by Darcy Burke
After cramming their sightseeing into a day and a half, Verity and Kit had swept Beau, who was now the Duke of Blackburn, out of London. He wouldn’t take his seat in the Lords for many years, and so there was no need for them to return to London any time soon.
The scandal in Blackburn was far less, though they did attract attention wherever they went. The staff at Beaumont Tower and the retainers didn’t particularly mind that Kit was Captain Powell and not His Grace. In fact, a few had even said they were glad to know he wasn’t the duke. They were, to a person, including Thomas, delighted for Verity and for their obvious happiness.
So it was that they’d settled into an idyllic peace in which their family would gain a new member come early spring. In the meantime, they were to journey to Lyndhurst in a few days so that Verity could attend Diana’s birth. Nick and Violet would be there too, and Violet was also expecting a child around the new year.
Beau bounded along the dock and ran to the blanket. “Did you watch, or were you sleeping the whole time?”
“Not the whole time. I saw you row to the dock quite expertly and then tie up the boat. You’ve become quite accomplished.”
His little chest puffed up, and he glanced at Kit as he walked up behind him. “Thank you. Papa says so too.”
“You’re a natural sailor,” Kit said, clasping Beau’s shoulder briefly before depositing himself on the blanket next to Verity.
“I can’t wait to take a boat on the ocean when we visit Aunt Diana and Uncle Simon!”
They’d planned a side trip to Southampton, where they would take a boat to the Isle of Wight for a couple of days. Kit was ridiculously giddy about it and Verity terribly excited to see him in his element.
Kit turned his head to Beau with a grin. “Maybe we’ll convince your mother that we need a ship.” He tossed a wink toward Verity.
“Papa, we are far too busy here at Beaumont Tower for that.” Beau sounded as if he were thirty-six instead of six, causing both Verity and Kit to burst into laughter. Beau looked between them. “What’s so funny?”
Verity managed to draw a breath. “Nothing, dear. You are just incredibly wonderful. Do you want a cake? There are still some in the hamper.” She inclined her head toward the picnic basket on the edge of the blanket.
“Yes, please. I’m just going to go check on the bird nest over there. I suspect they’ll be flying south soon.” He went to the basket, found two cakes, and began munching as he walked a short ways from the blanket to survey his avian friends.
“We’re going to have a bird in the house some day,” Kit said. “Mark my words.”
Verity sighed as she lay back on her pillow and looked up at the clouds floating across the pristine blue sky. “Probably.”
A shadow fell as Kit came over her and dropped a kiss on her lips. “Are you feeling all right?”
Mornings could be a challenge, but by afternoon, she was usually just fine. “Yes, thank you.”
“And did you really watch Beau, or were you asleep?”
She laughed softly and swatted his arm. “I’ve never lied to you—not like you lied to me.”
“Ouch.” He fell to his back beside her. “A direct hit.”
She rolled to his side, pushing herself flush against him and placing her hand on his chest. “I was teasing.”
He smiled up at her, his green eyes brilliant in the sun. “I know.”
“I love you.”
“I know that too.” He curved his hand around her nape and drew her down for a short but penetrating kiss that made her toes curl.
When she drew back, she was a bit breathless. “We should stop before Beau makes fun of us.”
“Probably, but you’re irresistible.” He kissed her again, their lips lingering until they heard Beau cough.
Verity sat up and looked over at her son as he ambled toward the blanket. “Ready to go back to the house? It’s almost time for your afternoon lessons with Mr. Deacon.”
Beau exhaled with regret. “Yes, if we must.”
Kit helped Verity to stand, then folded the blanket. He’d adopted a bad habit of refusing to let her carry anything but their child so he toted that, the pillow, and the basket while they each took Beau’s hands. It was how they always walked around the estate together.
“Where will my baby brother go when we walk?” Beau asked.
“Your baby sister will walk wherever she likes, and we’ll let her,” Kit said, convinced, like Simon, that he was going to have a daughter.
Verity didn’t care what it was. She was just thrilled to have another child and this time with the man she loved. “Your baby sister or brother can decide. But for a while, I’ll carry her or him. Or perhaps she or he will ride on Papa’s shoulders.”
“Like I do sometimes?”
Kit nodded. “Yes, but you’re growing too tall and heavy.”
When they reached the house, Beau went reluctantly upstairs while Kit returned the basket to the kitchen and the blanket to the laundry. He met Verity upstairs in her study, where she was about to read a letter from Diana.
“Oh, you’re busy,” he said, turning to go.
“Never for you.” She rose from the chair and glided across the room. “I’ve waited my entire life to share my days with someone like you, and I am grateful for every moment.”
“Not as grateful as I am. And lest you decide to argue, I am prepared to prove it. Right now.” He gave her a seductive, suggestive smile that stoked her desire.
She slid her hands up his coat and curled them around his neck. “Then do.”
The end
Thank You!
Thank you so much for reading The Duke of Lies. I hope you enjoyed it!
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The Duke of Lies is the ninth book in The Untouchables series. The Duke of Seduction is coming up next! Catch up with my other historical series: Secrets and Scandals and Legendary Rogues. If you like contemporary romance, I hope you’ll check out my Ribbon Ridge series available from Avon Impulse, and the continuation of Ribbon Ridge in So Hot.
I appreciate my readers so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Books by Darcy Burke
Historical Romance
The Untouchables
The Forbidden Duke
The Duke of Daring
The Duke of Deception
The Duke of Desire
The Duke of Defiance
The Duke of Danger
The Duke of Ice
The Duke of Ruin
The Duke of Lies
The Duke of Seduction
The Duke of Wishes
The Duke of Mischief
Secrets and Scandals
Her Wicked Ways
His Wicked Heart
To Seduce a Scoundrel
To Love a Thief (a novella)
Never Love a Scoundrel
Scoundrel Ever After
Legendary Rogues
Lady of Desire
Romancing the Earl
Lord of Fortune
Captivating the Scoundrel
Contemporary Romance
Ribbon Ridge
Where the Heart Is (a prequel novella)
Only in My Dreams
Yours to Hold
When Love Happens
The Idea of You
When We Kiss
You’re Still the One
Ribbon Ridge: So Hot
So Good
So Right
So Wrong
Author’s Note
This was a complicated and challenging story to write, in no small part due to the issues surrounding what happens when a duke disappears. I did a lot of research to try to determine what would happen as far as someone claiming the title after a disappearance and someone else inheriting the title (it all became much easier once Rufus was found dead!). There’s a great deal of gray area, and I incorporated what I learned to the best of my ability. Any mistakes are my own.
Beaumont Tower is based on Hoghton Tower located near the actual town of Blackburn in Lancashire, England. The floor plan is almost identical, though I did wall in some bedrooms for privacy and I changed the name of the King’s Room to the Knight’s Room so as not to confuse it with the King’s Hall. It was great fun to be able to visualize Beaumont Tower so completely! I do hope you’ll check out the pictures of Hoghton Tower and imagine Beau playing in the gardens while Kit and Verity look happily on.
About the Author
Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, emotional historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Join her Reader Club at http://www.darcyburke.com/readerclub.
A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, two Bengal cats and a third cat named after a fruit. In her “spare” time Darcy is a serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say “no,” but she keeps having to start over. Her happy places are Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge. Visit Darcy online at http://www.darcyburke.com and follow her social media: Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/darcyburkefans, Twitter @darcyburke at http://www.twitter.com/darcyburke, Instagram at http://www.instagram/darcyburkeauthor, and Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/darcyburkewrite.