Capturing The Earl’s Love Part Fifteen ~ A Historical Romance Story

A #free short story… I’ll be telling it here, and it can also now be downloaded from Amazon.

Capturing the Earl’s Love

A Historical Romance story

Part Three

Part Seven

Part Eight

Part Nine

Part Fifteen

Lord Morton, Rupert – she could not get used to calling him by his given name – was in the breakfast room when Meredith entered, as was Rowena.

He stood.

She moved to take her seat at the end of the table, opposite where Rupert sat, but he beckoned her forwards, as he’d done yesterday morning.

“Sit here, Meredith.”

He’d only left her an hour ago, after making love to her a third time.

Oh, it might not have been love, but it felt like love. He looked at her and touched her with such adoration when they were in bed.

He’d woken her in the middle of the night, and moved over her. That time had been a precious, very slow, languorous coupling. Then this morning he’d drawn her on top of him.

She was soft and warm inside, and her senses still tingled with the intimate pleasure he’d given her just recently.

But did the bridge stand between them again now, here? It had not an hour ago.

His hand beckoned her again and he smiled.

Her heart flooding with emotion, she walked forward. She loved him so much, all she wished for was that he would love her in return; or at least like her.

When she reached him, he caught hold of her hand and then kissed her fingers before encouraging her to sit.

Her heart thumped and her breath caught in her chest as she did. His kiss, on her fingers, had been gentle. It had felt like adoration, as his love-making had. She knew she was blushing. She would make him happy. She would do her best to be all he wished.

When she looked up, Rowena was staring.

Meredith smiled.

Rowena did not.

“I thought I would take you out today, Meredith. What would you say to a drive out of London to an inn I know near Windsor? We might walk a little way along the river afterward.”

Rowena’s head spun to face her brother.

Meredith’s cheeks heated as she looked at him, too, and met his hazel gaze. It shone gold in the morning light.

“We must get to know one another better.”

Her heart swelling with joy, she nodded.

“Good.” He looked at Rowena then. “Will you join us?”

“No. I’ll stay here and go out with Ellen instead.”

“Very well. I will leave you to eat then, Meredith, and order my phaeton made ready.”

Once he’d gone, Meredith faced Rowena. “Please come?”

“So you have me to shelter behind? No. You must face the situation you created.” Rowena’s voice was bitter.

“I want you to come, because you are my friend, and I do not like—”

“Friends do not trap one another’s brothers.” Rowena stood.

A knock struck the open door. Owens, the butler, stood there. “Lady Rowena?”

“Yes, Owens.”

“I have a message for you. Lord Kendrick sent a boy to say he will call for you in an hour, my Lady.”

Meredith’s gaze spun from the butler, to her friend. Rowena was blushing now. “Rowena?”

“Thank you, Owens.” After dismissing the butler, Rowena then glanced about the footmen in the room. “You may all go.”

Meredith stood as the footmen filed out. “Rowena?” she said again, once the men had gone.

“You are not to judge, and you are not to say a thing to Rupert. You’re going out. He won’t know.”

“Is this wise, though? Where are you going?”

Rowena’s chin tipped up. “Lord Kendrick asked if I would meet his children. I said I would. He is bringing the two eldest and a groom. We are going to Green Park and we will have a picnic there. It is nothing inappropriate.”

“You should tell Rupert and ask your cousin’s wife to accompany you.”

“No, Rupert would make a fuss and I cannot speak openly if Ellen is there. I am not going to be alone with Lord Kendrick.”

“Rowena, it is not sensible. Shall I stay, and come with you? I wou—”

“I like him, Meredith. I wish to spend some time with him. You of all people should understand…”

“I did not trick Rupert with deliberation, Rowena. I sought your friendship because you were kind to me, and I like you. I care for you, and I fell in love with Rupert. Do nothing foolish, Rowena… I shall stay here…”

“Do you regret what you did to Rupert?” Rowena asked suddenly as they stood with the table between them, her gaze holding Meredith’s.

“No.” Meredith did not, not now she thought he might learn to love her. “I am going to make him happy, Rowena. I promise.”

Rowena sighed. “Very well, I will give you a chance to prove your affection for him, but you must give me a chance to explore my own for Lord Kendrick—”

“It is not the same, Rowena. He is—”

“Caring and kind, and I like him.”

“Rowena?”

“Say nothing to Rupert,” Rowena said, before turning away, and then she left the room, hurrying off, giving Meredith no chance for further argument.

Capturing The Earl’s Love is the story of two of the secondary characters from the 1st book in

the Marlow Intrigues Series

‘The Illicit Love of a Courtesan’

To read the full Marlow Intrigues series, you can start anywhere, but this is the actual order

The Lost Love of Soldier ~ The Prequel

#1 The Illicit Love of a Courtesan

#1.5 Capturing The Love of an Earl ~ This Free Novella

#2 The Passionate Love of a Rake

#2.5 The Desperate Love of a Lord ~ Free here, see index

#3 The Scandalous Love of a Lord

and, yes, there are more to come 🙂

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

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

The Lost Love of a Soldier – is here! The prequel to the Marlow Intrigues is out Today!

The Lost Love of a Soldier

The prequel to The Marlow Intrigues series

I am going to share some excerpts from The Lost Love of a Soldier, leading up to the release date July 17th

Dressing Ellen’s first husband in his Scarlet Military coat (The Illicit Love of a Courtesan)

and adding flesh, blood and bones to John’s father (The Scandalous Love of a Duke)

The Lost Love of a Soldier

An excerpt

They’d spent a day and another night in the carriage. Paul ached from too many hours of confinement, so they’d stopped again to break their fast and for him to stretch a little. Now they’d eaten, he’d left Ellen to refresh herself and walked about the yard of the Bull’s Head in Leamington Spa. He did not dare take a proper walk and venture out onto the High Street in case Ellen followed. An officer and a dark haired beauty might be remembered. So he kept to the confined space at the inn, walking a circular route a dozen times.

Anxiety raced through his blood. His senses were as heightened as they would be before a battle. But he’d no idea where the enemy was. The Duke of Pembroke could still be in Kent, or he could be a few hours behind them, riding at a gallop, eating up the ground, pursuing them as they lingered here. Paul hated stopping and yet they had to eat, and… Well, they could not simply stay constantly in the carriage.

Bored with walking in a circle he stopped at the stable and moved to a stall where a horse whickered from within; one of those they’d just relinquished from their traces, to be returned to the Black Horse at Bicester, the inn they’d stopped at before nightfall.

“You have a connection with horses, and you ride well. I remember from the summer. Why did you not join a mounted regiment? I would have thought you’d be in the cavalry instead of a regiment of foot soldiers.” Ellen stood beside him.

Her fingers touched his arm as his reached out and patted the mare’s neck then stroked its cheek.

“Because I could not have borne to watch a horse that I’d brought to battle, die. I made my choice to fight. My horse would not have had the same luxury.” He patted the animal once more, denying the images of battles crowding into his head. He did not want to remember. He turned to her and immediately all the memories of war and brutality faded.

She did not answer; perhaps he’d said something too morbid.

Her pale blue eyes held questions. Maybe she had seen the memories in his eyes. He did not wish her to see – with her he wanted to forget those memories. Yet he was taking her to a battleground, albeit not to fight.

Perhaps it was wrong of him.

But he could not regret it. In their hours in the carriage, the attachment she’d planted in his heart in the summer had emerged like a shoot from a seed, germinating and growing to full flower. Ellen Pembroke was the woman his soul chose; he could not leave her behind. Love clutched about his heart, a vine wrapping around it. “I love you.” The words slipped from his mouth without thought.

She was young, she knew nothing about brutality. He did not wish her to, but she would learn.

He was young too, but the experiences of war, and now having her to protect, made him feel much older than he was.

She smiled. “And I you, Paul.”

“Come, we had better go. There is no knowing how much ground your father has gained on us, if he is following.” He gripped her elbow, gently, and turned them both.

When they were back in the carriage he kissed her, desire and need roaring in his blood. He could not wait until they were out of this damned carriage and in a bed. But he did not press her for anything more. She was innocent, and they were unwed, he could wait until the moment came. For now he just revelled in her kisses and her tender, beautiful responses as shallow sighs slipped across her lips and her tongue tentatively entwined with his, while the weight of her arms rested on his shoulders.

This girl was a treasure. He was going to protect her and love her all his life. He would not allow the brutality of war to touch her…

You can buy The Lost Love of a Soldier by clicking on the cover in the sidebar on the right hand side.

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