Star of Light by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Anthology
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing
Published: 2021-10-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

December 23, 1818

Noelle was still bemused about that kiss the following day. The hope and wonder and attraction from that fleeting embrace had the power to send tingles down her spine as well as send butterflies dancing through her belly. Like it had been with her deceased fiancé, it felt marvelously right in Trey’s embrace.

To that end, it mattered not that he had lost an arm. His charm and his tendency toward joking—when he let himself—wrapped around her when she was in his company, and she wanted more of it. She wished to discover everything she could about the man in a more intimate way than she’d had in hurried meetings or impersonal society functions where she’d not been given much access to him.

“You seem deep in thought.”

She jerked her head up from contemplating the contents of her teacup as her father entered the small breakfast room. As always, he was the epitome of a country gentleman in a tweed jacket, brown trousers, recently polished brown boots, and his thinning blond hair combed into a popular style. “I suppose I am.” Once he’d taken a seat across the round table from her with a folded copy of The Times, she sighed. “Before you ask, it’s a man who’s on my mind.” Her father had a knack of ferreting out her secrets, so it was best to tell him upfront.

“That’s good news indeed.” He grinned at her then nodded at their butler Harper when he brought over a plate loaded with typical breakfast fare. “For far too long you’ve nursed a broken heart. I’m glad to see you wishing to live again.”

Heat jumped into her cheeks. “I’m eight and twenty. Hardly a relic who’s been pining away.” Yes, she’d spent nearly four years mourning the loss of the man she would have married, but that hadn’t been excessive. Besides, the choices of men in and around the Cambridgeshire area left much to be desired, for war had taken a large swatch of them.

“True, so tell me who has captured your attention after so long.” He held his teacup up and watched her over the rim while amusement danced in his blue eyes. Even the butler looked on with interest, for this was quite the aberration from her usual life.

“You already know him, actually.” Noelle couldn’t keep the excitement from her voice. “He’s the Earl of Worchester’s second son—Captain Marsden.” Merely saying his name aloud sent shivery sensation down her spine.

“Oh? How interesting. He’s the fellow who lost an arm in the war. Correct?”

“Yes, but before you say anything, it doesn’t detract from who he is.”

“Of course it doesn’t, and any woman worth her salt wouldn’t let that bother her.” For long moments, her father made inroads into his breakfast before speaking again. “When did the two of you meet?”

She smiled. “Over sheep.” With a giggle, she continued. “He was returning to Worchester Park at the same time I was heading to the village. A flock of sheep blocked the road. We fell into conversation, and then since he couldn’t attain his destination, he drove me to mine.

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