rib at Jackson’s, the pugilist’s studio for men like him who liked to spar to maintain their figure.
Not that Violet knew these facts, bless her, he did not wish her to know he was slowly but determinedly fighting to win back her honour and establish respect for their child.
His hand settled on her shoulder as they left the room.
“You are taking Master Peter downstairs, my Lady?”
Geoff was sure their odd behaviour was a constant trial to the staff. He smiled. “Just for a while, Ms Leverage, we will ring when we wish him brought back up.”
The woman’s mouth set in a disapproving line.
Violet smiled. “Thank you, Ms Leverage, I know we fuss far too much, but I am sure you would rather see his parents dote on him than not.”
The woman blushed. She had come with very good references. She was probably just unused to a woman of Violet’s sharp honesty and openness.
By the time they reached the drawing-room Peter had been passed from Violet to Geoff, and he rested against Geoff’s shoulder sucking on his fist. He was tired. They should not keep him up long.
When they walked into the room Robert laughed. “The doting father.”
Geoff smiled, he could take these quips from Robert, he knew they were not ill meant.
“May I hold him?” Jane swept forwards. “Oh I have never seen anything so tiny and so perfect.”
Violet was beaming, glowing in a way she had never done until they’d had the child.
Violet caught Geoff watching her as Jane took Peter, and Barrington began cooing at the child across Jane’s shoulder, thoroughly absorbed in entertaining the baby. Violet moved, closing the distance between her and her husband, drawn to him still, as she had been for so many months in the summer.
When she reached him, Violet lifted to her toes and pressed a quick kiss on Geoff’s lips, then whispered. “I love you. I do not mind that you fuss over him.”
“I know, Vi, and I love you, and I shall fuss over you both. This is it, darling, this is us. It is just as it should be.” He smiled.
She nodded and laughed as they held hands, watching the other couple exclaim over their son.
Don’t miss the rest of Jane Lark’s intensely emotional Regency romance series…
The Illicit Love of a Courtesan
Capturing the Earl’s Love
The Passionate Love of a Rake
The Scandalous Love of a Duke
The Lost Love of a Soldier
Chapter One
“If you think I shall allow you to rob me of my inheritance, then you may think again!” Hector had given his fortune to her freely. Had she not been through enough? She’d earned every penny of it, spending her life closeted away, body and soul, trapped in her dead husband’s private form of hell. She had earned her independence, and Hector had given it to her. She would not let his son take it away again!
Jane Grey, the young Dowager Duchess of Sutton, leaned backward, inwardly cursing herself for even this outward sign that her stepson’s intimidation was succeeding. The tenth Duke of Sutton, a man over twenty years her senior, loomed over her, applying the threat of his greater height and physical strength.
His eyes fixed on hers with a clear intent to intimidate and his hands gripped the arms of the delicate Chesterfield chair in which she sat. A chair in which she had been sitting, taking her afternoon tea in peace and solitude until his rude and uninvited intrusion.
“I am not afraid of you, Your Grace,” she hissed into his face, which was barely two inches from her own, lying through her teeth. Of course, she was, she was terrified, but she refused to let him have the upper hand. In answer, he merely growled, making her flinch and proving how fraudulent her brave words were.
He’d never actually raised a hand to her yet . However, that he was capable of it and willing to be physically violent she did not doubt. Until now, Hector had always been there. Hector had liked to play his little mind games and cared not a jot for her happiness or well-being, but
Not that Violet knew these facts, bless her, he did not wish her to know he was slowly but determinedly fighting to win back her honour and establish respect for their child.
His hand settled on her shoulder as they left the room.
“You are taking Master Peter downstairs, my Lady?”
Geoff was sure their odd behaviour was a constant trial to the staff. He smiled. “Just for a while, Ms Leverage, we will ring when we wish him brought back up.”
The woman’s mouth set in a disapproving line.
Violet smiled. “Thank you, Ms Leverage, I know we fuss far too much, but I am sure you would rather see his parents dote on him than not.”
The woman blushed. She had come with very good references. She was probably just unused to a woman of Violet’s sharp honesty and openness.
By the time they reached the drawing-room Peter had been passed from Violet to Geoff, and he rested against Geoff’s shoulder sucking on his fist. He was tired. They should not keep him up long.
When they walked into the room Robert laughed. “The doting father.”
Geoff smiled, he could take these quips from Robert, he knew they were not ill meant.
“May I hold him?” Jane swept forwards. “Oh I have never seen anything so tiny and so perfect.”
Violet was beaming, glowing in a way she had never done until they’d had the child.
Violet caught Geoff watching her as Jane took Peter, and Barrington began cooing at the child across Jane’s shoulder, thoroughly absorbed in entertaining the baby. Violet moved, closing the distance between her and her husband, drawn to him still, as she had been for so many months in the summer.
When she reached him, Violet lifted to her toes and pressed a quick kiss on Geoff’s lips, then whispered. “I love you. I do not mind that you fuss over him.”
“I know, Vi, and I love you, and I shall fuss over you both. This is it, darling, this is us. It is just as it should be.” He smiled.
She nodded and laughed as they held hands, watching the other couple exclaim over their son.
Don’t miss the rest of Jane Lark’s intensely emotional Regency romance series…
The Illicit Love of a Courtesan
Capturing the Earl’s Love
The Passionate Love of a Rake
The Scandalous Love of a Duke
The Lost Love of a Soldier
Chapter One
“If you think I shall allow you to rob me of my inheritance, then you may think again!” Hector had given his fortune to her freely. Had she not been through enough? She’d earned every penny of it, spending her life closeted away, body and soul, trapped in her dead husband’s private form of hell. She had earned her independence, and Hector had given it to her. She would not let his son take it away again!
Jane Grey, the young Dowager Duchess of Sutton, leaned backward, inwardly cursing herself for even this outward sign that her stepson’s intimidation was succeeding. The tenth Duke of Sutton, a man over twenty years her senior, loomed over her, applying the threat of his greater height and physical strength.
His eyes fixed on hers with a clear intent to intimidate and his hands gripped the arms of the delicate Chesterfield chair in which she sat. A chair in which she had been sitting, taking her afternoon tea in peace and solitude until his rude and uninvited intrusion.
“I am not afraid of you, Your Grace,” she hissed into his face, which was barely two inches from her own, lying through her teeth. Of course, she was, she was terrified, but she refused to let him have the upper hand. In answer, he merely growled, making her flinch and proving how fraudulent her brave words were.
He’d never actually raised a hand to her yet . However, that he was capable of it and willing to be physically violent she did not doubt. Until now, Hector had always been there. Hector had liked to play his little mind games and cared not a jot for her happiness or well-being, but
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