucky?

“Are you serious?” she whispered.

He laughed softly.

“Of course I’m serious. I love you. I adore you! I never thought it possible to feel as much as I do for you.”

“Oh, Hugh,” she managed as the tears she’d been holding back flooded her eyes and rolled unchecked down her cheeks, freezing in the frosty air. ”I love you too. So much.”

His eyes lit in triumph before he pulled her face to his for a heart-stopping kiss.

She could definitely get used to having this every day.

“Marry me,” he finally whispered, his forehead pressed against her own. ”I know how much you like to fight me but if you will concede on this, I promise to let you win every fight from now until we die.”

Louisa laughed through her tears.

She thought her heart would burst from sheer happiness.

“Let me win, indeed,” she scoffed but couldn’t keep the smile from her face. ”I will win whether you allow it or not, Hugh Mayford.”

“Is that a yes?” he demanded, his hands moving ever so slowly to the strings of her cloak.

“That is a most definite yes,” she gasped as he removed the garment and began to nibble wickedly on her neck.

“Finally,” he growled as his mouth moved lower still. ”We agree on something.”

I
T TOOK ALL OF
Louisa’s apologies and all of Hugh’s charm to finally get their mothers to forgive them for missing the majority of the Frost Ball which had doubled as a wedding reception for Lucas and Meredith.