She wrinkled her nose. “Although I confess, it’s never made much sense to me. The women of my family have possessed the brooch for over a century and each has worn it on their wedding day.”
“Well, mayhap it’s time to change the legend then. If a married woman permits her adoring husband to remove the brooch, he’s allowed to make love to her.” A satisfied smile quirked his mouth.
“Why am I not surprised that’s how your legend ends?” she quipped. They quite often ended up making love when they’d originally been about another task.
“Finally,” Kingston said, unfastening the last of the tiny buttons. “Remind me to forbid you to order any more gowns with more than three buttons.”
“Three? You’re incorrigible.”
“I do my best.” He winked then helped her step from the satin, his blue eyes darkening to indigo in appreciation. “I vow, you grow more beautiful every day, love.”
Vanessa looped her arms around his neck. “You say that because you love me.”
“I say that because it is the truth.” He scooped her into his arms and made for their bed. They’d tossed aside convention, scandalizing her servants, and shared a bedchamber.
As it turned out, one of the maids she’d left behind when she’d gone to Canterbury, Marcy Pittock, had been guilty of providing Owen with information and letting him inside the house. The scoundrel had promised to marry the girl, after bedding her, of course. And then once Marcy had begun spying for him, Owen threatened to expose her if she didn’t continue to do so.
She’d tearfully confessed all when Vanessa had returned to London in February with her new family, and she and Kingston had interrogated each staff member.
Though sympathetic to the young woman’s plight, Vanessa had dismissed her. However, she’d provided a letter of reference and funds enough to see her through until she found another position. Hopefully, she had learned a valuable lesson, for not all employers would’ve been as benevolent as Vanessa. Marcy Pittock could’ve found herself in Newgate.
“What are you thinking, darling? You have a faraway look in your eyes.” Kingston plucked at the ribbons of her chemise.
“I was thinking of Marcy Pittock and Owen,” she answered truthfully. “I still fret that he’ll show up and cause problems for us.”
“Didn’t I tell you not to worry about that blighter?” A scowl pulled his mouth downward, but he brushed his knuckles across her jaw. “But to put your mind at ease, I’ve had word from the investigator I hired all those months ago. He’s traced Owen to New York City.”
She glanced up, relief and hope contending for supremacy. Could the only lingering threat to her and Kingston’s happiness be truly gone? “In America?”
“One and the same.” Kingston nudged her down onto the mattress and set to work on her stockings and slippers, kissing a sensual path down each of her trembling thighs. He was quite the most dutiful and attentive lady’s maid.
“Do you think he’ll remain there?” she managed to ask before she collapsed back onto the soft mattress.
“I do, indeed,” Kingston murmured before kissing the arch of her left foot. “Seems he owed a great deal of money to some very unsavory fellows here in London. That combined with your threat to press charges for the theft of your jewels, sent him hightailing it to the States. Where he was apprehended for attempted murder after a petty robbery gone wrong. He’s been sentenced to thirty years in prison.”
Kingston joined her on the seafoam green and yellow counterpane and, tucking her to his side, draped a long, muscular leg over hers. She adored having his weight atop her.
Despite how awful Owen had always been to her, Vanessa felt a twinge of pity for him.
She rolled onto her side and, wrapping an arm around Kingston’s lean waist, gazed into his eyes. “Then, there is absolutely nothing left to keep us from living happy lives now.”
“Nothing at all, my love.”
The End
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author COLLETTE CAMERON® scribbles Scottish and Regency historicals featuring dashing rogues and scoundrels and the intrepid damsels who reform them. Blessed with an overactive and witty muse that won’t stop whispering new romantic romps in her ear, she’s lived in Oregon her entire life, though she dreams of living in Scotland part-time. A confessed Cadbury chocoholic, you’ll always find a dash of inspiration and a pinch of humor in her sweet-to-spicy timeless romances®.
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Author’s Note
Thank you so much for reading LOVED BY THE LYON. Having lost three family members in house fires, Kingston’s grief over the loss of his best friend in a fire was all too real for me. I wanted to create characters in him and Vanessa that you, dear reader, could relate to and come to love as I did.
I sincerely hope their story brought you a few hours of relaxation and enjoyment. Please consider leaving a review if it did. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read the other books in the Lyon’s Den Connected World.
I mentioned a few secondary characters in LOVED BY THE LYON that you can learn more about by reading my SEDUCTIVE SCOUNDRELS SERIES, including the Earl of Wainthorpe and Everleigh, Duchess of Sheffield.
I also referred to Kingston’s Highlander ancestor, Camden Kennedy. Camden has his own story in my nine-book HEART of a SCOT series.
You can find information about all of my books and how to connect with me on social media on my website: collettecameron.com.
Hugs,
Collette
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