Ambersley (Lords of London) (52 page)

“
Trust was never the issue. Rosalie had me convinced I wasn’t my father’s son. How could I let you love me, knowing I was nothing but a bastard, a usurper?”

“
I loved you knowing all that. I wed you knowing all that. Lady Vaughan told me the night she found us at Ambersley. She hoped by defaming you, she could coerce me into marrying Curtis.”

This made no sense to him. “You married me even though I was on the verge of losing the title, Ambersley, everything? It defies reason—you could have wed Worthing.”

She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. “I should never have listened to you when you lectured me about love, for you don’t understand it at all.” She placed her hands on either side of his face and gazed into his eyes, hoping somehow to get through his very thick head. “I didn’t want to wed Worthing. I married you—the one man I love, admire and respect—and who or what your parents were has nothing to do with it.”

Derek held her gaze while he slowly absorbed her words. Just as he’d always dreamed and yet dared not hope, here was a woman willing to love him for the man he was, not the title he bore nor the lands he owned. Yet, if all that were true— “Then why weren’t you happy about marrying me?”

“
Because
you
weren’t happy about marrying
me
.”

He straightened. “I wasn’t happy that you were
forced
to marry me. I wanted it to be your choice. There’s a difference.”

She allowed herself a tiny smile. “You wanted to marry me? Why?” Her lips parted as she waited for his answer.

Derek’s heart thundered in his throat. Did he finally dare claim this woman’s love? “I couldn’t bear to see you wed another.”

“
And why is that?”

“
Without you, my life is empty.”

“
Is that why you followed me when you believed I’d left you?”

“
Not the only reason,” he admitted.

She expelled the breath she’d held. “Tell me now,” she coaxed with an encouraging smile. “It’s much easier said than you think.”

“
I love you.” Derek shared the three words he’d held in his heart too long.

“
And I love you, Derek.” Johanna leaned up and kissed him.

Only her wounded arm prevented him from clutching her tightly against him as their mouths melded. Speaking words of love gave him a joy he’d never before known.

She reveled as his firm lips caressed away all her doubts, as his fingers framed her face with their delicate touch. The stubble on his chin scratched against her skin as their kiss deepened, but she welcomed the rough awareness of him.

With a ragged breath, Derek tore himself away from her mouth to gaze into her aqua eyes. “You must rest now. You might have died.”

“
And yet, I’ve never felt more alive,” she said.

A rapping at the door interrupted them.

“
One moment.” He settled Johanna back against the pillows and covered her with the blankets. Opening the door, he found Cushing, hat in hand.

“
Pardon the interruption, Master. Is Lady Johanna…” He seemed unable to complete the sentence.

“
She’s going to recover, Cushing.” Derek opened the door wider to allow the older man a view of her.

Cushing beamed a smile of relief before clearing his throat. “Lord Curtis and Lord Worthing have taken Lady Vaughan to board her ship.”

“
Worthing?” Johanna interrupted. “You brought Worthing and Curtis on a hunt for your wayward wife?”

Derek ducked his head. “And Olivia. Is that bad?”

Her eyes twinkled with happiness and approval. “No, I think that’s very good.”

Emotions he couldn’t even name swelled Derek’s chest. He turned back to Cushing. “Please inform Curtis and Olivia we’ll be staying here until tomorrow. And invite Worthing, if he’s at liberty to remain as our guest. I want to assess Johanna’s and Mr. Barlow’s injuries before we return to London. Book rooms for all of us with the innkeeper, and see what you can do to stem any stories he might tell his friends about this morning’s events.”

“
Aye, Master,” Cushing said with a smile. “I can do all that.” With a nod to his mistress, he went to his tasks.

Derek returned to sit on the bed and gather Johanna against him once more, content to hold her until she fell asleep. “For one so young, how do you know so much about love?” he asked, his head resting against her hair.

“
Perhaps I was born with the knowledge. I’ve loved you so long, I cannot imagine my life without you.”

He cuddled her close. “I almost lost you.”

“
I won’t leave you again,” she whispered. He heard her tears.

“
God help you if you do, for I’ll come after you.” He leaned back to look at her. “My love is a selfish, all-consuming thing. I’ll need you to help teach me to temper it.”

Her eyes glowed with happiness. “That could take a lifetime, my lord.”

“
I count on it.” He lowered his lips to hers.

Epilogue

Ambersley, Christmas 1815

Johanna had always loved Christmastime at Ambersley, but this year her joy was replete. She’d driven with Derek from house to house to distribute the Christmas geese. She’d stood beside Paget and doled out the rum punch to the tenants during their annual gathering at the stables. They had toasted good will toward men, and sung the carols that defined the season.

The Hall was filled with family. Curtis and Olivia had remained in Harley Street until Derek convinced them to come to Ambersley in early November. The days grew shorter and colder, and a fortnight before Christmas, Aunt Bess arrived with Harry and Mr. Minton. Johanna kissed the dapper gentleman on his pate, and congratulated him on his upcoming nuptials. Aunt Bess had decided on a spring wedding, but even without the formality, Johanna announced her intention of referring to Mr. Minton as Uncle Nigel. He blushed and demurred, but she noticed he had no trouble learning to respond to his new name.

Harry and Derek met with a firm handclasp. Harry cast an appraising eye over Derek and Johanna. “You two appear to have settled things. I’ve never seen you look happier.”

Derek nodded his satisfaction. “Marriage is an admirable institution. You should try it.”

“
Not me. You went through hell to find this happiness. I have yet to find the woman who would make that journey worthwhile.” Harry turned as Johanna greeted him with a sisterly hug.

“
What about me? What about the hell I went through for him?” she asked with a smile. “You men always believe you fight all the battles. You never consider that a woman meets you halfway.”

“
True, Johanna. And where am I to find a woman who will face adversity with no complaint? You have few equals, I assure you. I should have taken my mother’s advice and married you myself,” he quipped.

Johanna grew serious at once. “Harry, you know that if it weren’t for Derek, I would have snapped you up in a trice. I would have been a fool not to.”

“
You would have been a fool if you had. You’re very fond of me, but you could never love me as you love Derek.” With that, he moved on to kiss Olivia’s hand and make her laugh with his droll comments about winter in Bath.

Christmas morning, Derek awoke Johanna with a kiss. Happily, there were no more discussions about where she should sleep.

Johanna opened sleepy eyes, and a smile curled her lips. “Good morning.”

“
Merry Christmas, sweet.” Derek placed a jeweler’s box on her breasts.

Johanna sat up and broke into the box with the glee of a child. This was the first year she’d received a present from him. A gold necklace with a large opal flanked by two diamonds lay nestled in white satin. The opal held a fire that dazzled with blue and green flames and brilliant flashes of silver.

“
The stone reminded me of your eyes,” Derek said. He helped her attach the clasp, and she hopped from the bed to peruse the necklace in the looking glass. Derek smiled as he watched the sway of her hips, her buttocks ripe and inviting as she stood with her back to him. He enjoyed her reflection in the mirror as well. He took little notice of the necklace.

Johanna returned to the bed, ignoring her nudity or how it affected him. “It’s beautiful, Derek, thank you. I’m embarrassed to say I have nothing to give to you.”

“
Nothing?” He tried not to let his disappointment show. After all, it was their first Christmas as man and wife.

“
Nothing you can open today. I’ve placed an order for something, but I don’t expect it to arrive for almost six more months.”

Derek smiled. “Can you at least tell me what it is?”

She hesitated, suddenly shy. “A baby.”

Derek had thought his happiness was complete with Johanna, but this news taught him how much more he had to learn about love.

“
Come here.” His command was a caress.

She flew to him, and tangled in his arms. “I’ve wanted to tell you for days, but I wanted to surprise you, too. Can you forgive me?”

“
I’ll think of some way for you to make it up to me.” He trailed kisses down her throat.

“
Derek, will it matter to you if it’s a boy or a girl?”

He lifted his head to gaze solemnly at his wife. “Not in the least,” he assured her.

Johanna smiled. “I’m glad. I think I’d prefer a boy, for he would inherit Ambersley, and I can picture his entire life. But, if it’s a girl, there are so many unknowns. Do you suppose it’s asking too much if I wish for her to find happiness?”

Derek chuckled. “If she finds happiness the same way her mother has, I shall have to keep a very close eye on her until she is safely wed.”

Johanna opened her mouth to say more on the subject, but Derek silenced her with a mesmerizing kiss.

The End

About the Author

2008 RWA Golden Heart Award finalist and 2011 RWA Service Award recipient Amy Atwell has enjoyed many careers that enriched her life—horse trainer, Shakespearean actress, children's theater director, rock singer, designer of custom closets and wine cellars, caretaker of an island ghost town—but writing fiction has proven to be the greatest adventure of all. She pursued her dream of publication for ten years and earned many awards for her unpublished manuscripts before selling her first book. Amy now writes full-time and runs an active online community for goal-oriented writers. When not traveling, Amy lives on a barrier island in northeast Florida with her husband and two highly imaginative Russian Blue cats.

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Excerpt from Lying Eyes, published November 2010 by Carina Press

Copyright ©2010 by Amy Atwell

Permission to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A.

Chapter 1

No doubt about it—Cosmo Fortune was a royal pain in the ass.

Mickey stepped back into the anonymity of the stage’s curtained shadows, aware that alerting the wily old coot to his presence would be a mistake. Instead, he rifled his jacket pocket for the familiar shape of the pain reliever bottle. Withdrawing two oval tablets, he popped them in his mouth and swallowed without water. With luck, they’d cut off the headache before it turned horrific.

Stress seemed to induce the blinding pain, and today had been nothing
but
stressful. Cosmo had failed to deliver the goods. Worse, that two-bit magician had lied to him, and Mickey was damned if he’d cover Cosmo’s ass anymore in this mess. The old guy was a bad liability, and Mickey wasn’t buying any more of his stories. He needed answers—and he needed them tonight—or someone was going to get hurt.