Undressed by the Earl

Author:Michelle Willingham [Willingham, Michelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical romance, Fiction, Regency
ISBN: 9781477819814
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Published: 2014-06-30T21:00:00+00:00

The wedding was over so quickly, Amelia could scarcely remember the troth she’d pledged. The earl had touched his mouth to hers, and once she’d become his wife, she couldn’t quite grasp the reality. She was now the Countess of Castledon, stepmother to a young girl she’d never met.

They enjoyed cakes and light refreshments after the wedding, but owing to Margaret’s absence, it wasn’t much of a celebration. “This seems so strange,” Amelia confessed. “Almost as if it happened to someone else.”

The earl nodded, appearing more than a little distracted. She wondered if there was anything she could say to reassure him. Or better, she could ask about her new stepdaughter.

“When will I meet Christine?” she asked.

At the mention of his daughter, Lord Castledon relaxed a little. “I could send you on to Castledon in the morning,” he offered. “Parliament will be out of session soon enough.”

The idea of arriving at his house alone was not a welcome one. “I’d rather wait,” she admitted. It would be awkward enough to become part of an unfamiliar household. Without the earl there to introduce her, she’d feel even more out of place.

“We won’t have to stay in London very long,” he said. “I hope you can find a way to amuse yourself.”

She nodded, but inwardly, her thoughts were still with Margaret. “Will you keep your promise to send men after my sister?”

“I said I would.” He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “I know how close you are.”

A sudden thought occurred to Amelia, that she knew very little about the earl. She had no idea about the rest of his family. “What of you?” she asked. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

He shook his head. “My sister died when she was ten, of scarlet fever.”

“And your parents?”

He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “I’m the only one left, I’m afraid. They both died shortly after Katherine did. First my father, then my mother.”

She’d never realized that he was all but an orphan. “That’s terrible. No wonder you were so glum all those years.”

“I’d rather not speak of it, if you don’t mind.”

“No, I don’t suppose it’s a very pleasant wedding conversation,” she agreed. But it made her realize how very difficult those years must have been. It was a wonder he’d attended any society events at all, and it certainly explained why he’d worn black all the time.

But when she peered closer at his coat, she saw that his waistcoat was dark green. Leaning forward, she touched the brocade, and for some reason, it made her smile. “You’re not wearing black anymore.”

“Not today.”

But it made her imagine that perhaps he would come to accept her as his wife. She took his arm, and a flutter of happiness settled within her heart. In spite of Margaret’s absence, there were so many reasons to be thankful. She was now married to a handsome man who truly was a hero, though he’d hidden his true nature for so many years. He was wonderful

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