The Love of a Rogue (21 page)

Alex’s firm lips tipped down at the corners as he followed her gaze to his sister, laughing at something Lady Anne had just said to her. The clear, tinkling sound carried over to them and yet… “She will be all right.” He spoke as if more to himself.

How could he be so certain? Imogen chewed her lower lip, worrying. How could he know…?

“I know because I believe in love,” he murmured, his breath fanned her cheek. “You taught me that love is indeed very real and, more importantly, to trust in giving myself over to the power of those sentiments. You saved me, Imogen,” he said simply. “And believing that now as I do, how can I truly ever believe a woman such as Chloe will not know love?” Alex raised her gloved hands to his mouth one at a time, pressing his lips against her knuckles.

“But—”

“Do you believe in love?” he charged.

“How can I not?” How when her every day was brighter, her joy greater, her heart fuller because of him?

“Then trust, Imogen.” Taking her by the hand, he tucked it into the crook of his elbow. “Now come along. I daresay a lady who quotes Shakespeare and dreams of romance would relish being here at Gipsy Hill.”

Imogen leaned close to her husband.
Trust
. He’d have her trust that Chloe would be well. He spoke with the same bold assurance of a man who’d found love and believed. He credited her with having opened his eyes. And yet, as they set after Chloe, she acknowledged the truth—they’d saved each other.

The End

Biography

Christi Caldwell is a USA Today Bestselling author of historical romance novels set in the Regency era. Christi blames Judith McNaught’s “Whitney, My Love,” for luring her into the world of historical romance. While sitting in her graduate school apartment at the University of Connecticut, Christi decided to set aside her notes and try her hand at writing romance. She believes the most perfect heroes and heroines have imperfections and rather enjoys tormenting them before crafting a well-deserved happily ever after!

When Christi isn’t writing the stories of flawed heroes and heroines, she can be found in her Southern Connecticut home chasing around her feisty six-year-old son, and caring for twin princesses-in-training!

Visit
www.christicaldwellauthor.com
to learn more about what Christi is working on, or join her on Facebook at Christi Caldwell Author (for frequent updates, excerpts, and posts about her fun as a fulltime mom and writer) and Twitter
@ChristiCaldwell
(which she is still quite dreadful with).

Other Books by Christi Caldwell

“Winning a Lady’s Heart”

A Danby Novella

Author’s Note: This is a novella that was originally available in A Summons From The Castle (The Regency Christmas Summons Collection). It is being published as an individual novella.

For Lady Alexandra, being the source of a cold, calculated wager is bad enough…but when it is waged by Nathaniel Michael Winters, 5th Earl of Pembroke, the man she’s in love with, it results in a broken heart, the scandal of the season, and a summons from her grandfather – the Duke of Danby.

To escape Society’s gossip, she hurries to her meeting with the duke, determined to put memories of the earl far behind. Except the duke has other plans for Alexandra…plans which include the 5th Earl of Pembroke!

“A Season of Hope”

A Danby Novella

Five years ago when her love, Marcus Wheatley, failed to return from fighting Napoleon’s forces, Lady Olivia Foster buried her heart. Unable to betray Marcus’s memory, Olivia has gone out of her way to run off prospective suitors. At three and twenty she considers herself firmly on the shelf. Her father, however, disagrees and accepts an offer for Olivia’s hand in marriage. Yet it’s Christmas, when anything can happen…

Olivia receives a well-timed summons from her grandfather, the Duke of Danby, and eagerly embraces the reprieve from her betrothal.

Only, when Olivia arrives at Danby Castle she realizes the Christmas season represents hope, second chances, and even miracles.

“Forever Betrothed, Never the Bride”

Book 1 in the Scandalous Seasons Series

Hopeless romantic Lady Emmaline Fitzhugh is tired of sitting with the wallflowers, waiting for her betrothed to come to his senses and marry her. When Emmaline reads one too many reports of his scandalous liaisons in the gossip rags, she takes matters into her own hands.

War-torn veteran Lord Drake devotes himself to forgetting his days on the Peninsula through an endless round of meaningless associations. He no longer wants to feel anything, but Lady Emmaline is making it hard to maintain a state of numbness. With her zest for life, she awakens his passion and desire for love.

The one woman Drake has spent the better part of his life avoiding is now the only woman he needs, but he is no longer a man worthy of his Emmaline. It is up to her to show him the healing power of love.

“Never Courted, Suddenly Wed”

Book 2 in the Scandalous Seasons Series

Christopher Ansley, Earl of Waxham, has constructed a perfect image for the
ton
–the ladies love him and his company is desired by all. Only two people know the truth about Waxham’s secret. Unfortunately, one of them is Miss Sophie Winters.

Sophie Winters has known Christopher since she was in leading strings. As children, they delighted in tormenting each other. Now at two and twenty, she still has a tendency to find herself in scrapes, and her marital prospects are slim.

When his father threatens to expose his shame to the
ton
, unless he weds Sophie for her dowry, Christopher concocts a plan to remain a bachelor. What he didn’t plan on was falling in love with the lively, impetuous Sophie. As secrets are exposed, will Christopher’s love be enough when she discovers his role in his father’s scheme?