A Christmas to Remember
Page 37
“I know. I am a fraud, Ivy.” North took her hands, tugging off her gloves so that he and she were flesh to flesh, and lifted them to his lips. “You were right. I wanted someone to disprove my formula. You made me see what truly matters, perhaps not for anyone else, but for me.”
When another gust of wind stole the warmth from her, she pulled her hands free. “That is a fine, pretty speech, and I thank you. I will be able to leave here without any bitterness in my heart.”
“I am in earnest,” he said. “And though my method is somewhat disorderly, when I asked you to sit beside me in church, I wasn’t just asking for today. I want you there beside me always.”
A lovely thought. However, that, too, was a fairy tale. “Even if I could, there would be no other opportunity. I leave on the morrow.”
He laughed. “Ivy, I am asking you to marry me.”
She couldn’t have heard him correctly. “But your formula . . . the red ledger . . .”
“I failed to calculate the one factor that overrides all others—love. I fell in love with you in that first moment. I’ve come to love you more and more in each moment since. You are my perfect match in every way.”
Dumbfounded, she didn’t know what to think or how to respond.
“I can see that there is only one way to convince you,” he said, glancing toward the chapel. He drew in a breath and nodded. “You are all that matters, Ivy.”
He walked away from her and into the chapel. Then Ivy found herself standing at the open doors. The melodic sounds of hymns drifted out into the courtyard. At the front, the vicar had yet to climb to the pulpit. And she watched as North strode down the center aisle and faced the congregation.
“Good morning, all,” North said. “Before we begin to celebrate this glorious day, I have a confession to make. As you know, I invited you all here to learn of my Marriage Formula. This formula was originally designed with an honest desire to enhance our society by simplifying matters of marriage down to the basic desired elements . . .”
Numbly, Ivy walked forward. Awareness crept over her as she realized what he was saying. And more importantly, what he was risking. She couldn’t let him do it.
“However,” he continued, ignoring the fervent shakes of her head, “I have recently discovered that my calculations were—”
“Frog!” she shouted, drawing startled gazes in her direction, along with a few gasps. She pointed to the floor, gesturing beneath the pews. “I saw one just there.”
As luck would have it, Ivy was standing near the corner of Lilah’s pew. “Please pretend there is a frog in your lap,” Ivy whispered.
“Why must—Oh, Ivy, you truly are incorrigible.” Lilah sighed in exasperation, then suddenly leaped up from her seat. “Frog!”
Beside her, Lady Cosgrove stood, but likely only out of necessity. Nevertheless, it started a reaction among the guests. A few squeals erupted. They all began to stand, scatter, and search the floor. Even the vicar shook out his robes.
Ivy rushed to North’s side. “I couldn’t let you do it.”
“Why not?” While the creases on the sides of his mouth revealed his amusement, there was a measure of trepidation in his gaze.
She could tell him how she believed that his formula had merit and that, with a little tweaking to include the names from the red ledger, it would be even better. However, instead of saying all that, she simply told him, “Because I love you.”
Without warning, he picked her up and spun her around in a circle. Right there, in front of the entire congregation. When her feet returned to the floor, she suddenly realized that the frog hunt was over. Everyone was staring at them. She even heard a few people whispering unsavory things about common blood. That was when it occurred to her that he could still lose the Fellowship he’d worked so hard to gain.
“And this is because I love you,” North whispered, smiling down at her before he addressed his guests. “As I was saying before, I have recently discovered that my formula—”
“Is a success,” Ivy interrupted. Again. Boldly, she took his hand. “The results of the duke’s formula brought us together.”
Which wasn’t a complete fabrication and, therefore, was acceptable to say in church. The only thing she would have to repent was the small lie about the frog . . .
An odd, warbled bleating sound interrupted her thoughts, and she looked down. Much to her surprise, a fat green toad hopped into the aisle. Then the melee began once more.
Ivy looked up at North. He seemed equally shocked. Then his gaze slid to the doorway, and he grinned as the Earl of Wolford bowed. “My cousin is rather resourceful in a pinch. He had to have sprinted all the way to the warm springs by the hillside.”
This morning, she never would have imagined her heartache transforming into the happiest day of her life. “Riding off in the middle of the night to see the archbishop was rather impulsive of you. Not only that, but you automatically assumed that I would be equally as impulsive to marry you by special license.”
He flashed those creases. “Call it a leap of faith.”
“After all this, I suppose I should say yes.” She laughed, overflowing with that wonderful feeling of exhilaration. “If a frog is a good omen for a happy marriage, then it would be a shame to waste a perfect opportunity.”
About the Authors
New York Times bestselling author LISA KLEYPAS graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. She’s a RITA® Award-winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. She lives in Washington State with her husband, Gregory, and their two children. www.lisakleypas.com
LORRAINE HEATH always dreamed of being a writer. After graduating from the University of Texas, she wrote training manuals, press releases, articles, and computer code, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she not only became hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She’s been writing about them ever since. Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including RWA’s prestigious RITA®. Her novels have appeared on the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists. www.lorraineheath.com
MEGAN FRAMPTON writes historical romance under her own name and romantic women’s fiction under the name Megan Caldwell. She likes the color black, gin, dark-haired British men, and huge earrings, not in that order. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and son. You can visit her website at www.meganframpton.com. She tweets as @meganf and is at facebook.com/meganframptonbooks.
USA Today bestselling author VIVIENNE LORRET loves romance novels, her pink laptop, her husband, and her two sons (not necessarily in that order . . . but there are days). Transforming copious amounts of tea into words, she is an Avon Impulse author of The Wallflower Wedding series, The Rakes of Fallow Hall series, The Season’s Original series, and the upcoming Avon Books Emma Identity series. For more on her upcoming novels, visit her at www.vivlorret.net.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
Praise
Praise for the works of Lisa Kleypas
“Once more, Kleypas proves why she is the grand dame of the genre.”
—RT BOOKreviews (starred) on Devil in Spring
“A funny and charming story that will delight readers from the first page to the last.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred) on Devil in Spring
“Quirky, witty, and sexy, this compelling romp is absolute bliss. An addictive tale that readers won’t want to put down.”
—Library Journal (starred) on Devil in Spring
“Kleypas is a masterful writer, and her latest offering will be welcomed by fans old and new.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred) on Marrying Winterborne
“Emotional depth, appealing characters, strong storylines and sexual tension are what make Kleypas’ novels reader favorites . . . but what will truly captivate them is watching the characters grow as love makes them the best they can be.”
—RT BOOKreviews (starred) on Marrying Winterborne
“. . . insightful characterization, an abundance of supercharged sexual chemistry, a dash of dry humor, and a to-die-for hero, all of which will have the author’s legions of fans giddy with delight at her triumphant return to historical romance.”
—Booklist (starred) on Cold-Hearted Rake
Praise for the works of Lorraine Heath
“Heath’s passionate romance exposes the underside of Victorian London society, drawing readers into a dangerous world.”
—Publishers Weekly on The Viscount and the Vixen
“A winning Victorian romance with a Pretty Woman vibe—complete with a hot piano scene.”
—Kirkus Reviews on The Viscount and the Vixen
“Heath is nothing if not original, unconventional, and a continuing innovative voice in the genre. The pages are brimming over with humor and poignancy, sexual tension, and emotions that run deep.”
—RT BOOKreviews (top pick) on The Viscount and the Vixen
“Sexy, clever, and emotionally wrenching, this heart-felt story breathes new life into the classic marriage-of-convenience plot and adds another winner to Heath’s addictive series.”
—Library Journal (starred) on The Viscount and the Vixen
“A steamy romance that uses the strict rules of Regency Britain to excellent effect.”
—Kirkus Reviews on The Earl Takes All
Praise for the works of Megan Frampton
“. . . another captivating symphony of scintillating wit and sophisticated sensuality brilliantly conducted by an author writing at the top of her game.”
—Booklist (starred) on My Fair Duchess
“This exquisitely biting and funny story from Frampton pits two gloriously self-deprecating and self-aware protagonists in a battle of hearts and wits that keeps readers laughing and yearning until the very end.”
—Library Journal (starred) on My Fair Duchess
“Frampton superbly balances passion with humor, avoiding cliché through rich characterization. The result is warm, kindhearted, and utterly delightful.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred) on One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild
Praise for the works of Vivienne Lorret
“Readers will enjoy these two protagonists as they fight for love and honesty.”
—Library Journal on The Debutante Is Mine
“A well-crafted plot, well-developed characters, and last-minute revelations set the bar high for the sequels.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred) on The Debutante Is Mine
“Daring Miss Danvers is a charming story with a swoon-worthy romance and great characters!”
—Fresh Fiction
Also by Lisa Kleypas
DEVIL IN SPRING
MARRYING WINTERBORNE
COLD-HEARTED RAKE
SCANDAL IN SPRING
DEVIL IN WINTER
IT HAPPENED ONE AUTUMN
SECRETS OF A SUMMER NIGHT
AGAIN THE MAGIC
WHERE’S MY HERO? (with Kinley McGregor and Julia Quinn)
WORTH ANY PRICE
WHEN STRANGERS MARRY
LADY SOPHIA’S LOVER
SUDDENLY YOU
WHERE DREAMS BEGIN
SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME
STRANGER IN MY ARMS
BECAUSE YOU’RE MINE
SOMEWHERE I’LL FIND YOU
THREE WEDDINGS AND A KISS
(with Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Catherine Anderson, and Loretta Chase)
PRINCE OF DREAMS
MIDNIGHT ANGEL
DREAMING OF YOU
THEN CAME YOU
ONLY WITH YOUR LOVE
Also by Lorraine Heath
AN AFFAIR WITH A NOTORIOUS HEIRESS
THE VISCOUNT AND THE VIXEN
THE EARL TAKES ALL
FALLING INTO BED WITH A DUKE
THE DUKE AND THE LADY IN RED
ONCE MORE, MY DARLING ROGUE
WHEN THE DUKE WAS WICKED
LORD OF WICKED INTENTIONS
LORD OF TEMPTATION
SHE TEMPTS THE DUKE
WAKING UP WITH THE DUKE
PLEASURES OF A NOTORIOUS GENTLEMAN
PASSIONS OF A WICKED EARL
MIDNIGHT PLEASURES WITH A SCOUNDREL
SURRENDER TO THE DEVIL
BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND DESIRE
IN BED WITH THE DEVIL
JUST WICKED ENOUGH
A DUKE OF HER OWN
PROMISE ME FOREVER
A MATTER OF TEMPTATION
AS AN EARL DESIRES
AN INVITATION TO SEDUCTION
LOVE WITH A SCANDALOUS LORD
TO MARRY AN HEIRESS
THE OUTLAW AND THE LADY
NEVER MARRY A COWBOY
NEVER LOVE A COWBOY
A ROGUE IN TEXAS
Also by Megan Frampton
LADY BE BAD
MY FAIR DUCHESS
WHY DO DUKES FALL IN LOVE?
ONE-EYED DUKES ARE WILD
NO GROOM AT THE INN (novella)
PUT UP YOUR DUKE
WHEN GOOD EARLS GO BAD (novella)
THE DUKE’S GUIDE TO CORRECT BEHAVIOR
Also by Vivienne Lorret
The Season’s Original Series
“The Duke’s Christmas Wish”
in ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A DUKE
THE DEBUTANTE IS MINE
THIS EARL IS ON FIRE
WHEN A MARQUESS LOVES A WOMAN
The Rakes of Fallow Hall Series
THE ELUSIVE LORD EVERHART
THE DEVILISH MR. DANVERS
THE MADDENING LORD MONTWOOD
The Wallflower Wedding Series
TEMPTING MR. WEATHERSTONE (novella)
DARING MISS DANVERS
WINNING MISS WAKEFIELD
FINDING MISS MCFARLAND
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.
“I Will” was originally published in 2001 in the anthology Wish List, by Leisure Books.
“The Duke’s Christmas Wish” was originally published in 2015 in the anthology All I Want for Christmas Is a Duke, by Avon Impulse.
“I Will.” Copyright © 2001 by Lisa Kleypas.
“Deck the Halls With Love.” Copyright © 2012 by Jan Nowasky.
“No Groom at the Inn.” Copyright © 2015 by Megan Frampton.
“The Duke’s Christmas Wish.” Copyright © 2015 by Vivienne Lorret.
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, 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 hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
First Avon Books mass market printing: October 2017
Digital Edition OCTOBER 2017 ISBN: 978-0-06-274725-9
Print Edition ISBN: 978-0-06-274723-5
Cover design by Guido Caroti
Cover images: © Zamurovic Photography / Shutterstock (background); © Africa Studio / Shutterstock (ribbon)
Avon, Avon & logo, and Avon Books & logo are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers in the United States of America and other countries.
HarperCollins is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Publishers in the United States of America and other countries.
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