The Soft Whisper of Dreams

by Christina Courtenay

  ‘Please, don’t repeat it. I can imagine what she told you. I suppose you know all about Caroline as well?’ Maddie nodded. ‘I thought so. That’s just wonderful; all my sins come home to roost.’ He shook his head. ‘Oh, I don’t know why I bothered with all this. It was probably a stupid idea after all. Come on, let’s go back inside.’ He stood up abruptly.

  ‘But ... Alex, what did I say? For God’s sake, what’s this all about?’

  He rounded on her, a look of sadness mixed with anger on his face. ‘Okay, I’ll tell you. I had Kayla and Wes arrange this ball for you and I was going to ask you to marry me. I know we haven’t known each other for very long, but some things you’re just sure of … and I was going to tell you that I love you more than any other woman in the world, that I think you’re absolutely gorgeous and I can’t live without you.’ He turned away and stared out to sea. ‘But what’s the use? You’ve already made up your mind about me. I thought the only thing you might hold against me was my criminal record, but I see now that I was wrong. Well, I’m sorry I bothered you. I sure as hell didn’t intend to have a one-night stand with you, it just happened and for the record, I wanted a lot more than that. There, are you happy now?’

  ‘... there will be happiness, as long as you let yourself believe in it.’

  Maddie stared at him. God what an idiot I’ve been! ‘Happy? I ... no. I’m not happy, I’m ecstatic!’

  ‘You what?’ He turned around to scowl at her ferociously.

  ‘Alex, you idiot. Kiss me.’

  ‘Kiss you?’ It was Alex’s turn to stare.

  ‘Yes, please. If you tell me you love me often enough I might believe you, but you’ll have to prove it to me too.’

  ‘You mean ...?’

  ‘Yes, I mean! Yes, I would love to be your wife! Yes, I love you like crazy and no I don’t give a damn whether you’ve been to prison or not! I also don’t care how many women you seduced, as long as that part of your life is over now. You really want to marry me?’ She couldn’t believe it. It was too wonderful to be true, surely.

  Alex smiled as her words finally sank in. ‘You bet I do. In fact, if you hold on a second I’ll do this right.’ He fumbled inside his jacket, brought out a tiny box and flipped the lid open. Then he went down on one knee in front of her. ‘Maddie Browne, I love you more than I can say. Will you marry me?’ He held out the box which contained an antique ring of delicate craftsmanship topped by a small emerald.

  ‘Oh, Alex, yes. I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.’

  Alex grinned from ear to ear and hauled her into his embrace. ‘Right. Now if you want me to prove my love it might take a while,’ he warned and kissed her cheeks, her nose, her eyelids and finally her mouth. ‘But I’ll do my best.’

  ‘That’s quite all right. Take all the time you need, only, do you think we could perhaps go somewhere more private? People might see us.’ She nodded in the direction of the French windows.

  ‘As a matter of fact, I know the perfect place. There’s this little sandy cove not very far from here, where no one but the seagulls will hear you cry out.’

  Maddie felt her cheeks grow warm. ‘You think you’ll make me cry out then, do you? Perhaps you were just lucky last time.’

  ‘Not a chance. You’ll do it every time, for the rest of your life. I guarantee it. And by the way, I love it when you blush.’

  ‘Well, in that case – what are we waiting for? Get me out of this dreadful corset before I expire!’

  Epilogue

  Anyone watching the beautiful bride walking down the aisle on her father’s arm would have said that she was truly radiant. Not to mention the spitting image of the red-headed giant who guided her to her future husband with such obvious pride.

  That pride increased no end when later on the priest asked, ‘Do you, Madeline Sorcha Browne Ruthven take this man for your lawfully wedded husband?’, and there were those who swore they had seen tears running down the big man’s cheeks. No one was ever sure.

  However, the frail lady by his side was most definitely crying with happiness and kept twisting the shiny new wedding band on her own left hand. She looked on with maternal pride as her oldest daughter was married, attended by her youngest, who looked almost as lovely as the bride herself. The two girls were followed by the groom’s niece, who skipped down the aisle in a fairytale dress of sky blue silk and tulle.

  None of the guests remarked upon the extraordinary events which had preceded this wedding. They simply wished Maddie and Alex all the best for the future, and headed back to Marcombe Hall to celebrate them with as much fuss as could possibly be managed.

  In the first floor gallery, where the wedding breakfast was held, everyone’s eyes were on the bride and groom. If they’d turned around, they might have seen a strange sight – the subjects of two of the gallery’s huge paintings smiling and nodding at each other. The man, Jago Kerswell, whispered to the love of his life, Lady Eliza Marcombe, ‘Another happy ending – exactly what this house needs. Looks like they’re following in our footsteps.’

  ‘Yes, I hope they’ll be together for eternity, just like us, my love.’

  And the happy couple looked set to do just that.

  About the Author

  Christina Courtenay lives in Herefordshire and is married with two children. Although born in England she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden. In her teens, the family moved to Japan where she had the opportunity to travel extensively in the Far East.

  Christina is vice chairman of the Romantic Novelists’ Association. The Soft Whisper of Dreams is her eleventh release with Choc Lit and a follow-on to her novel, The Secret Kiss of Darkness. In 2011, Christina’s first novel Trade Winds (September 2010) was short listed for The Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Award for Best Historical Fiction. Her second novel, The Scarlet Kimono, won the Big Red Reads Best Historical Fiction Award. In 2012, Highland Storms (November 2011) won the Best Historical Romantic Novel of the year award. And The Silent Touch of Shadows (July 2012), Christina’s fourth novel, won the award for Best Historical Read at the Festival of Romance. The Gilded Fan is Christina’s fifth novel and the sequel to The Scarlet Kimono and was published in 2013. In addition, Christina is also the author of the YA novel, New England Rocks, and a number of Regency e-novellas, which can be found online.

  www.christinacourtenay.com

  www.twitter.com/PiaCCourtenay

  More Choc Lit

  From Christina Courtenay

  The Secret Kiss of Darkness

  Prequel to The Soft Whispers of Dreams

  Must forbidden love end in heartbreak?

  Kayla Sinclair knows she’s in big trouble when she almost bankrupts herself to buy a life-size portrait of a mysterious eighteenth century man at an auction.

  Jago Kerswell, innkeeper and smuggler, knows there is danger in those stolen moments with Lady Eliza Marcombe, but he’ll take any risk to be with her.

  Over two centuries separate Kayla and Jago, but, when Kayla’s jealous fiancé presents her with an ultimatum, and Jago and Eliza’s affair is tragically discovered, their lives become inextricably linked thanks to a gypsy’s spell.

  Kayla finds herself on a quest that could heal the past, but what she cannot foresee is the danger in her own future.

  Will Kayla find heartache or happiness?

  Find out more and purchase in the Kindle store:

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  Trade Winds

  Shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Pure Passion Award for Best Historical Fiction 2011

  Marriage of convenience – or a love for life?

  It’s 1732 in Gothenburg, Sweden, and strong-willed Jess van Sandt knows only too well that it’s a man’s world. She believes she’s being swindled out of her inheritance by her stepfather – and she’s determined to stop it.

  When help appears in the unlikely form of handsome Scotsman Killian Kinros
s, himself disinherited by his grandfather, Jess finds herself both intrigued and infuriated by him. In an attempt to recover her fortune, she proposes a marriage of convenience. Then Killian is offered the chance of a lifetime with the Swedish East India Company’s Expedition and he’s determined that nothing will stand in his way, not even his new bride.

  He sets sail on a daring voyage to the Far East, believing he’s put his feelings and past behind him. But the journey doesn’t quite work out as he expects …

  Visit www.choc-lit.com for more details including the first two chapters and reviews.

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  Highland Storms

  Winner of the 2012 Best Historical Romantic Novel of the year

  Who can you trust?

  Betrayed by his brother and his childhood love, Brice Kinross needs a fresh start. So he welcomes the opportunity to leave Sweden for the Scottish Highlands to take over the family estate.

  But there’s trouble afoot at Rosyth in 1754 and Brice finds himself unwelcome. The estate’s in ruin and money is disappearing. He discovers an ally in Marsaili Buchanan, the beautiful redheaded housekeeper, but can he trust her?

  Marsaili is determined to build a good life. She works hard at being a housekeeper and harder still at avoiding men who want to take advantage of her. But she’s irresistibly drawn to the new clan chief, even though he’s made it plain he doesn’t want to be shackled to anyone.

  And the young laird has more than romance on his mind. His investigations are stirring up an enemy. Someone who will stop at nothing to get what he wants – including Marsaili – even if that means destroying Brice’s life forever …

  Sequel to Trade Winds.

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  The Scarlet Kimono

  Winner of the 2011 Big Red Read’s Best Historical Fiction Award

  Abducted by a Samurai warlord in 17th-century Japan – what happens when fear turns to love?

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  In the far north of the country, warlord Kumashiro is waiting to see the girl who he has been warned about by a seer. When at last they meet, it’s a clash of cultures and wills, but they’re also fighting an instant attraction to each other.

  With her brother desperate to find her and the jealous Lady Reiko equally desperate to kill her, Hannah faces the greatest adventure of her life. And Kumashiro has to choose between love and honour …

  Prequel to The Gilded Fan

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  How do you start a new life, leaving behind all you love?

  It’s 1641, and when Midori Kumashiro, the orphaned daughter of a warlord, is told she has to leave Japan or die, she has no choice but to flee to England. Midori is trained in the arts of war, but is that enough to help her survive a journey, with a lecherous crew and an attractive captain she doesn’t trust?

  Having come to Nagasaki to trade, the last thing Captain Nico Noordholt wants is a female passenger, especially a beautiful one. How can he protect her from his crew when he can’t keep his own eyes off her?

  During their journey, Nico and Midori form a tentative bond, but they both have secrets that can change everything. When they arrive in England, a civil war is brewing, and only by standing together can they hope to survive …

  Sequel to The Scarlet Kimono.

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