The Lady and the Earl (Seabrook Family Saga) (22 page)
Read The Lady and the Earl (Seabrook Family Saga) Online
Authors: Christine Donovan
William sat at Amelia’s bedside the whole night praying she awoke. Fear
of nightmares kept him awake. Visions of Trenton, holding Amelia’s head beneath
the water, would forever haunt him. Rescuing her lifeless body from Trenton’s
deathly clutches would forever be imbedded in his mind. He would never let her
out of his sight again as long as they lived.
For twelve years William lived with the pain of Geoffrey’s and
Katherine’s death.
For twelve years he didn’t care whether he lived or died.
For twelve years he never believed he would have a second chance at
love and happiness.
He had the chance now and he would never take it for granted. He would
shower Amelia with all the love he had in his heart. His heart ached as he
watched Amelia sleep, wondering if she would ever remember him. If she never
remembered their pervious time together, never remembered the love she once had
for him, would they survive? He believed they would because his love for her
would encircle both of them and sustain them forever.
***
“What happened?” Once again Amelia struggled with useless arms to push
herself up in bed. Multiple hands fluffed up her pillows and assisted her in
sitting up. Her eyes focused on all the somber faces staring back at her. Had
she not experienced this similar situation not too long ago?
Only this time her husband, worry in his eyes, stood in the room. Her
memory had returned to her during her struggle in the water with Trenton. She
never thought she would have the chance to tell William she remembered him and
loved him.
Now she had that chance.
“Amelia.” William pulled a chair close to her bed and grabbed her hand.
The warmth from his large hand traveled up her arm. “What do you remember?” His
deep voice wrapped her in a blanket of soothing comfort.
“Everything,” she said softly.
“Tell us about the time down at the stream,” her brother Wentworth
urged.
“I took a stroll down to the stream while William worked on estate
accounts and Olivia napped.” Her body convulsed. “I met Sir Phillip Trenton
there. He said he had to kill me because you did not deserve
happiness—something about you stealing Katherine from him. He wanted you to
hang for killing me. He said Wentworth would see to it.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn’t bother wiping them away. She
wanted to believe her tears were cleansing her, ridding her of the terrible
memories with Trenton.
“What about the day on the River Thames?” William asked with pain in
his eyes.
“I remember we were all in a boat for the opening of Waterloo Bridge. I
fell in the water.”
William squeezed her hand. “Yes. That is correct. What else?”
“I struggled with Sir Phillip. He said he had to finish what he
started. I remember the pull and warmth of a bright light. I think I died. How
am I alive?”
“Would you mind giving us some privacy?” William said to her family.
Everyone scattered from the room. The weight of her husband sitting in bed next
to her dented the mattress. His strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled
her close. “I need to hold you. Feel for myself you are alive and well.”
“How was I saved?” Amelia whispered.
“Wentworth, Sebastian, and I searched for you in the water. After what
seemed like hours they hauled me aboard so we could regain our strength and go
back in. We did. Once all the other people were out of the water we could see
clearly. What I saw froze my blood and had me in such a rage I found the
strength I needed. The three of us swam as fast and hard as we could to reach
you. Trenton saw us. That was when he pushed your head underwater.”
Amelia watched the eyes of her beloved husband fill with tears as he
hesitated.
“I reached you first. You were unconscious, barely breathing. Your
heartbeat weak, but you were alive. Trenton is in Newgate awaiting a hanging.
He confessed to the crimes of killing Geoffrey and Katherine and attempting to
murder you. He also admitted to orchestrating the carriage accident that killed
his parents.”
“How horrible,” Amelia said, snuggling down to rest her head on her
husband’s chest. “At least it is over.”
“I have never been so terrified in all my life. I thought I’d lost you
this time,” William said as he kissed the top of her head.
“When my memory returned I thought I would never get the chance to tell
you how much I love you.”
Tilting her head up, she stared into the most beautiful pale blues eyes
God ever made and said, “I love you, William.”
“I love you.” William brushed her lips with his. “Thank you for loving
me. I promise you, from now on our life will be boring and tedious. Just you,
me, and our daughter living in the country, idling the time away with walks,
picnics, and visits from family. And—God willing––we’ll be blessed with more
children to love.”
Amelia kissed her husband. Tears clogged her throat and it was
impossible to speak. He deepened the kiss by sweeping his tongue inside her
mouth. She moaned and joined her tongue with his, tasting his love. How she’d
missed this.
Breathless and dizzy, she pulled away and rested her head against his heart.
The steady beat soothed her, reminded her of how, when they made love, their
hearts beat as one.
Seconds, minutes, hours, or even days could have gone by as everything
seemed to slow. All that mattered were her husband’s arms holding her safe. She
never, ever wanted to leave. “William?”
“Yes, my love.”
“Do you think…That is, I wondered…?” Amelia stroked her husband’s chest
and felt his body pulsate beneath her palm.
“Say no more,” he answered, pulling her down on the bed and covering
her body with his. His hands caressed her. “Say no more. It feels as though I
have waited a lifetime for this.”
“Just think,” she murmured as she placed feather-light kisses down his
neck. “We have a lifetime ahead of us to do just this.”
“Indeed. And if you’ll be quiet and kiss me we can start.”
Female giggles echoed around the room, followed by a long, deep sigh.
ONE MONTH LATER
“I’m nervous,” Amelia said to William as they waited in the drawing
room for their guests.
“Don’t be,” William reassured her. “Lady Dartmouth stated in her letter
that she can’t wait to meet her granddaughter.”
“Yes, that is what she wrote, but does she really mean it?” Amelia
didn’t know why she was so worried about what Daniel’s mother thought. All that
mattered was Olivia.
She had no more time to worry as the butler’s prim voice announced
their guests.
Daniel’s mother had not traveled alone. Both her sons and her daughter
accompanied her.
“Lord and Lady Bridgeton, thank you for inviting us today,” the Dowager
Marchioness of Dartmouth greeted her warmly.
“Please sit down, and make yourselves comfortable after your long
travels,” William said as a servant brought in the tea tray.
“Thank you,” Lady Dartmouth replied.
“I also want to thank you, Lord and Lady Bridgeton,” the Marquess of Dartmouth,
Daniel’s older brother said. “You have no idea how happy our family is to hear
the news of Daniel’s daughter. We feel blessed you decided to share the news
with us. And never fear your secret is safe.”
“Thank you. Bridgeton and I only want to do what is right for Olivia.
And that is for her to know Daniel’s family,” Amelia said as the door opened.
The nurse had arrived carrying Olivia.
“Oh, dear,” Lady Dartmouth said as her eyes filled with tears. “She is
lovely. She takes after you, Lady Bridgeton, but she also has my son’s eyes.”
“Yes, she does.” Amelia could not keep her voice from trembling. “I
remember Daniel every time I look into them.”
William reached over and squeezed her hand in silent support. It always
amazed her that William felt no jealousy over her continued loving memory of
Daniel. Her husband was truly a wonderful man.
And he proved it again later that evening, after Daniel’s family had
retired to their rooms and she found herself crying. Not a word was spoken
between them. No need of them. William wrapped his loving and safe arms around
her and held her tight. Because of her husband’s love and support, Amelia knew
she could face any challenges their future brought. With William’s love, she
would never feel alone again.
THE END
Christine Donovan lives on the Southeast Coast of Massachusetts with
her husband, four sons and four cats. When she is not writing or reading, she
is either painting or gardening. Visit her at
www.christinedonovanorg.weebly.com
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Previous works
by Christine
Donovan
THE RELUCTANT DUKE
A Seabrook Family Saga Book I
Available now
Thomas Seabrook, the penniless Duke of Wentworth, walks into White’s
for night cap. He leaves no longer in need of coin. In fact, he has become a
wealthy man and owner of Hamilton Whaling Industries of New Bedford,
Massachusetts and guardian of a seventeen-year-old girl. Thomas travels to
Boston intent of bring his ward back and marrying her off to the first eligible
gentleman who requests her hand. Except the first gentleman to ask for her, is
his own brother Sebastian. Thomas refuses, because bloody hell, he wants her
for himself.
Emma Hamilton
is not happy with her new situation. Her papa brought her up to be independent
and assertive. How dare this stranger, this moody noble, dictate what she can
do and not do? When she finds herself thrown into a London season, being
introduced from one gentleman to another, looking for a husband, she realizes
only the duke will do. How can she break through the duke’s hard exterior and
find the loving, caring gentleman she knows he hides from everyone.
THE LADY MUST CHOOSE
By Christine Donovan
Book Three in the Seabrook Family Saga
England 1817
The sound of water lapping the side of the boat, along with the
constant swaying, had Lady Isabella Seabrook wishing she could forget the
events of the day. But really, how could she, when she sat on the floor of the
Marquess of Newbury’s boat in soaking wet clothing. She was not the only other
person the boat owner saved from the filthy Thames. Her river-companion sat
close beside her.
“Mr. Spencer, kindly remove your arms from around my waist,” Bella
forced through chattering teeth.
“Forgive me. I didn’t want to let you go. Afraid I would lose you,” Mr.
Spencer said through his teeth, which chattered along with hers. Mr. Spencer
was cousin to the Earl of Bridgeton, whom Bella’s sister, Amelia, recently
married.
“I am not
yours
to lose.”
“I gentleman
can dream, can he not?”
Coming Soon
BLACKJACK
By Christine Donovan
The first book in a new Contemporary Series
Groping the wall blindly, hoping to steady his rubbery legs, Cole
Jackson swore as he realized he was totally wasted. The hotel hallway seemed to
sway violently like a ship caught in a serious gale.
“Shit,” he yelled as he collapsed to one knee then slowly raised
himself up and continued shuffling toward the room he shared with his wife,
Lindsey.
From a distant haze, voices pummeled through the buzz surrounding his
brain. Faces blurred, and flashed in and out and around the black spots
plaguing his eyesight.
One person asked, “How’d the show go tonight, Mr. Jackson?”
“Great, just great,” Cole thought he replied. The words formed in his
brain, he just
wasn’t sure they managed to leave his mouth.
Another man remarked, “Do you need any assistance?”
“Hell no,” Cole muttered aloud this time as he tripped along mumbling
to himself. Why did everyone assume he needed assistance just because he had a
damn good buzz on? It was his life, wasn’t it? And if he chose to
blur it with alcohol it was his business and nobody else’s.
Cole slid the stupid plastic key card in the door for the third time. “Damn,
damn, damn,” he pounded the door with his fist. “I need sleep. All I want to do
is crawl into bed. Come on, fourth time’s the charm.”
As he turned the knob, he prayed Lindsey slept
alone.
He’d
stayed away as long as he could without passing out in the hotel bar.
Not
like he’d never done that before
.
“What the hell,” he swore as he shoved the door open banging it into
something. Once inside and the door shut, he looked down, blinked several
times, forcing his eyes to focus, and saw Lindsey lying on the floor. A deep
red stain encompassed her chest and a potent metallic smell floored his senses.
Cole swayed and tried to steady himself as the blackness began to descend,
swallowing him up
.
The last thing he remembered, as he collapsed
next to Lindsey, was his hand landing in something warm, wet and sticky.
