The Portrait of Lady Wycliff
Page 23
"But, Harry, the man will find a way to kill you!"
He lifted a brow. "You care?"
She sat up ramrod straight. "Not at all."
"Then don't worry your pretty head."
Her eyes narrowed.
They grew silent again. Then Harry said, "Your anger toward me for my lack of sincerity in your causes was well placed. It made me start thinking, trying to analyze what my own positions were on the causes you promulgate."
"And?"
"And I realized that you really had won me over despite my initial reluctance. I admit that I had no intentions of taking my seat in the House of Lords, and I especially had no intentions of embracing your radical politics.
"But the more I thought on it, the more I realized how right you have been all along. I came to know that I was obligated to work toward all those reforms you and I had discussed. The extension of the franchise. Restrictions on child labor. Penal reform. Compulsory education. All the things I had initially laughed at behind your back."
"You are not lying to me to get beneath my skirts?" she asked, looking up to him with smiling eyes.
He stopped. Right there in the middle of Piccadilly Road. "I will never lie to you again."
"Would that I could believe you," she uttered.
Traffic grew snarled behind them, and harsh voices shouted at him.
All of which he seemed oblivious to.
"I have taken my seat in Parliament," he announced. "That I am a Whig, I thought, would make you happy."
Her heart was bursting with joy and love. "I can think of no better wedding present," she said. When he did not respond for moment, she began to tremble. Had she horridly embarrassed herself with her forwardness?
She watched as Harry set down his riding crop, turned to her, took her into his arms, and kissed her slowly and passionately.
Neither of them minded — nor even seemed to hear — the angry shouts from behind them on Piccadilly Road. "Perhaps Miss Grimm has been right all along," he said. "I do aim to get beneath your skirts — after you're Lady Wycliff, that is."
EPILOGUE
Six months later
Louisa came rushing into her husband's library at the Grosvenor Square house he'd reclaimed. "Look what they've written in the Morning Chronicle about my conscientious husband!"
Harry rolled his eyes and spoke as would a child reciting dull historical accounts. "I've leapt to the forefront of Whig grandees in the House of Lords."
"You've read it."
"Seeing as how I rose two hours earlier than you, my beloved, I've read the whole of every paper." He tossed a letter across his desk and turned somber. "I've also received a . . . a confession from Lord Tremaine. He admits that he paid Godwin Phillips handsomely to destroy my father. He'd known Phillips was a cunning cheat at cards. Sadly, my father did not."
Her eyes narrowed. "Lord Tremaine's a wicked man, and I'm very happy he's to go on trial today in the House of Lords. With you as one of its leaders, I'm sure he'll get what he deserves."
Williams entered the library. "A message just arrived for you, my lord." He came to hand it to Harry.
The message was brief. Only one sentence. She watched as he read, then he looked up at her, an inscrutable look on his face.
"What is it?"
"Tremaine killed himself this morning."
It was a moment before she could respond. "I suppose it's best this way."
He nodded.
She rounded his desk and came to plop on his lap, glorying in the feel of his arms closing around her as he nuzzled soft kisses beneath her ear. Her gaze leapt to the portrait above the fireplace. His lovely mother was back home.
"I no longer hate the man," Harry murmured. "Had it not been for his hatred, you and I would never have found love."
"I will own, it was he . . ." She eyed the portrait, "and your mother who brought us together."
"My mother would love you as much as I. I think she'd even approve of Philip Lewis. I have a feeling there's going to be long line of strong females in Wycliff House."
She kissed him most tenderly. "And it will be so much fun producing them."
The End
The Lords of Eton series
I hope you enjoyed The Portrait of Lady Wycliff. If you did, I hope you'll consider leaving a review at the site where you purchased it. (And let me know, so I can enter you for my $50 gift card drawing.)
This book is the first in my Lords of Eton series about three aristocratic lads who were best friends at Eton and how their escapades and interests continue to tie them--and the women they love--together after Eton.
Here's a little bit about the next book in the series, The Earl, the Vow, and the Plain Jane, loosely based on my out-of-print book His Lordship’s Vow.
Bereft of beauty as well as fortune, the exceedingly plain Miss Jane Featherstone has failed to attract any suitor during her three Seasons. Rather than be a burden to her brother and his obnoxious wife, Miss Featherstone vows to accept the first man who asks—even though she's always worshipped a lord who's far above her touch. . .
Lord Slade must marry an heiress in order to honor the deathbed vow he made to his father, and he needs Miss Featherstone's help in wooing her beautiful cousin. After her initial anger, Miss Featherstone agrees to his scheme, telling him she's doing so because she admires his Parliamentary record of humanitarian legislation and his reverence for truth. But the more he's with the two cousins, the more attracted he becomes to Miss Featherstone. What's a man of his word to do? Break a vow to a beloved father—or follow his heart with Miss Featherstone?
Available at Kobo
The Earl, the Vow, and the Plain Jane will release shortly, to be followed in late 2018 by the third book, Last Duke Standing. To be notified when these release, please sign up for my infrequent newsletter here.
Cheryl Bolen’s Books
Regency Historical Romance:
The Brides of Bath Series
The Bride Wore Blue
With His Ring
The Bride’s Secret
To Take This Lord
Love In The Library
A Christmas in Bath
House of Haverstock Series
Lady by Chance
Duchess by Mistake
Countess by Coincidence
Ex-Spinster by Christmas
Brazen Brides Series
Counterfeit Countess
His Golden Ring
Oh What A (Wedding) Night
Miss Hastings’ Excellent London Adventure
A Birmingham Family Christmas
The Regent Mysteries Series
With His Lady's Assistance
A Most Discreet Inquiry
The Theft Before Christmas
An Egyptian Affair
Pride and Prejudice Sequels
Miss Darcy’s New Companion
Miss Darcy’s Secret Love
The Liberation of Miss de Bourgh
My Lord Wicked
Christmas Brides (Three Regency Novellas)
Marriage of Inconvenience
A Duke Deceived
Romantic Suspense:
Falling For Frederick
Texas Heroines in Peril Series
Protecting Britannia
Murder at Veranda House
A Cry In The Night
Capitol Offense
World War II Romance:
It Had to Be You
American Historical Romance:
A Summer To Remember (3 American Romances)
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