The Cinder Earl's Christmas Deception
Page 22
“People will do all sorts for wealth, power and money, my love.”
“Men will. Not women.”
“Mayhap. Well, my dear, our first large dinner as a married couple was perfect. Even our rather odd family of half-brothers, father’s mistresses and Americans all got on quite well and Cedric behaved and wore proper breeches. Wonders shall never cease.”
“I think Lady Benwick is ruling him with an iron rod these days,” she giggled.
He escorted her upstairs and once their valet and maid had prepared them, Gabriel walked into her room. His face was drawn and pale and Kathleen held her arms out.
“Come, let us go to bed. You look exhausted.”
“No, extinguish that candle and come and watch out this window with me.”
She blew out the candle and found her way across the room. When she got there, he urged her to lift her sheer nightgown to her waist and straddle his lap.
“Your Grace, you are tired.”
“Not so tired, I cannot bring in the New Year with my Duchess riding my cock,” he said before he caught her nipple with his teeth through her nightgown. She gasped as the fingers of one of his hands probed her.
“Gabriel.”
“Call me Your Grace. It arouses me.”
“If you get any more aroused, Your Grace, that will not fit inside me.”
He chuckled as she slid down onto him. His laughter turned into a groan of pleasure. Once she was fully seated, she took a moment to look out the window.
Large flakes of snow meandered down onto the street below. A solitary man walked around the square snuffing out the lamps. A town carriage made its way slowly down one side of Grosvenor Square. Candlelight could be seen in a few windows in the houses of the ton.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked as he started to move his hips and kiss her neck.
“Nothing. Is it not odd that less than a month ago we had not met?”
“A little but it does not take time to know you are in love.”
“Hmm.” She began to move with him still watching the snow fall. It was beautiful, just as their marriage was.
“Maybe this time next year the next Earl of Cindermaine will be in a crib in the nursery, or growing in your belly.” He latched onto her nipple and she dropped her head back to enjoy the sensation.
“Or maybe it will be Lady Elizabeth Marchby.”
“Elizabeth? You like that name?”
“I do. Would you be terribly disappointed if we do not have a son first?”
“No. Maybe you shall have twins.”
“Maybe. They do run in families.”
“My mother had twin brothers. Mayhap it is only the girls who have the twins.”
“No matter. We can have lots of babies until our nursery is full.”
“I am not opposed to working on that, Duchess.”
“Gabriel?”
“Hmm,” he was kissing her neck again.
“Is that the church bells I hear?”
He stilled, and they both looked out the window and listened. “It is. They are chiming midnight. It is the Year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and Seventeen. Happy New Year, my love.”
“Happy New Year, Your Grace.
The End
About the Author
Em was born and brought up in the Central Belt of Scotland and still lives there. She was told as a child she had an overactive imagination--as if that is a bad thing. She's traded her dreams of owning her own island, just like George in the Famous Five to hoping to meet her own Mr Darcy one day. But her imagination remains the same.
Other Books by Em Taylor
Regency
The Contrary Fairy Tales
Sleeping Lord Beattie - The Contrary Fairy Tales (1 Nov 2017) - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B075NKLTRS
The Cinder Earl’s Christmas Deception - The Contrary Fairy Tales – (1 Dec 2017) http://a-fwd.com/asin=B076DK7LGG
Lord Rose Reid and the Lost Lady - The Contrary Fairy Tales – (January 2018)
Lord Whitsnow and the Seven Orphans - The Contrary Fairy Tales – (February 2018)
The Eversley Siblings Series
Saved By a Rake - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B00GTA9WS6
Restoring Lady Anna - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B01FPUO55K
Saved by a Rake/ Restoring Lady Anna (together) - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B013NO6LLG
Individual Regencies
Seven Rogues for Christmas - (Anthology) – (The St Nicholas Day Wager) - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B0753XJ987
The St Nicholas Day Wager - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B00Q8V1VOO
Lady Harriet’s Unusual Reward - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B00TXZYCK2
A Desperate Wager - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B00N29FRR2
A Love Remembered - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B01LWDHVY4
Contemporary
The Stetsons and Kilts Series
An American Cowboy in Scotland - Stetsons and Kilts 1 - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B010GGX2S4
A Cowboy Wedding in Scotland - Stetsons and Kilts 2 - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B01M1H3083
The Kilrigh Heat Series
Highland Fling - Kilrigh Heat 1 - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B01KCPQP74
Highland Haven - Kilrigh Heat 2 - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B06XHKZ619
Highland Hogmanay - Kilrigh Heat 3 - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B07483Q246
Highland Beauty – Kilrigh Heat 4 – December 2017
Individual Contemporaries
The Little Sex Shop Around the Corner (Free) - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B017WI4KVC (FREE)
The Tartan Billionaire - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B073VZZW2J
Vampire
Discovered - The Forsaken Blood Series 1 - http://a-fwd.com/asin=B018YQAHJU