Taming a Laird's Wild Lady: Taming the Heart Series

by Tammy Andresen

  Gavin gave a terse nod as Will and her father left. John jumped into Gavin’s lap. He kissed his son and then caught her eye over John’s head. “Thank you for trying to protect me.” He gave Isla a glowing smile.

  She leaned her forehead against his, love building inside her. “It was my turn.”

  Tucking her against his side, they sat together as a family waiting for her father to return. John wrapped an arm around each of their necks.

  “I am fairly certain I owe you, still. Not only have you saved me, but John too.” His lips found hers in a quick kiss.

  “I shall have to think of a way for you to make it up to me.” Despite the tension in room, hope filled Isla’s chest. Her future had never looked better.

  A quarter hour later, her father returned. “Angus’ brother is here. I’ve checked him to ensure he has no weapons and am allowing him to see Angus. He had no idea about the debts or the attempt on Gavin’s life. Angus told them Isla was willing, but I had resisted. He wanted to take her in the traditional Scottish method of kidnapping. As soon as we know if Angus will live or die, his brother will return to Scotland to begin putting their estate back together.” Her father ran his hands through his hair. “Isla and Gavin are to stay well out of sight whenever he is here.”

  Isla nodded and Gavin kissed her cheek. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, so not even John could hear. “As soon as he leaves the house, you and I are going to bed. I need to show you how much I love you.”

  A smile spread across her face. Nothing sounded better.

  EPILOGUE

  Isla rode slowly through the still forest as sun danced through the branches, creating an ever-changing pattern on her skin. She rode slowly because she wasn’t doing anything quickly these days, and because John was following her.

  It had been a year since she moved to Scotland. A glorious, beautiful year. She and Gavin had spent the winter curled in each other’s arms, though he had teased about having more and more of her to hug.

  A squall from just behind her reminded her that it was nearly time to feed her daughter, Maggie.

  John giggled. “She’s hungry again.” Isla gave him a warm smile. It was as though John was coming to life before her eyes. He laughed and played and doted on his new baby sister. Isla read to him every night, and since she hadn’t been able to ride very fast, he followed her nearly everywhere she went on their lands.

  While she was nearly recovered enough to go at a break-neck pace on her horse, she didn’t feel the same driving need to do so. She liked having John with her during the days. And now Maggie was joining on their little adventures as they tended cattle or searched for trees.

  In the back of her mind, she relished the wild rides with Gavin in bed at night. They kept her much more sated during the day.

  She stopped to find a sunny spot to feed Maggie. Catching the sound of another horse approaching, Isla whipped around to see who approached.

  Gavin rode toward them, baskets attached to his horse. She gave him a grin, which he easily returned as he called out, “Maggie isn’t the only one who needs to eat.”

  “How did you know I was famished?” She covered herself and Maggie with a blanket and leaned back against a tree as Gavin spread a cloth and began laying out food.

  “How could you not be hungry the way you are always feeding that baby? She has a more vigorous appetite than most grown men.” He leaned over and kissed the top of her little blanket-covered head.

  Isla laughed. “She is an adventurer already. She works up an appetite.” A squall rose from under the blanket as if she were agreeing with her mother.

  “I am going to have to speak with your father about raising Maggie.” His grin nearly split his face. “I don’t think I properly appreciated how difficult rearing you might have been.”

  “Posh.” She swatted at him, but he caught her hand and kissed it.

  “Mama,” John called. “I’ve found one. I found the perfect tree!”

  Isla winked at Gavin and handed Maggie over to him, while she finished eating. Righting herself, she walked over to assess the tree John had picked. Its bark ran in perfectly straight lines as it shot tall and proud toward the sky. It had an exact seven-inch diameter. “I do believe you are correct, John. This is an excellent tree for a mast.”

  “Really, I’ve done it?” He gave a whoop and his father picked him up with one arm, still holding Maggie in the other. John leaned over and kissed his baby sister. “Maggie, I’m going to help with the shipping business, so you’ll have to become an expert with the cattle or the horses.”

  Gavin grinned at both of his children. “I’m so proud of you, John.”

  Isla had to agree. Not only were their children learning wonderful skills that would secure their futures, but they understood the value of a true partnership. “I’m sure she will be just as good as her mama,” Gavin murmured.

  The lumber contract had allowed them to buy more horses and cattle. They were diversifying their income in a way that would insure the keep was successful for years to come.

  John wiggled down and ran off to search for more trees. Gavin took her arm. “I have news.” His face went serious then.

  “What is it?” She held her breath.

  “Your father has sent word that Angus mysteriously died in prison. He was found shot. A guard accidentally missed his post. It reeks of scandal, and your father is convinced that Angus’ debtors are to blame, but I am sorry for the man, nonetheless.”

  Isla felt her heart contract. She too was sorry for Angus, though the emotion surprised her. He had done his best to destroy her life, yet she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him that he had actually destroyed his own. Despite that, however, she understood how lucky she was to have found Gavin. Without him, she didn’t know if she would be in a position to show Angus any pity. “Thank the stars you came with Fergal. What would I have done without you there?”

  “What would I do without you? Isla, you have opened my heart to love in a way I never thought possible.” He hugged her tight, Maggie cooing between them.

  “I love you.” Her lips touched his.

  “And I you, my wild lady.” Isla grinned. Wild indeed. No more late night rides for her. Well, that is unless you count the one she would be taking Gavin on right after they put their children to bed.

  TAMING A RAKE INTO A LORD

  BY TAMMY ANDRESEN

  Prologue

  * * *

  CHRISTOPHER MASTERS SAT at the table with his closest friend and former ally, Alexander Cross, His Grace, the sixth Duke of Wellington. They were joined by his cousin by marriage, Barrett Maddox, The Duke of Manchester.

  Bloody bullocks, a man would think they were giving these titles away. But thanks to his two companions he had gotten into a very elite gentleman’s club where the scotch was finer than ever he had ever had and the pockets of his fellow gamblers were deep. He’d won more money today than he had made all of last month in the army as an officer.

  He had formerly retired, having served ten years in loyal service to the crown. Not a moment too soon. Winter was setting in and nothing could me dreadful than a winter assignment.

  Alex threw a few more coins onto the table. “Have you given your prospects any more thought?” He gave a quick glance at Chris, who clenched his teeth in response. Alex had offered him a job, but it seemed like charity. He didn’t know a damn thing about farming land, so how could he help Alex turn a profit out of his soil?

  “Don’t listen to him,” Barrett growled. “You’re not mean to be a farmer. Military experience like yours belongs with me.”

  “With you?” Barrett ran a highly successful shipping company in America and now England. “I don’t know the first thing about sailing or ships.”

  “I don’t want you to be a bloody sailor. What I need is someone to guard my shipments once they arrive at the docks. More precisely, I need a man who can lead other men to do the job. An officer like yourself would be perfect for the role.” Barr
ett threw money into the kitty.

  Chris assessed him. He had done his fair share of time as a spy. And while Barrett had a face made of stone, one his eyebrows ticked ever so slightly when he was bluffing, which he was doing now. And perhaps he had a point regarding Chris’s experience being well suited to running a crew of men protecting goods. “I call cards down, gentleman.”

  As each player laid out his hand, Chris carefully kept from displaying an emotion, despite the fact he had won. Alex came closest with three tens, but Aces had him beat. Collecting up his winnings, Chris decided he may just be able to make a living off of poker. While it wasn’t the most admirable job, it had it perks. In any event, his winnings gave him time to make a decision.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a gentleman enter the club. He was a portly fellow, though well dressed. Chris smiled to himself, thinking he should be invited to this particular game. Two other players, well into their cups, looked as though they would quit soon. Neither Alex nor Barrett ever stayed out very long. They were both sickeningly married to women they adored. Though he couldn’t fault them. Both Piper and Rose were exceptional specimens as far as females were concerned. Beautiful and loyal, they both loved their husbands with utter abandon.

  But it made their husbands poor companions for baser activities like gambling, neither ever wanted to be away from home for very long. And certainly neither ever wanted to visit lightskirts or charm widows, which made them dull indeed.

  His friends were too moral by far and completely enamored with their wives. Chris himself could never imagine being so connected to another person. After what he had seen and done, he didn’t know if he would ever connect to anything at all.

  The portly man made his way over their table, and a ripple of satisfaction made Chris smile. It looked as though this game might continue after all. “Mr. Masters?” The fellow’s eyebrows rose as he glanced at him.

  “Yes?” This was a play, he had to admit, that he had not expected.

  “Carl Manly, pleased to make your acquaintance. I’ve come to speak with you, sir, about a private matter.”

  “A private matter?” Chris’ own tone held a note a hard skepticism that would likely fill another man with unease. Even sitting, Chris was a large man. Well past six feet and rather heavily muscled. While his good looks made him popular with women, his frame caused men to be a touch uneasy.

  “Yes, sir, if you would follow me where we could speak in private.” The man’s voice rose a touch. Just enough for Chris to know his intimidation was working.

  Two other men rose from the table, leaving Chris there with only Alex and Barrett. It was decent of them to give him some privacy, but Mr. Manly had abruptly ended his game and his potential earnings, which would’ve sustained him ’til he could decide his next course of action. “We’ll speak here.”

  Manly glanced at the other two men then cleared his throat and lifted a monocle to one eye. “Very well. It is my pleasure to inform you, that after careful research, you are the next in line to inherit not only your great, great uncle Lord Shapley’s lands and homes, both in Scotland and England, but his title of earl as well. Now if you would kindly follow me, I have all the details and paperwork for you to sign back at my office. Time is of the essence.”

  Well, bloody hell. They actually were giving those titles away.

  * * *

  ***

  * * *

  CHRIS SAT in Alex’s parlor while Rose poured him another drink. It was his third, or possibly fourth. He couldn’t seem to remember.

  “My lord?” Alex asked teasingly.

  “Please stop.” Chris raked his hands over his eyes, admiring the generous curve of Rose’s backside. Alex’s glance went from teasing to hard in a second. Chris closed his eyes. It was the alcohol. He would never normally look at Rose. While she was beautiful, and he was a rake by all measures, even he had standards. His best friend’s wife was well below them.

  Besides, Rose exclusively had eyes for her husband. She came to stand next to Alex, she ran her fingers over his face, idly soothing a scar he bore from the days when both he and Alex were spies. A rare twinge of jealousy rose in his chest to see them touch. So soothing.

  “You have to go, Chris.” She said as her fingers continued their ministrations.

  “Why?” he asked, sharp, angry. He took a breath, trying to sooth his tone. Rose didn’t deserve his ire.

  “Because she needs you, and you are the type of man who helps women in distress,” she said as other arm snaked around Alex’s neck.

  “She has a point.” Alex added, smirking.

  Chris gave him an unabashed glower. While he wouldn’t knowingly hurt Rose’s feelings, he had no such concerns about his friend. Chris had helped Alex retrieve Rose when she had been kidnapped, but he had done it out of loyalty to his friend and fellow spy. He did not go around saving random women. In fact, he generally made a point of only involving himself with the fairer sex for one reason.

  “Rose, you’ve a mistaken impression of my finer qualities.” He grumbled, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

  “I don’t. You didn’t leave me, and you won’t leave her. You’ll do the honorable thing by her. Find her a husband. Imagine whose hands she might fall in if you don’t. My father was desperate for me to marry Alex so that very thing didn’t happen to me. Imagine if I hadn’t…”

  Chris let a low growl rumble through his chest. It was a technique Barrett used often, and it seemed to keep nearly everyone at bay.

  “Besides, can you really pass up an opportunity to become a member of the peerage? At just such a moment when you’ve retired. It’s almost as though it’s fated.” Chris could hear the grin on Alex’s face. He was talking like a bloody woman simply to tease him.

  He grimaced again as he thought of his meeting with the solicitor.

  Manly had taken him back to his office, where he had detailed the four properties, three additional parcels of land, and two titles that now belonged to him. Chris, in an instant, had become Lord Rothenberg. Well, perhaps a life of gaming could be his after all. As a member of the aristocracy, he needn’t worry about funds. Though, in the back of his mind, he was aware that both Barrett and Alex spent an incredible amount of energy managing their assets. But they were dukes. He was now a mere earl.

  In any event, he had plenty of time to decide now. About to leave, Manly had waved for him to stay. “There is one other stipulation, and it is the reason I was so hurried in my search for you. In addition to all of your inheritance, there is also a ward.”

  Of course there was a ward. Just one. “A ward?” His voice had taken on that hard edge once again.

  “Yes, my lord.” Manly had nodded along with his words. “She is of age to marry. She couldn’t inherit, of course, but she has a suitable dowry. You should be able to find her a husband in no time at all, provided she isn’t…” Manly had trailed off.

  “Isn’t?” Chris’ voice had dropped to a dangerous low. This had not been welcomed news.

  Manly had waved his hand, “You know, unmarriageable in some fashion. If the lady is deformed or unsightly or…” Manly had stopped again, seeming to realize he was speaking of a person instead of assets on a piece of paper. “In any event, you must live at the castle for a full year, with the ward, and you must see her engaged during that time or the inheritance will be forfeited to the next available relation.

  Chris hadn’t answered. He had turned on his heel and left Manly’s office.

  * * *

  Chapter 1

  LADY ELIZABETH RITE stood in the empty foyer looking at the banners draped along the walls. Each lord that had sat in these halls had commissioned a banner of sorts that represented his life. Her father’s had only been half finished. It had been her mission these past few months to complete it.

  Finally finished, it was now being hung on the wall. This was the moment she had been working towards tirelessly for past six months since his death, and it was of the utmost
importance it be done. What she did with herself after, she’d rather not think on. For the moment, having this tapestry perfectly hung consumed her.

  The workman put it in place, “Oh, it’s beautiful Lizzie.” Her eleven-year-old cousin, May, bounced on her heels.

  Liz frowned as they began removing the ladders.

  Waving to one of the workers, she never took her eyes off the tapestry. “Leave it, please.”

  “Are you sure, my lady?”

  “Yes, yes.” She hadn’t taken her eyes off the tapestry to see the concern on his face. She was consumed with the perfection of this single piece and right now, one corner was curling slightly. Nearly indiscernible, it had a tiny wrinkle causing it to pucker.

  “May, hold the ladder.” She waved as she started to climb the rungs, the ladder wobbling as she went. Quickly, it became apparent skirts were less than ideal for such activity but she was determined to make this perfect and so she continued.

  “I don’t know about this, Lizzie. You don’t look like they did, going up that thing.” May’s voice wobbled a little too.

  “It will be fine sweetheart. Just hold the ladder.” Liz kept climbing but a chill swept over her skin. Perhaps, May was right but she was almost there now and it couldn’t hurt to give the tapestry a tiny tug to see if it straightened.

  Reaching her hand out, she was an inch from the corner she sought. If she could lean just a little, shift her weight, perhaps she could straighten the offending corner.

  At least that was what she was thinking as her slippered foot stepped off the edge of the rung and then for the span of a second there was nothing. No tapestry, no ladder, only air. With absolute certainty she knew the floor was really going to hurt and somehow, she nearly welcomed it. Perhaps then, she could focus on recovery since Liz no longer had the tapestry to claim her concentration.

  It was nearly a hard as she expected but not nearly so painful. Not even aware her eyes had closed, they flew open. Why, she hadn’t hit the floor at all. Instead, she was being held captive by a hulking man with the handsomest features she had ever laid her eyes on.