by Lauren Smith
She snapped out of her own thoughts and turned at the sound of the voice. Killian’s butler stood in the entrance. He was stiff and formal in his address. She’d learned fast that a lot of the servants had conservative ideas about how an English household should be run—even if it bordered Scotland. They were remnants of the old earl’s ideals. Killian kept them on because they were respectful and good at their jobs, but he didn’t care how a house in England as opposed to Scotland should be.
“I have a visitor?” Who the hell could be coming to see her? “Please show them in.”
She would find out soon enough. The butler bowed and exited the room. After a few moments he returned and announced, “The Duchess of Branterberry.”
Ah, yes, that made sense. Serenity would be the only one that it could have been. They hadn’t had much time to visit when they ran into each other in Manchester. She mentioned that she had news she wanted to share with her, but they kept getting interrupted.
“Hello, sister,” she said and nearly bounced into the room.
Aubriella turned her attention to the butler. “Could you have tea sent in?”
“Yes,” he said and exited.
Serenity sat on a nearby chair. “He’s a stuffy one isn’t he?”
Aubriella pursed her lips together. “What are you doing here?” She hated to be rude, but she wasn’t exactly friendly with her stepsister and didn’t plan on doing so now. They had a complicated history. “Whatever you had to tell me could have been sent in a letter.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “What’s the fun in that?” Serenity tapped on the arm of the chair. “Besides do you think it’s wise to put down on paper that both of us are time travelers? This day and age they might think we’re witches or something.”
Aubriella rolled her eyes. “They might be a bit superstitious but they are unlikely to burn us at the stake. We’re not living in Puritan England right now.” Serenity had a passing interest in history, but she hadn’t studied it to the extent Aubriella had. She was getting her centuries mixed up. “Am I to assume you’ll be staying a while?”
“If you don’t mind,” Serenity said. “At least the night. I promised Brandon I wouldn’t be gone long. He’d have come with me, but he had something else to investigate.”
“I’ll inform the maid when she brings tea,” Aubriella said. The butler wouldn’t be back unless summoned. “Now tell me your news.”
“It’s about Genevieve,” she said. “You were concerned about her.”
Aubriella sat up. What did Serenity know about her cousin? “Do you know what happened to her?”
A maid came into the room pushing a tea cart. She stopped in front of Aubriella and asked, “Do you wish me to pour?”
Aubriella shook her head. “We can manage on our own.”
The maid curtsied and left the room. Once Aubriella was sure she was gone she turned her attention back to Serenity. “Please continue.”
Serenity smiled. “It’s not bad. She’s back where she belongs.”
How could she possibly know any of that? “Then why are you stalling?”
“I’m not,” she replied. “I never told you why I’m here. Not at Kingsbridge, but in the past.”
To be fair Aubriella hadn’t actually given her the time to explain. “Why don’t you do so now.”
Serenity nodded and explained how she followed Trenton Quinn back in time to find Genevieve and how she came to work with the Duke of Branterberry.
“Eve was working as a governess for the duke’s son?”
“Yes,” Serenity said. Then stood up and walked over to the tea cart. She poured tea into a cup and handed it to Aubriella, then poured herself a cup. “But that’s not everything. There is much you don’t know.”
Serenity took a sip of her tea and stared down into it. “Peyton is sick and we had to find Genevieve to save her life. It took a lot of convincing but she finally agreed to go home with Trenton. I’m not sure if they have reconciled but I suspect if they haven’t they will in time.”
Trenton and Genevieve loved each other a great deal. Aubriella expected that they worked through their issues. Her interest was in why they believed Eve could save Peyton. “What does my cousin have to do with your sister?”
“Genevieve is my sister too,” she said quietly. “It’s a long story and I promise I’ll tell you everything. The short answer is Pey had one of her visions and the answers were in the past. I didn’t have a choice and I don’t regret coming here. It is the best thing that could have happened to me.”
Aubriella’s mouth fell open. “How—I…”
“It’s a shock,” Serenity agreed. “I’ve had time to acclimate to it and even I find it amazing at times. The thing is we’re both here in the past. The two people we are closest to in the world are hundreds of years in the future. I came here to tell you the truth and to ask you if we can find a way to be more than we were. I’d like to have family here if possible.”
It was a lot for Aubriella to take in. “I don’t know.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “We haven’t exactly been kind to each other. But you’re right—we should find a way to let that go. How about we take it one day at a time and see where it leads us?”
“I find that acceptable on one condition.”
“What is that?” Aubriella was almost afraid to find out the answer to that question.
“That we at least claim each other as family. It would be a start to take us down the path we wish to go.”
Aubriella smiled. “I think that is a good idea. To show a gesture of my agreement we can start with my wedding. Would you like to be one of my attendants?”
“I’d like nothing more,” Serenity agreed. “Where is the groom to be?”
“Aubriella” Killian’s strong timbre rolled down her and made her shiver from the inside out. “I was told you have a guest.” He stopped short when he noticed Serenity. Her duke had invited them to their wedding but Aubriella had not felt comfortable taking Killian to it. It was perhaps a mistake, but she couldn’t take it back now. “What are you doing here? Do you wish your necklace back now?”
Serenity shook her head. “No. I said before I wanted Brie to have it. I hope it helped.”
She scrunched her nose up. “As if I’d want to keep that thing. I don’t want anything from your mother.”
“I’m not afraid to admit I’m rather confused,” he said. He looked back and forth between them. “I thought you didn’t know each other.”
Aubriella sighed. “I explained to you that I’m from the future and that my father married a wicked woman right?”
He nodded. “Aye.”
“Serenity is her daughter and well my stepsister.”
Killian turned to stare at Serenity. She lifted her hand and waved lightly in his direction. “Hello, again.”
“But you said you had no family here.”
“In my defense when I told you that I didn’t know I did. I was surprised to see her at the Stallion and Snapdragon. We never did get on well, but we’ve decided we’d like to try.”
She hoped that Killian didn’t make a fuss. It would be nice to have family in the past with her. It was also rather heartening to find out that her cousin was where she belonged and working on her own happiness. Genevieve deserved it more than anyone she knew.
“I fear it will take me a long time to become accustomed to these surprises you keep springing on me lass.” He smiled down at her and then turned toward Serenity. “You’re a duchess correct?”
“I am,” she agreed and wrinkled her nose. “Though I fear it will take a bit for me to adjust to that development. Brandon is lucky I love him despite his god awful title.”
Killian’s laugher echoed through the room. “I think I’m going to like you. Are you staying awhile?”
“Only overnight I’m afraid. Brandon won’t like it if I’m gone long. But we will be back for the wedding.”
Her life had taken an interesting turn. She could never have predicted
it would turn out the way it had. Even if she had known she wouldn’t have changed a thing. This was the one thing she’d always wanted. To love and be loved—and now she had the opportunity to have a true family. With Serenity and Killian on her side she would have a happy-ever-after only found in the best stories. But this was her life and much better
“I’ll leave you to be,” Serenity said. “I’ll find a servant to show me to a room. If I don’t see you before I leave dear sister please know that I do care and look forward to our endeavor at a closer relationship.”
With those words she set her tea cup down and exited in a whirl of skirts. She might not like the title of duchess but she sure seemed to adapt to the privilege of it well. Aubriella laughed.
“Lass,” Killian said. “Please warn me in the future if I’m to meet anymore of your eccentric family.”
“I’ll do my best,” she replied. “But I can’t make any promises. We’re all rather special and unpredictable.”
He sat down beside her on the settee. “Can I convince you to go upstairs with me?”
She tilted her head and pretended to consider it. “I don’t know what is it you’re offering me?”
“Pleasure beyond your wildest imagination,” he said huskily and leaned down. His hot breath caressed her ear. “And more love than I have a right to feel. I can’t wait until you’re mine.”
“I’m already yours,” she said. “But I know what you mean. The wedding can’t happen soon enough.”
“Two more weeks,” he replied. “It’s the longest fortnight I’ll ever have to live through.”
She wanted to make the time fly by, but that wasn’t in her ability. They would both have to suffer through the wait. “Didn’t you mention something about going upstairs?”
He didn’t say another word. Killian stood and lifted her into his arms carrying her up to his chamber. He made love to her as if he’d never have the opportunity again. Loving him was perhaps the best possible thing that could have ever happened to her. Sometimes fate had the right idea and following the path designed for her led her to happiness straight from the pages of a fairy tale.
**Read on for an excerpt from Scheming with My Duke:
Linked Across Time book 9**
Scheming with my Duke
Serenity Drake sat in the garden at Branterberry Castle. If she wasn’t completely bored out of her mind, she might have appreciated the scenery a bit more. The garden had been sculpted in to several different paths. Depending on which one she took, she’d find a vast array of vegetation and floral plants to delight the eye. Certain flowers had more enticing aromas and drew her near. When she’d first seen the garden she’d immediately craved to explore its depths. A week into summer and she was ready to poke her eyes out.
Her duties—taking care of Sebastian Bennett, the little Marquess of Chisenhall—didn’t entail much. She would give him lessons in the morning and then have the afternoons free. The duke didn’t want her to corrupt his son and had only allowed her to be his governess out of respect for Serenity’s sister, Genevieve. Her sister had to return home to save their other sister, Peyton. It had been hard to stay behind, but it was the right choice to make.
Peyton’s visions were never wrong. Genevieve was meant to be in the twenty-first century, and Serenity’s place was with the duke and his son. She just wasn’t sure what that place was. If the duke wasn’t going to allow her to help, she might as well return home. Except she didn’t really want to go… Serenity missed Peyton desperately, and a part of her always would, but Genevieve would make sure she was all right and healed properly from her illness. As for Serenity, the duke and Sebastian needed her. He was being pigheaded and it would take some careful planning to make him realize the truth. Luckily, Serenity’s stubbornness would make her keep fighting. In the end, she’d win and the duke wouldn’t see it coming.
She picked a vibrant red flower and twirled the stem in her hand. Several loops in, she decided to lift it to her nose and take in its wonderful aroma. She had no idea what kind of flower it was, but she liked it. The color called to her, and in certain light, it almost matched her mahogany-red hair. Although, that was probably an exaggeration on her part—her long locks were actually closer to brown than red, but she liked the highlights brought out by the sun.
Whimsically, she plucked one of the petals off and tossed it over her shoulder, then repeated it a second time. “He loves me,” she said aloud. Then plucked another and repeated, “He loves me.” Serenity continued plucking the petals again and again until she had three left on the flower. Each time, saying over and over, “He loves me.”
“What did that poor flower do to you?” Brandon Bennett, the Duke of Branterberry asked. His voice was filled with a mixture of amusement and befuddlement.
Serenity scrambled to face him, tucking the flower behind her back. How much had he overheard? Her cheeks heated under the hot sun and there was nothing she could do to hide it from him. Perhaps he’d believe it was a little bit of sunburn making them pink.
“Are you spying on me?” she asked him defiantly. Better to deflect than to admit that she’d been playing a silly girlish game. What had possessed her to pick the petals off the flower to begin with?
“It is my home,” he said, lifting a brow. “I don’t have to explain myself.” He reached around and plucked the flower from her hand and held it before her. “You, however, are defacing some of the flora in my garden.”
Drat. Was he going to bellow at her for something so stupid as picking a flower? Well, she wasn’t going to allow him to dictate to her. Perhaps he should be on the defensive for once. He didn’t like it much when she read him. She tilted her head and studied his aura. As usual, secrets and lies swirled around him. This spymaster kept it all close and didn’t let anyone in. How many people did he protect with his clandestine information?
“You were watching me,” she said moving closer to him. “Did you see something you liked?”
The duke backed away from her. His nostrils flared as he studied her. “I have better things to do than such inane a thing as spying on you.”
Oh, he was backpedaling now. He protested a little too much. The duke had Peeping-Tom-like qualities—without the weirdness. She could use that to her advantage. He didn’t appreciate her calling him out on them. Bully for him. Boredom made her do impetuous things, and he was about to become her new toy.
She stepped forward and brought her hand up to his chest, skimming it downward until it rested on his stomach. “So, Your Grace,” she said seductively. “How often do you find the need to spy on me?” She trailed her fingers down and skimmed the top of his trousers. “Have you seen me in…” She leaned in closer and said in a hushed tone, “Nothing at all?”
He sucked in a breath and stared down at her. His cheeks flushed to a bright red and his breathing became uneven. “I would never,” he said. The duke cleared his throat. “How dare you impugn my name in such a manner. I’m a gentleman.”
Serenity laughed and took a step back. Oh, how she loved to mess with him. “My darling, duke,” she said. “You’re a spy first and foremost and, as much as you like to protest the idea, you are very much a hot-blooded male.” She winked. “Who happens to like what he sees before him. Deny it all you want, but if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times.” She smiled and boldly met his gaze. “I see you. All of you. There’s nothing you can hide from me. You best become accustomed to that fact as long as I’m here.” Serenity couldn’t fathom why he hadn’t already…
At least he’d already forgotten about that blasted flower and her little game. That had been a close call. The duke glared at her as if she would burst into flames from ire alone. Poor man. He had no clue how to deal with her. One day he’d stop fighting what she already knew. They had an abundance of desire brewing between them. As soon as they gave into it, they’d find out how combustible they were together.
“You talk too much,” he gritted out. “For all your claims of
seeing me, I feel it’s important I let you in on a little secret.”
“Oh?” she tilted her head. “What’s that?”
He was trying to flip things over to his advantage. She couldn’t let him do that, but her curiosity had overcome her. What secrets could he have to impart? She waited on bated breath.
“I may not have your gifts,” he said tightly. “But I have a few of my own that are comparable when it comes to hidden information.”
She bet he did. He wasn’t the premier spymaster in England for no reason. Serenity would uncover all of the things he wanted to hide, and then what would he do? There would be no barriers between them, and they’d have to figure out what they wanted from each other. She couldn’t wait for that day to come. Amusement flooded her from the inside out. She couldn’t contain it all from spilling forth and burst into laughter. “I’m so sorry,” she said, wiping a tear away. “Were you supposed to be all foreboding or something?”
He growled. An actual real growl that rumbled forth and vibrated out of his mouth. Serenity’s insides curled up and came to attention. Oh, yes, do that again. She didn’t dare say that little tidbit aloud though. Maybe, if she stayed in the past, she would do so, but in this moment, they were still in the foreplay stage. It was a dance of sorts. She’d push him to the brink of frustration and then he’d storm away only to return again for more. He’d yet to push back at her in a way that would make her storm away. For months, they’d played this game with little to no results. Serenity wanted it to advance to the next stage, but how to push him toward her goal eluded her. What would it take to make him kiss her the way she kept imagining? She was waiting for him to give as much as she threw in his direction. When that happened, they could move on to the next step. Serenity wanted him. All that he had to offer, but not until he was ready. The duke was fighting her every step of the way. Fortunately for him, she had patience for the both of them.
“You’re an unnatural female,” he complained. “What did I ever do to have you thrust upon me?”
