“Ah!” She gasped in delight as he began to thrust again, continuing where they had left off.
“I love you,” she whispered as the fiery pleasure within her continued to grow, headed for the peak.
“I love you, too,” he whispered back, sealing their love for each other, forever.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Rose stepped down from her carriage and walked up the stairs to the front door.
There was an inner radiance from within her that exuded happiness, peace, and contentment. She was hopelessly and completely in love with Kenneth, Marquess of Walsrock.
Leaving him behind at Lord Rockgonie’s manor because of nightfall, had been one of the hardest things she’d ever done in her life.
“Don’t worry. We can be back here tomorrow and continue like we never parted,” he promised.
“But I don’t want to go. I don’t want to ever leave you,” she protested, and the memory brought a smile to her lips.
As she reached the door, floating on clouds, it was opened from within by the butler.
“Welcome, My Lady. Lord Somerholm requests an audience with you in his study,” the butler announced as he stepped aside to allow her passage.
Her eyes thinned cautiously as she wondered why her father wanted to see her. She walked in and thanked the butler as she made a quick decision whether to head to her chambers first and clean up, or head straight to the study.
“I’ll prepare your bath,” Elsa said, coming in behind her and effectively making the decision for her.
“Tell my father I will be with him shortly,” she announced to the butler as he bowed slightly and walked off with her message to the Earl.
As promised, after a while, she walked into the Earl’s study, fresh from her bath.
“Good evening, Father. You asked to see me?” she asked as she walked in and took a seat.
“Oh, yes, I did. How was your visit with Lord Rockgonie?” He asked, causing her heart to skip a beat.
“It was splendid,” she replied cautiously, not sure why her father was asking.
“Wonderful!” He beamed, putting her mind slightly at ease. “That means you will like the next thing I’m going to say. I have decided to announce your engagement to Lord Rockgonie at Lady Martha’s ball a week from now.” Her father was smiling.
Her heart literally stopped in her chest even as she struggled to guard her expression.
“Why have you made such a decision, Father?” she asked.
“Your wedding is almost here. Even though preparations are being made, it is only proper to have you and Lord Rockgonie be officially announced to the public,” her father answered.
Announcing such an engagement would turn everyone’s attention on her. It was also going to make it extremely difficult for her to come out with the truth about her and Lord Walsrock if the opportunity ever presented itself.
Not to mention what this will do to Lady Anna.
“Father, please. Do not do this,” she asked.
“Why?” he asked in confusion, the smile disappearing from his lips. “Give me one good reason why?”
“Because I do not love Lord Rockgonie,” she answered simply. There was nothing else she could say besides appeal to her father’s softer side.
“Even after all the time you’ve been spending with him?” her father asked, perplexed.
“Which is why I know that I do not want to marry him, Father. Please!” she said in response. Her meetings with Kenneth didn’t have to be made known to him.
A silence settled between them. She hoped that what she’d said was enough to change her father’s decision, once and for all.
“You do not have to love him in the beginning,” her father began. “But you will learn to love him as time goes by.”
“But Father…”
“My decision is final. I have had enough of this childishness. You will marry Lord Rockgonie and I will go ahead and announce your engagement at the ball next week,” Her father said with finality.
She stared at him, her expression remaining blank. If he was expecting her to cry and protest his decision, he was going to be sorely disappointed. As much as it hurt her that he refused to shift in his stance, she knew that she and her friends had to come up with something else to force his hand.
This is futile.
She stood to her feet.
“If you are done with me, Father, I would like to retire to my chambers. I have had a really long day,” she said, her facial expression blank.
Even though his mind was made up, the look of shock that appeared on his face told her all she needed to know.
He really is expecting me to cry, beg, and protest.
That was not going to happen.
She walked out of the study and straight to bed as soon as he dismissed her.
The next day, she had woken up and left for Lord Rockgonie’s manor before her father got up to any funny business about stopping her from going.
By the time she arrived, Kenneth and Lady Anna were already there, all talking and laughing under the gazebo. She’d found out yesterday that Lord Wisham was no longer in residence. As a result, Lady Anna’s presence in full view of everyone didn’t come as a surprise.
Immediately, they noticed her arrival, and they all stood up to greet her. Kenneth even went as far as kissing her as she walked into the gazebo.
“Someone seems happy to see you,” Lady Anna teased, causing them all to chuckle.
They settled down after that and she allowed them a few more moments of laughter and fun before she hit them with the heavy news.
“I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. But my father told me yesterday that he was going to go ahead and announce my engagement to you, Lord Rockgonie,” she said.
The two gentlemen leaned back in their seats almost at the same time. Lady Anna simply stared at her.
“Is that why I see sadness in your eyes? Don’t you worry, my dear. We will come up with something,” Lady Anna responded optimistically.
“When is he announcing it?” Kenneth asked.
“A week from now,” Rose replied.
“At Lady Martha’s ball? How convenient. Everyone is going to be there,” Lord Rockgonie responded.
“That’s is why he has chosen that date. It is the perfect platform to announce it. I would not be surprised if that turns out to be one amongst other announcements,” Kenneth said.
“So what are we going to do?” Lord Rockgonie asked. “Time is running out and we are still not nearer to a solution than we were in the beginning.”
“I disagree. I think we’ve had a solution staring us in the face all this while, one that we refused to consider. Unfortunately, it seems that would be the only way,” Kenneth responded.
“And what is this solution?” Lady Anna asked.
“To get what we want, we would need to lose what we have. There are no two ways about it,” Kenneth responded.
“I’m not sure I follow,” Lord Rockgonie interjected.
“Neither do I,” both Lady Anna and Rose said in unison.
“To get married to the ones we’ve chosen, we would have to lose our reputations. There is no other way,” Kenneth responded.
A solemn silence settled on them as each one considered the implications of what Kenneth had just said.
“Well, I’m ready to lose my reputation if it means I’ll finally be free to be with you, Kenneth,” Rose said as she leaned over and kissed him.
Lady Anna and Lord Rockgonie smiled at her admission. Frankly speaking, they had all already made that decision in their minds, without hesitation.
“So, when are we all eloping?” Lord Rockgonie said with excitement in his voice, causing them all to laugh.
“Eloping? Not at all. I just thought of something more grand,” Rose said as a mischievous look spread on her face.
Father will never forgive me for this.
* * *
Kenneth arrived on the day of the ball ready to carry ou
t the plan they had formulated all week long.
If everything went well, it was a plan that was going to secure their freedom from society and the liberty to follow their hearts and dreams of settling down with who they’d chosen already.
Everything had been factored into their plan, including their time of arrival and the places they would stand, down to the words they were each going to say and the people that would be there.
He stepped down from the carriage and walked into the ballroom as his name was announced by the Master of Ceremonies.
A few glances his way told him that the happenings of only a week ago were still fresh in the minds of everyone, causing a mixed reaction to be directed at him.
Some hated his guts, while others viewed him in awe. Whatever the reaction, they were all a variation of the two.
And here he was, fresh off the heel of one scandal and about to get involved in another.
He chuckled as the thought crossed his mind.
Glancing over the room, he saw that Lady Anna had arrived before him and was standing at one corner of the room, as planned. Lord Rockgonie was going to be the next entrant, followed closely by Rose. To ensure this happened, Lord Rockgonie was going to head first to the Somerholm manor and come along with her entourage.
They were then to walk to another corner of the room to ensure that Rose wasn’t standing anywhere near her father or mother.
Checking that everything was fine, he went and settled in and began mixing as planned. He was beside his friend, Lord Calbrook, when the remaining two finally walked in.
A simple nod in all directions was enough communication to know that everything was still going according to plan.
If he had any doubts on what they were about to do, the sight of Rose in her green ball gown had him melting with love and overflowing with confidence. He continued his conversation with his companion, waiting for the moment he already knew was coming.
The ball carried on seamlessly into the night without any mishaps. Guests were happy and in high spirits, a common characteristic of Lady Martha’s balls.
His own father and the Earl of Somerholm had huddled up with a number of their friends as usual, and the laughter flowing from that group could be heard above the din all across the room.
Lord Somerholm has probably already told them by now about his pending announcement. Father is going to have a fit when he witnesses what I’m going to do in response.
He continued to enjoy the festivities, with a periodic assessment of the room well into the night until the time for the announcement arrived.
The whole attention of the room was diverted to where his father, the Duke, stood as the Earl of Somerholm began hitting his champagne flute repeatedly with a fork. The music stopped as the crowd began to converge on the location of the clinking flute, signal of an impending announcement.
“I would like to thank our host, the lovely Lady Martha, for throwing yet another wonderful ball, as always” Lord Somerholm said as a round of applause went up in appreciation of the hostess.
“Not to take away from the festivities, but I would also like to make an announcement.” He paused for effect and to build anticipation. “Lady Somerholm and I are pleased to announce the engagement of our daughter, Lady Rose Vaughan to Lord Noah Rockgonie, son of the Marquess and the late Marchioness of Wisham,” he announced proudly.
The gasps, applause and congratulations poured in from all corners of the room as the attention of everyone turned to face the engaged couple, who weren’t even standing together, as planned. Lord Rockgonie was standing closer to Lady Anna while Rose was standing closer to Lord Walsrock.
Time to get to work.
He picked up his champagne flute and began clinking it in the manner that Lord Somerholm had done earlier. In a matter of moments, he had all the attention in the room.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the announcement from Lord Somerholm is cheerful and calls for a celebration,” he announced as he walked toward Rose.
“Unfortunately!” he exclaimed, and paused for effect before continuing.
“This engagement cannot happen as Lady Rose is already engaged to another,” he said, as he arrived in front of her, smiled and took her hand. “She is already engaged to me.” He bent over to kiss the engagement ring which she proudly displayed on her finger as the gasps and shock ricocheted all across the room.
The attention was immediately directed at the jilted groom-to-be, to see his reaction.
Lord Rockgonie simply started smiling as he walked over to where Lady Anna stood beside her mother.
“I agree, Lord Walsrock, that the engagement cannot happen as I also am engaged to another,” he announced. “I am engaged to Lady Anna.” He repeated the same gesture that Kenneth had done with Rose.
The room was frozen, as no one said a word.
“What is this nonsense?” The Duke thundered, his voice carrying across the room and making everyone shudder. “I demand an explanation,” he announced, with all the authority and influence he wielded. The Earl of Somerholm remained silent, a look of abysmal shock on his face.
Kenneth had been expecting that reaction and on cue, he started walking toward the Duke, taking Rose along with him.
“This is not nonsense, Father. I am in love with Lady Rose and I very well cannot stand by and watch her married off to someone against our will. Whatever the consequences, I will gladly bear them, as long as I remain bonded to this beautiful lady who has captured my heart for the rest of our lives,” he responded as he presented Rose to his father.
“Your Grace, I have been in love with Lady Anna for the past twelve years. My heart belongs to none other but her and I intend to keep it that way for as long as we both shall live,” Lord Rockgonie said from behind him. According to the plan, he and Lady Anna had made their way toward the Duke during Kenneth’s announcement.
They definitely had a lot riding on the Duke’s outburst and thankfully it had come as anticipated.
The room remained frozen in silence as everyone waited for a reaction from either the Duke or the Earl, who was visibly upset at the embarrassment.
The reaction came from two unlikely sources, the Duchess and Lady Somerholm.
Both ladies approached Kenneth and Rose and enveloped them in a tight embrace. A slow cheer and ovation began to spread across the room. With their gesture, they had accepted the admission of their children.
Lady Anna’s mother had also walked behind them and embraced Lord Rockgonie and Lady Anna. Kenneth could have sworn that he heard her whisper, ‘Welcome to the family, finally,’ to Lord Rockgonie.
Kenneth chuckled and returned his gaze to his father who had still not reacted.
A slow smile began to spread on his father’s lips. A nod from the Duke was all that was needed, and he knew that this battle had been won.
He turned to look at the Earl of Somerholm who simply drained his champagne flute.
When their eyes made contact, he read the words that had formed on the Lord’s lips.
Congratulations! I will never forgive you for this.
It was a brief but clear moment which was interrupted when the Duke turned to face Lord Somerholm.
“I guess this makes us in-laws after all.” The Duke laughed and took the Earl’s hands.
The Earl’s response wasn’t as clear as the noise that was currently rising, swallowed it up. Kenneth knew that the smile on his face wasn’t genuine, though.
He chuckled as he turned back to face his betrothed. Their reputations might have been tarnished but he knew he had finally won something no one on earth could give him—the freedom to be with the lady who had captured his heart.
“I love you,” he said to her.
“I love you, too,” she responded as the music started back up.
Epilogue
Kenneth stepped down from his curricle in front of the gaol.
He had come to see Leonard.
He walked in and went through the motions required of a
visitor, all the while accompanied by a warden. Finally, he sat and waited, while Leonard was fetched from his cell.
“You look well,” he remarked, as Leonard walked up to him in chains, a guard on either side of his brother.
“And you look pale, Kenneth. Is your new valet not taking good care of you?” Leonard teased right back, bringing both of them to the brink of laughter.
A Ravishing Lady For The Rebellious Marquess (Steamy Historical Regency Romance) Page 28