Masquerade Secrets(23)

"It didn't look that way."

She could see him nod out of the corner of her eye. "I know. I don't  know how Lady Victoria found out, but she knew about us. She knew about  the masquerade."

A small shock surged through her, and she finally looked up at him. "How?"

He shrugged. "I can only guess that she overheard us on the terrace that  first night." He seemed to debate something then continued on. "She  pretended to be you at the masquerade the other night."

Her mouth fell open.

"She also came upon me after you had fled up the stairs. She must have heard you agree to meet me."

Could it truly be as simple as that? Lady Victoria was certainly capable  of such a despicable act. But Aubrey wasn't ready to fully believe yet.  Her heart was vulnerable to him, and she never wanted to feel that kind  of pain again.

"What do you want from me?" she finally whispered.

He was silent, and she felt him will her to look at him. "I want you, Aubrey. For myself. From now on. I want to be with you."

Her heart leaped at his words. "Not the masquerade woman?"

When he shook his head, her heart plummeted again. "I want you both." He  took her hands in his. "Don't you see, I love both parts of you. The  outgoing beauty of the masquerade lady caught my eye, but your humor and  friendship were what caught my heart." His eyes bore into hers,  effectively cutting off any doubts. "I love you, Aubrey. I always will."

His declaration was like a soft caress to her soul. She could feel his love for her radiating from him into her. He loved her.

Moving slowly, he knelt down in front of her, still holding both of her  hands. "Marry me, Aubrey, my masquerade woman. I love you with all my  heart, and there will never be anyone but you. I want to see you every  morning when I wake up, I want to hold you in my arms as storms rage  outside, and I want to have a family with you."

Tears pricked her eyes as she looked at the man she loved. Her heart  overflowed with the tenderness that she saw in his eyes, knowing that he  meant every word.

"I love you too." The joy that lit his face made her laugh in pure happiness. "Yes, I'll marry you."

More happy than he could express, he let out a shout of joy and stood,  lifting her into his arms. He kissed her with all the love and longing  he felt, and she felt the truth of all of it deep in her soul.

Her heart answered his, pouring her love into the kiss, her fingers running into his hair at the base of his neck.

"You don't know how I have wanted you," he finally said, reluctantly ending the kiss.

She laughed, feeling free. "I think I have some idea."

"Let's get married this week."

She laughed again. "If you can convince my mother of that, then I agree.  However, I must warn you that she will want a large wedding, with time  to prepare for it." She laughed again, her arms still around his neck.  "You have your work cut out for you."

"It's already been arranged." He laughed when her mouth fell open again.  "I met with your parents this morning and told them that I had fallen  in love with you and that I intended to marry you. You don't honestly  think your mother had no one else to bring the books down?"

She laughed with the joy that burned from her heart. "Now that I think about it, it does sound strange."

Locked into each other's arms, they whispered words of love and their  hopes for the future. From this moment on, they would never part, and  that knowledge filled her pure joy.         

     



 

This was the beginning of their lives together, and she relished every moment of it.



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SECRETS IN MOURNING (SCANDALS & SECRETS - BOOK 3) - EXCERPT



CHAPTER 1





London, 1836



The wedding breakfast would have been a success if the groom hadn't slumped over and died.

The bride, the former Lady Victoria Haveston, had looked all that was  fashionable in her white silk and lace overlay gown, opting for smooth,  clean lines instead of a ruffled mess that detracted from her generous  curves. The late Duke of Norwich, spry and youthful despite his  seventy-one years, exuded the grace and dignity his station required. At  the table, he remained poised until the moment he slid soundlessly to  the side of his chair, falling gradually to the floor as any gentleman  should, instead of drowning in his bowl of spiced vegetable soup.

Victoria sighed, calmly looking to one of the servants. "Please fetch a  doctor," she said, her voice monotonal. Only one quick look was given to  the man whom she had pledged herself to a few short hours before.

That evening, already fitted in a jet gown, the cut a touch too  provocative for a grieving widow, Victoria sat beside her brother,  waiting for the Duke's solicitor to arrive for the reading of the will.

"Are you feeling well?" her brother, Derek Haveston, Viscount Lawrence, asked her quietly.

She shrugged her delicate shoulders, causing the bunch of midnight curls  caressing her neck to bounce with the movement. "Of course, Derek. It's  not as if I actually grieve for the poor man."

"He was your husband, Victoria. If only for a few hours," he scolded  softly. His deep blue eyes, the same shade as her own, bore into hers.

"A few hours too long in my opinion. I should have never agreed to marry  him. A fact which I would have changed if possible," she reminded him.

"Yes, well, try to make the pretense. He was a good man that had lived a full life."

She acknowledged her brother's words with a curt nod. She wasn't completely unfeeling.

The old Duke had been a gentleman to her, assuring her that he would not  take any liberties until she was ready. Just the thought of it made her  cringe.

But he had never been unkind to her. He had allowed her to continue on,  flirting and attracting the attention of other men, regardless of their  engagement. He hadn't been under the illusion that she loved him, and he  hadn't been in love with her. He was lonely, he had told her. He wanted  the companionship of a beautiful woman, and was happy to make her a  duchess in return for that service.

Heart tugging in her chest, she tried to force the feeling away. She  could have been more attentive to him during their engagement, but once  she had realized her mistake in accepting his proposal, she had tried to  run away from it all, escape for just a bit before her fate was sealed  in wedlock.

She hadn't known how long her life would be tied to his, but never in  her imagination did she envision that it would be for less than a day.

And now here she was, dressed in black, a widow, waiting to hear what the departed Duke had left her.

"I apologize for my tardiness." An older man dressed in a black suit and  wilting cravat entered, sifting through a stack of papers in his hand.  "I am Mr. Beckett, the late Duke's solicitor."

"Thank you for coming." Her brother stood and shook the man's free hand,  clearly surprising the public servant. It wasn't often that a member of  the peerage stooped down to his level.

"Yes, well, it is a duty that must be done." The balding man turned his  attention to Victoria. "Let me offer my condolences. He was a great  man."

"Thank you." Victoria nodded in agreement, suddenly wishing she knew a bit more about the Duke's life.

"Why don't we begin? I have already read the will to his son, the new  Duke of Norwich, so he will not be joining us this evening."

Trying to sit patiently, Victoria smiled agreeably, wanting this duty  over with. She couldn't imagine there would be much regarding her in the  document.

Seeing the man settle in for a long reading, Victoria held up her hand, hoping to avoid hours of wasted time.

"Please, Mr. Beckett, if you wouldn't mind, just read any part of the  will that involves me. My brother would be happy to look over a copy of  the document in its entirety later." Glancing to her brother, he nodded  in agreement.

"If you wish. This will was drawn up more than five years ago, and no revisions have been made since then."         

     



 

Victoria bowed her head. It really wasn't anything less than what she  expected. "I see. Well, I appreciate your time, Mr. Beckett." Victoria  made to stand before the man's words stopped her.

"Please, if I might have another moment." Rearranging her skirts, she  waved her hand for him to continue. "While you aren't listed in his will  by name, he did made arrangements for any wife he may have at the time  of his death."

Victoria paused. Was it possible that he had bequeathed something to her?

"He has left you with an inheritance of thirty thousand pounds, pending some conditions."

Her mouth dropped open.

"Thirty thousand pounds?" her brother asked, his head cocked to the side. "Such a large sum?"

Mr. Beckett nodded, the extra skin on his face jiggling. "Yes. The Duke was a very wealthy man and erred on the generous side."