Star got ready to fight for her life. If ever
a man needed dying, this one did.
Ally reached for Farley’s arm and Farley
roughly shrugged him off. Ally apparently wasn’t giving up easily,
and he cried out, “Whot is the matter wit ye? Leave the mort be,
Farley. She be promised elsewhere. It’s cash we need, not a piece
of flesh.”
Farley hauled off and landed Ally a facer
that sent him reeling backward. “Keep off me Ally, if ye knows
whots good for ye, just stay back. If ye don’t have the stomach to
watch, then go outside.”
“Farley…” Ally tried again as he held his
jaw, “Oi never crossed ye before, but Oi don’t hold wit this.
She ain’t a barmaid
, is she? They’ll hunt us down they
will…they won’t give up. Ye know what the gentry are about their
women.”
Farley growled and reached down to grab
Star’s upper arm and drag her to her feet. She allowed him to do
just that and once on her feet with great agility she imperceptibly
got into position, free ankles, free hands and reached out and
grabbed his knife out of his belt. She caught him by surprise.
His eyes protruded and an ugly smile swept
his face. “Now whot mort? Do ye mean to stick me with that? Ye best
stick me good…make certain Oi’m dead…”
Ally set up a howl, “Now ye’ve gone and done
it…”
All at once Star felt the entire building
rattle with the force at the door as it exploded off its
hinges.
Sir Edward stood, his gun leveled at Farley’s
head as Star took a step away, the knife pointed at him and a
warning glare in her eyes.
Farley lunged for her apparently in a last
ditch effort to have something between him and the flash cove with
the gun.
Ally had his back to the wall and Jules’ gun
pointed at his heart. Other than to put his hands in the air, he
made no move whatsoever.
Farley had her arm and as he pulled her to
himself and she screamed and plunged the knife into the arm that
held her fast. He bellowed with pain and she jumped aside giving
Edward a clear shot and he didn’t hesitate as he took it.
Farley crumbled, for Edward’s bullet had
struck him through the forehead. Seeing this Star ran into Edward’s
waiting arms.
Her eye was swollen and black, her face
bruised, her wrists bleeding but all she could feel was love. As he
crushed her close and looked at her injuries, he said, “Would that
I could revive him and kill him again.”
Star’s shaky laugh dissolved into tears. He
covered her face with kisses. “My love, oh my love…let me get your
home.”
Epilogue
A WEEK HAD gone by, and several things had
occurred.
Farley’s body had been handed over to the
local magistrate’s office, and Ally was given over to stand trial
for his part in the abduction affair.
Mrs. Madison received Jules’s Stamford’s
request to court her daughter with great pleasure and he had been
busy all week doing just that.
Star was happy for Georgie and wondered just
where she stood with Sir Edward.
He had not applied to her brother for her
hand and although he had been a constant visitor, he had not tried
even to kiss her. She realized of course that she was not looking
her best. Her black eye had been healing and changing colors and
that did nothing to help her appearance. Her ankle which had been
badly bruised when she had taken the fall from Farley’s open fist
still caused her to limp.
She looked up as the library door opened and
saw Sir Edward standing there staring at her for a long moment.
Oh no, was he here to say good-bye?
He came forward, putting a hand out to stay
her from moving off the sofa and came to sit beside her. His voice
was a caress as he said, “Star.”
“Yes?” she peeped at him her heart full with
hope for more.
“I have just come from a discussion with your
brother,” he said with half a smile.
“Oh?”
“Indeed. I had hoped he would not find out
until I told him, but apparently matters such as these move
differently in a small town.”
“Matters? Told him?” This wasn’t what she
thought he was going to say.
“I bought the mortgage to Berkley,” he said
and eyed her pointedly.
She actually felt the color drain from her
face. What did this mean? Was he indeed taking Berkley from them?
“Oh?” she managed.
“Yes, it will be my wedding gift to you,” he
said.
Her heart flipped and before it righted
itself she reached out her hand and he took it to fervently kiss
her fingers while she stupidly said, “Don’t think you must…because
you and I…because…”
He laughed, “Minx of a woman. I must because
I don’t want to live without you in my life. I must because I can
and because you love your brother and want him solvent again. My
gift to you will be your gift to him.” He took her into his arms
then and his kiss though gentle at first grew into something as
passionate as she felt, as she knew he felt.
He stopped and leaned back to take her chin
in his fingers, “Have I not shown you? Do you not know how deeply
and completely I love you?”
“Ah, but you had not said it yet and besides,
I had my doubts,” she dimpled at him. “After all, you did not even
contemplate paying the five hundred pounds to gain my freedom!”
He laughed, “You are a she-devil. You are.
No. I came faster than I thought possible to get you out of his
hands…and I still wasn’t fast enough.”
His face, his eyes were grim and she touched
his cheek, “No, how can you say that? Your timing was perfect.”
“I couldn’t bear it, thinking of you at his
mercy and then when I saw you…bruised and…”
“Hush. It is over. We have much better things
to think about, but tell me, would you have paid if you found no
other way?”
He eyed her mischievously, “If I had to.”
“Oh, you are the devil, not I,” she said and
laughed as she snuggled against his chest.
The library door burst open and Vern said
with a chuckle, “This is most improper, you two. You are only
engaged and must obey the proprieties.”
“How do you know we are engaged? I might have
said no,” Star said and giggled as she snuggled in Edward’s
arms.
“Aha, there are some matters a man knows,”
Vern answered grinning wide.
Miles Denning appeared at his back, took a
sweeping look and said, “Aha, so that is how it stands. Right then,
so be it. You know Star, if this chap doesn’t behave just as he
ought, I am forever yours.”
“Indeed, mine and so many others,” Star
laughed.
“Now, get out, all of you, for I mean to be
alone with my future bride. We have a wedding to plan!”
An excerpt
from Claudy Conn’s newest steamy regency release: MANDY
SHE SCRAMBLED TO her feet and there in the
sunlight, her lively eyes bright with concern and her body in boys
clothing so much more alluring than he had ever thought possible,
this imp of a woman stood grabbing all his attention to the
exclusion of all else.
He felt the frown bend his brows as he looked
her over. Even in dirty breeches, even with dusty boots and a
smudge across her cheek, the Sherborne creature was utterly
devastatingly beautiful.
The duke was a man who adored women, their
foibles, their mysterious ways, and their many faces. He loved the
way they laughed and giggled. He loved their softness, their
hearts, and their ability to deal with a world that set them as the
‘lesser gender’ when he had always known otherwise. Indeed, though
he knew it was the male’s job, his duty, his pleasure to protect a
woman from harm; in no way were they the lesser gender. His mother
had taught him that because he had adored and observed her and his
feelings for her had left him with a deep affection for
womankind.
Thus, the duke became a man with a fondness
for all women, all sizes, and all ages. They were an intriguing
lot, full of charms and had a way of seeing the world that opened
that same world for a man.
He had always thought perhaps that he loved
women too much and that was why he had never wanted to get attached
to just one. There were so many choices.
This woman standing before him had been loyal
to her brother to the point of absurdity and he admired that in
her. However, she had to be taught that this could not continue, if
only to keep her safe.
He found himself fighting a mental war. He
wanted in all sincerity, to protect her, even from herself and
yet…he could not stop the sure desire rushing through his blood
when he looked at her. What the bloody hell was that? He never
bothered with innocent maids. His flirtations were always with
women married for convenience and looking for diversion and the
occasional widow.
His mind was lost in cogitation as they saw
to their horses, but in spite of his mental resolve to keep her at
arm’s length, he found himself breathing in the fresh soapy scent
of her. She must have washed with freezing cold water, poor girl,
he thought.
He stepped closer without knowing that he did
so. She went very still, but she resisted when he tried to take the
saddle and the end result sent her flying backward.
He hurried and with great concern, reached
for and found her waist as he helped her up and she put out a hand
to his chest.
It was with every ounce of strength that he
set her aside and did not kiss her, for at that moment, it was the
only thing he wanted to do, but he wouldn’t. How could he take
advantage of her like that? He couldn’t…could he?
* * *
She moved toward him, and didn’t have far to
go with only an inch between them. She put her hand to his chest
and while on her toes, she closed her eyes.
She knew, absolutely knew he was going to
kiss her.
His voice was near her ear as he said, “Is
there something I can do for you, Mandy? Something no one else can
do?”
She heard the tease in his voice and realized
what she was doing and feeling like a childish fool, she landed
back on her heels, as her eyes snapped open. What must he think?
How could she have been so wrong?
“No,” she answered, turning away from
him. “Why would you think so?”
“Why? You looked as though you were in need
of er…attention,” he said softly. “Indeed, you seemed to be
reaching for it.”
She felt the vibes in the air. It was as
though something inside of him broke free as he spoke.
She turned back to him. She should run.
Instead, she found herself in his arms, his touch impassioned, his
head bent to hers as his mouth devoured hers and his tongue
searched hers for a response.
She gave herself to that kiss. Her body
melted into his, her tongue moved hesitantly at first and then as
he took over, she instinctively gave herself to his lead and the
moment of erotic and primal sensation swept through her.
He was a rogue and a libertine and would
forget her as soon as he walked away, but she didn’t care. She
wanted his kisses. She wanted this feeling. She wanted the hunger
he aroused in her.
She wanted.
Why him? He was dominant and controlling and
she was an independent young woman who liked to make her own way.
She didn’t want or need a man forever taking control, yet she
wanted
this man
and she wanted him to be the one to make
love to her.
She would be one and twenty soon and had
never been in love to the point of wanting a man to bed her, but
she wanted this one to do just that. What was wrong with her? But
it wasn’t wrong. It couldn’t be, because it felt right—so
right.
Rules—men’s rules, never made sense to her.
She had always felt men made rules to benefit men. Why shouldn’t
she enjoy passion with a man?
She was entitled to this.
So many of her friends were already married
and most of them had done a great deal more than kissing before
they entered the blissful state of matrimony. It was time she lived
a bit, wasn’t it? There was no saying that she would ever marry—not
with the course she had taken. Her reputation now would be ruined
because she broke her brother out of prison. No one would want her
as a wife.
And then all these cogitations were for
naught as once again, he set her aside and said, “I am a cad to
take advantage of your unstable emotions.”
Her lashes fluttered before she repeated the
words in her mind and finally said, “My unstable emotions?”
“Yes…here…lonely, worried…upset…I…”
“And what of your emotions? Are you lonely,
worried or upset? Is that why you kissed me, for I tell you
frankly, those emotions are not what prompted me to kiss you.”
He eyed her strangely for a moment and asked,
“No? What then did?”
She was flushed and embarrassed, so instead
of answering him, she wagged a finger at him and said,
“
Right,
as though I am stable enough to know?”
Suddenly he was reaching for her, and he
murmured, “May I rot in hell for this.”
Once again she was in his arms, but this
time, it was a crushing embrace. It was as though he had been at
war with himself and lost.
He lifted her off the ground as his mouth
devoured hers and then as he set her feet back down, his hand
traveled to cup her breast over her shirt.
He nibbled at her ear and then did the same
down the length of her neck and she heard him whisper hoarsely and
as though he said it against his will, “Delicious woman, I am lost
in you.”
He was a duke. He was a London rogue who had
been with countless women, she was sure and he thought her
delicious? She was spelled by his touch, by his voice, by his words
and she bent to his love-making, matching his desire with her
own.
In his arms, she felt as though she was
floating into a world of sensation. She wanted this to go on. She
liked the feel of his body against hers, felt his manhood through
his breeches as it pressed against his clothing and hers and knew a
sure excitement, curiosity and a need for more.