“Me?” she squeaked. “You’ve lived there all your life. Why haven’t you made them?”
He shrugged. “There were always other more important things.”
“Like a fiancée and a mistress or two,” Christie said wickedly, remembering Aster’s warnings and sensing her husband’s uneasiness.
He hugged her close. “I now have a distracting wife to take care of the household for me. And the former fiancée is in London and the mistresses are no more, so you are saddled with the full responsibility for me as well as the house.”
His tone sent a shiver of need straight through her, but with the daunting prospect of meeting his entire household ahead, she refused to act on her baser nature. “Perhaps we should stay in London,” she murmured.
“You prefer the city?” he asked, turning his attention entirely on her.
She adored the way he treated her as someone of importance whose opinions mattered, just as he believed that she was fully qualified to run his household. “I have only been in the city a month or so. I could not even say if I like it. I’m simply terrified of running an immense household. My stepfather’s house was only a little larger than your London home. We were very rural and quiet and entertained little.”
Ash chuckled. “I’m not concerned. We muddled along all these years without burning it down. That’s all you need do, if that’s your choice. Watch, you should see the dome and towers shortly.”
With fascination, Christie surveyed the sprawling Hall emerging from the trees. Mostly, it was bleak blocks of stone with four towers at the end of wings built around a tall center structure, almost medieval in its simplicity. Not even a single rose bush adorned the walls.
My roses are still there, the voice said. You need only find the roots to bring them back to life.
“Are your gardeners in the habit of chopping down roses?” she asked, wondering how to find roots of what didn’t seem to exist.
“If they’re too much work, probably. The goats eat everything else. And the dogs and horses trample anything the goats leave. Why do you ask?” He ran his finger under the neck of her pelisse and kissed her forehead. “Roses are not where my mind travels upon seeing that fortress.”
“Your great-grandmother wishes to see her roses returned,” Christie explained. “I should think dogs and goats could be penned and gardeners could be taught to tend instead of cutting.”
He rubbed up and down her nape and neck, sending more shivers of desire coursing through her. “Roses? I do seem to remember them from childhood. If you must listen to orders from ghosts, you will have a very busy time.”
“That fortress needs roses,” she said firmly, watching in horror as the carriage drew up the drive and black-and-white uniformed servants formed a line down the broad front steps. “And flowering shrubs and trees instead of a barnyard for a lawn.”
“It’s all yours to command, my general,” he said sympathetically, before turning his head to see the servants. “And I wish you well of it. They’ve all been trained only recently, except Mrs. Smith, the housekeeper.”
“The stout one who keeps tilting?” Christie asked faintly, studying the retinue.
“That’s the one. The stress of preparing for this moment must have sent her to the bottle early,” he said in amusement. “She’s the only staff member who has never deserted us. She knows where all the bodies are buried.”
“Family retainer, of course.” Christie took a deep breath as the carriage rolled to a stop.
Garbed in a bottle-green riding coat and fine white linen, Ash stepped from the carriage looking every inch the marquess he was. Christie could almost feel the tension of the staff as she took his gloved hand and emerged from the carriage. She’d worn her most elegant traveling gown in hopes that fashionable grandeur would be enough to impress.
She opened her mind and sensed nothing but curiosity and nervousness at her arrival. She was one step closer to feeling like Christie the Marchioness, and not Harriet the Hidden. Breathing a little easier, she took Ash’s arm. Feeling ridiculously regal, she lifted her trailing skirt with her other hand.
Apparently comfortable with familiar stairs, Ash didn’t use his walking stick as he strode up, introducing her to the beaming Mrs. Smith, giving the terrified new maids the opportunity to bob their curtsies.
A raw young footman opened the door to give them entrance.
With only a howl of warning, a pack of hounds and a herd of goats raced out of the opening, followed by the shouting twins. Ash managed to avoid being tumbled down the steps. Christie caught his arm, but a tiny kid ran into her skirts and bleated in terror at being blinded by acres of fabric.
Without a second thought, Christie crouched down and hugged the crying baby.
She had no understanding as Ash roared in laughter. Following the pack, shirt-sleeved William appeared equally startled and halted his chase. Pascoe and Jacques ambled out to the wide portico to watch the servants scatter. They, too, laughed when Christie stood with the bawling kid in her arms.
“Honestly, the lot of you ought to be ashamed of yourselves,” she scolded. “You did this on purpose, and after all these good people probably spent hours scouring the halls.” She shoved the goat at the sophisticated London gentleman draped in monocles and watch fobs. Pascoe caught it gingerly. “Take this poor baby back to its mother and grow up.”
Lifting her skirt, she sailed past the stupidly grinning men and into the wide foyer that was to be her new home. Ash promptly followed her.
“How did you know they did that on purpose?” he demanded, still laughing. “Theo once had a fiancée who fainted on the doorstep when they pulled that trick.”
“I could feel their amusement, of course. Male humor is very strange, but I think that’s their way of welcoming me. I felt no malice in them.” In relief that she’d not only survived the grand entrance, but didn’t feel a bit of negativity, she swung around to admire the towering domed foyer. Oddly, she felt more comfortable that his family had accepted her enough to pull one of their foolish stunts.
Emanating so much satisfaction and love that she couldn’t help smile, her husband swung her around to face him. “You are the most amazing female I have ever encountered.” Ash kissed her with such enthusiasm, her knees nearly gave out.
In the doorway, staff and family applauded.
“This your new home,” he whispered against her ear. “We are all yours to command, my love. Be gentle with us.”
Unable to speak her happiness, she pulled his head back down to hers so she might kiss him even more thoroughly.
That evening, Ash introduced her to their own private bathing room, complete with a sunken marble tub so large and decadent that they could both easily fit into it. Despite Christie’s protests, he lit candles all around the tub.
“I have no desire to return to darkness, my pet,” he told her in that deep voice of authority that aroused her as much as the sight of his muscled nakedness. “I wish to spend the rest of my life basking in your beauty and all the marvelous changes that life makes.” Laughing, he leaned over and kissed the furrow over her nose.
“Perhaps I’ll grow thinner chasing goats and little boys,” she suggested.
“Or plumper carrying my children,” he corrected, with so much satisfaction and pleasure that she had to believe he wouldn’t mind.
She’d found the one man in a million who could love her as she was, and her heart expanded with joy. “My love for you is so great, my arrogant lord, that it will even encompass goats and pigs and tippling housekeepers.”
“And to think, I only need to accept meddling magical women and their eccentric families. Fair enough.” He pulled her into him and kissed her until all the ghosts scattered and left them alone.
Even the stone walls sighed in happiness.
Historical Notes
In 1830 England, elections were not anything similar to what the modern reader understands. After King George IV died, the new king called for a “general” el
ection that took place over the summer for all the United Kingdom. The material on history of parliament online will give you some idea of the wildly differing views, topics, and maneuverings that occurred at the time. There weren’t just two political “parties” but a variety of oddly-named factions. I have used my creative license to reduce their numbers to the two most widely understood since the others aren’t important to the story.
My purpose was not to write the history of the election, but the result. In actuality, the general election produced a reform-oriented Commons which did not support the prime minister at the time—the Duke of Wellington—who had blatantly rejected any notion of parliamentary reform. Wellington resigned because the Commons would not support the Civil List he’d proposed—a political boondoggle all civilly carried out without public fanfare. Within the week, the king appointed Earl Grey, who took office on November 22, 1830—all very boringly polite and not story fodder.
Earl Grey is a fascinating man in his own right. He had fifteen children, lived four days from London, and seldom made the sessions on time. Right or wrong, he eventually, not immediately, led Parliament past all the stumbling blocks to open up the election process so aristocrats didn’t control the government any longer.
The point is, Grey was appointed, not elected. I’m sure arm-twisting occurred behind the scenes, but history does not record it. So rather than write about one tiny local election or a boring petition to the king (and they did love their petitions), I tweaked history a tiny bit to add some fun.
Acknowledgments
As ever, it takes a village to create a book. Book View Café Publishing Co-op is one of the best villages I’ve ever occupied. Kudos to everyone involved for all the advice and encouragement and hard work. In particular, editorial advice from Mindy Klasky and Jen Stevenson, proofreading from Sherwood Smith, and above-and-beyond-the-call of duty formatting from Vonda McIntyre, and the tireless efforts of Pati Nagle for keeping us all organized!
And much gratitude to the newest edition to my group of tireless, hardworking associates, Ryan Zitofsky, who helps me find readers, wherever they may be.
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About the Author
With several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today's bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice is one of romance's hottest authors. Her emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards. Her books have been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories.
A firm believer in happily-ever-after, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina and Missouri, she currently resides in Southern California, and now does accounting only for herself. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and Novelists, Inc.
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Also By Patricia Rice
The World of Magic:
The Unexpected Magic Series
Magic in the Stars
Whisper of Magic
Theory of Magic
The Magical Malcolms Series
Merely magic
Must Be Magic
The Trouble With Magic
This Magic Moment
Much Ado About Magic
Magic Man
The California Malcolms Series
The Lure of Song and Magic
Trouble with Air and Magic
The Risk of Love and Magic
Historical Romance:
The Rebellious Sons
Wicked Wyckerly
Devilish Montague
Notorious Atherton
Formidable Lord Quentin
The Regency Nobles Series
The Genuine Article
The Marquess
English Heiress
Irish Duchess
Mysteries:
Family Genius series
Evil Genius
Undercover Genius
Cyber Genius
About Book View Café
Book View Café is a professional authors’ cooperative offering DRM-free ebooks in multiple formats to readers around the world. With authors in a variety of genres including fantasy, romance, mystery, and science fiction, Book View Café has something for everyone.
Book View Café is good for readers because you can enjoy high-quality DRM-free ebooks from your favorite authors at a reasonable price.
Book View Café authors include NY Times bestsellers and notable book authors (Madeleine Robins, Patricia Rice, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, and Sarah Zettel), Nebula and Hugo Award winners (Ursula K. Le Guin, Vonda N. McIntyre, Linda Nagata), and a Rita award nominee (Patricia Rice).
Praise for Patricia Rice’s novels
MAGIC IN THE STARS
“Rice packs her tale with whimsy humor and mayhem … and takes her readers on an amorous adventure in this magical tale.”— Joan Hammond, RT Book Reviews 4 1/2 top pick
FORMIDABLE LORD QUENTIN
“another gem . . .with touches of whimsy, astute dialogue, a bit of poignancy, passion and sensuality —fast-paced tale of love and laughter.” –Joan Hammond, RT Reviews
“Rice has crafted her novel with plenty of witty, engaging characters and a healthy dose of romance. Clever Bell is a splendid protagonist, and readers will cheer her efforts to get men to take her seriously and treat her as an equal.” –Publishers Weekly
MERELY MAGIC
"Like Julie Garwood, Patricia Rice employs wicked wit and sizzling sensuality to turn the battle of the sexes into a magical romp." Mary Jo Putney, NYT Bestselling author
MUST BE MAGIC
“Rice has created a mystical masterpiece full of enchanting characters, a spellbinding plot, and the sweetest of romances.” Booklist (starred review)
THE TROUBLE WITH MAGIC
“Rice is a marvelously talented author who skillfully combines pathos with humor in a stirring, sensual romance that shows the power of love is the most wondrous gift of all. Think of this memorable story as a gift you can open again and again.” Romantic Times
THIS MAGIC MOMENT
“This charming and immensely entertaining tale . . .takes a smart, determined heroine who will accept nothing less than true love and an honorable hero who eventually realizes what love is and sets them on course to solve a mystery, save an entire estate, and find the magic of love.” –Library Journal
MUCH ADO ABOUT MAGIC
“The magical Rice takes Trev and Lucinda, along with her readers, on a passionate, sensual, and romantic adventure in this fast-paced, witty, poignant, and magical tale of love.” Romantic Times (Top Pick, 4 ½ stars)
MAGIC MAN
“In this delightful conclusion to the Magic series, Rice gives readers a thoughtful giant of a man who can bring down mo
untains, but with gentle touches can make the earth tremble for the woman he loves. This is a sensual, poignant, humorous and magical read.” Romantic Times
Theory of Magic Page 30