At the Spy's Pleasure

by Tina Gabrielle

  A second knock on the door sounded. It had been left ajar from when Eleanor entered and Graves appeared in the doorway.

  “Captain Turner is here to see you, my lady,” Graves announced.

  The captain! She’d completely forgotten about his scheduled visit. They were to walk in the park together.

  A quick look at Gareth’s fierce features, and she knew an instant’s panic. She feared a fight between Gareth and the captain.

  Jane took a step toward the butler. “Please tell Captain Turner I’m indisposed and to return another—”

  “No,” Gareth cut her off. “Please see the captain in,” he said. His tone was light, but Jane wasn’t fooled.

  Graves looked from one to another, uncertainty etched on his wrinkled face.

  “I say listen to Mr. Ramsey,” Eleanor chimed in.

  Jane gaped at her aunt. “Why in heaven’s name did you say that?”

  Eleanor pointed her cane at Jane. “The quicker this is resolved the better.”

  The thought of Gareth and the captain together in her sitting room was outrageous. Nothing good could come of it—especially now that Gareth knew the truth. What on earth could her aunt be thinking? Jane considered fleeing to her bedroom.

  Too late, Captain Turner walked into the room.

  Jane felt nerves flutter in her stomach as the captain came to a stop in the center of the Oriental carpet. He stiffened when he noticed Gareth and Eleanor.

  “Am I interrupting something?” the captain asked.

  “Yes,” Gareth said.

  “No,” Jane said.

  Captain Turner frowned as he looked at Gareth. “Do I know you, sir?”

  Gareth faced the captain and his grin did not reach his eyes. “Not yet, but you will. I’m Lady Stanwell’s fiancée.”

  Jane gasped.

  Captain Turner’s lips thinned as he tugged on his coat. “What’s the meaning of this? The lady and I have an understanding.”

  Gareth turned to Jane, a wry gleam in his eye. “Should I tell him? Or will you?”

  She felt her face drain of color. Gareth meant to tell the captain of the pregnancy, not the engagement. She had no choice.

  Jane took a deep breath and looked up at the captain. “I’m afraid I cannot marry you, Liam.”

  Captain Turner blinked. “What?”

  “I’m sorry.” She shifted uneasily on her feet and was at a loss of what else to say.

  The captain turned to Eleanor. “We had spoken.”

  “We never agreed. Jane is not a minor and does not need my permission. And there was no reading of the banns,” Eleanor pointed out.

  “But I was to get a special license,” the captain protested.

  “Have you?” Eleanor asked.

  The captain’s brow furrowed. “Not yet, no.”

  “Then there is no harm done.” Aunt Eleanor thumped her cane with finality that said there was no need for further conversation upon the matter.

  “No harm! The lady’s behavior is abominable,” the captain shouted.

  Jane opened her mouth to protest, but Gareth cut her off. “Careful, captain. I think you should leave.”

  The man’s face turned blotchy. Eleanor was quick to go to the captain’s side. “I shall walk you out.”

  “I can walk myself out,” the captain said tersely.

  He whirled and left the room. Footsteps sounded and seconds later the front door slammed shut.

  Jane stood stock still.

  “Goodness!” Eleanor said. “He turned quite unpleasant.”

  “Did you expect otherwise?” Jane asked incredulously.

  “I expected better of an army officer,” she huffed. “I shall leave you two alone to discuss details.”

  As soon as Jane was alone with Gareth, she whirled to face him. “How could you? I had no choice but to turn Captain Turner away.”

  “I saved you. He would never have made you happy.”

  “And you can?”

  “Yes. No one else can bring forth your passionate nature.”

  “I’ve told you before, lust is not love.”

  “It’s a fantastic start.”

  She was so angry she wanted to hit him. Her gaze fell on a pitcher resting on an end table. He must have sensed her intent for he grasped her hand and tugged her to him.

  Her body sizzled where it touched his.

  “You have to marry me, Jane.”

  “No, I don’t.” The command wasn’t the proposal she had dreamed of. She knew she was acting irrationally, but this was not what she wanted.

  “You would have our baby out of wedlock?”

  It was his tone that made her lip quiver. The stark hurt in his face. She swallowed. “I had hoped for…well, more.”

  “What? Tell me and you shall have it. I’m a wealthy man. You and our child will never want for anything.”

  “I’m not speaking of money.”

  His eyes lit with understanding. “Don’t you know by now? Can’t you tell by the way I’m acting? I love you with all my heart, Jane.”

  The last of her defenses crumbled. “Oh, Gareth. I’ve loved you for so long now.”

  “Truly?”

  “Yes, truly.” Reaching out, she stroked his cheek. “But what of your work for the Home Office?”

  “I was serious when I said nothing else matters. You don’t believe me, do you?”

  “I don’t want you to have regrets.”

  “There’s only one way I can show you.”

  He kissed her with a tenderness that melted her bones. He held her like fine china and got down on his knee. “Please marry me, Jane. Make me the happiest of men.” Then he kissed her belly and she felt a relief so profound she dropped to her knees beside him.

  All would be well. Their baby would know only love.

  Aunt Eleanor cleared her throat in the doorway. “Well it’s about time,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye.

  Epilogue

  Daniel strode into Gareth’s Gray’s Inn chambers. “I heard you are being considered for King’s Counsel.”

  Gareth crossed his arms behind his head and leaned back in his office chair. “I hope to hear soon.”

  Things had changed over the past months. Gareth was now an advisor to the Home Office, just like his friend Robert had become after his own marriage. He continued to maintain his chambers and work as a barrister, but he no longer represented disgruntled husbands and handled different civil matters.

  His working life had changed.

  But most importantly, he’d married Jane.

  They’d been married by special license in the Duke of Westmont’s elegant drawing room. Olivia and Daniel had stood as their witnesses. Aunt Eleanor had cried throughout the entire ceremony.

  Gareth’s espionage assignments may have ceased, but he’d gained so much more. True to his word, there wasn’t a day he missed the dangers of spying. His advisory position more than fulfilled any need to aid the Home Office and Crown.

  “I’ve come with news of my own,” Daniel said. “I want to resign as undersecretary and take on more of a role as a spy.”

  Gareth suppressed a laugh. “You’re tired of clerical duties?”

  Daniel sat on the chair in front of Gareth’s desk. “Why should you and Robert have all the fun?”

  “We’re both finished with the day to day dangers of espionage, remember? We’re married men, and I have a child on the way.”

  “Heaven forbid I fall in love,” Daniel said dryly.

  Gareth chuckled.

  “Sir Marbury finally passed away. The Marbury Company has been sold off. Simon hasn’t been heard of since his banishment to the Continent,” Daniel said.

  A knock on the office door drew their attention. Stevens opened the door to hand Gareth a note. “There’s a message from your wife, sir.”

  Gareth unfolded the foolscap and read the single sentence in Jane’s handwriting out loud. “It’s time.”

  His heart jolted as the true meaning of the mess
age registered. Gareth jumped to his feet and dropped the paper. “Good God! The baby’s coming.”

  “Go man,” Daniel said.

  Gareth made it to their home in record time. Jane was pacing in the hallway outside their bedchamber. Aunt Eleanor was by her side.

  “Why aren’t you in bed?” he asked.

  “My water broke an hour ago. The contractions have started, but I’m told it could take a long time,” Jane said.

  “We’ve sent for the physician,” Eleanor said.

  Gareth walked with Jane until the contractions came faster and harder. When she gasped in pain and rubbed her low back, he swept her into his arms. “Let’s get you in bed.”

  The contractions were relentless and increased in intensity and duration along with the pain. Gareth sat at Jane’s bedside and held her hand.

  “You should leave,” the physician instructed Gareth.

  Jane whimpered and shook her head.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Gareth said. “She needs me now more than ever.”

  Sweat beaded on Jane’s brow and she turned frighteningly pale. Her grip on his hand tightened as the contractions banded unmercifully around her belly. Gareth had never felt so helpless and feared she couldn’t take much more.

  Eight hours later, he would have gladly taken the pain upon himself. He bathed her forehead with a cool cloth and whispered words of encouragement in her ear.

  At last the physician announced it was time. With one last push and scream from Jane, the baby came with an infant’s cry.

  “It’s a girl!” Eleanor said.

  Gareth stared in amazement at his daughter. He counted ten perfect tiny fingers and toes. “A baby girl,” he whispered, his throat hoarse with emotion. When Jane smiled and reached for their baby, he swore she never looked so beautiful.

  Afterwards, when Jane wore a clean gown and the baby suckled at her breast, he couldn’t keep his eyes from the pair.

  Jane looked up and a wrinkle appeared on her brow. “No regrets, Gareth?”

  Gareth dropped to his knees beside the bed and smoothed her forehead. “Never. I’m the luckiest man alive. I’ll love and treasure you both forever with all my heart.”

  Did you love this Scandalous novel from Entangled? Check out more of our historical titles here!

  Acknowledgments

  I’m eternally grateful for my readers. Without you there would be no books!

  Thank you to my wonderful agent, Stephany Evans, for her feedback and constant support of my work. A special thank you to my editor, Alycia Tornetta, who helped polish the book and make it shine.

  Thank you to Laura and Gabrielle for being supportive and giving me time to write. A special thank you to my family and Jeannie and Fran for their help so I can attend conferences and meet my readers.

  About the Author

  Best-selling author Tina Gabrielle is an attorney and former mechanical engineer whose love of reading for pleasure helped her get through years of academia. She often picked up a romance and let her fantasies of knights in shining armor and lords and ladies carry her away.

  A Spy Unmasked and At the Spy’s Pleasure are books in Tina’s newest series, In the Crown’s Secret Service series. She is also the author of adventurous Regency historical romances, In the Barrister’s Bed, In the Barrister’s Chambers, Lady of Scandal, and A Perfect Scandal from Kensington Books.

  Publisher’s Weekly calls her Regency Barrister’s series, “Well-matched lovers…witty comradely repartee.” Tina’s books have been Barnes & Noble top picks, and her first book, Lady of Scandal, was nominated as best first historical by Romantic Times Book Reviews. Tina lives in New Jersey. She loves to hear from readers. Visit her website to learn about upcoming releases, join her newsletter, and enter free monthly contests at www.tinagabrielle.com.

  You can also find Tina on Twitter and Facebook.

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  Other books by Tina Gabrielle…

  A Spy Unmasked

  A spy in the service of His Majesty, Robert Ware—the Earl of Kirkland—is a “guest” at a masquerade party, retrieving vital information for a murder investigation when he’s interrupted by an exquisite, masked woman with a pistol cocked and aimed right at him. Lady Sophia Merrill is determined to expose the brigand who murdered her eccentric but brilliant father. Now she must masquerade as Robert’s betrothed, in order to find the killer. But the undeniably potent attraction between them not only imperils the investigation, but Sophia’s reputation...and both of their lives.

  Don’t miss out on more Scandalous romance…

  For Her Spy Only

  by Robyn DeHart

  Winifred is tired of paying for crimes she didn’t commit and decides to play the seductress London society claims she is. Thinking a night of passion with the reclusive Alistair, Marquess of Coventry, shouldn’t leave any lasting effects, she instead finds her heart marked forever.

  Six years later, Alistair encounters Winifred and her young son. He hasn’t forgotten how the unconventional beauty warmed his bed, and the heat between them rekindles immediately. The spymaster is determined to uncover all of plucky Winifred’s secrets. Especially the one regarding her son...

  The Irresistible Miss Peppiwell

  by Stacy Reid

  Dissatisfied with his empty life, Lord Anthony Thornton seeks a deep and lasting connection... and finds himself intrigued by the Ice Maiden of the haute monde. Undaunted by Phillipa Peppiwell’s aloof nature and her distaste for the idea of matrimony, he sets out to thaw the bewitching beauty by enticing her with adventures of the most sensual type. But both Anthony and Phillipa hide secrets revealing past scandals best kept buried… and if discovered, could rip them apart.