A Murderous Masquerade (Unrivalled Regency Book 2)

by Williams, Jackie

  Edward pressed his lips together and held his tongue. He looked about the deck. Hammocks hung only inches above one another, sand buckets stood in various alcoves and niches, limp shirts hung from nails banged into the beams. He raised an eyebrow at the big man behind him and moved towards a hammock near a porthole. He hung his cane on a nail beside it and rolled his coat up to use as a pillow.

  The man behind him began to laugh.

  “Aye! Ye have made a wise choice, boy. Now get yeself up on deck before I gets the lash out to them pretty white shoulders. There ain’t no room for slackers on this ship; especially those that can’t pay their way!”

  The man laughed again as he strode back towards the steps to the main deck and Edward pulled back his ‘pretty white’ shoulders and strode after him, steeling himself for the first day of his five year penance.

  Anne blinked at the letter lying in front of her. A tear dripped onto her cheek as she read her brother’s words of apology. She wasn’t sure that she could forgive him.

  Her father had requested this meeting and she had reluctantly agreed to go. Giles insisted on accompanying her even though his name had not yet been cleared as a murderer. He had spent the last two weeks lying low at Caithwell, waiting for word of Edward’s discovery. He’d been more than surprised that the boy was still missing.

  The Earl of Lavenham had gasped in shock when he saw Giles’ very live figure loom at him out of the dark corner of the inn’s private parlour, but after his initial surprise he appeared calmer and had actually had the courage to nod at Giles in some form of recognition.

  He handed Anne a letter addressed to her in her brother’s hand. She had opened the flap and read the contents with a heavy heart. His explanation for the circumstances surrounding the practical joke made some sort of sense to her, but she wondered if the punishment handed out fit the crime. It was only Charlotte’s ingenuity and daring that had saved her husband’s life. Five years away from home hardly seemed a fair exchange.

  She lay the letter the table and looked at her father.

  “And when he comes home? Will all be forgiven and forgotten?”

  The Earl shrugged.

  “That rather depends on you both. I don’t suppose that he will be received in many circles without your sponsorship. You are a married woman; I leave it all in your hands as to what you want to do.” He stood up from the table and made his way to the door. He turned just before he left them. “The judge knows what has happened to him and agreed with the punishment I doled out.” He glanced up at Giles. “I suggest that you go to the judge now and show that you didn’t die on that scaffold. I’ll back you up if there is any question, of course, but as Edward is clearly alive and well, I can hardly think that you will be strung up for a murder that you certainly didn’t commit.” And with that, he walked out of the door.

  Charlotte sat and watched the sparkles issuing from the huge diamond as she threw it into the air and caught it once again. It seemed so ridiculous to own such a useless prize. Once put in a setting, it was even too big to wear.

  If she ever travelled to the continent, she would take it with her and see if she couldn’t find some nabob who would part with his millions to own it.

  Movement outside in the courtyard caught her eye. Geoffrey stood with the cart, ready to return it to Ormond. He placed a firm hand on Callum’s shoulder and she could see him give the boy a friendly squeeze. Her own heart clenched as Geoffrey swung himself with fluid grace up into the driver’s seat. She raised her hand as he started off, but he never turned his head to see her salute.

  She dropped her gaze to the pink diamond and a tear dripped from her eye onto one of its many cut surfaces. The tear rolled across the facets and teetered on the edge of the stone. Charlotte let out a deep sob of pain as her own heart mirrored the fabulous jewel. It shone as deeply pink as her own bleeding heart.

  Geoffrey forced himself to look forward. He could not risk turning back or she would see the passion in his eyes and the despair in his heart. His goodbyes to Anne and Giles had been joyful ones with promises of meeting again soon and visiting in the autumn. He dared not ask if Charlotte would accompany them on their visits or even if she would remain with them for the foreseeable future. As if answering all his questions, Giles had stated that his ward wanted to be an independent woman. He’d already set her up with a share of their livestock breeding programme so Geoffrey guessed that he would see her on occasions, but a business meeting wouldn’t feel the same as the camaraderie of their recent adventure.

  Geoffrey shook his head at the thought of how she had approached him in the barn with her mad idea. A mad idea that had sort of worked, he might add. He tried to delude himself that it had only been the outfit that had made him agree to her every demand, but it wasn’t true. His list of reasons why he should avoid her had grown mightily since that day. He’d added ‘too foolish’, ‘too innocent’, ‘too daring’, ‘too outrageous’, and ‘far too dangerous’ if she didn’t put on some decent attire.

  If he had been a lesser man, she would have been flat on her back with those tempting breeches and almost sheer shirt thrown into the nearest stall within seconds. He ground his teeth at the thought of anyone ever seeing her in them again.

  He closed his eyes for a moment, desperately trying to rid himself of the image he had just conjured before he clucked at the horses and slapped the reins gently across their rumps. They picked up their feet and trotted quickly out of the gateway.

  Giles watched as Anne slipped out of her wedding gown.

  The blessing had been a quiet affair but Giles had insisted on everyone knowing that he and Anne had already been married a month. The fact that the original service had taken place in the town gaol was whispered about for days, but he cared not. He wanted the world to know that his bride was his and there were no questions to be asked. If his child was born a couple of weeks early for the dates to be secure he would argue that they had consummated their marriage while inside the gaol walls. No one would dare contradict his statement however scandalous it appeared.

  He pulled off his perfectly tied cravat and dragged his shirt over his head, dropping both to the floor before he reached out for the beauty in front of him and dragged her against his chest. The heat of her body ignited flames of desire in his soul and he leaned down to touch his lips to hers.

  The night was theirs and he meant to make it one to remember. He lifted his beautiful bride in his arms and carried her to their bed. That they had already spent the last passion filled weeks in it every night meant nothing to him. Today was the day that he had declared to God and the world that she was his, and nothing was going to take that away from them.

  He raised an eyebrow at her chemise and lace undergarments. There were far more layers here than normal. He glanced at her face and caught sight of her mischievous smile.

  He flicked one of her petticoats and looked enquiringly at her.

  She laughed breathily.

  “Something for you to work for. Page seven in the third book...It looks positively heavenly...” She had no time to finish. Giles picked up the neckline of her undergarments and rent it in two without a second thought.

  He grinned down at her now naked body and then bent to whisper in her ear.

  “You should have looked further. Page ten is far more interesting.” And with that, he dipped his head much lower and proved to Anne exactly what being sent to heaven felt like.

  The End

  I hope that you have enjoyed

  A Murderous Masquerade

  If you missed the first book in the series please take look at

  Silence of Scandal

  Other books by Jackie Williams

  Scarred Series

  Running Scarred

  Will Patrick let his guard down or will he lose the love of his life while he continues Running Scarred?

  Scarred Beginnings

  How it all began. David’s terrible but wonderful story. Can he find love in the ruins of
the beautiful French château? Or was all the flirting just a figment of his imagination?

  Forever Scarred

  Joe’s chance for love if he can find the courage to tell the woman of his dreams how he feels, or will he let her walk into the arms of her worst nightmare?

  Scarred Horizon

  Paul has faced the worst, even going blind for a second time. Now he can’t see that love stands right in front of him and that he’s about to make the worst mistake of his entire life.

  Scarred Survival

  Will Gemma ever learn to trust anyone again? It’s doubtful but the British Army’s toughest woman is about to be tested to the full. Watch out Gemma! There’s a new pilot in town!

  Contemporary Romance

  A Perfect Summer

  Can a young woman’s hideous past be wiped out by one perfect summer of love?

  Silent Treatment

  Will a dancer’s dream come true or will three years of Silent Treatment silence the love she has saved?

  Delicious Desires

  Big plans take the icing off the cake but even bigger personalities threaten to destroy their love.

  Treasured Dreams

  A forgotten diary reveals the secret of a golden room and the mystery of the destruction of two families.

  Tinted Lenses

  An arranged marriage, a drug dealing pilot and an oversized photographer all fight for survival in the Amazon rain forest.

  A Fallen Fortune

  Can Leo change his future forever and give up everything he owns for a chance at love?

  Historical romance

  Silence of Scandal

  A Regency Romance

  With blackmail and scandal chasing him constantly, will the new Duke of Ormond be able to save his pride, his home and the family jewels?

  You can keep up with Jackie and her wonderful author friends on her website

  www.romanticsuspensebooks.org

  Or contact her at anytime on

  Jackie@romanticsuspensebooks.co.uk

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