Lucas tugged on Liliah’s hand, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “Finally,” he breathed softly.
As he led her to the waiting carriage, she couldn’t have agreed more.
Finally, she was free.
Finally, she had escaped.
Finally, Samantha had found her voice.
And finally, Liliah would be free to love Lucas for all her life.
All because she was willing to fall from grace—His Grace, her father—into the arms of one of the lords of temptation.
Sometimes sin was ever so sweet.
Epilogue
Liliah bit her lip as a wide smile spread across her face while reading the London Times. The news was surely a week old at least, being that she was not in residence in London, but visiting Scotland to keep a loving eye on her sister in hiding. But the delay in reading the news only added to her joy.
It was living proof that love always found a way.
Lord and Lady Grace wish to announce the
betrothal of their daughter, Rebecca Grace, to
Meyer Longfit, the Earl of Greywick.
Liliah read, then reread the short announcement. It had been more than a year since her own hasty marriage had set the London ton on its ear. She was quite certain that there was still titter about the duke’s wayward daughters, not to mention the loss of the Earl of Greywick’s Sussex estate to pay for his substantial gambling loss. He’d been found dead not two weeks after the estate was forfeit. The Times had said it was a failed heart. Regardless, the title had passed along to Meyer, who was surely taking his father’s poor business decisions in hand and rectifying them. She was encouraged that Lord and Lady Grace had seen past the sins of the father and given their blessing to Meyer and Rebecca. There was no on-dit regarding her father’s illicit acts, but she wasn’t sure those whisperings would reach as far as Scotland.
Lord Barrot had ensured the privacy and delivery of Samantha’s letter to the duke by that evening, to ensure that the authorities were not notified about a potential crime; however, Lord Barrot and Lucas had assumed that the duke would wish to try to resolve the issue quietly, without others being the wiser.
It was rumored that he had sent footmen to every dock, searching for his wayward daughter, only to come up empty—with a disgruntled elderly suitor, to boot.
Liliah was utterly unable to find any pity in her heart for either man.
As for her marriage to Lucas, they had spent the night in travel to keep one step ahead of her father. It wasn’t the most romantic of nights if you were to look at it from a consummation perspective, but it was by far the most romantic in the aspect of love. She and Lucas had spent the night whispering, holding each other, and kissing in the carriage, anticipating the night’s stay at the Hare and Hound. From there they took a short tour of the continent, with the expectation to return to Scotland within a fortnight.
Even though it was a year ago, she blushed at the memory of the enthusiastic ways they had partaken of their new freedom to love one another without restraint. And whether that sealed the deal, or if fate had already ensured it, no more than nine months later an heir to the Earldom of Heightfield was brought into the world.
Liliah glanced at the sleeping child in her beloved husband’s arms, as he raised one hand to lift a teacup to his lips ever so carefully, so as not to wake the little boy.
Liliah met his warm gaze, smiling wide and feeling deep joy echo in her heart. Never had she dreamed that fate would be so kind to her.
“If you keep casting such joyful glances in my direction, I shall not be held responsible for my actions,” Lucas whispered, arching a dark brow.
“And what if I encourage such actions?” Liliah replied just as softly.
Lucas chuckled, causing the little one to sigh.
“I do believe it’s time to give him to the nurse,” Lucas murmured, kissing his child’s soft, downy head.
“I’ll fetch her.” Liliah made a move to stand from the breakfast table, but her husband lifted a hand for her to stop.
“I’ll fetch her, you make your way back to our room.” He grinned mischievously, and Liliah’s body responded like wax to a hot flame as she awaited the pleasure she found so readily in her husband.
“Hurry.” She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the cheek.
“I thought you liked it when I took it slow,” he replied, then stood and quit the room, bouncing softly to soothe the little one as he walked away.
Liliah watched in rapture as the two most precious people in the world walked down the hall.
The third most precious person was only a few miles away, established in a house that had sorely needed not only sunshine, but some direction as well.
As Liliah made her way to the bedroom she shared with Lucas, she thought over her sister’s situation. She still kept the alias of Miranda, but the Viscount Kilpatrick had been notified of her real identity.
That had been an interesting night.
But she had a feeling that the man who was resentful of being “saddled” with another female—the man had been designated a ward—he was quite thrilled with the assistance that Liliah’s dear sister had provided.
And maybe more, but that was a story in and of itself.
She padded into the room and closed the door, unpinning her hair and allowing the golden locks to fall freely. Not a moment later Lucas opened the door and closed it quietly.
“We don’t have to be so careful anymore—he’s with the nurse, is he not?” Liliah teased, watching as her husband straightened, then grinned as if realizing he was indeed being overly quiet. Their son, William, had conditioned them well.
“Minx, you’re quite right.”
“I do love hearing those words from your lips,” Liliah teased, taking a few seductive steps toward him.
“Ah, I must admit having favorite certain words come from your lips . . . they include more, deeper, and my personal favorite . . . my name,” Lucas replied, his grin as wicked as his reputation had been. “And since we have no need to be quiet . . .” He rushed at her, lifting her over his shoulder and plopping her onto the bed, covering her with his body and nipping at her ear and down her neck.
“Luc!” Liliah breathed, arching into him.
“Louder,” Lucas commanded, lowering his mouth to the sensitive flesh of her breast. “More.”
“More,” she called, pulling at his clothing.
His growl against her lips was his only reply as he continued to love her deeply, passionately, and without reservation.
And afterward, as she rested in his warm arms, she was again thankful that she had risked it all to fall from grace, landing in the arms of love.
Don’t miss the next book in the
GENTLEMEN OF TEMPTATION
Series!
ESCAPING HIS GRACE
Will be available in
February 2019
At your favorite bookseller and e-retailer!
Falling from His Grace Page 24