Her love for him increased with every word he spoke. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she said.
“I feel the same way about you.” His fingers moved to the neckline of her gown. “You may have a duel to fight tomorrow, Duchess, but right now, you’re mine. This is after all our wedding night, and I intend to make the most of it.
A soft shiver sailed down her spine with the expectation of what was to come. And then he kissed her, filling her mind with only him. His left arm locked behind her back, holding her firmly in place while his right hand trailed down her side and over her hip. “I love you,” he whispered against her lips reverently, and with the same degree of longing that she felt for him.
“As I love you.”
No words had ever been so honestly spoken, even if they failed to convey the emotion that poured through her like a frothing river following a downpour. And since words were not enough, Chloe said nothing more. Instead, she gave herself up to the pleasure of kisses and caresses while her husband removed the remaining barriers between them, allowing them to love each other in the most honest way possible.
Chapter 24
A low mist crawled across the ground the following morning as Chloe followed Woodford on horseback, riding along a narrow path that would lead them through the woods to an open field beyond. Breaking out of the trees, Chloe saw that Lady Dewfield was already present. She was joined by one of Lady Duncaster’s footmen who’d apparently agreed to being her second. Lady Duncaster herself stood to the left, dressed in her usual Louis the Fifteenth style, with a large pink feather protruding from her elaborate wig. She was flanked by two footmen on either side.
“Good morning,” Lady Dewfield said as Chloe and Woodford dismounted. “I’m so glad you’re finally here since I’d rather begun to think that you might have changed your mind.”
“Doing so never even crossed my mind,” Chloe said.
“If you’re ready,” Lady Duncaster said, approaching the two ladies with a footman who carried a large case, “I should like to get this spectacle over with so I can go and enjoy my breakfast.”
“Of course,” Lady Dewfield said.
The footman flipped the lid of the case, revealing two identical swords. Chloe selected the one closest to her while Lady Dewfield picked up the other. Lady Duncaster then proceeded to lay out the rules, which were few, save for the fact that attacking while the opponent was unprepared, unarmed, or with their back turned, would lead to immediate disqualification. “This fight is until first blood only,” she added. “If either of you harms the other beyond that, you’ll pay the price. Is that understood?”
“Perfectly,” Lady Dewfield said.
Chloe nodded.
“Very well then,” Lady Duncaster said. “You may begin.”
Chloe started toward the center of the field but a hand pulled her back. Turning, she met her husband’s steady gaze. “Remember what I told you,” he whispered. “Keep your shoulders back and your chin up. Don’t underestimate her—there’s no telling how good she might be.”
A horse neighed and Chloe glanced beyond Woodford’s shoulder to find her brother riding toward them. “Stop this right now,” he yelled.
“I’ll deal with him,” Woodford told her. He gave her a hasty kiss and squeezed her hand. “Good luck.”
Thanking him, Chloe strode forward to meet her opponent. “Ready?” she asked Lady Dewfield.
The widow took up an expert fencing position. “En garde.”
Chloe’s confidence wavered a moment, but soon returned the moment her sword engaged with Lady Dewfield’s. She was good, well-trained, it seemed, but not as skilled as Chloe had feared. The more they parried and countered, the more certain Chloe became that they were equally matched.
Keeping her eyes on the tip of Lady Dewfield’s blade at all times, Chloe was able to avoid the attempts Lady Dewfield made at wounding her as Chloe continuously kept up her guard, waiting for just the right moment. It finally came when Lady Dewfield decided that Chloe’s only strategy was defense. Lowering her own guard, the widow attempted a move meant to force Chloe back with the likely outcome of tripping her so she’d fall and leave herself vulnerable. It was an attack, not entirely dissimilar to the one Blake had used on Woodford.
Recalling Woodford’s strategy and how well it had worked, Chloe leapt aside the moment Lady Dewfield thrust her sword toward her. She spun back and counterattacked with a low cut that sliced open Lady Dewfield’s skirt, wounding her calf. For a second, there was nothing but silence as Lady Dewfield dropped her gaze to assess herself. Noting the blood, she raised her eyes to Chloe who immediately stepped back the moment she saw her venomous expression. “No,” Lady Dewfield said, shaking her head. “It cannot end like this. I will not let it end like this.”
With a furious scream she launched toward Chloe who blocked the attack with her sword. Fear quickened her pulse at the realization that Lady Dewfield meant to harm her, possibly kill her, the moment she had the chance. She was mildly aware of violent shouts shaking the air and of people rushing toward them, but she dared not look at them—dared not take her eyes off Lady Dewfield for even a second.
A shot sounded, but it had no effect. Dodging and swerving, Chloe realized that Lady Dewfield had lost all sense of reason. She attacked again, this time striking Chloe’s arm and producing a sharp pain that weakened her limbs. “Please stop,” Chloe begged, unsure of how much longer she’d be able to ward off her opponent.
“I’ll see you in hell,” Lady Dewfield snarled, moving forward again and preparing to thrust. But the strike never came as strong arms grabbed hold of her and forced her onto the ground.
Struggling for breath, Chloe watched as Woodford and Spencer disarmed Lady Dewfield. Chloe dropped her own weapon, her body shaking as tears began spilling from her eyes.
“Your brother was right,” Woodford said, leaving Lady Dewfield to Spencer and the footmen so that he could pull Chloe into his arms. “I never should have let you do this.”
“I would have resented you if you hadn’t.”
His chest shuddered against her cheek. “I know, but the thought of possibly losing you when I saw what she was doing . . .” His voice broke and he tightened his arms around her.
“But you were here,” she whispered. “I never would have attempted this if you hadn’t been.”
“Spencer’s going to be furious with both of us.”
Chloe nodded and stepped back. “I know, but that’s because he doesn’t understand. This wasn’t just about the past. It was also about the future.”
Woodford frowned. “What do you mean?”
“She threatened to take you away from me,” Chloe said simply.
“You know that would be impossible.”
“I do, but I still had to assert myself, not just for my own peace of mind, but to let her know that she has no power over me any longer—that she’d best keep her distance if she knows what’s good for her.”
Raising his chin, Woodford gave her the same look he’d given her a number of times already—it was one of respect and admiration. “You fought well,” he said. “I’m proud of you.”
Reaching up, she pulled his head down for a long and sensual kiss. “Will you see to my wound for me?” she asked him slyly as they started back toward Thorncliff, both seated on Woodford’s horse while hers trailed behind.
“Nothing would give me greater pleasure,” he murmured gruffly.
She blushed in response to the innuendo, the anticipation of welcoming his administrations already heating her blood. “I love you,” she said. Her heart fluttered in her chest.
“And I love you,” he replied, tightening his hold around her and kissing her fondly on the cheek. “I always will.”
Acknowledgments
Writing is a continuous learning experience—a journey of the imagination�
�and because of this, there are moments when I find myself stumbling, overthinking an issue, or simply coming to a complete standstill. Thankfully, I work with an extraordinary group of people who always help me get back on my feet, point me in the right direction, or give me that extra push that I need. Each and every one of them deserves my deepest thanks and gratitude, because when all is said and done, a book isn’t the work of just one person but of many.
I’d like to thank my wonderful editor, Erika Tsang, and her assistant, Chelsey Emmelhainz, for being so incredibly helpful and easy to talk to—working with both of you is an absolute pleasure!
Together with the rest of the Avon Books team, which includes (but is far from limited to) copyeditor Nan Reinhardt, publicists Pam Spengler-Jaffee, Jessie Edwards, Caroline Perny and Emily Homonoff, and senior director of marketing, Shawn Nicholls, they have offered guidance and support whenever it was needed. My sincerest thanks to all of you for being so wonderful!
Another person who must be acknowledged for his talent is artist James Griffin, who has created the stunning cover for this book, capturing not only the feel of the story but also the way in which I envisioned the characters looking—you’ve done such a beautiful job!
To my fabulous beta-readers, Victoria Reeder and Rebecca Harvey, whose insight has been tremendously helpful in strengthening the story, thank you so much!
I would also like to thank Nancy Mayer for her assistance. Whenever I was faced with a question regarding the Regency era that I couldn’t answer on my own, I turned to Nancy for advice. Her help has been invaluable.
My family and friends deserve my thanks as well, especially for reminding me to take a break occasionally, to step away from the computer and just unwind—I would be lost without you.
And to you, dear reader—thank you so much for taking the time to read this story. Your support is, as always, hugely appreciated!
About the Author
Born in Denmark, SOPHIE BARNES spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She’s lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish, and Romanian. But, most impressive of all, she’s been married to the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.
When she’s not busy dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.
Visit Sophie Barnes at www.sophiebarnes.com. You can also find her on Facebook and on Twitter @BarnesSophie.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
By Sophie Barnes
Novels
THE EARL’S COMPLETE SURRENDER
LADY SARAH’S SINFUL DESIRES
THE DANGER IN TEMPTING AN EARL
THE SCANDAL IN KISSING AN HEIR
THE TROUBLE WITH BEING A DUKE
THE SECRET LIFE OF LADY LUCINDA
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT LADY MARY
LADY ALEXANDRA’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
HOW MISS RUTHERFORD GOT HER GROOVE BACK
Novellas
MISTLETOE MAGIC
(from FIVE GOLDEN RINGS:
A CHRISTMAS COLLECTION)
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Map courtesy of Sophie Barnes.
Copyright © 2016 by Sophie Barnes. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition JANUARY 2016 ISBN: 9780062358905
Print Edition ISBN: 9780062358899
FIRST EDITION
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