Her brow furrowed. “I don’t understand.”
“Many marriages are arranged because of status, wealth, connections, and some have thrived on much less. I did not want to be in a marriage where only one set of feelings were involved—mine.”
“Yours?”
Gideon closed his eyes and took a deep breath before moving from the settee and down on one knee before her. “Lady Moira Kirkwood, I am in love with you. I don’t know when I fell, but I did. I would be honored if you would become my wife, and live with me at my home in Selkirk, Scotland.”
She stared at him, studying his face. His heart ceased beating, waiting for a response. Slowly her lips turned into a smile. “You love me.” Tears formed once again.
“Aye, I do.” He picked up the hand he held and kissed the back. “I can only hope that you return the feelings one day.”
Her face lit as if sunlight burst from inside. “Oh, but I do, I do. I was willing to settle in Yorkshire as long as I could have you.” Her arms came up and around him as her lips connected with his. The momentum of her embrace sent them sprawling onto the floor. Gideon wrapped his arms around his impetuous future wife and deepened the kiss, holding her close.
“Moira Kirkwood,” the Dowager Countess Hearne screeched. “You must stop accosting gentlemen in the parlor.”
Gideon chuckled and broke away from the kiss. Moira looked up, her face a lovely shade of rose, and moved away from him. Gideon sat up. “It is quite all right, madam. Moira can accost me any time she chooses.”
The woman gasped, hand to her throat. “Nyle, do something.”
Moira’s brother stepped further into the room, chuckling. “It appears Moira has succeeded in compromising a gentleman, and she must do the honorable thing.”
Gideon would have stood, but he didn’t wish to have himself on display, or his physical reaction to Moira’s heated embrace that could be noticed by anyone. Instead, he remained where he was. “Hearne, might I have the pleasure of your sister’s hand in marriage?”
“Call on me this evening and we will work out the details.” He turned to his mother. “Come along.”
“But...” She tried to pull her elbow from Hearne’s grasp.
“They are to be married, and possibly by special license. Leaving them alone will harm nothing.”
“Oh, no,” her mother objected, trying to pull her arm from Hearne’s. “Moira will have an announcement, reading of the banns, a respectable wedding at St. George’s, and an elaborate wedding breakfast.”
Hearne ignored his mother, but kept a firm hold of her arm and looked back at Moira. “Congratulations on finding a Scot.”
Moira gasped. “You knew?”
Hearne shook his head and chuckled. “Expect my wife and me to be frequent visitors.”
“Scot?” Her mother halted and peered over at Moira. “No daughter of mine is going to live in Scotland.”
“It is too late, Mother.” Nyle tugged on his mother’s arm to pull her from the room. “Moira has compromised the poor gentleman and must do the proper thing by him.” His laughter echoed and the door clicked, leaving Gideon alone with Moira.
“Do you really love me?” she asked, biting her lower lip.
“Aye.” He rose from the floor to sit beside her.
“And I love you.” Her lips met his again, and Gideon knew he would be facing pure torture until he could finally make her his.
The following novellas also appeared in The Betting Season, and available as individual novellas for those wishing to read about Moira’s three friends.
Any Other Name, by Ava Stone to find out about Lady Philippa (Pippa) Casemore and Jason York, the wicked Earl of St. Austell.
Flight of Fancy, by Catherine Gayle to learn about Lady Georgianna (Georgie) Bexley-Smythe and Cedric Loring, the Earl of Montague.
The Marriage Trap, by Jerrica Knight-Catania to read the story of Miss Patience Findley and Tristan Wallford, Lord Swaffham.
A Gentleman’s Guide to Once Upon a Time Series
His Impetuous Debutante
His Contrary Bride
His (Not so) Sensible Miss
The Wiggons’ School for Elegant Young Ladies Series
To Walk in the Sun
To Love a Governess Series
Sacked – Regency Short
Handfasted – Regency Novella
Ruined – Regency Short
Anthologies
A Summons from His Grace – Compromised for Christmas
The Betting Season – Landing a Laird
A Season to Remember – Devil in Her Dreams
The Tenacious Trents
A Misguided Lord
A Perfect Gentleman
A Lass for Christmas (Novella)
A Reluctant Rake
Compromised for Christmas
Lady Revealed
Landing a Laird
Compilations
Scots, Spies and Salacious Lies
Timeless Collection
Jane Charles has lived in the Midwest her entire life. As a child she would more likely be found outside with a baseball than a book in her hand. In fact, Jane hated reading until she was sixteen. Out of boredom on a long road trip she borrowed her older sister’s historical romance and fell in love. She long ago lost count of how many fiction novels she has read over the years and her love for them never died. Along with romance she has a passion for history and the two soon combined when she penned her first historical romance. What turned into a hobby became a passion, which has been fully supported by her husband, three children and three cats.
JaneCharlesAuthor.com
Jane can be contacted at: [email protected]
http://www.JaneACharles.blogspot.com
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Landing a Laird (Novella) Page 8