Love Regency Style

by Samantha Holt

  Sighing loudly, Hannah nodded. “As I said, Henry is not like the others in London. I find I rather like that he is a very hard worker, and he sees to the welfare of all his tenants and his employees. A life of leisure does not suit him, so I rather think the ton would not think kindly of him if we lived in Town,” she explained with a shrug, alluding to the members of the peerage who shunned those that performed any kind of work, even if they had to do so to make a living. “And he informed me very early on that he has no plans to take a mistress,” she added, her brows furrowing, as if the news had somehow bothered her.

  Finding the comment odd, Charlotte gave Hannah a side­ways glance. “He told me he loves Sarah,” she said quietly. “I expect he wishes to remain loyal to her.”

  Hannah shook her head. “At one time, yes. But Sarah has decided to move on with her life,” she said with a sigh. “Just after they made arrangements for their son to attend Abing­don School next month, Sarah told Henry she had accepted a proposal of marriage from an innkeeper in Bampton. I think the earl was very … hurt, but he gave her his blessing. He could have refused to allow the marriage, of course, since he pro­vided protection for her.”

  Hannah recalled how Henry had seemed so broken after Sarah had told him about the innkeeper’s proposal, as if his entire world had come crumbling down around him. He had been sobbing when she went to his room and offered herself to him. The sex they had shared that night had been frantic and a bit rough and somehow exciting, but Henry had said he never wanted it to be like that again. “I am the only woman he beds.”

  Charlotte stopped on the path and stared at her friend in disbelief. “Indeed?” she responded, her mouth remaining open in a most unbecoming manner. “Oh, this is … this is most unexpected,” she murmured before her attention returned to Hannah, remembering Henry’s declaration of love for his childhood sweetheart and the mother of his son.

  Her friend nodded. “It was for me, as well, for that very evening, when he didn’t come to me in my room, I went to him and spent that night in his bedchamber. He clung to me as if his very life depended on it, Lottie. I felt … pity for him,” she said quietly, her gloved hand clutching her skirts. “And that’s when I told him I thought I might be carrying his child. I wasn’t yet … well, I wasn’t yet certain that I was, but I was sure enough, and he needed … he needed a lifeline, I think,” she said with a sigh. “I do not mind telling you that I found myself quite in love with him just then.” A tear appeared in the corner of her eye and escaped to run down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and held her head a bit higher.

  “Oh, Hannah,” Charlotte gasped, wrapping her arms around her friend, feeling such a mix of emotions. “I think he must love you,” she whispered, hoping that was truly the case, especially if Sarah’s affections lay elsewhere.

  Hannah nodded again, but she seemed uncertain. “Ever since that night, he’s been bringing me flowers and gifts and … kissing me in the most inappropriate places!” She said the final words in a hoarse whisper, as if being kissed by her husband was somehow scandalous.

  Despite Hannah’s obvious confusion about her feelings for the Earl of Gisborn, Charlotte giggled, biting her lip when Hannah gave her a look of mortification. “He’s courting you, silly goose,” Charlotte said with a huge smile.

  Hannah gasped, her hand once again going to her belly. “But, we’re already married!” They had come to the hillock that separated the field from the river, the hillock on which Hannah had found Harold just after he had died. The dog now rested in the graveyard on the east end of the Gisborn lands, his plot marked with a simple headstone that read, “Harold MacDuff. Lifelong friend.” The smaller Harold stood at the base of the hillock and sniffed, occasionally lifting his head to glance at Hannah as he did so. Hannah gave him a wan smile and shook her head.

  Shrugging, Charlotte took Hannah’s arm and started them along the path back towards Gisborn Hall. “And so you’ll be married and in love with one another. It’s really a rather pleas­ant way to spend life, I’m finding,” she said brightly.

  Hesitating a moment, Hannah lowered her voice again. “So then, you and Wainwright are finding marriage … pleas­ant?” she wondered, her question rather hesitant. “I know you claimed you wanted him for your husband, but Elizabeth was quite worried about you marrying the duke.”

  “Because of his scars?” Charlotte guessed, remembering the reaction of her friend when she insisted she still planned to become the Duchess of Chichester despite her betrothed’s ruined face.

  “I suppose,” Hannah agreed carefully, not wanting to admit that she shared their mutual friend’s concerns. “You do not seem to mind his … disfigurement, but do you?”

  Charlotte took a deep breath, realizing that she would be answering such a question for the rest of her life, although no one but Hannah or Elizabeth would dare ask it of her directly. “We all have scars, Hannah. Some just aren’t so visible,” she responded quietly. “At least with ‘His Grace with half a face’, I know where they all are. And some are ticklish,” she said in a teasing voice.

  Hannah gasped at the familiar phrase. “Lottie!” she admonished her. “I cannot believe you actually said that!”

  Allowing a broad smile, Charlotte regarded her dearest friend. “I love him, Hannah. I cannot imagine my life without him,” she stated happily. “Marriage has changed my life.” She paused a moment as she considered how to say what she was thinking. “There is something about men when they are about to be,” she paused, not quite sure how to put it. “There is some­thing about …“ She struggled to find the right word.

  “Impending fatherhood?” a male voice interrupted in a teasing voice.

  The women whirled around to find the Duke of Chiches­ter and the Earl of Gisborn, hunting muskets in hand, on the path directly behind them. The two wore long tailcoats in deep russet and browns, buckskin breeches and top hats with small brims. Their hunting boots were scuffed from having been dragged through tall grasses. A footman, similarly dressed, followed them carrying a string of several pheasants attached to a pole while a white and black spaniel serpentined his way along the path. The three men bowed to the ladies, tipping their hats as they did so.

  Charlotte gasped, wondering how much of their conversa­tion the two men had overheard. Not much, she realized when she noticed that they would have had to come out of the trees along the river just after she and Hannah had turned to head back toward the house. She curtsied, as did Hannah. “Your Grace, my lord,” they spoke quietly, their cheeks blushing at being caught gossiping.

  “You were saying, Your Grace?” Henry hinted as he held out his arm for Hannah, leaning over to kiss her temple as he did so. Hannah arched an eyebrow in Charlotte’s direction, hoping the duchess noticed her husband kissing her as she had claimed he had been doing so much of lately.

  “Yes, do tell,” Joshua encouraged Charlotte as he held out his arm for her.

  Charlotte shook her head as she placed her hand on his arm. “Perhaps you can explain it, Your Grace,” she countered. “What is it about impending fatherhood that makes men so … loving?” she asked in a teasing voice. She could hear Han­nah’s delighted gasp and wondered what the earl thought of her query.

  “Don’t you mean … lovable?” Joshua replied, taking a bit of joy in teasing her.

  “I rather like that I could be considered lovable,” Henry stated, daring to glance down at Hannah as he made the com­ment. She kept her eyes steady and forced herself not to look up at her husband, afraid if she did, she would have to agree that he was lovable and then say so in front of their guests. “Wain­wright, does this mean that you are experiencing impending fatherhood?” Gisborn wondered lightly.

  “Indeed,” Joshua replied proudly. “In December, if I am to believe the math involved. So I am more lovable. And appar­ently more loving,” he added, stealing a glance at Charlotte and enjoying her discomfort at the change in the conversation.

  “Perhaps attentive is a better term,�
�� Charlotte offered, thinking that the word ‘loving’ might be too much to admit to for the earl.

  Henry shook his head. “Not a strong enough word to describe a man when he knows his wife is about to bear him an heir,” he stated firmly, lifting his arm so Hannah’s hand was close enough that he could lean down and kiss the back of it. Surprised, she looked up then, catching his gaze as he gave her a wink and a grin.

  “I do hope I am being attentive,” Joshua put in, his brows suddenly furrowed. “I do try,” he said in his own defense.

  “And you’re doing a rather splendid job of it,” Charlotte agreed, leaning toward him as they walked so their bodies bumped against one another. Joshua countered by leaning toward Charlotte so that they bumped again with the next step, making her smile at his antics.

  “So, then, Gisborn, am I to understand that you are also experiencing impending fatherhood?” Joshua wondered, his tone conversational.

  “Indeed, although ‘impending’ implies very soon, and I will not be a father until next January,” he stated proudly.

  Joshua nodded. “Congratulations are in order then! And if ‘attentive’ is not a strong enough word to describe you, then what word would you use to describe yourself, Gisborn?” he ventured, causing Charlotte to inhale slightly and lift her head to shake it so that only Joshua could see her alarm.

  The earl slowed his steps, his attention once more on his wife. “I would need more than one word, Your Grace,” he replied softly. “For I find myself loved and in love.”

  Charlotte held her breath as she watched Hannah look up at the earl, a look of astonishment on her friend’s face.

  “Which is a surprise to me,” Henry continued, “For I thought a man could only love one woman during his lifetime. But I find I love three.”

  A chorus of “Three?” responded in unison to this stun­ning bit of news.

  “Now, you really must explain yourself, Gisborn,” Joshua admonished the earl, wondering if the man realized to what he had admitted.

  “Gladly,” Gisborn stated, a slight grin on his face. “First, there is Sarah, the first woman I loved, who I grew up with and who bore me a son, despite knowing … insisting, rather, that she would never be my wife,” he explained patiently. “And then there is your wife …”

  Joshua stopped in his tracks, a stab of jealousy roused in him so suddenly he had no words while Charlotte’s eyebrows arched in surprise, her shocked expression meeting Joshua’s look of astonishment before moving onto the equally stunned expression on Hannah’s face.

  “…Who loved me enough as a friend to see fit to recom­mend her best friend as my wife. I shall love her for that until my dying day, I’ll have you know,” he said with a good deal of emphasis.

  Charlotte and Joshua exchanged awkward glances, both finally smiling as the earl continued his explanation.

  “And then there is my wife, whom I have fallen deeply in love with over the course of the past few months, although if I were pressed, I would have to admit I was probably in love with her the first time we rode together in Hyde Park, when she told me she wanted nothing more in life than to be a mother.”

  Hannah stared up at Henry, her mouth forming an ‘o’ and her breath held as she gazed at him. “Oh, Henry,” she breathed, placing the side of her head against his coat and the palm of her hand against his cheek. Henry moved his free arm around her shoulders and held her for a moment before leaning down to kiss her on the top of her bonnet.

  “I can only claim the one love,” Joshua stated emphatically, tapping one boot as he pulled Charlotte against his body and kissed her bonnet.

  “And one is quite enough for you,” Charlotte responded firmly. “I am not sharing you with anyone,” she added for good measure, surprised she could make such a claim in the com­pany of others.

  Joshua inhaled slowly and let it out, suppressing the smile he felt when he noticed Henry’s raised eyebrow in his direc­tion. “Of course, Your Grace,” he agreed with a nod. “My, but you are a willful woman,” he said under his breath, intending for all of them to hear his comment.

  Charlotte angled her head to one side and gave her duke a prim smile. “You wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Joshua smiled in return. No, I wouldn’t.

  “So, my loving and very lovable wife, what are we to have for dinner this evening?” Henry asked as they made their way to Gisborn Hall.

  Hannah grinned and gave Charlotte a sideways glance. “I am thinking pheasants under glass, mashed potatoes, beans and bread,” she said aloud. And then, under her breath, she whispered, “And I’m having you for dessert.”

  Henry’s eyes widened as he nearly stumbled in his tracks. “Oh, now, that really is my favorite meal!” he announced happily.

  Thank you for taking the time to read The Daughters of the Aristocracy. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend.

  Thank you,

  Linda Rae Sande

  Regency Romances by Linda Rae Sande

  The Daughters of the Aristocracy

  The Kiss of a Viscount http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BXGUOU6

  The Grace of a Duke

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CGFSN8S

  The Seduction of an Earl http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CNJW9I2

  The Sons of the Aristocracy

  Tuesday Nights

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DDCCJWY

  The Widowed Countess http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DUGTZ8Y

  My Fair Groom

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GSKVZ32

  The Sisters of the Aristocracy

  The Story of a Baron

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KNJFQ4I

  The Passion of a Marquess http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RUQEKGW

  The Desire of a Lady http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U575VAC

  The Brothers of the Aristocracy

  The Love of a Rake http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014SHV37E

  The Caress of a Commander

  The Epiphany of an Explorer

  The Cousins of the Aristocracy

  The Promise of a Gentleman

  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OI1FUGG

  About the Author

  A self-described nerd and lover of science, Linda Rae spent many years as a published technical writer specializing in 3D graphics workstations, software and 3D animation (her movie credits include the first two SHREK movies). An inter­est in genealogy led to years of research on the Regency era and a desire to write fiction based in that time.

  A fan of action-adventure movies, she can frequently be found at the local cinema. Although she no longer has any fish, she does follow the San Jose Sharks. She makes her home in Cody, Wyoming. See more information about her books on her website: www.lindaraesande.com.

  Tempting Miss Allender

  Wendy Vella

  Seven years after her disastrous debut, Miss Patience Allender has reluctantly returned to society to chaperone her sister. No longer the meek, mild Miss, she will never again allow a man to humiliate her. However, Patience’s resolve is severely tested when she comes face-to-face, with the very man who shattered her heart. Desperate for help when her family is thrust into danger, he is the only one she can turn to - but can she do so and keep her heart whole or will he destroy her once again?

  Lord Mathew Belmont is stunned at the changes in his childhood friend. The once awkward young girl is now exquisitely beautiful, outspoken and intelligent, and no longer wants anything to do with him. Aware of his past sins, Mathew now regrets them deeply, and is determined to make amends – if prickly Patience would just let him close enough to try. As passion flares between them, Mathew is faced with the most crucial challenge of his life – putting the ghosts of the past to rest, in order to build his future.

  Would you like to know when my next book is available? Sign up for my new release mailing list at www.wendyvella.com or visit me on Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorWendyVella.

  Tempt
ing Miss Allender is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Tempting Miss Allender is published by Wendy Vella

  Copyright © 2015 Wendy Vella

  DEDICATION

  Mum & Dad

  Thank you for being the best parents

  a daughter could ever wish for

  I love you with all my heart

  today and forever more. xx

  CHAPTER ONE

  “Are you all right, Patience?”

  Patience Allender looked at her sister, who was about to take the first step that led down to the Haverstock ballroom.

  “It is fair to say that Mrs. Toots’ beef is not sitting as it should, and my stomach is decidedly unsettled.”

  “Well, that would certainly make a statement,” Lucy giggled. “You emptying your stomach all over the guests below.”

  “Your sense of humor needs adjustment,” Patience whispered, forcing a polite smile onto her face.

  “It’s my first appearance, yet you are far more nervous than I.”

  Patience looked around the guests below, her eyes searching but seeing no one familiar. “It has been seven years since I last entered society, Lucy. As you know, it was not a spectacular success, but an abject failure, and thus I left London early.”

  “You are turning blue, Patience. For the love of God, inhale!”

  She did, hauling in a large breath of perfumed air before exhaling once more. “I will be fine, Lucy. We are here for you, not I. I shall find a quiet corner and watch to ensure no one causes you any trouble.”

  Lucy’s sigh was loud. “Not everyone is bent on hurting me, Patience. Can you not trust that you have taught me how to look after myself?”

  “You I trust, but them I do not.” Patience nodded to where the guests were milling.