Captured by a Gentleman (Regency Unlaced 6) (16 page)

Those were the last words Darcy heard before she was consumed by darkness.

Chapter 13

“—she deserves a damn good thrashing.”

“I intend to see to her chastisement as soon as Darcy is recovered enough to understand the reason for it.”

“See that you do. For I will not tolerate another scare like the one she put us both through this evening.”

“I trust your affection for Darcy is platonic, Stowmont?”

“To the same degree yours is not, Montgomery.”

Stowmont and Montgomery
.

Darcy had fought her way through the layers of darkness pressing down on her to hear part of the conversation between those two gentlemen. It had not taken more than a few words for her to realize she was the subject of that discussion.

Or to wisely decide to keep her eyelids closed so that the two men were not yet aware she had recovered from her faint. Although she had no idea where she was, except she appeared to be lying on something rather comfortable. Possibly a bed in one of the bedchambers at Wetherby House?

It was rather touching to learn of the aloof Stowmont’s familial affection for her after knowing her such a short time.

It caused her body to flush hotly to hear Ranulf’s affection described as the opposite to familial.

To learn that he possibly had an affection for her at all…

“I do not suppose it would do any good for me to tell you it is not in the least proper for you to remain alone in Darcy’s bedchamber with her?” Stowmont drawled.

Darcy heaved an inward sigh of relief at learning she was in her own bedchamber at Stowmont House rather than still at Wetherby House. The two gentlemen must have transported her back here in the duke’s carriage after she had fainted.

“You could try,” Ranulf challenged.

“I make a point of never expending energy on anything I consider a pointless waste of my time,” Stowmont dismissed in a bored voice. “I am going out for a few hours. I trust this will be settled by the time I return?”

“You may depend upon it,” Ranulf assured in a hard voice.

Darcy was in something of a quandary. If she spoke up in protest against the duke’s intention of leaving her alone with a Ranulf who obviously intended to spank her as soon as she recovered, then she would also reveal that she had been listening to their conversation for some time. Earning her a further spanking, no doubt.

“Good night, Darcy,” the duke addressed her dryly, causing her to open startled lids and look at him. “Do not stay up too late talking when there are far more pleasant ways in which the two of you might spend your time.”

Darcy kept her gaze on her guardian rather than the glowering Ranulf seated in a chair beside the bed. His simmering anger was almost palpable. “You cannot mean to leave me alone here with Ranulf.”

Stowmont shrugged wide shoulders. “From what I hear, it will not be the first time.”

“Or the last,” Ranulf bit out.

Darcy gave a wince as she chanced a glance at him, and then wished she had not. Green eyes glittered down at her. Ranulf’s lips were thinned. His jaw tense. As was the whole of his body. “I am not feeling well, Ranulf,” she defended.

“If you fail to explain yourself to my satisfaction, I guarantee you are going to feel even less so very shortly!”

“That is most definitely my cue to leave.” Stowmont gave a mocking bow before departing the bedchamber.

Ranulf barely waited until the other man had left, closing the door behind him, before demanding, “What did you think you were doing earlier, intending to go off with Sugdon and suffer God knows what at his hands?”

“He said Sterling was going to shoot you if I did not!”

“And as I said at the time, he was going to shoot me anyway, whether you went with Sugdon or not.”

“I did not know that,” she defended as she pulled herself up farther onto the pillows, feeling at too much of a disadvantage lying flat on the bed. Not that she need have bothered, because the moment Ranulf stood, she was again placed in the disadvantageous position of gazing up at him as he began to restlessly pace the bedchamber. “I was trying to protect you, Ranulf…” She looked at him pleadingly.

“Why?”

“Why…?” she repeated guardedly. “Well, because…because…”

He stood glowering beside the bed. “Yes?”

Color warmed her cheeks. “I could not let him shoot you.”

“Why not?”

She frowned. “What sort of question is that?”

“A valid one, I would have thought.”

Her frown turned to irritation. “I would have done the same for anyone.”

“Would you?” Ranulf looked down at her searchingly.

“Anyone would have,” she maintained firmly.

Ranulf had felt murderous himself earlier when Darcy stepped forward with the obvious intention of sacrificing herself to Sugdon’s will in order to, as she thought, save Ranulf’s life. He had never felt so angry in his life before. It was perhaps as well she had fainted shortly afterward, or he would not have been answerable for his actions.

The mere thought of Darcy meekly suffering Sugdon’s attentions for his sake was enough to rekindle that earlier anger. “I can think of no one else who would have done such a thing.”

“Well… I… I could not let him shoot you, Ranulf,” she repeated determinedly.

Ranulf was aware that much of his anger was caused from fear. For Darcy. At the sacrifice she had been willing to make in order to protect him.

“Could we get the spanking over with, do you think?” Darcy sighed.

He gave a rueful shake of his head. “I have no intention of spanking you.”

“But you said—”

“That was merely talk between two gentlemen, in order to bleed off some of the tension from earlier this evening.” He smiled slightly as he saw Darcy’s expression was a mix between relief and disappointment. “Unless you wish me to spank you…?”

“Yes. No! I mean…” Delicate color warmed her cheeks. “You have ignored me this past week,” she accused.

Ranulf’s amusement faded. “For your own safety.”

“It did not feel that way.”

“Well, it was.” He resumed pacing the bedchamber. “Stowmont and I discussed the situation and decided that it was for the best if you and I were not seen together.”

“
Stowmont and you
decided that?”

“Yes.”

“You were the one who spoke to me earlier this evening.”

“And look what happened.”

“Oh.”

He gave a humorless smile. “I have to admit we had not expected to catch Sterling out as well, but—”

“
You had not expected,
” she repeated incredulously. “That comment implies a certain amount of premeditation on the part of both you and Stowmont.”

“Yes,” Ranulf confirmed without apology. “The fact that Prinny was going to be at the ball this evening, along with Sugdon, seemed the ideal opportunity for us to allow Sugdon the chance to incriminate himself. He did so far beyond our expectations,” he added with satisfaction.

Darcy swung her legs to the side of the bed before standing up, ignoring the slight dizziness this caused, as she glared at Ranulf. “You and my guardian attended the ball this evening, plotted together, only with the intention of trapping Lord Sugdon into revealing his true nature to the Prince Regent?”

“Yes.”

“You
knew
Stowmont had not gone into the garden at all and intended to bring the Prince Regent into the garden if my uncle followed us outside.”

“Yes.”

“In the hopes my uncle would incriminate himself.”

“Yes.”

“You did not marry Millicent for her dowry as Sterling said you did.”

“The same dowry I returned to Sugdon the night you saw me at his home, and decided to hide in my carriage the following morning?”

“Yes.”

“Obviously not.”

“You did not kill Millicent.”

“No.”

“This evening, my uncle implied she had killed herself. Is that true?”

“No.”

“Her death really was an accident.”

“Yes.”

“You only told me you had killed her in order to ensure I left you.”

“Yes.”

“But you were as surprised as I when Adam Sterling also made an appearance this evening.”

“Yes.”

“You had no idea he and Lord Sugdon had made an unholy alliance in order to punish both of us.”

“No.”

“You are in love with me, as I am with you.”

“Yes— You are in love with me?” Ranulf ceased his pacing to stare at her.

“As you are with me,” she came back challengingly.

“Yes.”

Darcy breathed out shakily. “Then would you please kiss me before I expire from longing?”

“God, yes!” Ranulf stepped forward to sweep her up into his arms and take very firm and satisfying possession of her lips.

“I am still far from forgiving you for making me leave Winterbourne House last week, or for this evening’s machinations,” Darcy murmured a long time later as she and Ranulf lay naked on her bed together, their lovemaking having been very long and even more satisfying.

“There must be something I can do to make reparation,” Ranulf murmured indulgently.

“I cannot think of anything.”

“Nothing at all?”

“No.”

“You are assured now that I am very much in love with you?”

“Yes.”

“That, until I met you, I had no intention of ever loving any woman?”

“Yes.”

“You love me too?”

“Yes.”

“Very much?”

“Oh yes.”

“Will you marry me?”

“Ye— Ranulf…?” It was now her turn to look at him uncertainly.

Ranulf moved up onto his elbow to grin down at her. “I love you very much, Miss Darcy Ambridge. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“You are sure that is what you want?”

He frowned. “I am sure this is a question you should answer with a yes or a no, not another question.”

“Yes.”

“As it is a question I never expected to ask again, I would appreciate— Yes…?” he echoed sharply.

“Yes, please?” Darcy teased, feeling as if her heart were about to burst from her chest. She had never, not in her wildest imaginings, thought that Ranulf would ever love and want to marry her. “I love you so very much, Ranulf. I would be honored to be your wife.”

They spent several long minutes expressing that love for each other with more wild caresses and heated murmurings.

“You would enjoy my spanking you occasionally?” Ranulf teased lovingly.

“Oh yes, please. It was, is, so pleasurable.”

He nodded. “You really do have the most beautiful bottom.”

Darcy’s cheeks were flushed. “I enjoy the lovemaking that follows best of all.”

“As do I,” Ranulf confirmed gruffly. “We do not have to live in Scotland all the time. I can tolerate London for short periods, if it would please you.”

“It would not.”

His brows rose. “Not…?”

“I do not enjoy London Society any more than you do, my darling.” Her arms moved up about his shoulders. “We will have to return to London for the trial of Sugdon and Sterling, but other than that, I will happily spend the rest of my life in Scotland, as long as it is with you.”

“You will?”

“Very happily.”

Ranulf had not expected to ever allow himself to fall in love with any woman. But then, he had not expected to ever meet a woman as beautiful, loyal, and true as Darcy.

He would love and protect her till he breathed his last.

As he knew without a doubt Darcy would love and protect him to the last breath in her own body.

Because they were in love and loved each other.

Thank God!

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About The Author

Carole Mortimer is a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2015, a Pioneer for Romance Romantic Times Award in 2014.  She was recognized by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012 for her ‘outstanding service to literature’. Carole has written 215 contemporary and Regency novels.

She is happily married to Peter. They have 6 sons, and live on the beautiful Isle of Man. She also loves to hear from Readers!

Other books by Carole Mortimer

Regency Unlaced Series:

The Duke’s Mistress (Book 1)

Claimed by the Marquis (Book 2)

Taken by the Earl (Book 3)

Pursued by the Viscount (Book 4)

Desired by a Lord (Book 5)

Captured by a Gentleman (Book 6)

More books to come in this series

Knight Security Series:

Resisting Alexandre (Knight Security 0.5)

Defying Asher (Knight Security 1)

Challenging Gabriel (Knight Security 2)

Caleb (Knight Security 3) Coming Soon

ALPHA Series:

Christmas Alpha (Alpha 1)

Dark Alpha (Alpha 2)

Shadow Alpha (Alpha 3) Author’s 200
^th
Book

Midnight Alpha (Alpha 4)

Renegade Alpha (Alpha 5)

Warrior Alpha (Alpha 6)

Rogue Alpha (Alpha 7)

Savage Alpha (Alpha 8)