by Wolf, Bree
Pierce’s breathing quickened as he looked down at her, and she wished they were alone for she wanted nothing more than for him to kiss her. And he did. It was a rather chaste kiss on her forehead. “I’ll kiss you properly later,” he whispered against her hair. “We better not put fuel in the fire. Tongues will no doubt be wagging for weeks to come.”
“I don’t care,” Caroline told him, knowing that she’d never in her life felt as much at peace as she did in that moment. A moment she’d chosen out of her own free will. A moment she was sharing with a man she loved. A moment that held the promise of many more to come.
“I believe congratulations are in order,” Lady Brockton exclaimed as she strode closer, grasping Caroline’s hand, a conspiratorial smile on her lips as she looked from Pierce to her. “My dear, you ought to have told me you were betrothed. This is splendid news.” The corner of her mouth twitched. “I expect the wedding will be soon.”
Smiling down at his fiancée, Pierce nodded. “Very soon,” he mumbled before looking back at Lady Brockton. “We would be honored if you were to attend.”
Lady Brockton smiled. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Murmurs rose anew, and as Caroline looked up, she found a tall, almost silver-haired man striding through the crowd, flanked by two equally stoic men on each side. His eyes were dark and his jaw tense as he looked over the assembled guests before his gaze came to rest on Pierce.
Looking up at her fiancé, Caroline saw him barely nod his head, then gesture toward Coleridge. The silver-haired man nodded in acknowledgement, then changed direction and headed straight for the man who’d tried his best to ruin their lives this night.
“What’s going on?” Caroline asked, feeling the almost painful tension in his body as he watched events unfold. “Who is that?”
“That is my old friend, Lord Ashhaven.” He grinned. “Ash.” A long sigh left his lips as his gaze kept staring across the room. “He works for the Crown, and he’s about to arrest Coleridge for murder.”
Caroline’s eyes went wide. “Then you found him? You found his cousin?”
Smiling, Pierce looked down at her, his knuckles gently brushing against the line of her jaw. “I did,” he told her, relief palpable on his face, “but I couldn’t have done it without you. We make a good team.” He chuckled. “Perhaps our next project should be one we can work on together.”
Caroline clasped his arm as the promise of a future freely chosen hummed across her skin. “I’d like nothing more.”
His brows rose teasingly. “I could think of something I’d rather do. What do you say? Before we tend to our next project, I was thinking we could find some time for an extended honeymoon.”
Caroline felt her body warm under his gaze. “You haven’t heard what my newest project is. You might change your mind.”
His gaze narrowed. “Barely escaping scandal—if we could call it that—and you already have a new project lined up?”
“It’s brand new,” she whispered, innocently batting her eyes at him. “I just thought of it.”
“Do I dare ask?” Pierce inquired carefully, his lips quirking with indecision.
Caroline nodded, forcing herself to keep a straight face. “Well, I was thinking to extend our family, give Daphne a little brother or sister. Does that sound appealing enough as a project?” She teased, welcoming the way his gaze raked over her. “Or would you rather I find another participant?”
A low growl rumbled in Pierce’s throat before he hauled her into his arms and kissed her the way he’d promised, right there in the middle of the dance floor for all to see.
And they did see, judging from the excited voices that drifted to Caroline’s ears. Caroline, however, couldn’t have cared less. After all, what was another scandal thrown in the mix. People already referred to her fiancé as the Black Baron, and who knew? Perhaps the Lady in Red would stick and be whispered about for years to come.
Did it matter?
Not to Caroline and Pierce. He had never cared what others thought of him, and Caroline had recently realized that no one’s opinion mattered more than her own. What mattered was how she saw herself.
And never in her life had she been prouder or happier.
Epilogue
Markham Hall, Summer 1813
A few weeks later
“Caroline?” Daphne trilled as she stopped in front of Pierce’s wife, her little teeth sinking into her lower lip as she twirled the hem of her dress between her fingers.
“Yes, Daphne?” Smiling, Caroline brushed a gentle hand over their daughter’s brown curls. “Is there anything I can do for you?” The look in her blue eyes suggested she knew exactly what Daphne was about.
Pierce could barely hide a smirk as he moved to sit under the large umbrella that offered a bit of shade these days as the sun seemed rather relentless in its pursuit to compensate the world for the last harsh winter.
The large terrace of Markham Hall faced south, overlooking the wide garden where Daphne and Susan loved to play. Flowers were in bloom, and he could see glimpses of the small lake situated behind a large grove of trees to the west of the estate as the sun bounced off its shiny surface.
“Can Susan and I have another biscuit?” Daphne asked, desperately trying not to get her hopes up.
Caroline sighed, her face serious as she seemed to be contemplating the request. Pierce lifted a hand to rub his chin, hoping the movement would hide the grin he couldn’t quite manage to keep contained as he spotted Susan hiding behind the curtains of the drawing room. Her little face seemed tense, the same mix of hope and dread on her face as she all but bounced on her feet, waiting for Caroline’s answer.
“Supper will be served soon,” Caroline pointed out. “Will another biscuit not spoil your appetite?”
Daphne’s eyes widened, and Pierce could see her hopes rising as she eagerly shook her head. “No, it won’t. I promise! I promise!”
Maintaining her earnest expression a moment longer, Caroline soon allowed a smile to break through. “Very well. But only one.”
Squealing, Daphne jumped up and down before throwing herself into Caroline’s arms. “Thank you! Thank you!” Then she darted off toward Susan. “She said yes! She said yes!” And off the girls went to seek out Mrs. Colden in the kitchen.
Laughing, Caroline sank into the chair beside him. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to say no to her. She is such an adorable girl!”
Pierce nodded, grinning. “She’ll be a spoiled one as well if we don’t find a backbone soon.” Still, after everything Daphne had had to endure in her young life, neither one of them found it easy to deny her anything. Mercifully, the terror of that night was behind them now for Lord Coleridge had not only been arrested, he was now also being charged with murder. Mr. Ruthledge’s testimony had set an avalanche in motion, which had brought down three prominent members of the English peerage. Three prominent members who’d turned on each other after Mr. Ruthledge’s account of the happenings of that night. More crimes had come to light and were currently being investigated by Pierce’s childhood friend Lord Ashhaven.
“Oh, there you are!” Charlaine exclaimed as she rushed out onto the terrace, her hand rising to shield her from the sun until she joined them under the umbrella.
“Is there anything we can do for you?” Pierce inquired suspiciously, knowing that when Charlaine’s eyes glowed like that, trouble was generally not far off.
Seating herself, she looked from Caroline to him. “You wouldn’t mind if I invited a friend to stay with us until the next Season, would you?” An innocent smile rested on her lips as she folded her hands in her lap rather demurely.
“Until the next Season?” Pierce exclaimed, exchanging a look with his wife. “Why that long?”
Charlaine shrugged. “Oh, my friend could do with a bit of a distraction.”
“Why?” Caroline asked. Her gaze was gentle, but Pierce knew that the way she toyed with her bottom lip meant that she, too, had her suspi
cions about Charlaine’s request.
“Well,” Charlaine began, the tone in her voice suggesting that she was afraid to betray another’s confidence. “I cannot tell you much, but the past two years have been truly hard on him, and I believe that it would do him a world of good to—”
Momentarily distracted by the way his wife teased her lower lip with her teeth, Pierce felt his head snap up rather belatedly. “Him?”
His wayward ward frowned. “Did I say him? Mmh, odd.”
“Charlaine!” Pierce warned. “What are you up to? Is this about Mr. Caswell?” Ever since the night of the most scandalous ball of the Season as London had dubbed the evening he and Caroline had become engaged, Charlaine had insisted she and Mr. Caswell were friends. However, whenever she spoke of it, Pierce could not help but frown.
“Of course,” Charlaine replied with a slight roll of her eyes. “He’s the only friend I have, after all.”
Caroline’s features softened. “He’s not your only friend.”
“I know,” Charlaine replied, a warm smile on her face as she looked at Caroline. “But you’re family. That’s different.”
“Has he even agreed to visit us?” Pierce asked suspiciously, knowing how Charlaine liked to omit details.
As expected, his ward chuckled. “Of course not. How can he agree to something he has no knowledge of?”
“Then why would you ask us? Should you not rather ask him first?” With any luck, the man would have enough sense to refuse, saving them all from a no doubt painful experience.
“I cannot simply ask him,” Charlaine pointed out as though the reason should be obvious.
“Why?” Pierce asked nonetheless.
Looking at him rather indulgently, Charlaine shook her head, sighing theatrically, then turned to Caroline. “Why do men always insist they know better when the opposite is so obviously the case?”
“Pardon me?” Pierce croaked as Caroline laughed, trying to hide her reaction by turning her head toward the garden where nothing worth looking at could be seen at that moment. “Do you agree with her?” Pierce asked, secretly delighted with how close Charlaine and Caroline had become in the past few weeks.
“Well, of course, she does,” Charlaine answered for his wife. “She’s an intelligent woman.” Her brows rose for emphasis as she looked at him inquiringly. “Are you not glad that she decided to pursue you?”
“Pursue me?” Pierce asked, thinking he had been the one doing the pursuing. Judging from the look on his wife’s face, he suddenly had his doubts. “Did you pursue me?” he asked, reaching for her hand.
Caroline sighed, exchanged a quick look with Charlaine, then smiled at him. “Of course, I did. Why else do you think I allowed you to interfere in my life the way you did?”
“You allowed…” Pierce’s voice trailed off as he looked at his wife, seeing the mischievous sparkle in those blue eyes, no longer encumbered by her thick spectacles. Those had been retired. Nevertheless, Pierce kept them close at hand, hidden in a drawer of his desk. And every now and then, he would take them out and turn them in his hands, remembering the moment he’d first laid eyes on his wife.
Without these spectacles, he might never have noticed her, noticed the uniqueness of her character, her daring spirit or her unfailing devotion. Indeed, it had been the moment her blue eyes had peeked over the rim of these spectacles that had captured his attention.
Never would Pierce get rid of them.
Never.
Always would he treasure them, but he was still relieved that Caroline no longer sought to hide who she was. After all, her daring revelation at the Hawthorne ball had set her free and revealed her to like-minded ladies. Indeed, it had been no other than Lady Brockton who’d promised her assistance in procuring funds for the children’s home in the future.
Thus, Caroline no longer stood alone in her fight to provide for the children of London. Of course, Pierce stood by her side as well. However, he knew that she was proud to have managed this on her own.
And he was proud as well.
“Well, is that a yes?” Charlaine inquired sweetly. Pierce thought he detected a note of anticipation in her voice. How much did Mr. Caswell truly mean to her? He wondered. Perhaps an extended visit was not such a bad idea. Perhaps it would give him ample opportunity to find out. After all, he had promised Pembroke to keep an eye on his brother while he was away, traveling around the world with his new wife. They’d both returned to England to attend his and Caroline’s wedding, but had immediately after set off once again.
“Very well,” Pierce finally said, feeling his wife squeeze his hand in agreement. “But,” he rushed to add as Charlaine jumped to her feet, excitement lighting up her eyes, “Mr. Caswell has to agree! You are not to lure him here under false pretenses, do you understand?”
Charlaine gave him a look of utter surprise. “I would never dream of it.” She shook her head at him. “What kind of woman do you think me to be?”
Pierce laughed. “The worst kind.”
Charlaine rolled her eyes at him, then turned on her heel and hastened back inside.
“Mr. Caswell would be fortunate to conquer her heart,” Caroline observed, her blue eyes meeting his, trying to determine if he agreed.
Pierce nodded, squeezing her hand in return. “Of course, he would be. However, I doubt the man would see it that way.”
Leaning closer, Caroline chuckled. “I have no doubt Charlaine will disabuse him of that misconception as well.” Her blue eyes lingered on his, and her teeth once more worried her lower lip.
Pierce grinned, then he gave her hand a sharp tug. Instantly, his wife flew out of her chair and onto her feet, and he pulled her down onto his lap. “The poor man will not know what hit him, I’ve no doubt,” he whispered against her lips as her hands snaked around his neck. “One day, he’ll find himself in front of a priest and not know how he got there.”
Caroline chuckled as her fingers tangled in his hair. “Is that how you feel? That I blindsided you? Trapped you against your will?”
Pierce captured her lips in a kiss. “Do I seem unwilling to you?” he murmured, kissing her again. “If so, I can think of a way to prove my willingness.”
“Is that so?” Caroline whispered as his hand on her back urged her closer against him. “Are you referring to our ongoing project?”
Pierce grinned. “Always,” was the last word to leave his lips until supper was served.
Tomorrow would no doubt bring unrest and mayhem. However, today was a perfect day.
A day like no other.
As was every day with his beloved wife in his arms.
About Bree
USA Today bestselling author Bree Wolf has always been a language enthusiast (though not a grammarian!) and is rarely found without a book in her hand or her fingers glued to a keyboard. Trying to find her way, she has taught English as a second language, traveled abroad and worked at a translation agency as well as a law firm in Ireland. She also spent loooong years obtaining a BA in English and Education and a MA in Specialized Translation while wishing she could simply be a writer. Although there is nothing simple about being a writer, her dreams have finally come true.
“A big thanks to my fairy godmother!”
Currently, Bree has found her new home in the historical romance genre, writing Regency novels and novellas. Enjoying the mix of fact and fiction, she occasionally feels like a puppet master, forcing her characters into ever-new situations that will put their strengths, their beliefs, their love to the test, hoping that in the end they will triumph and get the happily-ever-after we are all looking for.
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