Passions of a Gentleman (Gentlemen of Honor Book 3) (23 page)

A
ugust

“
W
hen are
you going to tell me where we’re going?” Rae asked not for the first time since they'd left London before the sun came up.

“When we get there,” Simon said once again.

“Hmmm.” Rae straddled him and placed her hands on his shoulders. She leaned forward and kissed him. “Perhaps I can think of a way to get you to spill your secrets.”

“Minx,” he murmured between kisses. “My lips are sealed.”

“Are they now?” She closed the gap between them again and licked the seam of his lips, parting them.

Simon cupped her face and returned her kiss.

“Now that we know there’s not wax holding your lips together, you can divulge our destination whenever you’d like.”

“That’ll be when we arrive,” he said with a smug smile.

Rae repositioned herself on his lap and rested her head against his chest. “And when shall that be?”

“In an hour or three.”

She wanted to groan. Anticipation would be the death of her. It hadn’t helped that Simon had fixed the curtains to be tied in a way that didn’t allow her to see anything except what little the sconces could light the inside of the carriage.

Abruptly, the carriage halted. Rae frowned. “Why has he stopped? Doesn’t he know I’m a bundle of nerves back here?”

Simon laughed and set her on the seat beside him. “I’ll check. You wait here.”

Rae snorted. That wasn’t likely.

“I mean it, Rae. Stay here or—”

Just then, the door to the carriage flew open, revealing a harried coachman and a large estate.

Rae blinked. “Briar Creek?”

“Sprawling out before us,” Simon confirmed.

“Yes, I can see that,” she said, allowing him to help her descend the carriage. “But why are we here?”

He grinned at her. “To get married.”

“We’re already married,” she pointed out, more confused now than before.

Simon placed his hand on the small of her back and led her up the front steps and then wrenched open the door. “Not in front of our friends and family.”

Rae stood frozen staring at the tableau in front of her.

To her left stood Juliet and Drake, who held her newborn son, his smile brighter than the moon at night. The pair was flanked by their twins and the three older girls. To their right stood Walter and a giddy-looking Katherine. To her right was a grinning Giles and Rae’s newest and dearest friend Lucy. Beside Lucy stood her son Seth, dressed in a smart suit of clothing that was attracting the attention of all the girls in the room, including both Dara and Jane who stood so close to him, she doubted air could pass between their bodies. Peter, Joseph, Samuel, Jacob, and Lucas fidgeted in a little cluster. She squinted, noticing how they were each poking and jabbing each other with their elbows. Beside them, stood her parents, beaming. Rounding out the semicircle of family were Brooke and Andrew, just as they’d once promised her they’d be.

“Simon,” she breathed, her mind racing to make sense of what was going on. “This wasn’t necessary.” But it was very touching and she appreciated that he had gone through so much effort as to even make sure her entire family had been included.

“I think it was.” He reached for her hands and turned her to face him, their audience be damned. “You know I love you, and now I can declare it for anyone who might question it.”

His words sliced through her heart. “Is that why you did this? Do you still think I don’t believe you?”

“No,” he said. “And if I ever suspect that you do doubt, I know just how to prove it to you. This—” he waved his hand through the air— “is my way of letting the rest of the world know once and for all how much I love you. That I chose you. And that I will always love you. You weren’t a balm for my grieving heart, you were the piece I didn’t know was always missing.”

Tears pricked the back of Rae’s eyes at his declaration. “I love you.”

“And I love you, too.” He kissed her. “Now, go get changed. The minister will be here shortly.”

In less than fifteen seconds, the ladies had fled the room and were on their way to a dressing room. Of course everyone but Rae was already dressed in their full wedding attire, but they all needed to be in there to fuss over her like ladies do.

The remainder of them went into the drawing room to wait while Simon slipped off to the library to change his suit of clothes. When he was done, he wasn’t surprised at all to find Seth waiting for him on the other side of the door. The pair locked eyes, each had the same question for the other: “Have you asked him yet?”

Being older, Simon could hold the boy’s gaze longer.

“I asked him this morning.”

“And?”

Seth grinned. “You were right. He said yes.”

Simon clapped him on the shoulder. “I suppose it’s my turn, then.”

Now it was Seth’s turn to slap Simon on the back. “He’s in the drawing room.”

“Giles,” Simon said, walking up to his brother.

At some time when Simon had been changing Paul Grimes, a family friend and vicar, had arrived and was greeting the guests and making introductions.

Giles bowed, his lips stretched into a smile that was sure to make his cheeks sore tonight. “Simon.”

“I hear you’ve granted Seth quite an honor this morning.”

“It’s the other way,” Giles corrected.

“I think it goes both ways. A boy needs a papa.” At Giles’ nod of agreement, Simon said, “Do you think you could grant another one this afternoon?”

Giles’ brows grew together. “Pardon?”

“Would you stand up with me during the ceremony?”

Giles’ stunned expression would have made Simon laugh if he hadn’t been so damn nervous to ask. “I-uh-I—”

“Is that a yes?”

The column of Giles’ throat worked. “Of course.”

Simon smiled. He’d wager Giles would have never guessed that coming to London in April would have brought him so many things: a repaired relationship with his mother, a father, a wife, and a son and most surprising even to Simon—a true brother, none of which could possibly be outweighed by having his competency declared and given full rights to his barony—which, just as Simon had assured him—had been granted without question or reservation.

A flurry of commotion came from outside the drawing room, signaling that the ladies were ready to begin.

Mother, Mrs. Hughes, Lady Drakely, and Lucy all filed in and formed a little aisle by the door.

Rae walked up to the door and a round of dramatic gasps from the three youngest girls sounded.

“Henny, you’re radishing,” exclaimed Jane, leading the rest of the room to erupt in laughter. The little girl smacked his leg with her hand. “Isn’t she radishing, Simon?”

Simon scooped her up and kissed her cheek. “She sure is. And she’s all mine.”

Jane heaved another exaggerated sigh. “I suppose I’ll let you have her, then.” She looked to her older sister. “Unless you don’t want him.”

“I do.” Rae walked over to them and smoothed Jane’s hair back. “One day your prince will come. Mine did.”

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S
ecrets of a Viscount
—One summer night, Sebastian Gentry, Lord Belgrave hauled the wrong young lady to Gretna Green. When her identity is exposed, the only obvious solution is to get an annulment. Only, just like his elopement plans, things didn’t go as planned and while she has reason to believe they are no longer married, he knows better. Wanting to make things right for her, he offers to help her find a husband—what neither counts on is it just might be the one she’s still secretly married to.

D
esires of a Baron
—Giles Goddard, Lord Norcourt is odd. Odder still, he has suddenly taken a fancy to his brother’s love interest, the fallen Lucy Whitaker. Lucy was once thrown over by a lord and she has little desire to let it happen again, but she’s about to learn that his desires just might be enough for the both of them.

P
assions of a Gentleman
—Having been thrown over twice already, Simon Appleton has given up his pursuit for a wife—especially if his only choice is the elusive Miss Henrietta Hughes. But when he discovers a secret about her, he’s not above helping to protect her...

I
f you'd like
to stay current on Rose's releases, please visit her website at
www.rosegordon.net
to sign up for her new release newsletter.

W
hile you wait
for the next Regency, why not take a trip to Fort Gibson where three handsome Army Officers are about to find love where they least expect it!

A
merican-set
historical romance series that takes place in Indian Territory in the mid-1840s.

T
he Officer and the Bostoner
—While on her way to meet her intended, Allison Pearson was abandoned by her traveling party at a desolate Army fort in the middle of Indian Territory. It’s a good thing there is a handsome, smooth talking officer named Captain Wes Tucker will temporarily marry her until her intended can reclaim her.

T
he Officer and the Southerner
—Lieutenant Jack Walker sent off for a mail-order bride. Ella Davis answered the ad. Jack forgot to mention a few living details, and Ella’s about to let him know it!

T
he Officer and the Traveler
—Captain Grayson Montgomery's mouth has landed him in trouble again! And this time it's not something a cleverly worded sentence and a handsome smile can fix. Having been informed he'll either have to marry or be demoted and sentenced to hard labor for the remainder of his tour, he proposes, only to discover those years of hard labor may have been the easier choice for his heart.

T
hree American sisters
have arrived in England for a brief visit, but they’re about to all find something they never bargained for: love.

I
ntentions of the Earl
—Faced with never-ending poverty, a gentleman is offered a handsome sum if he'll ruin a certain young lady's future—only she has other plans, and it might entail her ruining
his.

L
iberty for Paul
—There's only one thing Liberty Banks hates worse than impropriety: one Mr. Paul Grimes, and unfortunately for her, it's her own impropriety that just got her married to him!

T
o Win His Wayward Wife
—Not to be outdone by her sisters' scandalous marriages, Madison Banks is about to have her own marriage-producing scandal to a man who, unbeknownst to her has loved her all along.

F
our decided
bachelors are about to have their freedom ripped right from their clutches with nothing to show for it but love.

H
er Sudden Groom
—When informed he must marry within the month or be forced to marry the worst harpy ever to set foot on English shores, the overly scientific, always logical Alex Banks decides to conduct his courtship like a science experiment!

H
er Reluctant Groom
—Emma Green has loved Marcus, Lord Sinclair for as long as she can remember, so when he slips up and says he loves her, too, it should all be so simple. But it's never that simple when the man in question was once been engaged to and jilted by Emma's older sister.

H
er Secondhand Groom
—
What Patrick Ramsey, Lord Drakely AKA Lord Presumptuous wanted was an ordinary village girl to be a “motherness” to his daughters and stay out of his bedroom; what he’s about to get is something so much more.

H
er Imperfect Groom
— Sir Wallace Benedict is a thrice-jilted baronet who is about to finally have his happily-ever-after, if only the family of his one-true-love, would stop being so darn meddlesome!

T
he first two
are prequels to the previous series and the second two are follow ups.

H
is Contract Bride
—Since just a lad, Edward Banks, Lord Watson knew Regina Harris would one day be his bride, he'd seen the paper to prove it many times; only someone forgot to inform Regina...

H
is Yankee Bride
—John Banks wants
nothing
to do with the scandalous, sweet talking, ever-present, American beauty named Carolina, or so that’s what he keeps saying...

H
is Jilted Bride
—Amelia Brice has a secret...and so does Elijah Banks. Hers is big...but his is bigger!

H
is Brother's Bride
—Presented with a marriage contract his twin brother has signed but cannot fulfill, Henry Banks has to form a plan to save the Banks name, even if it means pretending he's his brother, or worse yet, marrying a lady who holds a grudge against his family.