The Truth by Jane Lark ~ a free book exclusive to my blog ~ part sixty

The Truth

Posted as a gift of my time and thoughts to the readers of my books, thank you for the lovely messages of appreciation,

❤

© Jane Lark Publishing rights belong to Jane Lark,

this novel should not be recreated in any form without prior consent from Jane Lark

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 ,19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33,34,35,36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59

Emerald

“Miss Martin,” the woman began. “I am sorry, but I see him so rarely, you are not escaping me, Richard. Are you staying with us, will you be coming home? You must come and say hello to my friends.” The woman took hold of Richard’s hand. “Will you excuse us, Miss Martin?”

Richard glanced at Emerald then at his sister, then his eyes returned to Emerald. “Pardon me.”

“Of course.” Her agreement was breathless. If he went away she felt as though she might never see him again.

He bowed his head, she bobbed a weak curtsey and then he was drawn away by the woman.

“Miss Martin.” She turned to face the Russian Ambassador, a friend of The Duke’s. He held out his hand to receive hers, she lay her hand into his open palm and he bowed deeply and kissed the back of her silk glove. Then he straightened and leant forward a little. “Be careful with whom you consort, Miss Martin,” he whispered.

Did he mean Richard? warmth glowed in her cheeks as the Ambassador turned away, while memories of Richard’s kiss and his bed past through her mind.

“Emma dear, where have you been?” Emerald turned to face her aunt. “Why do you not sit down, my dear, you look flustered, your colour is up.”

She did not want to speak to her aunt. “No thank you. Excuse me.” She turned to the room, which was full of all their guests men and women and she could no longer see Richard.

“Emma.”

Emerald began to walk across the room. Ignoring her aunt’s plea to be heard.

She saw him. He was on the far side, taller than those about him, and he stood with a younger man who looked like him and another, older, woman as well as his sister.

He’d said he had no family to speak of on the ship.

“Emma?” She jumped as The Duke’s hand clasped her elbow in a firm grip to stop her movement. She turned to face him. “I was told you were speaking with Wroxeter. Heaven knows how he got in. But at least the people shall think it a coup that he appears here. But how came he to speak with you? Did he accost you?”

Wroxeter? The man The Duke liked to laugh about the ill-fortunes of. “I have not met him.” She freed her arm and glanced across her shoulder to ensure that Richard had not moved away.

“But Alekseev, saw you with him.”

She looked back at The Duke. “I spoke with Mr Farrow,.”

“Farrow?”

“I arrived on his ship…” Emerald began, but The Duke was not listening.

“Good God.” He was looking across the room, in the direction she had been looking. “He is Wroxeter.” She turned again. Richard? Wroxeter? An Earl… “You travelled all the way from India with him.

Emerald’s heart kicked. Richard was not an Earl. He’d have said so if he was. But he’d said he had no family to speak of on the ship and there he was standing amongst them. Her feet began to move, walking her towards him. He’d lied again. As he’d lied about his mistress and her mother––through omission.

To be continued…

The Marlow Intrigues: Perfect for lovers of period drama

The Tainted Love of a Captain #8 – The last episode in the Marlow Intrigues series

The Lost Love of Soldier ~ The Prequel #1 ~ A Christmas Elopement began it all

The Illicit Love of a Courtesan #2

The Passionate Love of a Rake #3

The Scandalous Love of a Duke #4

The Dangerous Love of a Rogue #5

The Jealous Love of a Scoundrel #5.5

The Persuasive Love of a Libertine #5.75 now included in Jealous Love, (or free if you can persuade Amazon to price match with Kobo ebooks) 😉

The Secret Love of a Gentleman #6

The Reckless Love of an Heir #7

Jane’s books can be ordered from most booksellers in paperback

Go to the index

For

the story of the real courtesan who inspired The Illicit Love of a Courtesan,
another free short story, about characters from book #2, A Lord’s Scandalous Love,
the prequel excerpts for book #3 The Scandalous Love of a Duke

Jane Lark is a writer of authentic, passionate and emotional Historical and New Adult Romance stories, and the author of a No.1 bestselling Historical Romance novel in America, ‘The Illicit Love of a Courtesan’.Click here to find out more about Jane’s books, and see Jane’s website www.janelark.co.uk to learn more about Jane. Or click ‘like’ on Jane’s Facebook page to see photo’s and learn historical facts from the Georgian, Regency and Victorian eras, which Jane publishes there. You can also follow Jane on twitter at @janelark

The Truth by Jane Lark ~ a free book exclusive to my blog ~ part fifty-nine

The Truth

Remembering those involved in London and Manchester

Love will always win over hatred, cruelty and violence!

Posted as a gift of my time and thoughts to the readers of my books, thank you for the lovely messages of appreciation,

© Jane Lark Publishing rights belong to Jane Lark,

this novel should not be recreated in any form without prior consent from Jane Lark

Emerald

She was dreaming.

Richard’s dark eyes looked across the room towards her.

It was him.

“Emerald?”

It was him!

She ran across the cold hard tiles of the floor as he took steps towards her, then her arms reached about his neck as his arms wrapped about her, his was warm and solid and real.

“Oh Richard,” she whispered to his collar as her head pressed against his shoulder. The comfort she had known in his arms on the ship flooded her. The reassurances he had whispered in the darkness in the day cabin on those first nights that she had met him there spoke into her mind.

“It’s all right now, sweetheart. I have you,” his voice was gravelly, rumbling in his chest when he replied quietly. But then his hands settled on her waist and he set her away so she had to let him go.

Behind him The Duke’s footmen stared, wide-eyed.

She did not care.

He turned to look at them. “Is this proof enough that I am welcome?” They did not answer as Richard turned back to her and gently took hold of her arm. “Where may we talk?”

The high feminine voices in the drawing rom could be heard through the door behind Emerald.

“The terrace.” she whispered back, freeing her elbow from his grip and grasping his hand to draw him with her, “We can slip through here, through the library.” She pulled him behind her, feeling alive for the first time in weeks, feeling blood in her veins and air in her lungs. “Where did you come from? I thought you had returned to India.”

The library was dark only gilded by the moonlight spilling through the french-doors. She did not stop, if they were found in here it would be a disaster, but if they were found on the terrace she could say she had stepped out for air. “I had given up hope of you calling here.” She opened the french-doors and pulled him out into the lukewarm summer air. It was nothing like India, the heat lacked any intensity. Heat had surrounded her in India like a shawl on her shoulders.

“Emerald.” Her name left his lips with a note of pain and then she was no longer leading but his hands were at her waist and his mouth came down on hers. The kiss was like fire. It tore through her in flames, a flush of heat racing over her skin. Her fingers gripped the material of his coat over his shoulders and her tongue fenced with his. This was her Richard.

He broke the kiss and his hands slipped to hold her hips.

She looked into the eyes that she had dreamt of. “You said you would come back.”

“I said I would give you time to grieve, I asked you to wait and write if you had need. What is this nonsense with Sunderland and it is clearly nonsense if you would stand out here and kiss me.”

Her fingers cradled his nape. She could not even remember now why she had been angry with him.

“Why did you not write? Why would you marry him?” The last words were spoken on a growl at the same moment the french-doors behind him, that lead out from drawing room, opened.

They broke apart and she stepped back as Richard turned.

No one stepped out, but the sound of male voices as well as women’s voices flowed out of the room.

Richard looked back at her. “We had best go in there. But we will continue this conversation soon.” He took her hand and became the one leading her but just before the door he let her go and tugged on the bottom of his waistcoat straightening it as he stepped back so she could walk in ahead of him.

She stepped through the open french-door into a swell of people, The Duke’s guests, the people who were here to celebrate her engagement. Moments ago she had kissed another man outside, a man who stepped into the room behind her.

Her heart pounded as she looked about the room.

“Where is The Duke?” Richard whispered.

She could not see him.

“Richard. You did not write to tell us you were coming.”

A dark haired woman walked towards them. Emerald could not remember her name but she was not looking at Emerald, her eyes were focused on Richard and as she neared him are arms lifted and he stepped forward to receive an embrace.

Emerald watched, silent.

“These unexpected appearances are becoming a habit of yours,” the woman said as she released Richard, but then she gripped his hands. “Mama is here and Freddie, Alicia and Amelia. When did you come to town? Tonight, after we left home? Oh I wish you had let us know. I have been itching to come to the country just to be with you but Mama––.”

“Rose, take a breath,” Richard responded and then he looked at Emerald. “Miss Martin, have you met my youngest sister, Rosalind.”

His sister…