Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman by Lorraine Heath

Author:Lorraine Heath [Heath, Lorraine]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Historical Romance, Cowboy
ISBN: 9780061922954
Google: _UKmhTR0ITkC
Amazon: 0061922951
Barnesnoble: 0061922951
Goodreads: 7713857
Publisher: Avon
Published: 2010-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Mercy continued to feel the weight of his words as they joined the others in the library.

The duchess came out of her chair in a rustle of silk. “Well?”

“She’s consented to marry me,” Stephen said, his voice strong with the conviction that he’d expected no other response from her.

Yes was the only answer she could have given and ensure her place in John’s life. Any other course would put her at risk of one day losing him. She loved him too much to take that chance. And she cared deeply for his father. The stirrings of love. No, he wasn’t exactly the man she’d known in Scutari, but then neither was she the woman he’d held through the night.

She knew this was a forced marriage, even if her father was not standing behind Stephen holding a gun against the small of his back. It was his honor as a gentleman that had prodded him to ask her. But that didn’t mean that things between them couldn’t be good. She could foresee a few complications, but she would find a way to deal with them. For John’s sake. And hers. And Stephen’s.

“Lovely!” the duchess said now. She swept across the room and took Mercy into her arms. “Oh, my dear girl. I could not be more pleased to have you in the family.”

The duchess stepped away with a no-nonsense gleam in her eyes. “The ceremony will take place here in the estate chapel. The village vicar will do the honors. I think under the circumstances, a small, select number of guests. Family, close friends.”

“I have no family to speak of,” Mercy told her, “and a letter to my father announcing the marriage should suffice. He’s washed his hands of me.” Heat burned her cheeks. “If not for Stephen’s generous offer, John and I would be living on the streets, I’m sure.”

“Nonsense. I would have handled matters if Stephen hadn’t. But I’m terribly pleased that he did. It shows he’s a man of character.”

“Mother, I’m quite famished. Could we possibly discuss the details after dinner?” Stephen asked.

“We can discuss them on the way in to dinner and during dinner.” To Mercy’s startlement, the duchess wrapped her arm around Mercy’s like a clinging vine. “Westcliffe and his family shall attend, of course. I believe you’ll enjoy Claire’s company. And their son is quite a delight. But I shall show no favoritism amongst my grandchildren. I made that mistake with my sons. We shall also invite Lynnford and his family. The earl served as guardian to my boys after my husband, the duke, passed. One or two others perhaps, but I see no reason for a big elaborate affair unless it’s what you wish.”

“No, I prefer small.” The smaller the better. Tiny even. Simply her and Stephen. She glanced back at him over her shoulder and was rewarded with an apologetic smile.

The duchess had apparently decided she was on a mission and was not about to be deterred. During dinner she spoke of

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.