With This Ring
Page 26
Aaron turned. “Yes, my lord?”
“That Worthington girl? She must be madly in love with you, if she would tell a great porky-pie to my face like that. She reminds me of your grandmother, you know. If I were your age, I wouldn’t let that one get away.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Unfortunately, Aaron was honor-bound to do exactly that.
* * *
Aaron found Elektra on the terrace, gazing out upon the vast starlit gardens. Although her mint-green gown had seen its share of adventure, it remained as elegant as the beauty who wore it.
Elegant and sad. He could see it in the arch of her proud neck and in the sad slope of her graceful shoulders. I have cost her so much. I cannot take any more from her.
He couldn’t bear to think of her spending her life regretting the day she’d seen him in the inn-yard, regretting that she’d had her dreams stolen by a highwayman in the dark.
He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He cleared his throat and tried again. “It is not too late, you know.”
She turned to smile sadly at him over her shoulder. “I was just thinking the very same thing.”
Her expression was so full of melancholy that it broke his heart. “Neville’s a good sort.” Something twisted tight and hot in his chest, but he forced himself to go on. “I always liked him.”
She turned fully to face him, leaning her hands behind her on the balustrade. “I like him, too.”
That was like an arrow through his already aching heart. He swallowed, fighting himself, battling the urge to sweep her away again, to gallop off into the night on a horse named Lard-Arse.
She watched him, waiting.
He drew in a tight, painful breath. “No one need know about…” He had to clear his throat. “Your family wouldn’t breathe a word, of course. And Carter is so embarrassed about getting it all so wrong—he just wants it to go away.”
She leaned her head back to gaze up at the stars. “I suppose I will have to explain to Neville why I am not a virgin. Do you think he’ll mind?”
How could he tell her that a man would forgive her anything for a smile, a laugh, a flash of love in her aquamarine eyes? “I think he’ll be reasonable about it, if he truly loves you.”
She pointed upward. “There’s Orion.” She smiled slightly. “See? My family will always be with me. Do you think Neville will like the Worthingtons?”
“Ah.” Only if he never actually meets them. He cleared his throat. “When he protests, you could simply pour him some of Philpott’s tea.”
That got a smile. She turned her gaze to him at last. “Now, there’s a plan.”
“You can still have everything you want. Neville can help you rebuild your manor. His wealth and standing will make your family simply eccentric, instead of notorious.”
She nodded slowly, but her smile faded. Her gaze never left his. “Yes, that would be good for Attie.”
Aaron cleared his throat again, but he couldn’t disperse the choking knot that fought his next words. “Marry Neville, Elektra.”
“I suppose I have to marry someone, eventually.” She walked slowly toward him, her hands clasped behind her back. Each step brought her closer, until her bodice nearly touched his weskit front. “May I have a kiss good-bye, my lord?” Her whisper danced across the skin below his ear.
Even though her agreement proved that she had never truly loved him, even though his heart felt as if it were bound in white-hot wire, he had to. Just one last taste …
He closed his eyes in grief and bent his head to hers.
She whispered something against his lips. “Stand and deliver, my lord.”
The cold, steel barrel of a pistol pressed to his jaw. He drew in a sharp breath as his eyes flew open to see her dangerous smile.
“What—”
“I’m kidnapping you, Lord Aaron Arbogast. We will ride directly to Gretna Green.” She smirked. “I traded for a fresh horse. I calculate we can be married by supper!”
“But—” He couldn’t believe he was protesting the fulfillment of his deepest dream, but he had to give her one last chance! “What of my reputation? It will not help your family to be associated with me!”
She shrugged carelessly. “The Worthingtons have survived being odd for many years. They’ll survive a little longer.”
He suppressed a smile at that. “But—we do not have a ring!”
Elektra reached into her neckline and pulled out the ribbon that hung there. Alongside the ornately worked key to Worthington Manor hung something else. The gold of Aaron’s signet ring gleamed in the torchlight.
“How—?”
Her eyes narrowed slyly. “I lifted it from the innkeeper’s pocket before we resumed our journey that morning. You were so upset about parting with it.”
His heart freed itself from its last torturous binding with an almost audible snap. Aaron raised one finger to carefully avert the pistol from his head. “Well, there’s no need to be quite so forceful about it.”
She kept the pistol raised, but pointed slightly to one side. “I am taking no chances this time. I stole you away once and you managed to talk me out of it then. Silly man.” She smiled at him, a wild, wicked Worthington grin full of danger and laughter and love. “Don’t you know? Worthingtons always win in the end.”
My goddess Elektra.
Aaron pulled her close and swept her lightly into his arms, pistol and all. He spun them both in a circle of joy as he laughed aloud. “I must be a Worthington, then!”
Epilogue
“Ah, Mr. Hastings! Won’t you join us for a spot of tea?”
Iris Worthington was holding court in her drawing room—which was, quite literally, filled with drawings. Shakespeare and Octopus. Shakespeare and Duckling. Shakespeare and Shakespeare, the great man looking at himself in a mirror. If one looked closely, one could count five ears.
Attie perked up at the name, but when a strange man entered, she went back to her own drawing. Her mother had asked her to bring some color to the walls, so she was adding an undersea scene.
Hence the octopus.
The man sat down with Iris and poor brokenhearted Button. Button was sad because Cabot had left. Attie was a little bit mad at him for letting Cabot leave, but mostly she was sorry because he was so terribly sad.
Tea and sympathy, that’s what Iris had said. Attie didn’t think the tea would help much. It wasn’t even Philpott’s special tea.
“Are you going to join dear Aaron at Arbodean, Mr. Hastings? I’m sure he’ll expect you.”
“Only long enough to collect me back pay, missus. ’E don’t need me anymore.”
Attie began to make circles for the suction cups on the tentacles. Lots and lots of circles.
“It must have been so romantic! A midnight dash to Gretna Green. Our Ellie is so impulsive!”
Ellie had married that other Hastings, run off with him in the night and everything. Attie was a little bit mad about that, too. Lots and lots of circles.
“I’m bound to do somethin’ like that meself.”
“Ah. Romance!” Button was trying to be his old bubbly self, but it wasn’t working very well.
“Aye. There’s a girl I know, a little Cornish maid named Edith. She won’t be expectin’ me to come back, but—”
“But you simply cannot stay away!” Iris sighed. “Isn’t love wondrous?” She poured more tea for Mr. Button, who was drinking rather a lot of it. “I think it all worked out rather well, don’t you?”
Mr. Hastings raised his teacup in salute. “I couldn’t have planned it better myself, Lady Iris.”
Iris giggled. “Shush. We mustn’t upset the children.”
The three of them leaned close together. “Now,” Iris whispered. “About Orion—”
Attie listened so hard she stopped breathing, but she didn’t hear any more.
Mr. Hastings finished his tea and went on his way. A moment later Dade and Orion entered the drawing room. Dade tugged on one of Attie�
��s braids. “Nice tentacles, Attie.”
She grunted. She was a little bit mad at Dade. She forgot why.
Dade bent to kiss his mother on the cheek in greeting. “Who was that fellow who just left?”
“That was Henry Hastings, dear.”
Dade made a noise. “Not another one!”
Attie looked up. “I liked him!”
Dade closed his eyes. “Oh, God.”
Orion narrowed his eyes. “I can see we will need to be more thorough next time.”
Attie gazed up at Orion. He was one of her favorites, for he was nearly as intelligent as she was. Should she warn him that Iris and Button had him in their matchmaking sights?
Or should she wait to see what happened next? She smiled to herself as she went back to her drawing.
She had always been a most curious Worthington.
Also by
CELESTE BRADLEY
The Wicked Worthingtons
When She Said I Do
And Then Comes Marriage
The Runaway Brides
Devil in My Bed
Rogue in My Arms
Scoundrel in My Dreams
The Heiress Brides
Desperately Seeking a Duke
The Duke Next Door
Duke Most Wanted
The Royal Four
To Wed a Scandalous Spy
Surrender to a Wicked Spy
One Night with a Spy
Seducing the Spy
The Liar’s Club
The Pretender
The Impostor
The Spy
The Charmer
The Rogue
Praise for
When She Said I Do
“Bradley puts her unique touch on Beauty and the Beast when a devil’s bargain flings an innocent into a demon’s den. Brimming with her signature depth of emotion, delightful characters, and perfect pacing, this sexy love story tugs on the heartstrings and makes you smile.”
—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick!)
And Then Comes Marriage
“I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series. They will definitely be on my auto-buy list.”
—Night Owl Romance, 5 stars
And these other novels from New York Times bestselling author
CELESTE BRADLEY
Rogue in My Arms
“Bradley doesn’t disappoint with the second in her Runaway Brides trilogy, which is certain to have readers laughing and crying. Her characters leap off the page, especially little Melody, the precocious ‘heroine,’ and her three fathers. There’s passion, adventure, nonstop action, and secrets that make the pages fly by.”
—RT Book Reviews
“When it comes to crafting fairy tale–like, wonderfully escapist historicals, Bradley is unrivaled, and the second addition to her Runaway Brides trilogy cleverly blends madcap adventure and sexy romance.”
—Booklist
Devil in My Bed
“From its unconventional prologue to its superb conclusion, every page of the first in Bradley’s Runaway Brides series is perfection and joy. Tinged with humor that never overshadows the poignancy and peopled with remarkable characters (especially the precocious Melody) who will steal your heart, this one’s a keeper.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Part romantic comedy, part romantic suspense, and wholly entertaining, Devil in My Bed is a delight!”
—Romance Reviews Today
“Laughter, tears, drama, suspense, and a heartily deserved happily-ever-after.”
—All About Romance
Duke Most Wanted
“Passionate and utterly memorable. Witty dialogue and fantastic imagery round out a novel that is a must-have for any Celeste Bradley fan.”
—Romance Junkies
“A marvelous, delightful, emotional conclusion to Bradley’s trilogy. Readers have been eagerly waiting to see what happens next, and they’ve also been anticipating a nonstop, beautifully crafted story, which Bradley delivers in spades.”
—RT Book Reviews
The Duke Next Door
“This spectacular, fast-paced, sexy romance will have you in laughter and tears. With delightful characters seeking love and a title, [this] heartfelt romance will make readers sigh with pleasure.”
— RT Book Reviews
“Not only fun and sexy but relentlessly pulls at the heartstrings. Ms. Bradley has set the bar quite high with this one!”
—Romance Readers Connection
Desperately Seeking a Duke
“A humorous romp of marriage mayhem that’s a love-and-laughter treat, tinged with heated sensuality and tenderness. [A] winning combination.”
—RT Book Reviews
“A tale of lies and treachery where true love overcomes all.”
—Romance Junkie
About the Author
CELESTE BRADLEY is the New York Times bestselling author of the Runaway Brides, Heiress Brides, Liar’s Club, and Royal Four series. Her novel Fallen was nominated for a RITA in 2002. “When you are overendowed with imagination and underendowed with punctuality, become a writer.” Years of dreaming on the job paid off when Celeste Bradley quit the mainstream in 1999 and started writing historical romance. “Handsome heroes beat out cranky customers every time!” Bradley lives in New Mexico with her family, her desert garden and so many pets the house sometimes feels like an ark.
Visit: www.celestebradley.com
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
WITH THIS RING
Copyright © 2014 by Celeste Bradley.
All rights reserved.
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eISBN: 9781466806047
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / July 2014
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