The Incorrigible Mr. Lumley (33 page)

“Nerves bothering you already?” Pierce
asked.

“No, why?”

“You’ve been chalking your cue for three
minutes straight.”

David looked at his hands and tossed aside
the chalk. “I was waiting for you.”

“I had my turn already, but if you prefer I
shoot again I’ll be happy to oblige you.”

Glaring at Sam and Trey, who snickered from
the table where they played cards, David walked around the table to
line up his shot.

Knightwick leaned against the wall laughing
at their antics. “What about you, Pierce? Any plans to fill your
nursery soon?”

Pierce snorted after taking his shot. “I
don’t know that I’ll ever have a nursery. I’ve no need for one. Any
money I haven’t spent before dying can go to my cousin. He has a
wife and a little girl, he can use the funds.”

“Be careful,” David warned. “As I recall, I
was protesting the idea, myself, not long ago.”

“Yes, but you were foolish enough to fall in
love. I have no plans of ever doing that.”

Trey looked up from his cards. “How do you
stop yourself from falling in love? I believe I fell three times
during the Season.”

“Guard your heart, my boy,” Pierce said.
“Find a light-skirt to distract you, or avoid London altogether in
the spring.”

Chuckling, Knightwick ruffled Trey’s hair.
“Do no such thing. I do recommend not acting on your feelings, but
you’ve a kind heart and will find love returned before you know
it.”

As was his wont, David hid in the stables
when the carriages began arriving. As much as he longed to see
Joanna, he’d prefer to greet her in private. Once she and her
family were settled, he sent word for her to meet him in the
garden. There, they could speak their hearts without interference,
but still be within sight of worrisome mamas.

Standing in the shade of a wisteria arbor,
he watched her walk the path. Her bonnet hid her eyes, but her
cheeks turned rosy when she drew close enough to meet his gaze.
David held out a hand to her, pulling her into the shade. “I’ve
missed you.”

“And I you. We’ve been apart now as long as
we were together. Well, as long as I knew you before we became
engaged.”

“It won’t happen again. If I could have
stayed with you in Bath, I would have.”

Joanna’s grin couldn’t be wider as she gazed
up at him. “I had a sad thought as we traveled here. Never again
will Triton and Patriot compete against one another for a purse.
They will both be considered your horses.”

“This troubles you? We will never know which
is the better runner, will we?” He ran his fingertips down the bare
skin below her sleeve, watching the gooseflesh that followed in its
wake. “I could always challenge you on the lane at Fernleigh.”

Her lips parted. “What would we race
for?”

David leaned still closer. “I’m certain—” He
kissed her briefly. “We could—” And pressed his lips to hers again.
“Find some stakes—” And once more. “Worth our while.”

She rose to meet his kiss, and he let her
experiment with her lips, heat building in his blood. She tasted of
mint, and he craved more of it. When her lips parted, his tongue
dipped between them.

Suddenly remembering they were likely being
watched, he gripped her shoulders and set her back. “Tomorrow
evening you may continue that.”

An attractive flush stole over her neck and
up her face. David made himself a promise to learn just how low
that warmth spread. But for now, he’d better get her to the safety
of her family. “Let us go inside before I lose my resolve.”

Waiting at the altar had to be some form of
penance for the dreams David had the night before his wedding. The
small village church was much too warm, and the number of fans
waving in the pews told him it wasn’t nerves making him so hot. He
resisted the urge to tug at his cravat, knowing all eyes were on
him to learn how nervous he was, or to determine if he’d walked
into this mousetrap willingly or not.

If possible, Mother gleamed even brighter
than she had at Stephen’s wedding. It was natural, he suspected,
given Stephen was her nephew, but Mother had never applied labels
to her love. One received all of it or none, and there was always
enough to share with new family members.

Father showed the effects of the heat, but
pride still brimmed in his eyes. For some reason, that emotion
tugged at David harder than his mother’s love. He looked away to
Lady Northcotte. She was a fragile sort, petite and pale, but she
sat tall, a wistful expression on her face. Her sister-in-law, Lady
Ophelia—now styled as Lady Johnston in honor of her marriage—sat
beside her, and that lady nodded when he met her gaze. Sir Jasper
looked as if he’d be happier when they returned to the manor.

Just when David began to wonder if Joanna
had changed her mind, she and Northcotte stepped through the door.
A gasp rang out in the church, echoing the stammer in his heart.
Her beauty was stunning. Her ivory dress was trimmed in mauve
ribbons and tiny silk rosebuds, which matched the posy in her hand.
A few of the silk rosebuds were tucked into the curls atop her
head. The color of the flowers made him laugh in memory.
I look
horrid in pink. I believe I could tolerate mauve.
He made a
note to ask if she’d chosen that color purposefully.

The future held the promise of laughter, and
the shared pleasure of watching their horses run. He couldn’t ask
for more, or for a more beautiful woman to stand beside him. From
this day forward, he would no longer look back on where they began,
or how they finally came to be in love. Perhaps all of that had
been necessary for him to feel as strongly as he did about
Joanna.

The exchange of vows passed in a blur, as
did much of the wedding breakfast. David couldn’t take his eyes off
his bride. His wife. The woman he would cherish all of his
days.

As they rode away from his parents’ home in
their carriage, Joanna tipped her head to one side and studied him.
“You have had the silliest grin on your face all day.”

“Have I? I must make amends. Is this
better?” He puckered his features in a horrid frown.

She burst out laughing. “Not at all. I hope
I never give you cause to repeat that look.”

Planting a kiss on the end of her nose, he
said, “I can’t imagine ever being cross with you.”

“I will remind you of that when we are old
and you spend your days complaining that I have spent too much at
the modiste or rode astride while pregnant.”

“You will never ride astride while pregnant,
my dear. I won’t allow you to sit on anything higher than a chair,
and even then I might have to place pillows around you to calm my
fears.”

She was surprised to be warmed by his words,
rather than angered he might treat her like fine porcelain. “I
would go mad. You don’t treat your mares that way. I will not break
easily.”

He wrapped his arms around her, nearly
crushing her to his chest, before relaxing his hold and stroking
her back. “I have come too close to finding out how easily you can
be broken. I won’t let it happen again.”

His heartbeat pounded in her ear, the sound
most comforting. “For all you have shared with me, I am grateful
most for your love.”

Lifting her head, she found his lips with
hers and poured all her emotions into her kiss. She was his to
treasure now, and he was hers. For the rest of their lives.

The Bridgethorpe Brides
Series

If you enjoyed David and Joanna’s tale, look
for the other stories in the Bridgethorpe Brides series. In
His
Impassioned Proposal
, we met Stephen and Jane, who got married
in this book. And watch for
Lady Hannah’s Impetuous Rogue
,
coming Winter 2014! Any guesses who Hannah’s rogue might be?

His Impassioned Proposal

The wounded hero comes home.

Six years she has waited for the man she
hopes to marry to return from war and propose to her. When he
finally does, he is so far in his cups as to not remember the event
the next morning! Miss Jane Marwick can't decide if she has wasted
her heart on the wrong man or if he just needs some time to recover
from too many life-changing events.

Stephen Lumley isn't sure he's capable of
being a good husband to any woman, but he only has a few months to
convince himself and Jane he is worthy of her love, or she'll be
off to London to find a man who is. He's not certain what his
future will bring, only that he needs Jane in it.

The Incorrigible Mr. Lumley

Stubborn. Hard-headed. Single-minded.
The qualities that make David Lumley a successful horse breeder are
put to work befriending Lady Joanna Hurst with less than noble
intentions. He’s tenacious in his pursuit of the answers he
seeks.

Lady Joanna falls fast and hard for the
handsome, witty and charming Mr. Lumley after her brother’s
ultimatum to find a husband by the end of the Season. He is
everything she imagined a husband could be, and more. Blissfully
unaware of the conflict between their fathers, she believes he’ll
declare his love soon. Then she overhears a conversation between
Mr. Lumley and her brother, and all of Mr. Lumley’s tenacity will
be needed if he’s to win back her heart.

About the Author

Aileen Fish is a multi-published author
under several pen names, with stories ranging from historical to
paranormal, and heat levels from sweet to scorching. She is also an
avid quilter and auto racing fan who finds there aren't enough
hours in a day/week/lifetime to stay up with her "to do" list.
There is always another quilt or story begging to steal away
attention from the others. When she has a spare moment she enjoys
spending time with her two daughters and their families.

Stay up to date with book releases at her
website
http://aileenfish.com
or on
Facebook

Do you like your romance steamier? Check out
http://arithatcher.com
!

Other Books by Aileen
Fish

Excerpts and other format buy links are
available at
http://aileenfish.com/books.html

Immortal Temptress

May you be in heaven half an hour before the
devil knows you're dead.

Enya's job is to escort the dying on their
final journey, to make sure their souls get to heaven before a
demon can steal their bodies. For centuries she has done this
without emotion, until the body in question belongs to Kane
Sullivan. Not only does she desire his rock-hard body, she can't
bear the thought of him dying. But she's not supposed to become
emotionally involved in a death.

Kane's sudden run of near-fatal accidents
always happen when Enya is present. She might be hot, but he's not
willing to die to get to know her. Then he discovers she's fighting
for his soul. That damned immortal temptress might be the death of
him.