Tessa's Touch
Page 30
As it happened, the fox did escape, but not until he'd run the hounds till well past one o'clock. Riding back, everyone agreed that it had been the best run of the season. The weather was bright and fair, and horses, hounds and sportsmen —and woman —were all tired but happy.
Back at Wheatstone a short time later, Tessa watched her father and Lady Killerby laughing together as they talked about the hunt, which they'd again followed in Lady Killerby's phaeton. Her father looked happier than she'd ever seen him —so why were her feelings so conflicted?
"Come upstairs with me?" Anthony suggested softly in her ear, snapping her out of her bemusement.
"What? Oh, ah, all right. Papa, if you'll excuse us?"
Her father nodded absently, his eyes still on Lady Killerby.
"I hope you don't begrudge your father a bit of companionship," Anthony said as they reached the upper landing. "I confess I suspected once or twice that things were tending that way, and I'm delighted to see I was right."
Tessa paused, realizing that Anthony was right —she was bothered that her father so obviously enjoyed Lady Killerby's company. And perhaps even more bothered that he clearly didn't need her, Tessa, nearly as much as she'd always believed.
Anthony opened the door to the chamber adjoining her own, which had previously been used for storage. Mrs. Bealls had worked a miracle over the past week, doubtless with the help of some of the staff from Ivy Lodge. Most of Anthony's furniture had been moved here, to include the hunting scene Tessa had admired. Anthony had said last night that he felt completely at home here.
"You're right," Tessa finally said. "How can I begrudge Papa any kind of happiness when I have found so much myself? It will just . . . take a bit of getting used to, I suppose."
He took her hand and drew her into the room. "Changes always do, but that does not mean change is a bad thing. Some changes are very much for the better."
"Do you really think so, Anthony?" she asked, looking up at him anxiously. "I have all but turned your life upside down, made you miss part of the hunting season, and now you have even left the home you had made in the Shires —all for my sake."
He folded her in his arms. "Perhaps it began for your sake, but I am finding the benefits to myself are too many to count. Here, I can finally accomplish something worthwhile by helping you and your father rebuild Wheatstone into what it once was."
"Even the stables?"
"Especially the stables," he replied. "Though I believe you should be in charge of that area, Tessa. You've more than proved your abilities there."
Feeling as though her last dream had come true, she threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, Anthony, thank you. I'll make both you and Papa proud, I promise. And I'll behave myself, you'll see. I can be a proper wife as well as a horse trainer."
"Don't change on my account," he said, kissing the tip of her nose. "Propriety is overrated, in my opinion. As long as you're happy, I'd rather you stay the same free-spirited Tessa that I fell in love with."
She stared up at him, her heart in her throat. "Fell in—?"
His eyes now were serious as they looked into hers. "I love you Tessa, more than life itself. Never doubt that."
"Oh, Anthony, I love you too—so much."
He tightened his hold on her and lowered his lips to hers. "We have our whole lives to show each other just how much, my beautiful, unbridled bride," he murmured, and proceeded to demonstrate that his touch could be as magical as Tessa's own.
THE END
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Tessa's Touch (originally published as Taming Tessa) is the first of my "Odd Sock Club" series of Regency-set historical romances. Like my "Saint of Seven Dials" series, it is set in the same "world" as my traditional Regencies and Scandalous Virtue, with a few of the same (fictional) peripheral characters. Though each of my books stands alone, complete in itself, some readers prefer to read them in order. My traditional Regencies, in order of original publication, are: Gabriella, The Cygnet, Lord Dearborn's Destiny, Daring Deception and A Christmas Bride. Azalea (part of a two-in-one volume, Regency Diamonds) was actually my first novel written, though my seventh published. I am delighted to finally be publishing it as a stand-alone novel. My Regency historicals, in order (both chronologically in the period and in order of publication) are: Scandalous Virtue, Rogue's Honor, Noble Deceptions (originally published as A Rebellious Bride), Innocent Passions and Saintly Sins (originally published as Wickedly Yours). These last four comprise my "Saints of Seven Dials" series. Linked to those, but not quite a part of the series, are also Tessa's Touch (originally published as Taming Tessa) and The Runaway Heiress.
I had originally intended to write a fifth "Saint" book, with Harry Thatcher as the hero, as well as more "Odd Sock" books, but those ideas were unfortunately vetoed by my Avon editor at the time. Now, however, if enough people want to read Harry's story, or Rush's, I may just write them after all and put them out as e-books! With all of my Regency historicals, I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to stretch my wings beyond the rather strict boundaries of the traditional Regency, while still preserving the feel and accuracy of the time period. For these reissues, I have taken the opportunity to clean up a few small errors of fact and proofing and have restored my originally planned titles to two of them. I am delighted to again share my stories with you in this new format. Enjoy!
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For information on my other books, please visit http://brendahiatt.com or connect with me online at http://www.facebook.com/BrendaHiatt or http://twitter.com/#!/brenda_hiatt