He turned to bow at the lady. “And of course, Miss Holmes. I’m thankful that you could accompany your father.”
“Like my father said, your request was rather untoward, so I was naturally curious. I wouldn’t have missed it.”
He offered an arm to Miss Holmes. “Would you care to meet my wife?”
“Indeed, I would, my lord.”
***
Albina took a sip of Mrs. Dryler’s special punch to quench her parched throat. She was quite sure that the entire village of Yarmouth had dedicated this one night of the year to her husband and the grand celebration that honored the birth of the famous saint.
With so much activity going on around her, children frolicking about in play, adults of all differing ages talking and laughing amongst one another, it was truly a magical night to behold.
She glanced over her shoulder to try and find Michael in the crowd. The moment they’d walked outside and greeted their guests, they had been pulled in opposite directions. They still hadn’t managed to find a moment alone together, but as midnight drew near, she knew that he would find a way for them to be together, come what may.
Suddenly, she saw Chael, walking over to her with a comely brunette on his arm. An older gentleman walked on his other side. While he looked vaguely familiar, it was the young woman attached to her husband who drew her attention.
As the trio stopped before her, Albina looked at Michael curiously. “My dear,” he bowed respectfully. “I’d like to introduce you to Miss Petranella Holmes and her father, Mr. Elliot Holmes.”
Albina frowned, the name sending another niggling wave of slight recognition to her brain. But it wasn’t the father that captured her focus so much as the name of his daughter. Petranella…
She focused on her husband. “Michael, what’s this all about?”
His warm brown eyes softened as he looked at her. “Trust me?”
Albina wanted to waver, to let the old doubts sink in, but instead, she gave a brief nod of her head. “Yes.”
He turned to the assembled crowd. Putting two fingers to his mouth, he released a loud whistle. “Might I have everyone’s attention?” he yelled, and the boisterous crowd quieted down to a dull murmur. “As you know, St. John’s Eve has always been a special day for me, for not only is it a time when I can show my appreciation for all the hard work you do for me and my estate, but it is also the evening before the happiest day of my life, the day I married my bride.”
A round of applause sounded throughout the assembled throng. “In just a few minutes, at the stroke of midnight, my wife and I will be celebrating twenty-five years of marriage. Since all that time has not always been easy, and because it is a rather important milestone in my life, I wanted to reaffirm my love for the former Miss Albina Waterton in a rather unconventional way.”
He waved his hand to indicate Mr. Holmes. “I have asked the vicar who prepared our original vows to be here tonight, accompanied by his daughter Miss Petranella Holmes, with all of you standing witness, so that I might ask my wife to marry me.”
At long last, he turned to Albina. “Again.”
He bent down on one knee in front of her. “Mrs. Albina Baine, Viscountess Beauley, heart of my heart and love of my life, I ask if you would, once again, render your wedding vows and marry me for a second time?”
There weren’t very many times in her life that Albina found herself at a loss for words, but with Chael kneeling before her, completely vulnerable and laying his heart and his pride bare for one and all to see, it shattered something inside of her.
She fell to her knees and threw her arms around his neck. Caught off balance, he fell backward with her on top of him, smothering him with kisses. “You silly, ridiculous man! I love you with every beat of my heart. I will marry you a thousand times over if that is what it takes to convince you of it.” Tears coursed down her cheeks, but her smile blossomed as bright as the sun. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you. Forgive me.”
He wiped her tears away with the pads of his thumbs. “If you need forgiveness, then so do I. We’re human, so it’s only natural that we make mistakes. Without a doubt, I will make more. But you can rest assured in the knowledge that, no matter what, I will never leave you again.”
“I’m very happy to hear that, my lord. For I don’t intend to let you go.”
They kissed again, oblivious to the shouts and cheers going on around them, just as the clock struck twelve.
EPILOGUE
A lady must make her own rules.
Lady A’s Final Advice
Beauley Hall
St. John’s Eve
One year later…
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you and Papa so happy,” Mary noted as Albina’s handsome husband, yet again, diverted her attention in the middle of the parlor. A year had passed and things were better now than they’d been when they had first married.
Albina smiled at her oldest child, reaching out her hand to give hers a squeeze. “I’m thankful that you and Stephen are doing well.”
Mary rubbed her swelling belly. “You could say that,” she said with a laugh, and then her expression turned serious. “It’s all because of your sage advice.” She tilted her head to the side. “Are you sure that you aren’t going to continue to pursue your advice column?”
Albina shook her head. “While my publisher was disappointed, he is pleased with my latest endeavors. It turns out that penning Gothic novels appealed to me after all.”
“Much to my everlasting surprise,” Mrs. Lydia Langley sat down across from mother and daughter with a long suffering sigh. “I never thought my toughest competition would come in the form of my dearest friend.”
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Langley,” Albina’s daughter Sarah said as she sat down next to her. “I may love my mother’s stories, but rest assured you shall always have a spot on my bookshelf.”
Lydia looked at her with a grin. “I always knew that you were my favorite.”
The other women laughed good-naturedly, catching the attention of Albina’s son Connor. He walked over with an arrogant swagger to match his father’s. “The four of you cackle like a group of hens,” he teased.
Sarah rolled her eyes. “Don’t you have another woman to harass? Your wife, for instance?”
He held up his hands and backed away with a wince. “Ouch. Prickly sister for the win again.”
After another round of merriment, Mary turned to her mother. “Who is that man Papa is speaking with?”
Albina glanced at the tall, dark blond gentleman in animated conversation with her husband. “That is your father’s business partner, Julian Solomon.” She pointed to a woman speaking with Connor’s wife, Andrea. “And that is his wife, Philomena. The baby she’s holding is their eight-month-old son, Chael.”
“Oh, he’s adorable!” Mary gasped, but then a slight frown touched her forehead. “Aren’t they a little old to be new parents?”
“They are our age!” Albina said with mock affront.
“Like I said,” Mary rolled her eyes, although a grin tugged at her lips.
Albina looked at her husband, who was watching her with heated promise in his eyes. Instantly, her entire body warmed as she thought of the night before when they had come together in his bedchamber. But then, she supposed her room was for storing her dresses anymore, for had she slept with her husband every night for the past three hundred and sixty five days.
With a secretive smile playing about her lips, Albina said, “Oh, not to worry. Your father isn’t that old just yet.” Her eyes sparkled with mirth. “And neither am I.”
The End
SNEAK PEEK AT THE WAYS OF LOVE SERIES
How It All Began for the Baron
All it takes is a little Christmas spirit for love to appear.
Lady Cassiopeia Ashcroft would have enjoyed the holiday season so much more if Lord Gregory Dawson hadn’t shown up to ruin it. But then, she never anticipated that this time, his arrival would change everything – in
cluding her heart.
Lord Gregory Dawson was well aware of the annoyed glances that Rion’s elder sister shot his way. But since he rather liked aggravating Lady Cassie, he decided to make the best of the holiday season. What he hadn’t counted on was how much he would come to enjoy her company – or her kisses.
Together they learn that sometimes fate isn’t always what you’d expect.
Why the Earl is After the Girl
A missing heirloom. A stolen inheritance. Can love conquer mistrust?
Athena Hawthorne knows that she’s been wronged, that her late father’s debts are false. Intending to set things right, she accepts a desperate offer from a handsome stranger to work as a governess.
Orion Ashcroft, the Earl of Rockford, means to keep Athena close at hand, believing she is responsible for the theft of a priceless family heirloom. His grandmother’s dying wish, to see it restored.
It isn’t until a shocking villain threatens all he holds dear, does Rion have to make a choice between duty – and desire.
Where the Viscount Met His Match
Secrets. Lies. And a second chance at love…
Mara Miller has been living a secret life in the guise of Miss Anna Smith for nearly a decade. Forced to give up the only man she’d ever loved, she finally made a place for herself in London as a modest, haberdashery owner.
Until one day changes it all.
Roarke Garrott, Viscount Eversleigh, is determined to put his life – and his heart – back together. Returning to England after more than a seven year hiatus in India, he returns to the very woman he’s never been able to forget. Working together for a common goal, the truth – and the past – come back to haunt them as they return to where it all began.
When a Duke Pursues a Lady
An innocent woman. A loyal agent to the Crown. A path of deception that tests the bonds of love.
Lyra Coventry, Lady Weston, has survived three years of abuse from a husband she just might have murdered. But what's truly shocking is the unlikely ally that comes forward to offer his aid and clear her name. In the midst of turmoil, Lyra discovers a strength she never knew existed -- and a love she never thought possible.
Alister Ayles, Duke of Albright, never cared much for society's opinions. So what if he was thought of as a simpleton? He was a respected agent for the Crown and that had always been good enough. But when the one he never fought hard enough for finds herself in trouble, he has to decide whether to listen to reason -- or his heart.
Who the Marquess Dares to Desire
A man bent on revenge. A woman with a shadowed past. Together they must face down a common foe.
Miss Clara Upton is a commoner who is thrust into the world of glittering London, all in the hopes that her twin sister, Cora, will have a better life. But it isn’t long before a figure from the past threatens her plans that she has to take a stand. If only some infuriating marquess would mind his own business…
Drayven Hollowell, the Marquess of Sussex, has spent years tracking down the man responsible for murdering his parents. And now that he’s suddenly found a way to bring his adversary down, he isn’t about to let it slip through his grasp. If only the woman he is intent on seducing wasn’t so enticing in return…
It isn’t until the city itself begins to collapse, with heightened threats all around, do they have to decide whether life is worth vengeance, or love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tabetha Waite is the multi-award winning author of the historical romance Ways of Love Series. Her debut novel, “Why the Earl is After the Girl,” was published in July of 2016 and won the 2017 Best Indie Book Award in Romance and the 2018 Second Place Feathered Quill Book Award in Romance. She is a certified PAN member of the RWA. When she’s not writing, Tabetha is reading, as true bookworms do, or checking out any antique mall she comes across. During the school year she works as a lunch attendant at the local community college. She is a small town, Missouri girl, born and bred, and continues to make her home in the Midwest with her husband and two wonderful daughters.
You can find her on most any social media site, and she encourages any fans of her work to join her mailing list for updates. www.authortabethawaite.wix.com/romance
Heart of Decadence
Jenna Jaxon
Heart of Decadence
Miss Amelia Burrowes was the scandal during her first Season, when her fiancée died. Ten years later, she’s back in London to make an arranged marriage that will hopefully allow her sisters to be received by the ton.
But when Nathan, Lord Ainsley arrives, the flame between them rekindles and Amelia must convince him that a woman with a past deserves a future.
Read More by Jenna Jaxon
The House of Pleasure series
Only Scandal Will Do
Only Marriage Will Do
Only A Mistress Will Do
Only Seduction Will Do
Only Pleasure Will Do (Fall 2019)
Time Enough to Love series
Betrothal
Betrayal
Beleaguered
Seduction at the Christmas Court
Handful of Hearts series
Hearts Beneath the Mistletoe
Heart of Desire
Heart of Delight
Heart of a Scoundrel
Hearts at All Hallows’ Eve
The Widows’ Club series
To Woo A Wicked Widow
Wedding the Widow
What A Widow Wants)
All Wrapped Up
(an anthology of short Christmas tales)
Heart of Decadence
Copyright © 2019 Jenna Jaxon
All rights reserved.
Dedication
For my dear husband, my second chance at love, with all my love
CHAPTER ONE
The warm walnut-paneled library of Lady Hamilton’s townhouse should have been comforting to Miss Amelia Burrowes. Flickering candles illuminated the room just enough to see, but still enough to conceal oneself if necessary. Soft leather cushions on the chairs and chaise, also in medium brown tones, invited one to sit and relax, while the red and tan Turkey carpet added a richness that soothed the senses. Altogether the room exuded a calmness and security Amelia needed in her life at this moment. Unfortunately, the room’s sense of well-being could not penetrate her growing sense of dread.
Outside the closed door, voices laughed loudly, making her jump. Heart racing, she listened keenly for the sound of one particular voice, her fingernails sinking into the arms of the chair until she feared she would tear the expensive upholstery. Yet she could not stop herself, for she was sure Mr. Burke would find her no matter where she hid.
When her mother first hinted that the family was once again attempting to find a husband for her, Amelia had smiled and tried to look hopeful. Her pretended interest and cooperation had always pleased her mother, every time the subject had sporadically come up over the past ten years. Every attempt had, of course, come to nothing. Amelia’s reputation had sustained irreparable damage when her betrothed, Jonathan, had died, and she had come to accept that her lot in life would be as a spinster. Mama had felt their loss of status keenly, but had settled, as she must, for a quiet life in the country.
Until this year. For next year her two younger sisters, Henrietta and Margaret, were supposed to make their come out. They could only do that if someone sponsored them, and Mama was determined that someone would. She was convinced that after all this time, Amelia’s reputation could still be repaired by a good marriage. Once Amelia was accepted back into Society, then her younger sisters would most likely be invited to fashionable events and hopefully catch good husbands of their own. To make certain that happened, Mama had begun a campaign, carried out with military precision, to find a husband for her. It mattered little what the man was like, and not at all if Amelia liked him. Only his willingness to ally himself with a woman who had acted scandalously mattered in the least.
“Your father has been talking to va
rious friends of his with connections,” Mama had told her a month ago. She’d brought her into the seldom-used front parlor and shut the door. “He believes to have found a gentleman, a young gentleman in fact, who would be willing to consider marrying you.” Eyes bright, cheeks flushed, her mother stared at her expectantly. “Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Of course, Mama.” Amelia had feigned an excitement she did not feel.
“A Mr. Lawrence Burke, of Chesterfield in Derbyshire.”
The name had meant nothing, but Amelia had smiled and nodded.
“We will be going up to Town for a few weeks of the Season at the beginning of May. Papa has arranged for you to meet the gentleman then and if you think you will suit, we can proceed with the settlements.” The relieved smile on Mama’s face told how worried she’d been about not only Amelia, but about the younger girls as well. “Your father is being extraordinarily generous with your dowry, but then we had to do something.” She sighed and gave Amelia the same pained expression she’d worn for the past decade when speaking of “The Situation.”
“I could not help Jonathan dying, Mama.”
“I know that, Amelia. Still, it has been a trial to us all for a very long time. I hope you will take advantage of Mr. Burke’s interest and make the match as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Mama.”
That had been the end of the interview, but Amelia had had grave doubts about the coming introduction, especially when she was told it would include attendance at her aunt’s grand ball shortly after their arrival in London. Lady Hamilton, her aunt after whom she’d been named, had agreed, albeit reluctantly, for Amelia to attend her ball that opened the Season each year. Amelia had not been out in Society for almost ten years. She’d been to several local affairs in Benington during that time, well after the scandal had died down, of course, but never had she set foot in London since her betrothed’s death.
Second Chance Love: A Regency Romance Set Page 27