father?”
Hannah sucked in a breath, but she needn’t worry. Chet had promised he wouldn’t reveal the truth to Alasdair today, and he had no intention of going back on his word. “I’m afraid that is between Major Campbell and me. I hope you’ll understand.”
The lad seemed to consider it for a while and he glanced once more at his mother. “Do ye want ta marry Astwick?”
Chet’s heart clenched in his chest. When she said ‘No,’ what would Alasdair say then?
“Aye. I do want ta marry Lord Astwick,” she said softly, so surprising Chet he nearly choked.
Alasdair nodded in agreement. “I doona think Ewan will understand.”
“Will you try to help him do so?” Chet asked.
“I’m no’ quite sure I understand myself, my lord, but I’ll do my best.”
***
As soon as Alasdair left the parlor, Hannah turned her back on Chet and strode towards the front window to peer down at the street below. Truthfully, the encounter with Alasdair had gone better than expected, but she wasn’t certain what to say, what to do at this point.
A moment later, Chet came up behind her and drew her back against his chest, his arms encircling her like they had once upon a time. “Thank you,” he whispered into her hair.
What an odd thing for him to say. He’d been hurt just as deeply as she had been and now he was thanking her? “Ye realize tellin’ James will be much more difficult? Ye canna tell him ye owe his father a debt and expect ta leave it at that.”
Chet scoffed. “I haven’t cared one whit about a thing Carteret has said these last thirteen years. I’m not about to start caring about his opinion now. Besides, you are of an age where you no longer require his permission.”
She didn’t need to be reminded about how much time had passed. “I met yer mother this afternoon. Ye should ken that she positively hates me.”
At that, Chet chuckled. “Ah, sweetheart, she hates everyone. Me included.”
Hannah spun in his arms so she was facing him. “Things can’t possibly be the way they were, Chet. You’re different. I’m different.”
“I love you,” he said quietly. “I never stopped. Your heart is the same, lass. I can tell it. Everything else, we will work through as needs be.”
“I’ve always loved ye, even when I thought the better of it.”
He dipped his head and kissed her. His soft lips gently pressed against hers and a flood of memories enveloped her until she was breathlessly clutching him to her.
“Ye realize this is madness?” she finally said, staring up into the green eyes that had always made her heart melt.
A grin spread across his face. “This sort of madness, I can get used to.”
About the Author
Ava Stone first fell in love with Mr. Darcy, Jane Austen and Regency England at the age of twelve. And in the years since, that love has never diminished. If she isn’t writing Regency era romance, she can be found reading it.
Ava loves to hear from readers.
You can send her an email at [email protected]
A Scandalous Wife
© 2011 Ava Stone
Looks can be deceiving, the same is true for reputations
As the head of his family, Robert Beckford, the Earl of Masten, was accustomed to dealing with various problems his siblings had caused of one sort or another. However he wasn’t prepared when his cad of brother ruined and then abandoned a young lady. To right the wrong, Robert married the girl himself; but his chivalry only went so far. He didn’t want a wife, and most certainly not a scandalous one. So after repeating his vows, he sent her packing, off to a secluded estate and expected her to stay put.
After years of mistreatment at the hands of her family, Lydia was prepared to be an accommodating wife; but her rigid and unforgiving husband asked too much of her. After languishing for years in her opulent prison, Lydia leaves her country estate for the glamour and excitement of London—and unfortunately her husband’s
Hannah sucked in a breath, but she needn’t worry. Chet had promised he wouldn’t reveal the truth to Alasdair today, and he had no intention of going back on his word. “I’m afraid that is between Major Campbell and me. I hope you’ll understand.”
The lad seemed to consider it for a while and he glanced once more at his mother. “Do ye want ta marry Astwick?”
Chet’s heart clenched in his chest. When she said ‘No,’ what would Alasdair say then?
“Aye. I do want ta marry Lord Astwick,” she said softly, so surprising Chet he nearly choked.
Alasdair nodded in agreement. “I doona think Ewan will understand.”
“Will you try to help him do so?” Chet asked.
“I’m no’ quite sure I understand myself, my lord, but I’ll do my best.”
***
As soon as Alasdair left the parlor, Hannah turned her back on Chet and strode towards the front window to peer down at the street below. Truthfully, the encounter with Alasdair had gone better than expected, but she wasn’t certain what to say, what to do at this point.
A moment later, Chet came up behind her and drew her back against his chest, his arms encircling her like they had once upon a time. “Thank you,” he whispered into her hair.
What an odd thing for him to say. He’d been hurt just as deeply as she had been and now he was thanking her? “Ye realize tellin’ James will be much more difficult? Ye canna tell him ye owe his father a debt and expect ta leave it at that.”
Chet scoffed. “I haven’t cared one whit about a thing Carteret has said these last thirteen years. I’m not about to start caring about his opinion now. Besides, you are of an age where you no longer require his permission.”
She didn’t need to be reminded about how much time had passed. “I met yer mother this afternoon. Ye should ken that she positively hates me.”
At that, Chet chuckled. “Ah, sweetheart, she hates everyone. Me included.”
Hannah spun in his arms so she was facing him. “Things can’t possibly be the way they were, Chet. You’re different. I’m different.”
“I love you,” he said quietly. “I never stopped. Your heart is the same, lass. I can tell it. Everything else, we will work through as needs be.”
“I’ve always loved ye, even when I thought the better of it.”
He dipped his head and kissed her. His soft lips gently pressed against hers and a flood of memories enveloped her until she was breathlessly clutching him to her.
“Ye realize this is madness?” she finally said, staring up into the green eyes that had always made her heart melt.
A grin spread across his face. “This sort of madness, I can get used to.”
About the Author
Ava Stone first fell in love with Mr. Darcy, Jane Austen and Regency England at the age of twelve. And in the years since, that love has never diminished. If she isn’t writing Regency era romance, she can be found reading it.
Ava loves to hear from readers.
You can send her an email at [email protected]
A Scandalous Wife
© 2011 Ava Stone
Looks can be deceiving, the same is true for reputations
As the head of his family, Robert Beckford, the Earl of Masten, was accustomed to dealing with various problems his siblings had caused of one sort or another. However he wasn’t prepared when his cad of brother ruined and then abandoned a young lady. To right the wrong, Robert married the girl himself; but his chivalry only went so far. He didn’t want a wife, and most certainly not a scandalous one. So after repeating his vows, he sent her packing, off to a secluded estate and expected her to stay put.
After years of mistreatment at the hands of her family, Lydia was prepared to be an accommodating wife; but her rigid and unforgiving husband asked too much of her. After languishing for years in her opulent prison, Lydia leaves her country estate for the glamour and excitement of London—and unfortunately her husband’s
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