Scandals of Lustful Ladies: A Historical Regency Romance Collection

by Meghan Sloan

  Suddenly, they rounded a bend, and the small lake that lay to the east of the estate, was upon them. It was frozen over, now, looking like a glazed mirror in the moonlight. Without speaking, they headed towards it.

  Hetty took a deep breath. It was so very beautiful. In summer, she knew that it would be teeming with birdlife. Now, in the darkness, it was silent, the birdlife gone to warmer climates. The trees that surrounded it looked like dark skeletons, with not a leaf on any of their branches. It was eerily lovely.

  They sat down, side by side, staring at it. Hetty sighed deeply. While it was beautiful, it was also very cold. She didn’t think they would be out long this evening before the lure of the warm manor drew them back in like moths to a flame.

  Louis fiddled in the bag, and suddenly, he pulled out two pairs of ice skates, holding them aloft, as proudly as a hunter that had just snagged a prize.

  “Louis, no,” she breathed, her eyes widening. “It is too dark to go ice skating!” Her eyes drifted doubtfully towards the lake. “Besides, how do you know that the ice is hard enough to hold our weight? We could end up fighting for life in that frozen water when we fall straight through …”

  He smiled a bit cheekily. “We will not fall through,” he said confidently. “Remember, I know this lake. I have skated upon it since I was young, not much older than Ben is now.” He paused. “And I have waited until the full moon, so we have enough light to guide us. Come on, Hetty. Or are you too scared?”

  The challenge lay between them. She felt her heart beat faster as she gazed doubtfully at the lake. She wasn’t sure at all.

  But then, she looked back at her husband. He wouldn’t put her at any risk. She trusted him, implicitly. And how much fun would it be to glide around the lake on skates underneath the moonlight?

  She took a deep breath. “I am not too scared,” she said, smiling slowly.

  His smile widened. “Come on, then. Let’s get these skates on and do it.”

  ***

  He held her hand as they drifted around the lake. Hetty was hesitant, at first. It had been a long time since she had ice skated, and she still wasn’t entirely convinced that the ice was thick enough to hold their weight.

  But after a while, she relaxed, letting him guide her around and around. It was as if they were slow dancing, the only music the soft sound of an owl hooting in the distance. His hand was cold, but firm, in her own. She knew that if she slipped, he would be there to hold her up.

  After a while, she started to fall into a kind of trance. Their fogged breaths followed them like a trail of smoke. He twirled her around. Once. Twice. She staggered, a little, and he pulled her into his arms, enveloping her in his warmth.

  They stayed like that for the longest time, the moon shedding its brilliance, upon them. He gazed down at her, suddenly solemn, frowning, just a little.

  “Ben has accepted you,” he said, at last. “I told you it was only a matter of time before it happened.” He paused. “You are his mother now, Hetty. You will be the only mother that he will ever know.”

  She blinked back tears. It was the first time that they had spoken of what had happened today. Of that magical moment when the little boy had called her his mother for the very first time.

  She sighed deeply. “I love him as if he were my own,” she said, in a quiet, serious voice. “I love him as if I had carried him within my body and birthed him.” She hesitated. “I cannot understand, for the life of me, how his real mother could have abandoned him. How she could have made that decision, to leave his life forever.”

  “She is not you,” he replied slowly. “She is not half the woman that you are, Hetty. That is how she made that decision.” He paused. “But it does not matter, any longer. He has you, now, and he will never know the lack of a mother, because of the woman that you are.”

  She took a deep breath. “He is a very lucky boy to have you as a father,” she said, struggling now not to cry. “Any child would be lucky to have you as a father …” She shuddered suddenly, feeling the cold starting to permeate into her bones.

  “Hetty, what is it?” he asked, tilting her chin higher with one hand.

  She laughed self-consciously. “I did not wish to tell you yet,” she said in a trembling voice. “It is still early days, and I am not entirely confident …”

  “Tell me what?” His voice sounded alarmed.

  She took a deep breath, staring straight at him. “I think that I am with child,” she said, the breath leaving her body in a rush. “I think that I am having our child, Louis …”

  He picked her up, abruptly, spinning her around, his eyes full of joy. And then, slowly, tenderly, he put her back down.

  “You should have told me before,” he said, alarm in his voice. “I wouldn’t have made you skate like this. It is dangerous. If you fell …”

  She laughed softly. “I know, my dearest. I thought of it myself.” She hesitated. “But I knew that you would not let me fall. It took me a long time to trust you, Louis, but now I do, implicitly. I would trust you with my life. You would never let any harm come to me or any of us. Ben, or the coming child …”

  He swore softly, wrapping his arms around her, protectively. “Let us get onto safe ground.”

  They skated slowly, cautiously, to the edge, where they took off the skates. They didn’t speak again as they walked back to the house. Once inside, in front of the drawing room fire, he turned to her, kneeling at her feet, gazing up at her with such solemnity that her breath caught in her throat.

  “You have made me the happiest man in the world,” he said slowly. “I truly did not think I could be any happier than I have been since I married you. I thought that it was enough, having you and Ben …” He took a deep breath. “But it has shaken me to the core the thought that we have created a child out of our love for each other. It is as if our little family is being cemented by this little one that is on its way …”

  She sighed as he took her in his arms, hugging her so fiercely that for a moment she could not breathe. Laughing, she gently pushed him away.

  “I love you, Hetty,” he said, his eyes moist. “I cannot imagine life without you. I knew that you were the one the moment that I laid eyes upon you. I did not know how I would get you, and it was a long, hard road, but we have made it, in the end.” He smiled ruefully. “Is it too much to say that I thank the Lord daily that Frank Blackmore deserted you?”

  She laughed, a little overcome. “No, it is not too much to say it. Because I feel the same way, my darling.” She smiled. “I would never have imagined it at the time, but yes, I thank the Lord, too, that Frank never loved me, and fled our marriage. Because none of this would have been possible. It led me to you and Ben. There is no other road that I could have taken.”

  They kissed, then, long and lingering, full of love and desire. A desire that she knew would build and soon lead them to leave the drawing room and retire early to their chambers to reach for each other, as always. That insatiable desire that still burnt as bright as a candle, just as fiercely as it had on their wedding night.

  They were a family. And soon, that family would expand again. The years stretched before them, glittering like gold.

  Yes, she was very glad that Frank Blackmore had deserted her. If she could, she would thank him from the bottom of her heart.

  THE END

  Can't get enough of Henrietta and Lous? Then make sure to check out the Extended Epilogue to find out…

  How will life treat Hetty and Louis? Will they manage to extend their lovely family?

  How will the beloved couple react to the unreasonable demand of Ben’s mother? Will she finally take what she wants?

  What is the big event that is going to change Hetty and Louis’ life once and for all?

  Click the link or enter it into your browser

  http://meghansloan.com/henrietta

  (Turn the page to read “Tempted by a Rake’s Smile”, my Amazon Best-Selling novel!)

  Tempted by a Rake’s Sm
ile

  Introduction

  Cassandra is the driving force behind her father's gambling hall and there’s no way she is walking away from it. Much to her father’s dismay, she is not interested in marrying even though plenty of men have strived for her hand. Ambition may rule her life, but everything will change in a single day, when she meets the handsome, yet infamous, Gabriel. The rumours surrounding him may be too scandalous to handle, but the more times their paths cross, the more Cassandra knows she's not going to be able to walk away from him so easily. Not with her heart intact, that is...

  Gabriel has always had whatever he wanted; he gambled, drank and never faced any consequences. But his privileged life will change forever, when he takes things too far forcing his family to disown him for good. His only chance to rise above that disgrace comes when the owner of his favourite gambling hall dies and the place is up for sale. Gabriel wants to be in charge, but to get to the top, he has to distract an enticing rival. But as a man, it’s torment to be so very close to the beauty he’s not allowed to fall for… Can he handle the driven woman, when her kisses are the only thing he can think of?

  Their rivalry leads to red-hot desire and when they think they can resist, that’s when they are the most vulnerable. With their dreams clashing with irresistible passion, can they set aside their differences and realize what’s truly worth fighting for?

  Chapter 1

  “I never thought I’d see you becoming a gardener, Gabe.”

  Gabriel Tattershall looked up from the rose bush he had been attempting to dead-head, and groaned. A beautiful dark-haired woman in a pale green dress was walking across the grass, a dark green shawl wrapped around her shoulders. She did look a pretty picture, but Gabriel only felt his heart sinking.

  What on earth was she doing here? After everything that had happened six months ago, Gabriel had told her that he didn’t want to associate with her any longer. It had only been a temporary fling between them, and he had made that point several times in their three steamy months together. From the way she had been behaving, she had conveniently forgotten about that.

  Gabriel didn’t want to deal with her right now, but Allen had gone on an errand into the village. He would have to deal with her himself.

  Dropping the dead rose into the basket at his feet, Gabriel put his secateurs into his pocket before turning to face her. He was in a state of undress with his coat draped over a nearby chair and his sleeves rolled up, but he wasn’t going to adjust his appearance on what little property he was allowed to own.

  “What are you doing here, Jessica?”

  “I was out for a walk.” Jessica Gibson tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gave him a pretty smile. “I was passing and saw you out here, so I thought I’d say good morning.”

  “Right. You were going for a walk.” Gabriel looked over her shoulder. “Without a chaperone.”

  “I have a chaperone. They’re still looking for me,” Jessica giggled. “I gave them the slip back on the main road. I’m good at that.”

  Gabriel knew she was good at it. She had done it many times before to sneak up to his father’s house to see him, or to the local hotel where Gabriel had a room for ‘privacy’. But that had been several months ago. Gabriel didn’t appreciate it now, not when he wasn’t interested. He had broken things off, and it was like Jessica was following her own song sheet.

  A song sheet that wasn’t even anywhere close to his.

  “Right. You were simply passing by my cottage.” Gabriel folded his arms and scowled. “On my father’s land.”

  “It’s a public right of way over here. You know that.”

  “And Father expressly forbade you from coming onto his land.”

  Jessica blinked, and a look of bewilderment finally passed over her face. Now she was beginning to realise that her decision to come here to see him was not such a good one after all.

  Hopefully, Gabriel could send her away with a flea in her ear. Stubborn women, he found attractive. Stupid women, however, he didn’t have time for. Jessica had proven herself stubborn, but even stubborn women knew when to back down.

  But then the bewilderment was gone and Jessica looked around the garden. Which was a bit of a mess, Gabriel had to admit, but it was a nice morning and the weather had been good over the last week.

  For the first time in his life, he felt like he could be productive in the six months since being thrown out of his family home. And the garden would be nice once it was finished. He just needed to get used to the fact he was working hard for the first time in...however long it had been.

  It had been an hour since Gabriel had brought the gardening tools out into the garden, and he was beginning to think he had bitten off more than he could chew. But it was by his own hand, and Gabriel was happy with that.

  “I don’t understand why you don’t have a gardener of your own,” Jessica sniffed, kicking at the uncut grass. “Your father is wealthy enough to have two. Surely, you could have one to look after this.”

  “You know perfectly well why I don’t have a gardener,” Gabriel narrowed his eyes. “And you know why I’m living out here and not in the family home.”

  Mainly because Jessica was there when his father Derek Tattershall, Viscount Tattershall, had told him that he wasn’t funding anymore of Gabriel’s extravagant lifestyle. That included his gambling, which Gabriel did every day, and his love of women. Gabriel did love women. At least, he had done.

  Now, after being thrown out of the family, the lure of women wasn’t as strong as before. They still wanted something to do with him, but Gabriel’s lust had all but disappeared. He couldn’t bring himself to find any interest in them beyond that they were attractive and would still happily entertain him.

  They had petered off lately, mostly because Gabriel had withdrawn from all of that. He had turned them away so much that all the ladies had got the message. Just not Jessica. And she kept coming back. The woman was infuriating.

  “I never thought they would actually disown you,” Jessica shook her head. “That seemed...over the top.”

  “They were right. I had done too much for them to forgive and forget.” Gabriel had had a lot of time to think about it. He wasn’t angry anymore. Just accepting. “I made mistakes, and I’m accepting the consequences. Nice to see you’re not accepting them, though.”

  “Accepting what?”

  “You know perfectly well. I’ve told you often enough.”

  Jessica sighed. She moved towards him, almost knocking over the basket with the dead parts of the rose bush.

  “My parents are still angry that you took advantage of me, Gabe.” She put a hand on his arm. “You think that’s going to stop me when I want something?”

  “Good to know you’re on my side when you said you would never desert me,” Gabriel pulled his arm away. “You didn’t tell them who it was who did the pursuing, did you?”

  Jessica pouted.

  “I didn’t realise things would get this bad.”

  “Well, it did.” Even if Jessica had said that she had started their fling, it wouldn’t have made a difference; Gabriel would still be out of the family. He turned away, bringing out the secateurs. “Go home, Jessica. I’ve got some work to do. If this is going to be my home now, I would like it to look somewhat presentable.”

  “Don’t you want help?”

  “What do you know about gardening?”

  “I can learn.” There was a rustling of clothes and Jessica then pressed against his back. “And I want to spend time with you. I miss you.”

  Gabriel stiffened. She should not have touched him. He wanted to throttle her, tell her to get it into her head that he wanted nothing to do with her. She had promised to be there for him always, but when questioned about their affair, Jessica had claimed Gabriel had seduced her. Everyone believed her. When push came to shove, her reputation came first rather than her supposed feelings.