Authors: Pamela Labud
To Catch a Lady (29 page)
“My goodness, Caro, you are growing larger by the day,” Beatrice said as she poured another cup of tea for them both.
“Thank you for your kind words, sister,” Caro said. “I can only hope that one day you, too, will experience such girth.”
Bea laughed. “Not for me, dearest. I'm going to stay unmarried, like Miss Annabelle Hartley. She is a proponent of women's rights, you know. She spends all of her time writing letters to Parliament insisting that they write new laws which will give women equal status in society. It's simply a matter of time. You'll see.”
“Of course, dear.”
“Mama! Stephie caught fish! Stephie caught fish!”
“How wonderful, Stephen! You are amazing, my little man.”
Three-year-old Stephen proudly held the small, wriggling fish on his hook. “Papa taught me.”
“I knew he would,” she said, smiling.
Just then Ash entered the breakfast room. “Now Stephen, come take your catch to Mrs. Hughes. She'll fry it up for your dinner.”
“Oh, no, Papa! I want to keep it.”
“Of course you do, but Mama won't let you keep it for long. Dead fish smell very bad after a time.”
“Really?”
“I'm afraid so, lad. Come, let's take care of it.”
“He's grown so big,” Amelia said, walking to the sideboard. “He's already getting into all sorts of mischief.” She turned. “Come, Sarah. Let's have some breakfast.”
Caro smiled as her mother entered. Although her mind stayed as muddled as ever, she had formed a fast friendship with Amelia. “Of course, dear. Oh, did I tell you there was a piglet in my room this morning?”
“Yes, you did mention it. Nothing to worry about, dear. I'm sure the staff will take care of it.”
Caro smiled. She sent a look to her husband, who only shrugged. “I'll make certain Mr. Chadwick checks all the rooms for any stray animals after we eat. I honestly don't know how they keep getting in.”
Ash leaned down and kissed Caro on the forehead. “How's our newest family member faring today?”
Caro smiled. “Doing quite well, although it feels as if the child has been herding goats all morning.”
It wasn't long before breakfast was finished, and everyone had gone to start their day. Beatrice was riding into town with Mrs. Hardesty and Meggie to pick up supplies, and to visit with the maid's sister, Emily. Amelia and Sarah had retired to the parlor, where they were planning an elaborate dinner party upon their return to London the following week.
And Miss Hubbard, their new nanny, had taken Stephenâwho had been up since before dawnâfor an early nap.
So, it was just the two of them, alone at the table. “I've really enjoyed having my mother and sister come for a visit,” Caro said when her husband had finished the last of his plate.
“I'll be sorry to see them leave next week.”
“Me, too.”
“I was thinking, before you advance much further, we ought to go to town ourselves. Mrs. Harrington, a midwife, is highly recommended by Amelia's physician.”
“You don't want me to deliver here at Slyddon?”
He smiled and helped her to her feet. Taking her arm, he guided her down the hall. “I know we'd decided to, but I think it would still be better in London.”
“Very well, husband. It will give me more time with Mother.”
They had made it to the stairwell, when Ash pulled her into his arm and surprised her with a passionate kiss.
“I have an idea,” he said.
“What?”
“Let's you and I take a walk out to the pond.”
“The pond?”
“Yes. I find that I've been thinking about our first time we visited that morning just before dawn and how we were so rudely interrupted. I'd like to go back and try again, you know.”
“But, AshâMother and Beaâ¦oh, and your auntâ”
“Are occupied for the afternoon. And young Stephen is asleep. So you and I have some time alone.” With that, he ran his hands lightly up and down her arms. A delicious shiver ran through her.
“I think we should revisit the pond, husband.” She smiled. “What's the worst that can happen, after all?”
“Well, it is a bit early for the fishermen to be back, and Duncan won't return until dusk. I think that we can expect some privacy.”
“That would be a nice change.”
Ash pulled her into her arms, kissing her deeply. Before he could do more, however, he felt something smack against his abdomen. Looking down, he realized it was Caroline, or rather her belly.
“My goodness, woman, have you a battle going on in there?”
Caroline laughed. “Your son, or daughter, doesn't approve of your showing affection to his, or her, mother, I suppose.”
He gently rubbed her belly. “Ah, Caroline, I do love you.”
She smiled warmly. “I love you, too, Ash.”
“It's all so strange, considering how we started this marriage and all that we've been through.”
“Well, you are Lord Fortune, after all.”
He kissed her again, gently this time. “Lord Fortune's Folly, indeed. My true folly was not in how I found my wife, or the fact that I ensnared her like a rabbit in a trap, but the fact that I nearly threw away happiness with both hands. Thank you for saving me,” he said.
Caroline shook her head. “I did nothing of the sort. You saved yourself. And I am most thankful for that.”
He paused for a moment. “I think we saved each other, Caroline. Either way, I'm damn glad we did.”
Caro kissed him this time. “So am I, husband. So am I.”
There are so many people who make the job of writing easier, even if they aren't there beside you at the keyboard. My dear friends and critique partners: Tammy Strickland, June Ulrich, and Linda Friar, who have been there since the beginning. Also, my fellow Romance Writers of America chapters: Central Florida Romance Writers, Spacecoast Authors of Romance, and the Tama Area Romance Writers. And also the awesome Georgia Romance Writers, who continue to provide excellent opportunities for authors with their Moonlight and Magnolias Conference every year. And mostly, I need to thank author JD Favor for bugging me to get this book “out there.”
I'd also like to thank the people who support me every day, my daughters Jamie and Caitlin.
But most of all, I'd like to thank my husband, William Labud Jr., for continuing to support my dream all these many years.
P
AMELA
L
ABUD
The Hunt Club
To Catch a Lady
A Most Delicate Pursuit
(coming soon)
An avid reader since childhood, Pamela Labud had dreamed of being a novelist. At age thirteen she begged her parents for a typewriter for Christmas, and started creating romantic stories of her own. Now, many years later, she's realized her dream and become a multipublished author. In 2005, her first novel was a double finalist in the RWA's prestigious RITA contest.
These days Pamela has a full life as a romance author, and also works full-time as a registered nurse. She and her husband have raised two daughters and now manage a busy house with six dogs and two cockatiels.
In addition to reading romance novels obsessively, Pamela enjoys going to spin class, as well as visiting the beach and local theme parks. When she's not doing that, she spends her downtime watching TV crime shows, old movies, and anime.
Bring in the New Year with a new romance from Lovesweptâall are specially written with you in mind, so I know you'll find a story that's a perfect fit.
Elisabeth Barrett returns to Briarwood, an unforgettable place where legacy and longing make dreams come true, in
The Best of Me.
USA Today
bestselling author Jamie K. Schmidt follows with the first book in her new Hawaii Heat series,
Life's a Beach,
an irresistible tale of second chances. The bad boys of baseball only get better with Katie Rose's fourth book in the Boys of Summer series,
The Heat Is On,
in which a homegrown baseball star returns to snag the one that got away.
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bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly finishes her Dare to Love series with
Now and Then,
a steamy short novel of lost love, second chances, and hidden dangers.
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bestselling author Kathy Clark releases
After Love,
book one in the suspenseful Austin Heroes series. Cecy Robson's
Of Flame and Promise
kicks off a sizzling new series in the Weird Girls saga as Celia's sister Taran fights to have it all. Jessica Lemmon introduces the ultimate bad boy in
Forgotten Promises,
and Gina Gordon starts her powerful, deeply sensual series Body & Soul, in which one woman discovers the courage to face life's greatest challenges in
Naked
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Let's get sweet with
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bestselling author Laura Drewry and her latest,
Off the Hook,
part of her Fishing for Trouble series, and Zoe Dawson and her first Laurel Falls novel,
Leaving Yesterday,
for fans of small-town romance. Sidney Halston's fans will be happy to know another mixed-martial-arts story is en route with
Fighting Dirty,
and then Claire Kent has you
Taking It Off
with a male stripperâyum! Adding to this
USA Today
bestseller list is a fast MC story from Maisey Yates,
Strip You Bare.
And Sawyer Bennett is bundling her books from her
New York Times
bestselling Cold Fury Hockey series.
Looking for a few historical romances? Lavinia Kent releases a Regency favorite in
Ravishing Ruby,
Sharon Cullen brings you back to Culloden in
Sutherland's Secret,
and Pamela Labud's Hunt Club series begins with
To Catch a Ladyâ
all with heroes to die for.
That's it for this monthâbut February is bigger and better than ever before. Hope to see you soon.
~Happy Romance!
Gina Wachtel
Associate Publisher
