Taking the Earl (Heiress Games Book 3)

by Sara Ramsey

  He placed his hand over hers. Her garter was looped between his fingers — the same red as her dress, bold and passionate. “I still don’t have a ring,” he said. “They’re all in Durrant’s room at the moment.”

  Lucy laughed. “We’ll be getting them back soon enough.”

  They’d instinctively moved onto their sides, facing each other, inches apart. It was a position for intimacy, for secrets — not for formal declarations. He looked into her eyes and said, “This is the third time I’m asking you and I don’t think I’m getting any better at it. But I can’t wait any longer. Lucretia Briarley, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  “Secret wife or real wife?” she asked.

  He tweaked her nose. “Real wife. No hiding after this.”

  She smiled. “Sounds like an adventure.”

  She moved in to kiss him, but he held her back. “Is that a yes?”

  “Of course it’s a yes,” she said. “I love you, Max. I never dreamed that I would find anyone like you — someone who would support me, and listen to me, and let me be myself. I want you by my side, just like you want me by yours. I want you to be the father of my children and teach them everything you know about how to survive.”

  She kissed him. This time, he let her. But she wasn’t done. “Mostly, I just want you,” she whispered. “If we have no other adventures in our whole lives, marriage to you would be enough.”

  A week later, Maidenstone Abbey played host to its first double wedding. Octavia and Rafe could have married sooner, but it took time for Lucy and Max to send to London for a special license. Octavia was determined to wait.

  “I’ve lived in sin for years,” Octavia had said cheerfully. “I only get to be a bride once. And I want to share the day with you if you’ll let me.”

  Lucy and Octavia had dreamed of a double wedding since they were little girls. They’d planned every detail of it during the endless summer before their debuts. And it made Lucy’s heart happy to know that those dreams could come true despite all the betrayals of the intervening years.

  But when Lucy had retrieved the sheaf of papers with their plans from the box where she’d stored mementos of Octavia, they’d taken one look at the detailed lists, laughed uproariously, and tossed them into the fire.

  Neither of them wanted a huge wedding breakfast or a grand ceremony at a London cathedral anymore. They didn’t want dramatic veils and orange blossoms. They wanted a small, simple ceremony in the place they loved most — and no long celebrations afterward that would keep them from their grooms.

  Ferguson had insisted on walking them down the aisle. That departure from the original plan was bittersweet. It should have been her grandfather at her side, not Ferguson.

  But if her grandfather was still alive, she never would have met Max. She could mourn her grandfather now. She could also honor his memory without shoving the pain aside.

  So she carried a bouquet made of his favorite flowers, breathed in the scent as she walked down the aisle, and silently thanked him for all he had given her. She’d been angry when he’d told her his final wishes — but the competition to decide Maidenstone’s fate had ended up being a gift.

  Her heart, though, was too eager for the future to dwell in the past. Max waited for her. He stood at the front of the ancient chapel, watching every step she took as though he couldn’t believe his luck. She was glad she’d left off the veil — there was nothing to obscure her view. Nothing to keep her from noticing the way his lips twitched, as though he was trying to be solemn but couldn’t stop himself from smiling. Nothing to keep her from seeing the moisture at the corners of his eyes when she joined him, as though the fact that she’d put her hand in his was an overwhelming joy.

  There were tears in her eyes too. She smiled up at him. “Thank you for stealing Maidenstone,” she whispered. “I never dreamed I’d be so lucky.”

  He leaned down and kissed her quickly, earning a reproof from the vicar. But the vicar wasn’t as concerned about morality as he might have been — no one who served the Briarleys for very long could be.

  Which was why the vicar took no issue with Julia’s presence. She was too young to be an attendant, probably too young even to be a guest, but Lucy wanted her there. She couldn’t start a new life with Max without making sure that Julia would feel as loved as always even when their family grew.

  Julia sat with Emma in the front row. Emma planned to go to London after the wedding — she had suggested that Max and Lucy would want some space. Lucy had no idea what Emma intended to do there, but she hoped that Emma would find the love she deserved.

  But Lucy and Max wouldn’t have Maidenstone all to themselves. Max’s siblings — all four of them — sat in the row behind Emma. Max had promised to take Lucy away on a honeymoon after the wedding, but his siblings planned to stay at Maidenstone until they returned.

  She still couldn’t believe that he had two brothers and an extra sister. After the business with Durrant, he had told her everything about them — and how they’d all been on the verge of boarding a ship to Buenos Aires when her message had arrived. Titus had expertly forged a letter to a “prospective buyer” in Durrant’s handwriting. Max had planted the letter and most of the Briarley jewels in the inn.

  With evidence in Durrant’s handwriting, the magistrate’s fate was sealed. He could have fought it. He might have even been successful. But the powers aligned against him would be difficult to overcome. He’d taken Ferguson’s offer of passage on the next ship out to avoid the possibility of sharing a prison cell with someone he’d convicted.

  To Max’s delight, his siblings had all decided to stay in England, at least for now. She suspected that most of them would go to London eventually — Antonia and Titus especially seemed uncomfortable at Maidenstone now that they were guests instead of servants. But Antonia had thawed, Atticus and Cressida were both sweet and clever, and Titus was a hilarious addition to their dinners. It was nicer than she expected to have Maidenstone’s halls filled with family again.

  The wedding ceremony passed in more of a blur than she’d expected. She had wanted to remember all of it — but after her hand was in Max’s and the vicar started to speak, it all became hazy and indistinct. She would remember the feeling forever, though — the feeling of being surrounded by love and having her love cherished in return.

  After it was over — after Max kissed her for far longer than was proper, which turned into a competition with Rafe and Octavia that made the vicar blush and Julia shriek with delight — they spilled out into the garden. “How do you feel, Lady Maidenstone?” Max asked her as they stood on the terrace.

  His title wouldn’t be official until the matter was raised at Parliament, but they anticipated no issues. She smiled up at him. “Ecstatic. Tired. Ready to be alone.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Do you intend for us to have separate beds?”

  She laughed and swatted his arm. “Alone with you. Don’t think you’re going to escape me, Lord Maidenstone. You may be a thief, but I am ruthless when it comes to getting what I want.”

  He raised her hand to his lips, kissing the finger that now bore his ring. She kept rubbing her thumb along the underside of the band as though she couldn’t believe it was there. It felt like his lips were sealing it to her skin. “I look forward to your ruthlessness, my lady. Since I won’t be stealing anymore, I’ll need practice to keep up my finger work.”

  She blushed and laughed, wanting rather desperately to drag him upstairs and give him his first practice session. But before she could do so, Ferguson and his wife Madeleine strolled up.

  “You really never leave, do you?” Lucy asked him.

  Ferguson smiled. “I’ll go home after today, I promise. Now that you’re all settled, I should turn my talents to other issues.”

  “What talents would those be?” Max asked.

  Ferguson swept his hand in a grand gesture that seemed to encompass the whole garden. “Love. Seems I have a knack for getting dif
ficult people to be less difficult and more amorous.”

  Lucy and Max both stared at him. “Do you think you’re the reason that we’re together?” Lucy asked.

  “Of course,” Ferguson said, adjusting his cuffs. “I should send you a bill for my services.”

  Beside him, Madeleine rolled her eyes. “What my husband means to say is that we’ve really enjoyed your party and we wish you very happy,” Madeleine said, her light French accent sounding amused and beleaguered all at once. “I hope he hasn’t put you off the rest of us. I would be delighted if you called on us the next time you’re in London.”

  “Of course,” Lucy said. “And I’m sure I’ll regret extending this invitation, but you are welcome to stay at Maidenstone again if you’d like.”

  “Next summer, perhaps?” Madeleine suggested. “If Octavia and Callie are in residence at the same time, it would be quite the party.”

  Lucy still couldn’t believe how everything had been resolved. The family had gathered the previous day to discuss the inheritance — an inheritance that had been thrown into chaos by Max’s arrival. Based on the information Ferguson had received from her grandfather’s solicitors, the deed to Maidenstone Abbey guaranteed, in perpetuity, that the property would pass to any legal male heir of the first earl before being split between the surviving females.

  That meant the house belonged to Max. But the rest of the property — the house in London, the hunting lodge, and all the jewels, furnishings, and money — was no longer entailed. Which meant Ferguson could dispose of it as he pleased.

  It was a role he had clearly looked forward to playing. But when Ferguson had gathered them all the day before and cleared his throat as though he was going to launch into a long soliloquy, Lucy had staved him off immediately.

  “We’ve come up with an agreement, if you’ll just sign it,” she said, putting a piece of paper in front of him.

  “Are you declaring war again?” he asked, looking down at it.

  “No,” she said. “Callie, Octavia, and I met privately and agreed to a deal. I think you’ll agree it’s equitable.”

  The girls had agreed that the money should stay with the house — there would be no Maidenstone Abbey if Max and Lucy didn’t have the funds to keep it up. But Octavia would keep the hunting lodge, since it had belonged to her brother before his death. Callie would take the London house, although they were all free to use it as they pleased. They could all come and go at Maidenstone whenever they wished — and hopefully their children would grow to love it, and each other, as much as they did.

  Ferguson had assented, claiming that he had intended to do exactly the same thing all along. And now, after the wedding, he smiled and said, “I should have gotten you to put that invitation in writing. I look forward to seeing if you still feel so charitably toward me next year.”

  Lucy smiled sweetly at him. “I’m sure a year will be long enough for me to forget the worst of your personality. Come back anytime you please.”

  Ferguson and Madeleine were still laughing as they walked away. Beside her, Max chuckled. “I never thought I’d even talk to a duke, let alone watch one be insulted like that.”

  “The world is full of marvels,” she said.

  He put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned against him, perfectly content to stand there and feel the sun on her face as he held her close.

  “You’re the most marvelous treasure I’ve ever seen,” Max said. “Would you mind very much if I steal you before anyone else interrupts us?”

  She smiled and grabbed his hand. “It’s only theft if you’re not welcome to take it. And I assure you, my lord, that you are very welcome to take everything.”

  “That, my love, sounds like an invitation I can’t resist.”

  He scooped her up into his arms, abducting her in plain sight of everyone on the terrace. She heard clapping and cheers, both from the guests in the garden and the servants who were watching from the balconies. She gave a little wave, completely unashamed. This was what she wanted.

  They would never be perfect. They might not always be safe. But there could never be another partner for her like Max.

  “I love you,” she said as he carried her into the house.

  “I know,” he said, stealing the first of many, many kisses.

  And so their first day as Lord and Lady Maidenstone began as so many others would — a mix of laughter and desire, threaded through with the simple joy of being together. She would never be a pirate queen; he would never be the most famous thief of their age. But loving each other was more of an adventure than they ever could have imagined.

  THE END

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  Thank you

  Thank you so much for reading Lucy and Max’s story! I had such a wonderful time writing the Heiress Games series, and I hope you enjoyed the book!

  As of this writing (April 2017), I haven’t titled my next book - there are many other characters whose stories I would love to tell, and I’m having trouble narrowing them down! To make sure you hear about future books as soon as they’re available, please sign up for my newsletter.

  In the meantime, if you missed Callie and Thorington’s romance, you should check out Duke of Thorns (Heiress Games #1). And if you want to learn more about Octavia and Rafe, please read Lord of Deceit (Heiress Games #2).

  Also, Ferguson, Madeleine, and their friends were introduced in my first series, the Muses of Mayfair:

  It all starts with Heiress Without a Cause, in which Madeleine and Ferguson engage in a madcap courtship (Muses #1)

  Amelia and Malcolm’s marriage is anything but convenient in Scotsmen Prefer Blondes (Muses #2)

  Ellie and Nick find love instead of revenge in The Marquess Who Loved Me (Muses #3)

  Prudence and Alex go from friends to lovers in The Earl Who Played With Fire (Muses #4)

  You can buy all books by clicking the links above.

  Again, to hear about future books, please make sure to sign up for my newsletter. If you want behind-the-scenes peeks into my writing life (warning: they usually involve Champagne and historical facts), or if you just want to connect, you can also friend me on Twitter or Facebook. I also love to hear from readers (although it sometimes takes awhile to respond) - please send me an email if there’s anything you want to say!

  Finally, if you enjoyed this book, please tell a friend — the best compliment you can give is to pass the book along to someone else. And if you really want to spread the word, rating the book or writing an honest review is always very much appreciated. Thanks again, and happy reading!

  Books by Sara Ramsey

  Muses of Mayfair

  Heiress Without a Cause

  Scotsmen Prefer Blondes

  The Marquess Who Loved Me

  The Earl Who Played With Fire

  The Heiress Games

  Duke of Thorns

  Lord of Deceit

  Taking the Earl

  Don’t miss the next series! Please sign up for my newsletter to be notified as soon as it’s available, or connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

  About the Author

  Sara Ramsey writes fun, feisty Regency historical romances. She won the prestigious 2009 Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® award with her second book, Scotsmen Prefer Blondes. Her first book, Heiress Without A Cause, was a 2011 Golden Heart finalist.

  Hopelessly uncool as a child, Sara has overcompensated by becoming obsessed with fashion, shoes, and #regencyworldproblems. She has great taste in Champagne, bad taste in movies, and a penchant for tiaras. She also believes in taking naps, wearing sunglasses at night, and using Oxford commas. Sara currently lives in San Francisco, California, where she can be found drinking overly-artistic lattes and working on her next Regency historical romance. Read all about her Regency obsessions and upcoming works at www.sararamsey.com.

  Copyright


  Taking the Earl is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidences are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The Publisher does not have any control over and does not assume responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  Copyright © 2017 Sara Wampler

  All Rights Reserved.

  Cover Photography © Novel Expression

  ISBN (epub): 978-1-938312-12-0

  ISBN (paperback): 978-1-938312-13-7