She sighed. “I want to have supper with my parents and sisters.” She put her hands on his shoulders and drew him forward for another kiss. “There’s something I was going to tell you later this evening after the party, but I think I had better tell you now.”
“Oh, hell. You are ill. Is that it? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Nonsense, Ian,” she said, the merriment bubbling inside her. She rose more carefully this time and took Felicity out of her crib. It felt right to have the child in her arms as she broke the news to her husband. “I really wanted to wait until we were in bed together, but you look as if your heart’s about to burst from worry. I promise you, I’m fine. In fact, I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”
She paused a moment as her lips began to quiver and tears filled her eyes. “Ian,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, for she suddenly felt overwhelmed, “we’re going to have a baby.”
“What?” He gaped at her, and then a slow grin crossed his face. He wrapped her and Felicity in his arms. “Say it again,” he said with aching tenderness. “I don’t think I heard you right.”
She cast him a beaming smile. “Felicity’s going to have a new cousin. I love you, Ian. And so will our baby. You’re going to make a wonderful father. Happy Christmas... Papa.”
THE END
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading The Duke I’m Going To Marry. On the surface, Ian is a handsome, wealthy duke, seemingly without a care in the world. However, having been raised in a cold and loveless family, he was just begging to find happiness. Love is the one thing all his money could never buy, and Ian had resigned himself to a lonely existence until Dillie came into his life. Their first kiss changed everything for him, but moving beyond his cruel upbringing and forgiving himself for his supposed past sins was not easy to do. It took Dillie’s courage and her faith in him to bring them to their happy ending.
Book 3 in the Farthingale Series is Rules For Reforming A Rake, which is actually the prequel to My Fair Lily and The Duke I’m Going To Marry. It is Daisy Farthingale’s story. Daisy is the middle daughter, who has taken on the role of conciliator among the boisterous family. To protect one of her sisters, Daisy took blame for an unfortunate incident involving a gentleman of dubious reputation. Although innocent, she enters her debut season with a slight tarnish. Her beloved Farthingale family no longer trusts her or respects her judgment. Daisy is determined to make the family proud of her again, and decides to do it by marrying the most respectable man she can find. Unfortunately, her heart refuses to cooperate and she falls in love with worst man possible—Gabriel Dayne, a dissolute rakehell who may be spying for the French! Read on for a sneak peek at Daisy’s story, the third in the Farthingale Series.
With love,
Meara
SNEAK PEEK OF THE UPCOMING BOOK
RULES FOR REFORMING A RAKE
BY MEARA PLATT
CHAPTER 1
To attract a rake, one must first make an elegant impression.
London, England
Late February 1815
“GABRIEL, DON’T WALK down that street!”
Gabriel Dayne turned in time to see his friend, Ian Markham, Duke of Edgeware, jump down from an emerald green phaeton and dodge several passing carriages as he raced toward him, waving his arms and calling for him to stop. Quickly scanning his surroundings, Gabriel reached for the pistol hidden in the breast pocket of his waistcoat and prepared to defend himself.
But from whom?
He saw nothing untoward on Chipping Way, one of Mayfair’s prettiest streets. Indeed, the sun shone brightly, birds chirped merrily, and buds hinted of early spring blooms along the fashionable walk. Ladies and gentlemen strolled leisurely toward the park, and another elegant carriage led by a pair of matched grays with fanciful gold feathers on their heads clattered past.
Not a footpad or assassin could be seen.
“Put that weapon away,” Ian said, reaching his side and pausing a moment to catch his breath. “I didn’t mean to frighten you, just stop you from making one of the biggest mistakes of your life.”
Gabriel frowned. “A simple ‘good afternoon’ would have caught my attention. How are you, Your Grace?”
“Me? I’m right as rain. But things have changed around here. I thought you should know.” He withdrew a handkerchief from his breast pocket, removed his top hat, and proceeded to wipe his brow.
Gabriel gazed more closely at Ian’s handkerchief... decidedly feminine... embroidered with pink hearts. He arched an eyebrow. “So it seems. You never mentioned that you’d acquired a wife.”