A Rake's Heart (Count Series)

by Peyton Meri

“Yes. Yes. They’re both in there. It sounds worse than it truly is, trust me, Fairly. Let’s leave the men to themselves for a bit and let’s get you freshened up,” Joya said, her hands on Fairly’s shoulders steered her ward in that direction.

  Once inside her bedroom, distractedly, Fairly undressed behind the screen as her bath was drawn. The scented water cleared her senses somewhat. The countess was talking, and half listening for the most part, something she said drew Fairly out of her tense fog.

  “I thought I was doing right by you.”

  Fairly took in the countess’s solemn expression and slipped into the silk dressing gown Joya held out for her. “Joya?” Fairly asked, her brows knitted in confusion.

  “I knew Wainbridge was not for you.”

  “Why did you not ever say anything?” she asked, looking at the beautiful regal woman before her.

  Joya flushed and batted her eyes. “Edward was closer and more aware of what had gone on between you and Ratherton. We argued every time the subject came up. I didn’t listen. And I should have. The few times when Ratherton visited and you were here—long before that night—I saw—what I’m trying to say…is…I noticed how you watched him. But, I was not so confident in what I thought I witnessed between you two. I suppose I was angry with him too. For you. Because he’d left.

  “You are but a couple of years younger than I am, yet, I could not see that you were just as grown and could easily handle grown up things. With your grief over your parents’ deaths so fresh, I assumed you weren’t capable, too vulnerable, to make sound decisions. I know now how wrong I was. I just wanted you to be happy, Fairly. And because of my own blind ignorance, I almost steered you down the wrong path. Forgive me,” Joya pleaded, a sob catching in her throat.

  Stunned, Fairly could only stare at her, first. Coltin had been right. It seemed as if the chaos had never happened. All would be well. All had worked itself out.

  She sighed and reached out to clasp the countess’s chilled hands into her own, pleased to hear from her guardian’s mouth the truth. “Oh, you did not steer me wrong, Joya. No.” Fairly reassured her with a smile. “You helped open my eyes to the truth of my feelings. Had it not been for you, I would not have come out of my shell. And for that, I thank you dearly from the bottom of my heart. I shall be forever grateful to you because of it.”

  They talked for a short while more, wiped away tears then Joya rose from the settee, her face beaming as they shared a tender hug. Then she left Fairly to enjoy her bath.

  Fairly looked forward to freshening up and a moment alone to reflect upon all that had happened in the past few days.

  Later, over the delicious feast Fana had prepared, Edward and Joya, brimming with happiness at the outcome of events, discussed everything from the planning of Coltin and Fairly’s wedding to claiming their rights as godparents to their future children. Then Coltin had joined the earl for a cheroot and brandy in his study while the two women had retreated to the drawing room.

  By the time, he and Edward had emerged from the study, Coltin learned Fairly and Joya had retired, and so he’d made his way to the bedroom he’d been given for the night. His heart ached for her. After having her by his side the past two nights, he missed her a great deal.

  He could manage. He would survive, he chided himself. Their wedding was in one week. Come the morning he planned to go to see Britwen and update her.

  Coltin smiled in the darkness, knowing that his sister was well of aware of how things had turned out. Edward had said Britwen had exited the dinner party the moment they’d realized that their ward was missing.

  The soft click of the door made him stiffen atop the covers and Coltin waited, a smile spreading across his mouth at such daring. He should have been surprised, but he wasn’t. Fairly was a passionate woman who went after what she wanted.

  When the bed depressed behind his back, he closed his eyes and continued to feign sleep. It took much more effort to remain rigid when her small hands slid around his naked waist, her fingers teased lightly over the trail near his navel then up to his chest, coming to rest over his right nipple. Damn minx! He was hard as a rock.

  “Coltin, I could not help myself. With you so near, I could not sleep. Had to see you. Feel you.”

  Her words and warm breath came against his back and seemed to scorch the skin right off his back. He was losing his battle to remain asleep. So near? Coltin nearly chuckled aloud.

  Although Edward was pleased at the outcome, he had insisted on propriety and had placed Coltin in rooms in the far east wing. Fairly had walked half across the Canville mansion to get to him.

  Her fingers caressing his chest were too much. Ah, hell, why torture himself further. “And will you be able to sleep now?” he asked her, his voice deep and husky.

  “Naturally. But much sooner I suppose if you were to make love to me.”

  Coltin turned and rolled her onto her back. She was laughing, her hands on his forearms. “You knew I was awake?”

  She smiled, tapped a finger gently against his lips, then followed the gesture with a quick peck from her own lips. “Not until I touched you. Your breathing and a certain hard part of you gave it away,” she confessed, her cheeks round from her grinning.

  Coltin shook his head above her. Guess she had felt more than he’d thought. “You never have to ask me to make love to you, Fairly. It’s a given, always my pleasure. I love you, sweet.”

  “Oh, Coltin, darling I do so love you. I cannot bear to be away from you.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him. Coltin held her tight. She felt so good, so perfect in his embrace. He was the luckiest man in the world. He would protect her until the last breath in his body left him.

  He kissed her slowly as they talked about their upcoming wedding. Then without further ado, he fulfilled his bride-to-be’s request.

  EPILOGUE

  Synclair Manor

  Berkshire

  Fairly inhaled a satisfied breath as she walked up to the two-story, stately, red brick, Jacobean mansion. The home her great grandfather had built for her great grandmother. She had been born here, but raised in her father’s home where he and her mother had been murdered. That Coltin had agreed to make this home instead of his country manor made her very happy. Between the two of them, they had more than enough properties to spend time in if they grew bored of this one.

  And even more when Coltin took over his father’s duties. Word had reached them that the earl of Brigham had taken a turn. His deteriorating health was not going to change. The post from his physician had come just this morning. Coltin had been quiet for the most part then planned for their visit there.

  Fairly looked forward to meeting the older Ratherton. From what she’d been told, Coltin got on with his father, not so much with his father’s paramour.

  His sister Britwen was due to visit them upon her return from her stay in Scotland, visiting a friend. She’d left a week after their wedding.

  Fairly and Coltin’s wedding had been a small affair. Fairly had married the man of her dreams in the formal gardens of the Sutton estate on a cloudy day.

  Luck stayed with them, for not a drop of water had fallen that day, save the many tears she’d shed along with Joya and Britwen. It was a beautiful day. All she could ask for.

  All the important people that mattered had been present. Her guardians, Edward and Joya, Coltin’s sister, and Minna bore witness to the happiest day of her life.

  That was close to a month ago. Fairly liked Britwen a great deal and she looked forward to building a friendship with her husband’s sweet sister.

  Pierce Wainbridge had left London and gone to France for the rest of the year. Fairly wished him well and hoped he would find love as she had. They’d not spoken since that day he’d walked out of the study, but his parents had passed word on to the earl and countess.

  Fairly took her mantle and valise from her maid and walked up to the front entrance. Both their attention was drawn back down the
short drive to the black elegant phaeton that was pulling up.

  Fairly turned around fully in the doorway. She heard her husband’s hessians clicking on the tiled floor as he came up behind her.

  “Oh, darn—will you look at that,” she exclaimed dramatically for effect. It worked for both her husband and Minna turned startled gazes upon her. Fairly hurried on. “Looks like I left my parasol and reticule in the carriage. Be a dear, Minna and retrieve it for me, won’t you?” she asked sweetly.

  The confusion on Minna’s sweet face matched Coltin’s. Fairly moved back out onto the step and tried to block the view over her shoulder as Minna started.

  “But, miss, you didn’t ha—”

  “Thank you, Minna,” Fairly cut her off and waved her away toward the direction of the carriage they’d just disembarked.

  She knew what Minna had been about to say. She’d not brought her parasol for their short jaunt to visit Edward and Joya. And her blue satin reticule, well, it sat on the table behind her in the middle of their foyer under the grand opulent chandelier.

  Coltin pointed it out to her and Fairly turned to look at him. Her body heating as it always did when he was near. Flashing him a sweet innocent smile, she stated the obvious he’d deduced. “I know, Coltin. It was the only thing I could think of quickly in my excitement.”

  When he still appeared baffled, that lock of silken black hair falling over his left temple, Fairly shook her head and took his hand in hers. “The phaeton, dear husband.”

  His dark brows shot upward as it finally hit him. “Do you think she’ll be pleased about this?”

  Fairly clasped her hands together beneath her chin. Coltin smiled at how excited she was. Her big amber-gold eyes bright and moist with unshed tears, a big smile upon her lovely face.

  Her blonde hair parted down the middle, piled and curled into those seductive glossy ringlets he adored and that made his loins tighten.

  “You tell me. What do you think?” She gave a slight inclination of her head in the direction of the two people on the street.

  The tall man was unfolding his large frame from the fancy black phaeton and removing his top hat. Minna’s exclaim could be heard from the short distance. Even from where they stood, Coltin could see the sprite of a maid shaking. The expression on the tall man’s face said it all.

  An expression Coltin recognized and knew all too well. Love.

  “I think the answer to my question will be a yes,” he said looking down to smile at his lovely wife beside him. Draping his arm around her slender shoulders, he pulled her against him. “You are going to miss her,” Coltin stated matter-of-factly.

  Fairly swiped away a tear and managed a faint nod. She would miss Minna a great deal. When she’d found out the earl was a widower, she had known she would lose her maid. That the woman she had grown to call friend more than simply her maid, would be happy once again, and her heart blooming with the love she held for the earl.

  Oh, Fairly could not ask for anything more. She shivered with both excitement and loss. They would remain friends, of course. She was sure of it. It would take some getting used to not seeing Minna’s bright smiling freckled face greeting her every morning, but Fairly knew she would get used to it, eventually. And so would Minna.

  “Come, my angel. Time I show you how pleased I am with your sweet gesture for your maid.”

  “Oh, wait—I want to see. And don’t forget, were it not for you we would not be witnessing this beautiful reunion.”

  Coltin turned her around. Ignoring her light shriek of surprise, he led her away from the doorway, across the tiled marble black and white two-story foyer, to the bottom of the winding staircase.

  “I’m sure Minna will fill you in and tell you all about it later. Now, this man wants to show you how pleased he is. Must he argue with you or carry you over his shoulder to christen the master chamber?” He grinned and slipped his hand down over the rise of her bottom.

  Fairly’s eyes widened at his brazen move, her body reacting immediately. Then she gave one last glance over her shoulder. Minna and Earl Yates were locked in a tight embrace.

  Coltin was right. She and Minna would have plenty of time to catch up later and discuss how things went with the Earl of Duchstone. Fairly had a judiciously good idea what the answer would be.

  When she had told Coltin about Minna’s heartbreaking story, her husband had been so taken and had wanted to do something special for her maid as a way to show his thanks. After all, Minna had been the one to give Fairly the final push she needed that night he had followed after her to the stables.

  Coltin had called on a friend who was good at discovering things most people kept hidden. Fairly had not cared of the how and detailed particulars. She had been thoroughly ecstatic when word had come that the man her maid loved all these years, had not only been found, but now a widow with two young sons.

  The letter Fairly had sent to Alburt Yates, the Earl of Duchstone, got an immediate response. In person. The reply delivered to her door by the earl himself.

  It had taken nearly a month to see them moved, their things in and some old things out, then somewhat settled into their family residence, but the plan they had devised, seemed to be working out splendidly.

  The handsome earl, his dark hair barely grayed, had looked just as sad and downtrodden as Minna looked when she had recalled their past. The earl’s eyes had misted and he’d thanked her profusely for writing him. However, Coltin had said he’d seen not a tear. Fairly had known better.

  The slump in the tall earl’s shoulders had disappeared the moment she shared her thoughts and they devised their plan to surprise her maid.

  So it was only reasonable that she allow them this alone time. Tears shimmering in her eyes and her heart blooming with boundless happiness, Fairly squeezed her husband’s hand and looked up into his handsome face. The wicked gleam in his eyes sent her smile wider.

  “I prefer to be carried, darling,” Fairly said, yelping with laughter as Coltin swung her up into his arms before the last word left her lips.

  Their life was going to be very good.

  Very good indeed.

  Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

  ∞Peyton Meri∞

  Romance Author