by Robyn DeHart
He reached into his pocket and retrieved the bag of monies owed her. He held it out.
Her brow furrowed, but she took it. The coins jingled as her hand gripped the velvet.
“I believe you’ll find this sum more than adequate for your service to the Crown. Her Majesty sends her warmest regards.” He bowed slightly.
She took a visibly heavy breath and gave him a curt nod. “Thank you.”
He bowed. So this was it. She would no longer be in his life. He tried to grasp the thought, tried to think of something, anything he could say that might change her mind. But ultimately, she had made her choice. She’d told him repeatedly that she had no intention of marrying him. Why should he expect a different answer now?
“My apology to having disturbed your evening.” And he turned to go. He’d told Ellis he intended to do whatever he could to convince her to marry him. He hadn’t even tried. He hadn’t even told her how he truly felt. She might still reject him, confirm Gwyneth’s words from so long ago. But damnation, he was going to tell her how it felt. He slowly turned. “No, I can’t do this. You might not want to hear what I have to say, but I’m going to say what I’ve come to say regardless of whether or not you want to hear it.”
Her eyes widened, and her lips parted, but she said nothing.
“The truth is, Evie—” He closed the distance between them. “—you are a colossal distraction. You absolutely infuriate me with your headstrong ways, but you’re so much more than I could have ever imagined. No one has ever stood up to me the way you do, as if you have no fear. You’re more than I ever thought I deserved and you’ve made me want things I never thought I’d want.”
One of her sister’s squealed, but he ignored the sound as best he could. Right now he only saw Evie, beautiful, infuriating Evie who had irrevocably stolen his heart. He loved her. Wholeheartedly and unabashedly loved her.
“I know that my life isn’t simple, but if you can fool all of London into thinking you’re the Queen, then I think you’re up for the task.”
Her mother gasped.
Still the frown remained on Evie’s expression. “What are you saying, Bennett?”
“For being so bloody smart, you are daft sometimes.” He pulled her to him, not caring about the impropriety of the embrace. “I’m saying that I love you. Desperately. Despite the fact that you are maddening, I love you and I want to marry you.”
All of her sisters screamed and her mother called for the smelling salts.
And Evie, she laughed amidst a few stray tears, then she flung herself into his arms. “It’s about time you figured this out.”
“I’m an idiot.” He smothered her head in kisses. “Please say you’ll marry me.”
“Yes, a thousand times, yes!”
And he pulled her into his arms for a none-too-proper kiss.
About the Author
National bestselling author Robyn DeHart’s novels have appeared in the top bestselling romance and historical romance lists. Her books have been translated into nearly a dozen languages. Her historical romantic adventure series, The Legend Hunters, were not only bestsellers, but also award winners, snagging a Reader’s Crown and a Reviewer’s Choice award. She’ll have four releases in 2014 and already has three on the calendar for 2015, all set in the popular historical romance Regency and Victorian eras.
Known for her “strong dialogue and characters that leap off the page” (RT Bookclub) and her “sizzling romance” (Publishers Weekly), her books have been featured in USA Today and the Chicago Tribune. A popular writing instructor, she has given speeches at writing conferences in Los Angeles, Washington DC, New York, Dallas, Nashville, and Toronto, among many others.
When not writing, you can find Robyn hanging out with her family, husband (The Professor) a university professor of political science, and their two ridiculously beautiful and smart daughters, Busybee and Babybee, as well as two spoiled-rotten cats. They live in the hill country of Texas where it’s hot eight months of the year, but those big blue skies make it worth it.
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Discover more from Robyn DeHart…
Misadventures in Seduction
With five siblings to care for, Prudence Hixsby ‘s duty comes first. But when the eldest—and most cherished—of her younger brothers joins the war, she trades her body for his safety by slipping into the bed of a man whose touch is both fierce and passionate... little knowing she’s just seduced the wrong man. Harrison Carlisle, the Duke of Sutcliffe, never imagined that that lovely Prudence would honour his bed and he can’t resist her, but he keeps a gentleman’s silence. But when Prudence’s brother is killed, they find themselves uniting to track down a traitorous murderer.
For Her Spy Only
England, 1814
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...
No Ordinary Mistress
London, 1814
Remington Hawthorne has spent his life protecting the Crown. When he’s assigned to play the part of lover to Emma Masterson, he’ll have to risk his heart as well as his life.
Perpetually tasked with proving she is as valuable as any man in her profession, the last thing Emma needs is to be reunited with the one man who makes her want to forget her duties and get lost in passion. It will take every ounce of strength not to give in to him…
A Little Bit Scandalous
Monroe Grisham, Duke of Chanceworth, needs to marry off his beautiful young ward and ensure she attaches herself to the right man, not an irresponsible cad like him. But all grown up now, Caroline’s presence is an utter distraction. One he can neither act on nor deny. When Roe and Caroline meet across the gaming table, all bets are off. Seduction is in the cards and the winner will take all…or lose everything.
A Little Bit Sinful
Clarissa Kincaid has been raised to be the perfect English lady…in need of the perfectly respectable English husband. She’s found her quarry, but the man won’t commit and she finds herself seeking assistance in the form of seduction lessons from someone the opposite of respectable…Justin, the wealthy bastard son of the Duke of Chanceworth.
This is a challenge the charismatic Justin cannot resist. Clarissa may think that he knows nothing about her needs, but Justin is determined to show her that he knows plenty about her secret desires.
A Little Bit Wicked
Vivian March, known simply as The Paragon, moves through every circle within Society, smoothing out scandals and stopping gossip in its tracks. Everyone in London knows that if she aligns herself with you, Society will forgive your sins. What
they don’t know is that she uses their secrets to cover her own jaded past. With every kiss and every touch that Marcus Kincaid, Earl of Ashford, thrusts upon her, Vivian comes to believe life is infinitely more fun when you can be just a little bit wicked…
Don’t miss out on more Scandalous romance…
Lady Scandal
a Furies novel by Wendy LaCapra
Sophia Baneham exists outside of polite society’s influence, holding gambling parties for London’s most dangerous men.Then a man walks into one her soirees, a compelling mix of charisma and icy control. And he offers the lady of sin a wager she can’t refuse. But when danger closes in, undercover spy Lord Randolph won’t just have to protect Sophia from an intended killer. He’ll have to protect her from herself...
A Spy Unmasked
an In the Crown’s Secret Service novel by Tina Gabrielle
London, 1820
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 an exquisite woman aims 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.
The Highlander’s Choice
a Marriage Mart Mayhem novel by Callie Hutton
Lady Sybil Lacey is properly horrified to attend her best friend’s wedding in the Scottish Highlands. For Sybil is quite certain that Scots are little more than brutish, whiskey-swilling lechers. Yet she’s secretly attracted to Liam MacBride—the tall and devastatingly handsome Scottish laird of Bedlay Castle, who believes English ladies are silly sassenachs. All they can do is quarrel, until loathing turns into sweet, undeniable lust...but a tempestuous, fiery romance between an English lady and Scottish laird cannot end well.
Engaging the Earl
an Accidental Peers novel by Diana Quincy
England, 1819
Vivacious Lady Katherine Granfield is the toast of the ton, but society’s most eligible miss secretly yearns for her childhood love, an untitled loner who vanished long ago after her father forbade their marriage.
When the dark and brooding Edward Stanhope returns to England a changed man, and an Earl, he throws Kat’s perfectly arranged future into tumult. As Kat sets out to win back her first love, can the new Earl of Randolph resist the woman he’s loved for so many years?
