by Erica Ridley
He straightened his shoulders. “So, in response to my earlier question…”
“Here is the answer.” She pressed his hands to her lips for a kiss, then dropped to one knee. “Mr. Christopher Pringle.”
His eyes sparkled. “It’s actually ‘the Right Honorable’ but I wouldn’t dare interrupt.”
She smacked his leg. “Ahem. The following question goes out to the Right Honorable and Insufferably Pedantic Mr. Christopher Pringle, explorer of the world.”
“You know, I think that is my full name.” His warm gaze was full of love.
Her heart sang. “Would you make me the happiest of women and be my husband, now and forever?”
He pulled her up and into his arms for a kiss. “I love you, soon-to-be Mrs. Pringle.”
“I love you, newest resident of our humble village.” She peered up at him through her lashes. “Did you ever think you’d fall for the matchmaker?”
“I fell for you before I knew you were the matchmaker,” he admitted.
“W-what?” She gaped at him in surprise.
He nodded. “When I saw you giving that sky-walk, I thought you were the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Add that to your obvious interest in stars, your sweetness in providing such tours, the respect that everyone else clearly had for you… How could it be anything but love at first sight?”
Her mind emptied of thought. “But I… You…”
“To be clear,” he continued. “That was before I got close enough to hear the twaddle spouting from your kissable lips. Face full of cold water, that was. You ruined my favorite hobby and the moment, all in one go.”
She burst out laughing. “Short-lived, but I’ll take it. Five minutes of love at first sight is better than none at all.”
He wiggled his eyebrows. “Want to try something that lasts longer than five minutes?”
She wrapped her arms about his neck. “What exactly do you have in mind?”
He carried her into the bedchamber and showed her.
Chapter 18
The following year
“You’re back!” Nigel shouted with delight. He ran up to Gloria and threw his arms about her waist in a fierce hug. “Where did you go?”
Annie cuffed the side of his woolen cap. “London, you ninny. Down there, the Season only comes once a year.”
Gloria grinned at them both. “Thank you for leading the sky-walk in my absence, Annie. I heard you were wonderful.”
“I could lead the sky-walk in my sleep,” Annie pinched Nigel’s cheek. “This lad probably could, too.”
“Then I have a treat.” Gloria smiled over her shoulder at her husband. “We’re going to have a different sky-walk today.”
Nigel’s eyes widened. “Different how?”
“One trip,” she explained. “A single, leisurely stroll.”
“But what about the wishes?” he stammered, his blue eyes full of panic.
“We don’t have to wait for wishes anymore,” she assured him. “I’ll point out the true names—”
“—and I’ll say the opposite,” Christopher finished, joining his arm with hers. “We can have both ways at the same time.”
Annie smirked in his direction. “I can’t wait to hear Mr. Pringle try to use his imagination.”
Gloria squeezed Christopher’s arm and murmured into his ear, “One might be surprised how imaginative you can be.”
Annie skipped along beside them as they headed toward the newest crop of tourists awaiting a tour of the heavens.
“Was London as wonderful as they say?” she asked.
“Wonderfuller,” Gloria promised and sent a tender glance toward her husband.
She had been so nervous. First to leave home, and then to return to the place that had brought her nothing but heartache. She had been terrified of what might go wrong.
London was glorious. With Christopher, every day was full of surprises and every night full of love. The weeks became a blur of ballrooms and pleasure gardens and moonlit strolls. No wonder his friends never missed a Season. She would be thrilled to have one again every year.
To make it a tradition.
“Sei pronta?” he asked.
Are you ready?
She grinned. They had been working on her Italian in case she worked up the courage to one day get on a boat. “Con te, sono pronta a tutto.”
With you I am ready for anything.
Nigel pointed up at the sky. “Look, there’s Leo!”
Annie sent a skeptical gaze toward Christopher. “What do you see?”
“A pair of hands scandalously interlaced.” He linked his fingers with Gloria’s and lifted them for Annie to see. “Like this.”
She covered her eyes with one mitten. “The scandal… it scalds.”
Nigel tugged at Gloria’s pelisse. “Make a wish! Quick!”
She made a show of closing her eyes tight and scrunching her face hard in concentration.
When she opened her eyes, Nigel asked, “What did you wish for?”
“To visit the stars,” she answered automatically.
“Mrs. Pringle might actually do it,” Annie told Nigel with pride, then raced him toward the tour group.
Christopher lowered his mouth to her ear. “What did you really wish for?”
She let her mouth curve into a wicked grin. “Adventure.”
Epilogue
Two years later
Christopher gripped the rail of the ship with one hand and held his wife close to his chest with the other. The warm sun and salty breeze buffeted them.
He lowered his mouth to nuzzle Gloria’s hair. “What do you think?”
The wind whipped wild black tendrils about her face as she grinned up at him. “You were right, as always. New places are exhilarating.”
She was the one who never failed to surprise him.
Once the war ended, he’d hoped she would reconsider her stance on traveling to the Continent. Only the promise of Italy had been strong enough to eventually tempt her onto her first boat.
From the moment she arrived ashore, the joy of travel had taken hold. They’d managed to tour most of the western countries between frequent trips back home.
“What did you like best this time?” he asked. “Sicily or Sardinia?”
“Actually using my trunk,” she said and nestled into his chest. “The places we go don’t matter as long as I’m there with you.”
Christopher felt exactly the same way. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Are you ready to go back home and make a new batch of pudding? I promise to try very hard not to measure things.”
She shook her head. “I’m not sure we have time. I was hoping to shop for new spices.”
He gave her a curious look. “Easily solved. There are plenty of spice shops in England.”
She pulled out of his grasp and bit her lip as she opened her reticule. “Not these spice shops.”
Christopher’s heart leaped. He shoved the tickets back to safety before the wind could carry them off the deck.
“India?” He stared at his wife in joy and disbelief. “Together?”
She blinked up at him innocently. “Unless you want me to go by myself.”
“You’re stuck with me,” he growled and swung her into his arms. “Forever and always.”
She squealed in delight and smacked his chest. “People are watching!”
“Let them watch this,” he said without a care, and covered her mouth with his.
* * *
THE END
Miss Virginia Underwood can’t resist adopting strays. Her latest find turns out to be a surly, reclusive war hero recovering from his wounds in anonymity. He doesn’t want her help. But he might accept something else…
Join the fun in Never Say Duke, the next romance in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series!
* * *
Get Yours: Grab Never Say Duke here!
Don’t forget your free book!
Sign up at http://ridley.vip for members-only ex
clusives, including advance notice of pre-orders, as well as contests, giveaways, freebies, and 99¢ deals!
Thank You For Reading
Love talking books with fellow readers?
* * *
Join the Historical Romance Book Club for prizes, books, and live chats with your favorite romance authors:
Facebook.com/groups/HistRomBookClub
* * *
Check out the 12 Dukes of Christmas facebook group for giveaways and exclusive content:
Facebook.com/groups/DukesOfChristmas
* * *
Join the Rogues to Riches facebook group for insider info and first looks at future books in the series:
Facebook.com/groups/RoguesToRiches
* * *
Check out the Dukes of War facebook group for giveaways and exclusive content:
Facebook.com/groups/DukesOfWar
* * *
And check out the official website for sneak peeks and more:
www.EricaRidley.com/books
* * *
In order, the 12 Dukes of Christmas:
Once Upon a Duke
Kiss of a Duke
Wish Upon a Duke
Never Say Duke
* * *
In order, the Rogues to Riches books are:
Lord of Chance
Lord of Pleasure
Lord of Night
Lord of Temptation
Lord of Secrets
Lord of Vice
* * *
In order, the Dukes of War books are:
The Viscount’s Christmas Temptation (FREE!)
The Earl’s Defiant Wallflower
The Captain’s Bluestocking Mistress
The Major’s Faux Fiancée
The Brigadier’s Runaway Bride
The Pirate's Tempting Stowaway
The Duke's Accidental Wife
* * *
Want to be the first to know about new releases?
Sign up at http://ridley.vip for members-only exclusives, including advance notice of pre-orders, as well as contests, giveaways, freebies, and 99¢ deals!
You can also follow me on Bookbub.
* * *
Acknowledgments
As always, I could not have written this book without the invaluable support of my critique partners and copy editor. Huge thanks go out to Erica Monroe, Darcy Burke, and Nikki Groom. You are the best!
Lastly, I want to thank the 12 Dukes of Christmas facebook group, my Historical Romance Book Club, and my fabulous street team. Your enthusiasm makes the romance happen.
Thank you so much!
About the Author
Erica Ridley is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of historical romance novels.
In the new Rogues to Riches historical romance series, Cinderella stories aren’t just for princesses… Sigh-worthy Regency rogues sweep strong-willed young ladies into whirlwind rags-to-riches romance with rollicking adventure.
The popular Dukes of War series features roguish peers and dashing war heroes who return from battle only to be thrust into the splendor and madness of Regency England.
When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rainforests in Central America, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.
* * *
Let’s be friends! Find Erica on:
www.EricaRidley.com
Jewels of Historical Romance
The Jewels are my sisters in historical romance: New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors who sparkle!
If you enjoyed my book, download our two deeply discounted boxed sets, so you can meet the rest of the Jewels:
* * *
* * *
Fabulous Firsts: The Red Collection
* * *
Fabulous Firsts: The Blue Collection
Enter our monthly contest at:
JewelsOfHistoricalRomance.com
* * *
Join our Jewels Salon on Facebook
* * *
Follow the Jewels on Twitter