Xavier stared at her for several long minutes as he sifted through the information, along with the half-dozen times he had seen his brother and Jeremy together.
He recalled the two young men were always happy in each other’s company.
They shared private jokes.
Touched often.
They had finished each other’s sentences.
Much as many married couples are apt to do after spending a few years together.
But if Raphael and Jeremy had been in love with each other, and Diana had always known that—to the point she and her husband had helped to conceal that love from the outside world—then who had Diana been confessing she was in love with when she talked at her brother’s graveside?
“His Grace, the Duke of Northcliffe to see you, my lady,” Doyle announced mere seconds before the man himself strode purposefully into the room.
Diana stood slowly, her thoughts racing as she stared at Xavier, handsome as ever in his dark evening clothes.
What was he doing here after all this time?
“You were not at Lady Walker’s musical soiree this evening.” The words sounded accusing.
“You were?” Diana could not conceal her surprise.
He nodded tersely. “Lady Walker said you had sent your apologies for not attending.”
Diana had spent the evening dining alone before relaxing in her private parlor. The pale green gown she wore, in last year’s fashion, was not one she would normally have worn to receive visitors.
But then, it wasn’t customary to receive a visitor at nearly ten o’clock in the evening.
What did it matter what time it was or what gown Diana was wearing when Xavier had decided eight weeks ago his interest in her was at an end?
Even if her own heart was now beating at twice its normal speed and the palms of her hands had gone damp merely from being in his company again.
“Thank you, Doyle.” She dismissed the butler, waiting until he had departed the room before addressing Xavier. “Your Grace.” She gave a polite curtsey.
Xavier’s gaze devoured every inch of her, from the simple arrangement of the golden curls on her head to the pale green slippers on her feet. Tabitha Walker had been quite correct; Diana was as beautiful as ever.
He had no interest in inane politeness. “Did you love my brother?”
Her expression became pained. “I have told you I did.”
“Were you in love with him?”
Her gaze shifted from meeting his. “I was in love with my husband, but I certainly cared for Raphael.”
“As what?”
She gave him a startled glance. “I do not understand the question.”
Xavier drew in a deep and controlling breath. “When I chanced upon you at your brother’s graveside eight weeks ago, I overheard you telling him— You talked to him as if he were there with you,” he reminded as she frowned. “You told him you had fallen in love and how he would laugh if he knew. How both he and Raphael would laugh.”
Diana’s breath drew in sharply. “You heard me say that?”
He nodded abruptly. “It was the reason I believed I had no choice but to walk away from you and our relationship.”
Her frown was pained. “But you ended that the night before.”
“What!”
Diana sighed. “You told me our current arrangement no longer satisfied you,” she reminded.
“And from that you took it to mean I wished to bring an end our relationship?”
“Of course.”
“No, not of course!” He paced the room restlessly. “Dear God, Diana, just minutes following that remark, the two of us shared an act of such great intimacy. I have thought of it constantly ever since.”
Color burned her cheeks. “It was— I wanted that last memory with you. I am sorry if it shocked you, or if you think I behaved inappropriately—”
He stepped forward to grasp her arms. “I was not shocked. You did not behave inappropriately. You were and are truly magnificent, Diana. A sensual goddess with whom I am totally enthralled. The kindest and most loyal woman I have ever met. You are also,” his voice lowered huskily, “the woman I love above and beyond anything or anyone else.”
Diana stared at him with wide and disbelieving eyes. Had Xavier just said— Had he told her— He could not really have said that he—
“I love you, Diana,” he repeated firmly. “I have admired you for many months now, but I fell in love with you irrevocably the first night we made love together. You are the most generous of lovers, as passionate and honest in that as you are in all things.”
“You—you love me?”
He nodded. “So very much. This past eight weeks without seeing or being with you have been the worst time of my life. Even more so than after Raphael died.”
She chewed on her bottom lip. “I have not been honest with you about Raphael. Because I did not feel I could do so,” she continued in an anguished voice. “You are a close friend of the Prince Regent, a member of the House, sworn to uphold the laws of the land—”
“My brother and your brother were in love with each other. Lady Tabitha suggested as much when she spoke to me this evening,” he added gently when Diana’s eyes widened. “Is it true?”
“Yes.”
He nodded. “Raphael and Jeremy were together in your house the night he died?”
She nodded. “He did die of a seizure of the heart, but Jeremy was the one sharing his bed that night, not I. My brother was devastated, inconsolable. Just weeks later, I believe he allowed himself to be killed at Waterloo because he did not wish to go on without the man he loved.”
“I understand how he felt, as I would not wish to continue if you were no longer alive.” Xavier clasped both her hands in his much larger ones. “Who are you in love with, Diana?” It felt as if his heart had jumped into his throat as he waited for her to answer.
She looked up at him through her lashes. “You,” she confessed shakily. “I did not mean to fall in love with you,” she continued ruefully. “You are very arrogant and far too fond of having your own way, and—”
“But also kind and generous,” he reminded her of what she had said at her brother’s graveside that day.
She gave a glowing smile. “Yes, you are also kind and generous. Demanding too, in case you were thinking of allowing your head to inflate from the praise,” she added firmly.
“But you love me anyway?” he prompted hopefully.
“I love you anyway,” she confirmed huskily. “Very, very much.”
Xavier swept her into his arms and kissed her with the eight weeks of hunger he had suffered without her. Afterwards, he maintained hold of one of her hands as he dropped to one knee in front of her. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Diana raised her other hand to her red and plump lips as she gasped. “You wish to— You want me to be your duchess?”
“I insist upon it,” he mocked his own arrogance.
“What will Society say? The Prince Regent?”
“Who gives a damn what Society thinks?” Xavier dismissed. “As for Prinny, he is a romantic at heart and will no doubt find my devotion to you amusing after so many years of my mockery regarding his own affairs of the heart. Indeed, if you accept my proposal, I am more than prepared to suffer Prinny’s teasing of me when I ask him for a Special License so we can be married as soon as possible. Will you marry me, Diana? Be my duchess? The woman I adore?”
“I will, because I love you just as deeply,” she answered joyously. “I also think it would be better for the wedding to take place sooner than later.”
There was something in her voice which aroused Xavier’s concern. “What is it?” He rose slowly to his feet. “Diana?” He lifted one of his hands to stroke his fingers gently against her cheek. “Are you ill?”
“No, not ill.” Her expression became shy as she took possession of his hand and lowered it until it rested against the curve of her abdomen. “I am carrying our chi
ld, Xavier.” Her voice broke emotionally.
“What? But… You said you could not…”
She nodded. “And you cannot know how much it means to me to know that you want to marry me anyway. But I assure you, it is true. I saw my physician just yesterday, and he confirmed I am in all probability eight weeks pregnant with our child.”
Xavier’s joy was boundless. He had given no thought to having an heir once he knew how much in love he was with Diana, a woman who had told him she could not have children. He had not cared about any of that. He loved and wanted Diana. But to know that she carried their child, that her body would, as he had once imagined, grow big with their child and her tits as large as melons, filled him with immediate lust. He would have months of suckling on them before he had to give way to the demands of their son or daughter.
He frowned. “But you said Percy had fathered a child?” he reminded.
“The maid lied,” Diana stated flatly. “I called upon her yesterday to confront her after leaving my physician, and she admitted that she had only claimed Percy to be the father when he was no longer alive to deny it, so that I would give her money. The child actually belongs to a footman in the household she previously worked for.” Tears glistened in her eyes. “All this time, I have believed myself barren, and now— I promise you I had every intention of sharing the news with you, Xavier. I just wished to have a few days of hugging this momentous secret to myself first.”
His arms tightened about her. “We will have as many children as you wish, Diana. A houseful of them. All as beautiful and intelligent as their mother.”
“Or as handsome and wise as their father.” She glowed. “I would like that very much, Xavier.”
He swung her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs as she gave him directions to her bedchamber. It was a long time later before either of them was coherent enough to speak in full sentences as they sated eight weeks of hunger for each other.
It was the early hours of the morning when Diana lay with her head on Xavier’s shoulder, their naked bodies entwined. “I love you so much, Xavier.”
“I love you too,” he assured. “No one could possibly love you more than I do. I cannot wait to make you my wife, my duchess, to be with you always.” His arms tightened about her. “Once we are married, we will see about reuniting Raphael and Jeremy.”
Diana lifted her head to glance at him. “I do not understand…”
“We will have your brother moved to the Atherton family crypt beside Raphael. They will be united in death as they could not be in life,” he added firmly.
Diana had not believed she could love Xavier any more than she already did. He had just proved her wrong.
The thought of spending the rest of her life with this man, being the focus of his fierce love and generous heart, filled her with an indescribable happiness. The same happiness she could see in Xavier’s eyes when he looked at her.
Newsletter and Social Media Links
For news on upcoming releases in the Regency Scandal, Russian Dragon Heat, Regency Club Venus, Regency Men in Love, Regency Lovers, Steele Protectors, Regency Sinners, Dragon Hearts, Regency Unlaced, Knight Security, and Alpha Series please sign up to my mailing list/newsletter: http://www.eepurl.com/2rfzz
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Visit my website: www.carolemortimer.co.uk
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About the Author
Carole Mortimer is a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2015, RT Career Achievement Award 2017, RT Pioneer for Romance Award 2014. She was also recognized by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012 for her ‘outstanding service to literature’. Carole has written over 260 contemporary, Regency and paranormal romance novels.
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She is happily married to Peter. They have 6 sons, and live on the beautiful Isle of Man. She also loves to hear from Readers!
Other books by Carole Mortimer
Regency Scandal:
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WANTON (Regency Scandal 1)
WILD (Regency Scandal 2)
More books to come in this series
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Russian Dragon Heat
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VLADIMIR (Russian Dragon Heat 1)
VAUGHN (Russian Dragon Heat 2)
More books to come in this series.
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Regency Club Venus:
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Bastian’s Surrender (Regency Club Venus 1)
Gabriel’s Torment (Regency Club Venus 2)
Benedict’s Challenge (Regency Club Venus 3)
Julius’s Passion (Regency Club Venus 4)
James’s Lady (Regency Club Venus 5)
Series now complete.
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Dance with the Devil Series:
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MATTEO (Dance with the Devil 1)
LEON (Dance with the Devil 2)
KILLIAN (Dance with the Devil 3)
JERICHO (Dance with the Devil 4)
More books to come in this series
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Regency Men in Love M/M (Written as C. A. Mortimer)
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Hidden Lover (Regency Men in Love 1)
Hidden Desire (Regency Men in Love 2)
More books to come in this series.
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Regency Lovers Series:
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INDECENT (Regency Lovers 1)
OBSESSION (Regency Lovers 2)
CRAVING (Regency Lovers 3)
FORBIDDEN (Regency Lovers 4)
SURRENDER (Regency Lovers 5)
SCANDAL (Regency Lovers 6)
Series complete
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Steele Protectors Series:
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LOGAN (Steele Protectors 1)
ATTICUS (Steele Protectors 2)
BRYCE (Steele Protectors 3)
ROURKE (Steele Protectors 4)
HAYDN (Steele Protectors 5) Author’s 250th book
LUCAN (Steele Protectors 6)
Series Complete
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Dragon Hearts – Contemporary paranormal
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Nathaniel (Dragon Hearts 1)
Deryk (Dragon Hearts 2)
Bryn (Dragon Hearts 3)
Dylan (Dragon Hearts 4)
Grigor (Dragon Hearts 5)
Garrett (Dragon Hearts 6)
Aeran & Rhys (Dragon Hearts 7)
Dragon Reunion (Dragon Hearts 8)
Series Complete
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Regency Sinners Series:
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Wicked Torment (Regency Sinners 1)
Wicked Surrender (Regency Sinners 2)
Wicked Scandal (Regency Sinners 3)
Wicked Deception Regency Sinners 4)
Wicked Captive (Regency Sinners 5)
Wicked Temptation (Regency Sinners 6)
Wicked Sinner (Regency Sinners 7)
Wicked Christmas (Regency Sinners 8)
Series now complete.
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Regency Unlaced Series:
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The Duke’s Mistress (Book 1)
Claimed by the Marquis (Book 2)
Taken by the Earl (Book 3)
Pursued by the Viscount (Book 4)
Desired by a Lord (Book 5)
Captured by a Gentleman (Book 6)
Pleasured by a Duke (Book 7)
Seduced by a Marquis (Book 8)
Tamed by the Earl (Book 9)
Series now complete
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Knight Security Series: Spin-off to ALPHA series
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Resisting Alexandre (Knight Security 0.5)
Challenging Gabriel (Knight Security 2)
Capturing Caleb (Knight Security 3)
Tempting Zander (Knight Security 4)
Enticing Ian (Knight Security 5)
Seducing Ethan (Knight Security 6)
Series now complete
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ALPHA Series:
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Christmas Alpha (Alpha 1)
Dark Alpha (Alpha 2)
Shadow Alpha (Alpha 3) Author’s 200th Book
Midnight Alpha (Alpha 4)
Renegade Alpha (Alpha 5)
Warrior Alpha (Alpha 6)
Rogue Alpha (Alpha 7)
Savage Alpha (Alpha 8)
Series is now complete
Wanton (Regency Scandal 1) Page 8
