Rules for Reforming a Rake(124)
“I fear I’m a little worse for wear. In any event, Napoleon’s defeat put an end to my dissolute reputation. No more wicked ways for me.” He turned serious a moment. “I’ll have a bit of work to do to make things right with my family. I can’t wait for you to meet them.”
“Um... you needn’t concern yourself about that. Eloise and Graelem were so eager to introduce me that I’ve gotten to know them quite well, actually. We have lunch together once a week. Eloise has invited them here today. I’m sure they’ll be along shortly.”
“What do you think of my parents?” There was something in his tone that revealed the answer was deeply important to him.
“I adore them, Gabriel. Your father still can’t believe you had the extraordinarily good sense to marry me, even if it was gone about poorly. He’s afraid he’ll wake up one morning and find it was all a hoax.”
He let out a groaning laugh. “Have you met Alexander?”
“The fabulous brother that I was so keen on marrying until you upset my best-laid plans? He’s perfect and proper and upright, and he’s about to marry his childhood sweetheart, so it’s a good thing I fell in love with you instead. He’s as wary as your father is about our marriage. Not that he doesn’t like me, but your dissolute ways have taken a toll on both of them. They no longer know what to believe about you.”
“There’s no help for it,” he said, a sloppy grin on his face, “you’ll have to worship me. Otherwise, they’ll never believe this marriage is real. Or is it the other way around? Am I required to worship you?”
She poked him lightly on his good shoulder. “You had better, you dolt.”
His gaze turned hot and smoldering. “I do. I will. Always. I promise.”
Her heart skipped to a happy beat and the butterflies in her stomach were fluttering madly and cheering. “And promise to share the rest of your days with me?”
He nodded. “I believe it’s part of the bargain. You’re stuck with me for good.”
“I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
“Nor would I. Daisy, I wish to fall asleep holding you in my arms each night and wake to your beautiful smile each morning. No separate quarters for us, will you promise me that?”
“I’ve already taken over your armoire and two chests of drawers. Oh, and your bed is quite comfortable, the only thing it’s missing is you.”
“I want marbles in all shapes and sizes stocked in my study, and a steady stream of little Farthingales to play with them. I want sons and daughters with dark hair and bright, blue eyes, and I want laughter to ring throughout our home. What do you say to that?”
She cast him the softest smile. “You have more rules than Lady Forsythia’s Rules for Reforming a Rake, but I find them... quite acceptable. And speaking of Lady Forsythia’s book, I read it to the very end only to find that she’d tossed out all her rules but one. Can you imagine?”
He arched an eyebrow, obviously amused by her indignation. “And what was that one rule?”
She shook her head and laughed. “To be guided by your heart.”
“Good rule.” He kissed her once more, his mouth warm and loving upon hers.
END
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading Rules for Reforming a Rake. The road to happiness isn’t easy for Daisy Farthingale and Gabriel Dayne. After Daisy, the middle daughter and family conciliator, takes the blame for an unfortunate incident involving a gentleman of dubious reputation to protect one of her sisters, she realizes the repercussions are far more serious than she ever expected. Her beloved Farthingale family no longer trusts her or respects her judgment. Daisy, determined to make the family proud of her again, plans to do it by marrying the most respectable man she can find. Unfortunately, her heart refuses to cooperate and she falls in love with the worst man possible—Gabriel Dayne, a dissolute rakehell she believes may be spying for the French. Only by trusting herself and standing up for her beliefs does Daisy find the happiness she deserves with Gabriel.
Book 4 in the Farthingale Series is A Midsummer’s Kiss, the prequel to Rules for Reforming a Rake, The Duke I’m Going to Marry, and My Fair Lily. Yes, I’m finding that I think best backwards, especially with this Farthingale Series. The sisters have decided the order of these books and I am helpless to do anything but obey. So next is Laurel’s story, and Laurel is a handful. She thinks she’s in love with her childhood friend and is stubbornly determined to marry him, until she meets the handsome and equally stubborn Lord Graelem Dayne. She doesn’t meet him in the usual ton way: Laurel’s beast of a horse tramples Graelem and leaves him with a badly broken leg. That’s a problem for Graelem, for he has only one month to find himself a wife or lose a vast inheritance. Since he’s now forced to remain in bed for the month, he’s decided that only Laurel will do—but convincing the headstrong Laurel will be no easy task. Read on for a sneak peek at Laurel’s story, the fourth in the FARTHINGALE SERIES.