“And the queen too. How exciting!” She looked up as he neared. “Which do you want? The queen’s retinue and great responsibility, or knighthood and great prestige?”
He seized her about the waist and pulled her against him, plucking the paper from her fingers. “I have but one desire, minx.”
Her eyes sparkled. “What is that?”
He released the letter and it floated upon a gust of wind, rising high then dipping and falling into the canal to be carried away by the water. He tightened his arms about her. “This one.” He took her mouth beneath his and drank in the intoxicating beauty of her flavor, her scent, and her passion for him. When he drew away, her cheeks were rosy, her lips bruised.
“I have a plan,” she murmured, twining her arms about his neck, her dimples deep.
He brushed his lips across hers, feeling her full breasts against his chest, her hips and thighs cradling him, and swiftly assessing the distance to the ground. “You do, hm?”
“This is it: you decline both, and we remain here for the rest of our lives, just humble Mr. and Mrs. Yale and a dog named after a pharaoh. And whoever else comes along, of course.”
He kissed her again; he could never kiss her enough. “An excellent plan.”
“Really?” Her lips curved into a smile beneath his.
“Yes.” He spread his hands on her back. “It suits my wishes entirely. Especially at this moment.”
“Why this moment?”
“Because it takes care of that uninteresting business so that we can advance to other matters. You see, I have a plan too.” He cupped her behind and drew her against him.
“I like your plan.” She slipped her hands beneath his waistcoat. “But I didn’t know you were in the habit of making plans.”
“I am indeed.” He set his mouth to the curve of her shoulder. “Many plans.” He drew her thigh around his hip, her skirts fluttering in the breeze.
“Show me your plans, Mr. Yale.” She leaned into him, her eyes a wonder of desire and love. “And I’ll show you mine.”
Author's Note
My research for this book took me into the minds and hearts of people dependent or once dependent upon alcohol, and also—as is the case with all my books—into my own life experiences and memories. Theories abound about alcohol dependency today, and an equal abundance of treatments is available. But one fact is certain: detoxification from an alcohol binge can be life threatening. Multiple factors contribute to the severity of an individual’s withdrawal symptoms, and the seriousness of these symptoms is not predictable. The laudanum (an opiate) that Wyn used lowered his blood pressure and ultimately saved him. But compared to many, Wyn’s detoxification symptoms are mild. Alcohol detoxification should always be undertaken under the supervision of a physician.
For their assistance with my research into alcohol dependency and withdrawal, I thank Marcia Abercrombie, Sarah Avery, Laurie LaBean, Mary Brophy Marcus, and Dr. Ashwan Patkar of the Duke University Medical Center Duke Addictions program, who gave their time and counsel so generously. I thank also those with whom I spoke who prefer to remain anonymous.
My gratitude also goes to Mandakini Dubey for her translation into easily readable Hindi of Wyn’s threat to Duncan (which Diantha guessed correctly to be “I will kill you”), to Laura Florand, without whose assistance my foray into chess would be even briefer and not nearly so accurate, and to Gina Lamm and Catherine Gayle for their gracious (and fabulously speedy) research help. Thanks also to wonderful Teresa Kleeman. And big hugs to my sister authoresses of The Ballroom Blog, who make it wildly fun to invent characters that have gardens conveniently packed full of statuary and hedges, and who are in general a great joy to work with.
I offer fulsome thanks to my loving team of manuscript readers, who give their time and care to make my books better (often under outrageous pressures from yours truly); for Marcia Abercrombie, Georgann T. Brophy, Georgie C. Brophy, Dr. Diane Liepzig, and Marquita Valentine I am ever grateful. I also call blessings upon Cathy Maxwell for her kindness and generosity of spirit. To Pam Jaffee, Jessie Edwards, and Meredith Burns of Avon PR I give a grateful shout-out for the wonderfully fun book tour with which I opened my Falcon Club series, as well as to Gail Dubov for yet another gorgeous cover. Many thanks to Esi Sogah, Associate Editor at Avon Books, whose feedback helped me enormously, and always fulsome thanks to my wonderful editor, Lucia Macro.
Special thanks go to my agent, Kimberly Whalen, without whose clear head, keen sense of character and story, and direct approach to publishing I would be at a great loss.
To my husband, Laurent, whose support, love, and encouragement buoy me and give me courage and inspiration, I owe the greatest thanks. I love all our dates, not only the ones during which we work out my plots.
Finally, I offer warm, heartfelt thank yous to my readers. Your letters, messages, posts, and tweets, and your visits to me at book events, make writing love stories that much more wonderfully fun. I am grateful for your hearts that are so beautifully and joyfully open to love. I am grateful for you.
For the latest news and gossip about the dashing heroes and daring heroines of my Falcon Club series, I hope you will visit my website at www.KatharineAshe.com.
One last literary note: Wyn’s feverish reference to purgatory, paradise, and Beatrice is from the Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri. The medieval Florentine poet’s love for the unattainable Beatrice was immortalized in his Purgatorio, Paradiso, and other poems.
About the Author
Award-winning author KATHARINE ASHE was named among Booklist’s New Stars of Historical Romance, and her novella, A Lady’s Wish, launched HarperCollins Publishers’ romance imprint Avon Impulse. Reviewers call her novels “radiant,” “lushly intense,” “thrilling,” and “breathtaking.”
Katharine lives in the wonderfully warm Southeast with her husband, son, two dogs, and a garden she likes to call romantic rather than unkempt. A professor of European history, she has made her home in California, Italy, France, and the northern U.S. Please visit her at www.katharineashe.com or write her at PO Box 51702, Durham, NC 27717-1702.
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Romances by Katharine Ashe
How a Lady Weds a Rogue
How to Be a Proper Lady
When a Scot Loves a Lady
In the Arms of a Marquess
Captured by a Rogue Lord
Swept Away by a Kiss
A Lady’s Wish
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
HOW A LADY WEDS A ROGUE. Copyright © 2012 by Katharine Brophy Dubois. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition OCTOBER 2012 ISBN: 9780062030658
Print Edition ISBN: 9780062031891
FIRST EDITION
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