Romancing an Alluring Lady: A Historical Regency Romance Book

by Lucy Langton

  When Kitty let go of his arm and took off down the docks, at first Hugh was concerned. But when he looked up ahead, he caught sight of a man that could easily be Kitty’s twin. Like her, he had light blond hair that looked to have grown out into the more common Spanish style. It had become lighter from spending time in the sun.

  His skin was clearly tanned, even from the dim light that shone down on the docks. Hugh glanced at the woman beside him who was easily of Spanish descent. She had golden bronzed skin and long dark brown hair. Her eyes were the same shade as her hair. Though Hugh could easily see why William had fallen for the maiden, as he looked at the bright smile on Kitty’s face as she reached her brother, Hugh could only ever have eyes for his beloved.

  “Lord Worthington,” Hugh said with a dip of his head as he joined the group.

  “Lord Blackmore,” William said as he looked over Kitty’s shoulder, obviously surprised to see him. “What on Earth are you doing here?”

  “I’m the one that told Kitty that a Spanish ship had just docked. I brought her down here to welcome you home,” Hugh explained.

  “I don’t like how you are speaking so formally about my sister,” William said as his eyes narrowed at him.

  Before Kitty could speak, he said, “Kitty is my betrothed.” William’s eyes grew large as he looked down at his sister.

  “Is this true?” he asked, his voice a bit strained. Hugh was curious how William would react. He could only assume that they both were exhausted and that perhaps now wasn’t the best time to be discussing such things. But it was hard to avoid it when William was so quick to question.

  “Yes, William. Hugh and I are engaged and will be married as soon as you and your wife are up to the event,” Kitty said calmly.

  “And you’ve agreed to marry this man willingly?” William asked with anger laced in his words.

  “Yes, William. I have agreed to marry Hugh willingly and find that he is indeed the love of my life,” Kitty said as her temper rose. She turned to the woman next to him and said, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Worthington. Let’s go home.” Kitty turned and walked past Hugh, seeming to be quite upset.

  “I have a carriage waiting on the street,” Hugh said. “Please take your time and feel free to have your things brought up and fastened.”

  “Thank you, Lord Blackmore,” William said in a tight voice as he dipped his head towards Hugh. Then, he turned and followed after Kitty, making sure to catch up to her so he could help her back up the stairs. She sighed as she took the arm he offered her.

  “I am so sorry, Hugh. I had no idea that William would respond like that,” Kitty said. “I simply thought he’d be happy for us.”

  “Do not read too much into his reaction, Kitty. They must be exhausted from travelling so long at sea. Give your brother some time to recover,” Hugh assured her. “And once he sees us together, he will not be able to question our love for one another.” Hugh felt better when he saw Kitty smile. She squeezed his hand before they took the stairs up to the street.

  Hugh led Kitty over to the carriage and helped her up into it and then stood outside the carriage as he kept a watch on the docks below. Several Spaniards were moving up and down the docks as they began to carry Lord and Lady Worthington’s things up to the carriage. And the couple themselves eventually made their way up to the street to oversee the packing of their many trunks onto the back of the carriage.

  “Lord Blackmore, may I introduce you to my wife,” William said as he came over to the carriage with Lady Worthington on his arm. Hugh dipped his head in return as he regarded the young woman.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Hugh said. “Lady Winthrop is eager to see you both.” William chuckled as he shook his head, his eyes glancing out over the harbour.

  “I’m surprised Aunt Matilda is still with us,” William said. “I’m sure she is certainly eager.”

  “I think it will do her health well to be around all her remaining family,” Hugh said pointedly. William looked back at Hugh, seeming to observe him closely as his eyes travelled up and down his form.

  “And what of you, Lord Blackmore? How have these past three years treated you?” William asked. Hugh thought about his response for a moment, trying to think of the best way to explain himself. It wouldn’t take long for William to catch up on the latest gossip in town, and the Ton was still wagging their tongues about him and Kitty.

  “I would like to think that I’ve been well, but it wasn’t until your sister showed me how I’d been living a disastrous life that I took the time to change my ways. Your sister means the world to me, and she deserves only the best,” Hugh said. He saw a smirk come onto Lady Worthington’s lips as she looked to her husband for a moment.

  “I can think of another man who turned over a leaf for love,” she said, her Spanish accent very strong. William looked at his wife and smiled. It made Hugh wonder what their backstory was.

  “Perhaps it is possible we both reacted the same way when our parents passed away,” William said as he turned his focus back on him. “I ran away from all of my pain then.”

  “And I drowned my pain away with very fine brandy,” Hugh said with a chuckle. “I understand why you would be hesitant to the idea of me and Kitty marrying. But remember, William. You’ve been gone for a very long time.” William stilled then, his eyes glancing off into the distance before refocusing on Hugh once more.

  “I suppose you are right,” William responded. “Well, let us be off then. Let’s not keep Aunty waiting any longer.” Hugh climbed up into the carriage and sat next to Kitty who had her eyes fixed on the window. She didn’t turn towards him or when the other two came into the carriage. Hugh could tell that her feelings had really been upset. It was only when Hugh laced his fingers with hers that Kitty’s shoulders seemed to relax.

  “William tells me that you got in a lot of trouble in your youth,” Lady Worthington spoke up as she addressed Hugh. He turned his eyes on the couple then, curious to know all that William had said about him.

  “I will not deny that claim,” Hugh said. “I was mischievous for sure and would often convince Kitty to join me on our little adventures.” William chuckled as he shook his head.

  “I remember all the times you tried to convince me to tag along with you, but I knew you were always up to trouble, Hugh,” William said. It pleased Hugh to hear that William was becoming comfortable using their informal names. After all, they’d all grown up doing so.

  “I was simply a very curious young boy who needed to understand how the world worked,” Hugh said as though he was trying to defend himself. But he was very much aware of his misdeeds as a child. Even if he’d done them as an innocent child.

  “So, what curiosity spurred you to grease up the pigs and let them loose into the village?” William asked with a smirk on his lips. Hugh couldn’t contain his laughter then, thinking that stunt was his most famous adventure yet. He heard Kitty laughing beside him, and as he looked down at his beloved, it warmed his heart to think that she was joining them in the rambunctious conversation.

  “I was curious to see how long it would take everyone to catch them,” Hugh replied, causing them all to laugh once more.

  “It is good to be back in England,” William commented. “It feels like home.”

  “And I am glad to be with you,” Lady Worthington said as she looked up at her husband. The way she looked at William proved to Hugh that the couple truly loved one another.

  “We are all very curious to know how you two met,” Kitty spoke up.

  “Well, I think we’ll have to tell that story once we’re in the sitting room with Aunt Matilda. She’ll want to hear the story as well,” William suggested.

  “Very true,” Kitty agreed.

  When the carriage came to a stop in front of the Worthington townhouse, Hugh stepped out first to help Kitty and Lady Worthington down. He and William followed the young ladies to the front of the house. The moment William stepped in through the front door,
Hugh watched as Aunt Matilda enveloped him in a hug. It was good to see the older woman so happy.

  “Oh, my boy. It’s so good to see you home and well,” Aunt Matilda said as she took a step back from him, her right hand gripping her cane heavily. It made Hugh worried about her.

  “And you must be Viviana,” Aunt Matilda said as she turned her attention to the new Lady Worthington. “I think it is good that more women will be in the house.” The young lady giggled in response as she accepted a simple hug from Aunt Matilda.

  “It is a pleasure to meet you,” Lady Worthington replied. “Thank you for your warm welcome.”

  “Well then, you should all come into the dining room. Dinner should be ready shortly,” Aunt Matilda said as she gestured for everyone to follow her. Hugh looped his arm with Kitty’s, pleased to think that soon they’d be officially married now that William and his wife had arrived in England.

  Chapter 22

  Aunt Matilda went up to her room after dinner to retire for the evening. Kitty couldn’t blame the older woman since the evening had been filled with so much excitement. The entire dinner all that Aunt Matilda would do was ask William a hundred questions about his trip abroad.

  Her aunt was transfixed with all the stories of his many travels to far away countries. Kitty herself had even been surprised by his tales. But the one thing Kitty was certain of was William’s love for his wife. It pleased Kitty to no end to see the special way they would look at each other throughout the meal.

  Now, they were all settled in the drawing room after the meal. Kitty could tell that William and Viviana were exhausted, but she was still dying to hear how the two had met. William had spent much of the evening talking of his travels, but little of his time with Viviana before they married.

  “Would you two care for a cup of tea?” Kitty asked, wondering if there was anything else she could do for them.

  “No, Kitty. I don’t need anything else to help me stay awake,” William said as he ran his fingers through his hair. “I am looking forward to retiring for the night, to be honest.”

  “But you must tell us how you and Viviana met,” Kitty pressed. William smirked then as he focused his eyes on her.

  “You always do get your way, don’t you,” William retorted.

  “I can be quite persuasive,” Kitty said. She gave Hugh a particular look, and he winked at her in response. Kitty turned her eyes back on her brother as she watched him take Viviana’s hand into hers.

  “Viviana and I met on one of the many Spanish beaches I often visited,” William started with. “She had been there playing with her son.” Kitty looked at Viviana then, instantly curious to know where this son was now.

  “We spent the day together, and Viviana and Marco showed me all the different places to find seashells. One might say it was true love at first sight.” William glanced back at Viviana before continuing, “The tensions are high in Spain between all of the lords that own the different territories. One such skirmish in the town I had been visiting resulted in the death of Marco as he got separated from his mother.”

  Kitty’s eyes went wide as she covered her mouth. She gripped Hugh’s hand, unable to even imagine what it must be like to lose a child. She instantly grieved for Viviana, and as Kitty looked into her eyes, she could see tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.

  “Marco was my son from a previous marriage,” Viviana said. “My first husband passed away from what was called the cold’s touch of death when Marco was only a year old.”

  “Pneumonia,” William helped explain.

  “So, it was just Marco and I for the longest time. And when we met William, it was like our lives were complete once more,” Viviana said.

  “Losing Marco was like I’d lost my own son,” William added. “We both went through that tragedy together.” They were all silent for a moment as Kitty tried to put herself in their shoes. After everything she and Hugh had been through over the last few weeks, at least neither one of them had lost anyone.

  “I wanted to bring Viviana to England as a way to get away from Spain and all the grief she’d experienced in her short life. But her father wouldn’t agree to the voyage unless we were married,” William continued.

  “And since we’d already fallen in love with one another, it wasn’t hard to agree to those terms,” Viviana said, a smile returning to her lips as she looked at her husband lovingly.

  “I’m sorry you and Aunt Matilda couldn’t be there for our wedding, Kitty,” William said as he looked at her. Kitty could tell that he was being sincere, and she had no negative feelings towards her brother for becoming married outside of England.

  “I understand, William,” Kitty assured. “I’m just glad that you are home now, with the woman you love, and can now be here for my wedding.”

  “Speaking of, you must tell me your own love story,” William said as he looked between Kitty and Hugh. “That must be some story.”

  Hugh sighed as he leaned forward and began telling the tale. There was much laughter as Hugh explained the accident at the ball. Then there was sorrow over the news of the fire to Hugh’s country estate, and also when he was called away by the Royal Magistrate. But there was nothing more upsetting than the retelling of what Miss Talbot had done to them, and finally the attempted murder by Lord Harding. By the time Hugh had finished explaining everything that had happened in a matter of a week, the room fell silent once more.

  “But it seems that in the end love conquers all,” Viviana said then, bringing a lightness back into the room. Kitty smiled and nodded her head as her eyes went to Hugh’s. She had found a stronger and more powerful love in opening herself up to Hugh than she had ever in her life. In the end, everything they’d overcome together had been worth it to now have him as her beloved. And as she looked to her brother, she reasoned that he felt the same way about being with Viviana.

  “Well, Hugh, I wouldn’t have said this three years ago. But now I am glad that you took all that time in your childhood to play with Kitty. It seems as though it was destiny after all,” William commented. Kitty’s heart was warmed by his words, and for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was whole again.

  “So, when is the wedding?” Viviana asked.

  “Well, we had been waiting on a letter from you, William, and had not expected you to already be on your way to England,” Kitty explained. “So, we have planned a ball in honour of your return to England and will afterwards plan our own wedding.”

  “A ball? Do you really think that is necessary?” William asked, seeming surprised by the news.

  “I think it will be a great way to introduce you both into society,” Hugh said. Kitty was thankful that he was coming to her aid. “You’ve been gone for so long that it will give the ton a chance to see Lord Worthington present within England once more.”

  “At least tell me that the ball isn’t tomorrow,” William said with a deep sigh. Kitty chuckled as she shook her head.

  “It’s in a week’s time,” Kitty explained. “It will give you both the necessary time to recover from your trip and to have any wardrobe pieces made.”

  “It has been such a long time since I have attended a ball that I am certain I will need several pieces tailored for me by next week,” William admitted.

  “It is no trouble, William. I shall have the tailor sent for in the morning to come in the afternoon. Then you shall have all you two need by next week,” Kitty assured.

  “Very well,” William said before turning to his wife. “Seems we should retire for the evening. I have a small inkling that you are as exhausted as I am.”