A Scandalous Portrait: Rose Room Rogues ~ Book One
Page 17
Hunt hated how relieved he was to be dismissed. He should be strong and stay here with Diana, but he was in dire need of a brandy. Especially since her whimpers had turned into downright screams in the past half-hour. Mostly at him.
“I will be downstairs, Doctor, if you need me for anything.”
The doctor nodded and turned his attention to Diana.
Hunt never left a room so fast in his life. He sure as hell didn’t mind doing his part at the beginning of this blessed event, but the end result was best left to women and doctors.
Nine hours later, he was still pacing the library. He’d waved off luncheon and had only a bite of dinner before sending it back to the kitchen. There were a great deal of cuss words coming from his innocent and well-bred wife. Where she’d even heard some of them was questionable. More than a few were in Italian, but he didn’t have to speak the language to know she wasn’t praising him.
God, as annoying as his brothers could be, he wished they were here with him. He no sooner got the thought composed in his head when the library door opened, and the two miscreants entered.
“We couldn’t let you do this alone. Once we were sure the club was set to go tonight, we left Keniel in charge.”
“Who?”
“The new manager. From Jamaica. His name is Keniel Singh. Pleasant chap, but there’s something familiar about him, although he says he’s never been to England before.”
The three took turns pacing, assuring each other all was well, and grimacing each time Diana spewed a curse aimed at her husband. His two brothers looked at him with sympathy.
“Do you think she will ever let you near her bed again?” Dante asked with apparent sincerity.
“I’m not sure I ever want her in my bed again.” Hunt ran his fingers through his hair. “This is brutal.”
Unexpectedly, another scream erupted from the room upstairs, but this one sounded very much like a very small human. A not very happy human.
“The babe?” Hunt said, a slight grin on his face.
Marguerite came bounding down the stairs and hustled into the library. “My lord, come quickly.”
Hunt’s heart dropped to his stomach. “Is Diana all right?”
“Yes, yes, she’s fine. Come and see your daughter.”
Hunt turned to his brothers, knowing the silly grin on his face would be brought up many times over the years. “I have a daughter.”
They slapped him on the back. “Well done, man.”
“Don’t let Diana hear you say that. She’s done all the work.” He headed up the stairs. “I will summon you when my wife is respectable.”
Hunt slowly opened the door to see Diana holding a little bundle who had quieted down somewhat. Marguerite had cleaned his wife up. She wore a fresh nightgown, her hair had been brushed, and a ribbon held it back at her nape. She looked up. “Come, Hunt. Come see our daughter.”
She acted as though everything was quite normal after he’d spent hours listening to her suffering and cursing him.
He sat next to her on the bed, his insides shaking like jelly. “A little girl.” Blonde fuzz covered her tiny head. She looked so fragile, so helpless. A sense of protection he’d never felt before, not even for his beloved wife, swamped him, almost bringing him to his knees.
He reached out with a shaky finger and touched the extremely soft skin on her face. “She looks like you.”
“I know. I hope she is just like me, too.” She grinned at him, her eyes teasing. “Don’t you?”
Good heavens, no. I will be bald from snatching out my hair by the time the urchin is ten years.
“Of course, my love, of course. Just like you.” He leaned over and kissed Diana’s lips. “Just like you.”
He was amazed to realize he meant it.
The End
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I hope you had fun reading Diana and Hunt’s love story. For more Regency romance, check out For the Love of the Viscount.
A pretend courtship can only if work if you don’t fall in love . . .
Lady Elise is a very content spinster. She holds intellectual gatherings and attends poetry readings, mind-improving lectures, and art shows. She runs her father’s household with quiet and determine efficiency, which is why she is absolutely stunned when Papa informs his three daughters that until Lady Elise is happily settled with—gasp—a husband, he will not consider offers for his two younger daughters.
Lord Simon St. George has happily watched one friend after another become leg-shackled, taking pride in the fact that his title is secured by a brother and nephew, so there is no reason to seek a wife for himself. When he sees a woman previously unknown to him at a ball, who seems to be hiding from the rest of the attendees, he is intrigued enough to introduce himself.
A friendship forms, and Simon is thrilled to have found a lovely, intelligent woman to pass the time with, while Elise has secured a way to thwart her father by pretending they are courting. But even the best plans can go awry . . . .
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