An Earl to Enchant: The Rogues' Dynasty
Page 29
Your loving Grandmother,
Lady Elder
When it was decked out for a party and all the side doors were thrown wide, no room was as grand as the Great Hall. Morgan looked across the candlelit ballroom and among the crowd until he found Arianna. She was talking to his cousins’ wives Henrietta and Susannah. The three ladies hadn’t had long to get to know each other, but so far, he was glad Arianna seemed to fit in well with the duchess and the marchioness.
Arianna held her father’s award of recognition tightly in her hand, a rolled sheet of parchment tied with a black ribbon. Morgan was glad he’d suggested they have a reception in her father’s memory after the ceremony at the Royal Apothecary Scientific Academy. She was very pleased. And nothing gave him more pleasure than pleasing his wife.
“You are still a jackal of the highest order,” Race said, clapping Morgan on the back.
Morgan turned to Race and to Blake, who stood beside him. “Me? Why?”
“Because you had the gall to marry while we were still out of Town.”
“What was I supposed to do? Wait until you two decided you wanted to grace London with your presence again?”
“You could have sent a messenger, and we would have come right away.”
“I could have,” Morgan said with a slight grin, “but I didn’t want to wait.”
“I suppose we can understand that, can’t we, Race?”
After clearing his throat, Race said, “I can, for sure.”
“I was just watching Arianna, Henrietta, and Susannah,” Morgan said. “They seem well suited as friends, don’t you think?”
His cousins looked at the three women and nodded.
“Isn’t that Lord Snellingly standing with them?” Race asked.
“Yes,” Morgan said, “but I think those three ladies can handle him.”
“I know Henrietta can,” Blake said.
As Morgan looked at their wives, he turned thoughtful and said, “I remember when Henrietta first arrived at your house, Blake, and declared you were her guardian.”
“Yes,” Race added. “And she was haunted by a curse or something. What has happened with that?”
“Nothing,” Blake said. “Thankfully she never even thinks about that any more. The best thing I did was take her to see the woman Gibby told me about. I worried if it was the right thing to do at the time, but now I know it was. After her meeting with Mrs. Fortune, Henrietta’s never had another moment’s thought about being cursed.”
“That’s good to hear,” Morgan said.
“And, Race,” Blake added, “I remember that it was just months ago that Susannah came to your house, hoping to talk you into giving her our Grandmother’s pearls.”
“Oh, I was there,” Morgan said. “I remember that day very well.”
“So do I,” Race said. “I still get angry with myself when I think that for a short time, I thought Susannah had stolen the pearls.”
“Did you ever do anything to Gibby for his part in that?” Morgan asked.
“No, I figured his boxing match with Prattle had beaten him up enough. And now he has the issue of the twins to keep him the center of attention for a while.”
“Did either of you ever find out what happened when he met with Viscount Brentwood?” Morgan asked.
Both his cousins shook their heads. “I suppose one of us should try to find out,” Race offered. “Looks like Brent and his brothers are in London to stay.”
Morgan and Blake nodded, and then Blake said, “And, Morgan, remind me again, what was the reason Arianna came to Valleydale?”
“To see our Grandmother,” Morgan said innocently. “Remember, she wanted help from Lady Elder.”
Race started smiling, and then Blake smiled. Race’s smiled turned to a wide, mischievous grin, and so did Blake’s.
“You bloody blackguards,” Morgan mumbled. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“Morgan, we—”
“Don’t say it, Race,” Morgan warned.
“I have to.”
“Let him say it,” Blake encouraged.
Morgan held up his hands. “All right, all right, you don’t have to beg me. I promise to ask Arianna if she can teach Henrietta and Susannah some of her dancing moves.”
Morgan, Blake, and Race laughed heartily.
Suddenly Arianna, Henrietta, and Susannah surrounded the cousins.
“You gentlemen seem to be having a good time,” Arianna said.
“What is the cause of your merriment?” Susannah asked Race.
For the first time in his life, Morgan thought he saw Race and Blake blush, and that delighted him.
Race slipped his arm around Susannah’s waist and said. “We were just talking about how lucky we are to be very happily married.”
Henrietta smiled at Blake and said, “We don’t believe that, do we ladies?”
“Not for a moment,” Arianna agreed.
Morgan slipped his arm around his wife’s waist and said, “Arianna and I are honored that you joined us in celebrating her father’s accomplishment and his posthumous honor.”
“Yes, thank you all.” Arianna looked up at Morgan and smiled. “Of course, I’m disappointed that while his eucalyptus mixture wasn’t a cure, I’m elated that it is a tonic that helps clear the lungs and brings temporary relief to those suffering with consumption.”
“That’s a step forward to finding a cure,” Morgan added.
“I don’t know if I told all of you,” Arianna said, “but if it hadn’t been for Lord Chesterfield, we never would have found my father’s formula.”
Morgan looked incredulously at his wife while his cousins looked astounded at him. “Arianna,” he said, “what exactly do you mean?”
“Yes, we’d like to hear that,” Blake added.
“When I saw Mr. Rajaratnum draw a pistol from his pocket and point it at Morgan, I hit the man over the head with the copy of Lord Chesterfield’s letters Morgan had given me, causing Mr. Rajaratnum’s aim to miss when he fired at Morgan.”
“You gave her a copy of Chesterfield’s letters?” Race asked.
“Whatever for?” Blake added.
“She had never heard of the man,” Morgan said.
“And Morgan constantly talked about him,” Arianna said with a smile.
“What?” his cousins asked in unison.
“It’s a long story, cousins,” Morgan said, “and best told over a glass of wine some stormy evening.”
“We’ll hold you to that,” Race said and then suddenly added, “Over here.” Race motioned for a waiter to bring the tray of champagne to them. He handed everyone a glass and then said, “To Mr. Albert Sweet for his great accomplishment and contribution to the world.”
Cheers were exchanged all around, and then Arianna said, “Thank you for that on behalf of my father, and now I would like to offer a toast.” As she lifted her glass, she looked up at Morgan, smiled, and said, “To the three rogues by our sides. May their dynasty live long.”
The End
Letter from the Author
Dear Readers,
I hope you enjoyed Arianna and Morgan’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. For me, it isn’t difficult at all to write about a heroine who is eager to learn about love, but it was a bit of a challenge to write about a hero who is a conservative, reluctant lover, and still make him strong and sexy. But by the time I had finished the book, I was totally in love with Morgan.
All quotes from Lord Chesterfield at the start of each chapter are taken verbatim from his letters. However, throughout the book I attributed quotes to him he didn’t say. I do this for entertainment, not to give credit where it isn’t due.
While finishing An Earl to Enchant, I had a germ of an idea that would add three more breathtaking gentlemen to The Rogues’ Dynasty Series. I shared this idea with my editor, and she loved it. I want all of you to join me in looking forward to Viscount Brentwood and his twin brothers’ stories.
If you missed the first two books
in The Rogues’ Dynasty Series, you can still get copies of A Duke to Die For and A Marquis to Marry from your favorite local or online bookstore. And watch for the reprint of one of my previous books, Never a Bride, coming October 2010.
I love to hear from readers. Please visit me at ameliagrey.com or e-mail me at ameliagrey@comcast.net.
Happy reading,
Amelia Grey
About the Author
Amelia Grey grew up in a small town in the Florida Panhandle. She has been happily married to her high school sweetheart for more than twenty-five years.
Amelia has won the Booksellers Best Award and Aspen Gold Award for writing as Amelia Grey. Writing as Gloria Dale Skinner, she has won the coveted Romantic Times Award for Love and Laughter, the Maggie Award, and the Affaire de Coeur Award. Her books have been sold in many countries in Europe, in Russia, and in China, and they have also been featured in Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs.
Amelia loves flowers, candlelight, sweet smiles, gentle laughter, and sunshine.