Once Upon a Rake Page 20
“I know,” she said as she lifted her head to his. “You can be my happily ever after.”
A laugh escaped him at the romantic notion, but he had to admit, he was feeling one or two distinctly fluffy notions and he nodded. “And you can be mine,” he murmured as he lowered his lips to hers.
Epilogue
What’s Wrong with Gretna Green?
“Thank the Lord that’s over,” Lucian said as he slid into the carriage next to Eleanor.
“I do not think you’re meant to be glad your wedding is over.”
He grinned, looking as handsome as ever in his perfectly fitted suit and elegant dark green waistcoat. Lucian took her gloved hand, peeled off the fabric and slid his fingers between hers before bringing her hand to his lips.
“Do not tell me you are not grateful it is all over.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Very well, yes I am. I didn’t trip and I did not say the wrong words, or sneeze into my flowers, but I feared greatly I would.”
“You were perfect, wife.” He emphasised the words.
“As were you, husband.”
“But I still would have preferred to go to Gretna Green and avoided all this fuss.” He waved a hand to the array of people waiting outside their carriage to see them off.
“Mama would have killed me for certain.”
“Come wave to your adoring crowd and then we can make for the hotel. It’s been a busy few months and I am desperate to remove that rather fine gown from you and make you my wife properly.”
“We have already made love,” she whispered, as though one of the cheering crowd might hear her. “I’m not sure we need to do it again to make it formal.”
“Nonsense. I need to make you my wife in every way possible and that means keeping you up all night.”
His voice rose with the last few words and, though she doubted anyone heard, she knew he was teasing her and heat spilled into her cheeks. She slapped his arm. It had been a long few months trying to get the mill repaired and everything up and running again. Not to mention tracking down the culprit.
Leaning across him, she saw her mama and papa waving and she waved back. Even Papa seemed to have tears in his eyes. As the carriage began to move, she settled back against the plush interior. She glanced at their joined hands and let herself relax. With Lucian at her side, she never had a need to be nervous again. If she proved to be the clumsiest, most ungainly wife of all time, he would still love her.
“It’s a shame we can only be gone a few days,” she said.
They had to return soon for Mr Newcombe’s trial. He had been billing them with inflated figures and had hired men to sabotage the mill. All because he wished to set up his own mills and was looking to buy up the local mills at cheap prices. What they had not known was that he had already done the same to two other mills in Lancashire, forcing them to close and be sold off at a discounted price.
Also Lucian wanted to oversee the final stages of the build. With a little help from his main investor—namely her—they had managed to save the mill and the jobs of the people in it. She could not wait for them to see their modernised mill with better working conditions and safer machines. She could not object too much at his eagerness to return. She had come to love the mill as much as he.
“Pardon?” She found him staring avidly at her. “Forgive me, I was admiring my beautiful wife.”
“I said it is a shame we only have a few days.”
“A few days is all I need.”
She glanced at his wicked smile. “You are a rogue and a rake, Lord Rushbourne.”
“Ah, yes, but I am your rake.”
Eleanor laughed and took his face in both her hands so she could slide onto his lap and straddle him. “You are indeed,” she confirmed and proceeded to kiss him in a manner that only a very wicked woman would. He groaned and cupped her rear to press her against him.
“Even the worst of rakes do not bed women in their carriages,” he informed her between kisses.
“Yes, but you are not the worst, you are the best.”
“How very true that is,” he agreed.
And he proceeded to show her just how good a rake he really was.
THE END
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Tempting His Mistress
Medieval
To Steal a Highlander’s Heart (Book 1 of the Highland Fae Chronicles)
To Dream of a Highlander (Book 2 of the Highland Fae Chronicles)
To Avenge Her Highland Warrior (Book 3 of the Highland Fae Chronicles)
Alrek (Viking Romance)
Contemporary
Too Much to Lose
Not Another Soldier
Once Upon a Rake
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Epilogue