Read Online A Lady by Chance (Historical Regency Romance) by Cheryl Bolen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cheryl Bolen
Tags: Regency Romance
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fully intended this to be a real marriage.
But he did not really know Anna. He had been with her but three days. Three days that had reoriented his world. Nothing would ever be the same again. No woman had ever consumed him as engagingly as Anna. He could not be near her without experiencing an overwhelming rush of possessive tenderness, and more than that, an urge to make love to her until there was no breath left in his body.
Like the purity and passion Anna brought to their marriage bed, this wife of his was a paradox. It seemed inconceivable that the woman who likely cheated and schemed to gain his title could be the same gentle lover who offered herself so completely.
With thoughts of Anna circulating in his mind, he gave way to his exhaustion and fell to sleep.
He was awakened an hour later by Evans rapping at the door. Haverstock started up, then saw a fully-dressed Anna standing near the door.
"What is it?" she asked, her amused glance shooting from the closed door back to her naked husband.
"Her Ladyship asks if you plan to join the family for dinner."
"Tell her we will be down presently," Anna replied with authority.
Lighting a taper, she strode to the bed and leaned down to kiss her husband. "Shall I perform your valet's duties, my lord?" she asked with mirth.
"I beg that you don't," he said, climbing from the bed. "Your touch has a very devastating effect on me, I'm afraid. I would never make it to dinner were you to offer me assistance, and I fear my mother's wrath excessively."
Anna sat down the taper and bent to pick up her husband's clothes that had been rapidly discarded in his haste to bed her. "Do you think your mother knows what we've done here?"
He took the breeches she handed him, stepped into them and cast her a bemused smile. "Most certainly."
Anna blushed.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, my dear," he said, lightly touching her chin. "All married people do it. Do not forget my mother gave birth to seven children, so she most certainly has done it any number of times."
The dowager and her daughters were already seated at the long dining table when Haverstock and Anna came down. He glanced at his mother, sitting at the foot of the table. "I see you still sit at the marchioness's place, Mother. How very kind of you to encourage Anna to sit by me." He slid out a chair for Anna beside his own at the head of the table.
She took a seat, casting a quick glance at her mother-in-law, who glared at the couple with her lips compressed. Once again, Anna felt like a horse being trotted out at auction as her sisters stared at her.
"That is a most becoming dress, Anna," Charlotte beamed.
"Thank you," Anna said as a footman uncovered salvers and heaped buttered crab on her plate. "I am blessed to be the owner of a fine wardrobe. The only thing I lack is lovely ball gowns. For reasons which I am sure you are aware, I have not been in society."
Charlotte lowered her eyes.
"We shall remedy that soon, my love," Haverstock said. "It will be my good fortune to escort the loveliest woman in London to all the balls this season."
"If she hasn't been in society, how did you meet her?" the dowager asked her son.
Anna's insides crumbled. She wondered how Charles would answer.
"Actually, Morgie knew her first," Haverstock replied truthfully, then took a bite of French beans.
Anna's pulse returned to normal, but she still felt slighted that her mother-in-law chose to address Haverstock instead of her.
Turning to his wife, Haverstock said, "With the Season just a few weeks away, I suggest you commission gowns, Lady Haverstock."
"Yes, my lord. I should like to pay Madame Devreaux a call tomorrow." She turned to the sisters. "Would you like to accompany me? No one can turn out the lot of us better than Madame Devreaux."
"Mama once had a gown fashioned by the modiste," Kate said. "It was quite the prettiest gown she ever owned. That was before Molly had to start making our clothes."
"Then you all must come
But he did not really know Anna. He had been with her but three days. Three days that had reoriented his world. Nothing would ever be the same again. No woman had ever consumed him as engagingly as Anna. He could not be near her without experiencing an overwhelming rush of possessive tenderness, and more than that, an urge to make love to her until there was no breath left in his body.
Like the purity and passion Anna brought to their marriage bed, this wife of his was a paradox. It seemed inconceivable that the woman who likely cheated and schemed to gain his title could be the same gentle lover who offered herself so completely.
With thoughts of Anna circulating in his mind, he gave way to his exhaustion and fell to sleep.
He was awakened an hour later by Evans rapping at the door. Haverstock started up, then saw a fully-dressed Anna standing near the door.
"What is it?" she asked, her amused glance shooting from the closed door back to her naked husband.
"Her Ladyship asks if you plan to join the family for dinner."
"Tell her we will be down presently," Anna replied with authority.
Lighting a taper, she strode to the bed and leaned down to kiss her husband. "Shall I perform your valet's duties, my lord?" she asked with mirth.
"I beg that you don't," he said, climbing from the bed. "Your touch has a very devastating effect on me, I'm afraid. I would never make it to dinner were you to offer me assistance, and I fear my mother's wrath excessively."
Anna sat down the taper and bent to pick up her husband's clothes that had been rapidly discarded in his haste to bed her. "Do you think your mother knows what we've done here?"
He took the breeches she handed him, stepped into them and cast her a bemused smile. "Most certainly."
Anna blushed.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of, my dear," he said, lightly touching her chin. "All married people do it. Do not forget my mother gave birth to seven children, so she most certainly has done it any number of times."
The dowager and her daughters were already seated at the long dining table when Haverstock and Anna came down. He glanced at his mother, sitting at the foot of the table. "I see you still sit at the marchioness's place, Mother. How very kind of you to encourage Anna to sit by me." He slid out a chair for Anna beside his own at the head of the table.
She took a seat, casting a quick glance at her mother-in-law, who glared at the couple with her lips compressed. Once again, Anna felt like a horse being trotted out at auction as her sisters stared at her.
"That is a most becoming dress, Anna," Charlotte beamed.
"Thank you," Anna said as a footman uncovered salvers and heaped buttered crab on her plate. "I am blessed to be the owner of a fine wardrobe. The only thing I lack is lovely ball gowns. For reasons which I am sure you are aware, I have not been in society."
Charlotte lowered her eyes.
"We shall remedy that soon, my love," Haverstock said. "It will be my good fortune to escort the loveliest woman in London to all the balls this season."
"If she hasn't been in society, how did you meet her?" the dowager asked her son.
Anna's insides crumbled. She wondered how Charles would answer.
"Actually, Morgie knew her first," Haverstock replied truthfully, then took a bite of French beans.
Anna's pulse returned to normal, but she still felt slighted that her mother-in-law chose to address Haverstock instead of her.
Turning to his wife, Haverstock said, "With the Season just a few weeks away, I suggest you commission gowns, Lady Haverstock."
"Yes, my lord. I should like to pay Madame Devreaux a call tomorrow." She turned to the sisters. "Would you like to accompany me? No one can turn out the lot of us better than Madame Devreaux."
"Mama once had a gown fashioned by the modiste," Kate said. "It was quite the prettiest gown she ever owned. That was before Molly had to start making our clothes."
"Then you all must come
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