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

Capturing The Earl’s Love Part Fourteen ~ 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 Fourteen

Warning* this another passionate part 😉

When Rupert came into Meredith’s room later, she felt just as nervous as she had the night before. His mother had made it clear she was unhappy with her son’s marriage and would never offer Meredith respect – but seeing as Meredith had forced them all into this predicament, she was to ensure she made Lord Morton a good wife.

With those words ringing in Meredith’s ears, she had dined with him with what seemed a mile between them as they sat at opposite ends of the long table. Then in the carriage, on the journey to the Foley’s, he and Rowena had sat next to each other, facing her, silent.

Meredith had longed to speak. She wished to swear to them she had not intended this, but she had not been able to hold herself back from grasping the one thing she’d wished for when the opportunity was there, within her reach. She had wanted to be with Rupert.

At the ball he’d danced with her once, at the start, a country dance, which meant he had no need to speak to her. Then he’d stood speaking with his cousin while she’d danced with others. It had not even felt as though they were married. Everything had been as it was before, except she’d lost Rowena’s friendship.

Meredith had cried in her room until the maid came to help her undress. Now she was in her nightgown, sitting in bed. She hadn’t known whether to stand, or sit, or how to wait for him…

She smiled at him, desperately wishing to be the wife he wanted.

He said nothing, but walked towards her, undoing his dressing gown as he said, “Take off your nightgown.”

She began unbuttoning it, without rising, her fingers shaking as pain burned the back of her throat and tears stung her eyes.

But then he was naked, and leaning over her, and his presence and the beauty of his body overwhelmed her as he moved her fingers away and took over the task.

Her heart beating, her eyes watched his face.

Once the buttons were loose, one of his hands slipped inside and clasped her breast as his mouth came down on hers.

They had crossed the bridge which stood between them in the day, again. He did not feel cold and distant anymore. He felt warm, and he was close, and she felt loved as he touched her.

After a while, he took off her nightgown, and as he did so, a spasm clasped in her stomach, anticipating him there.

He had been there last night. She still ached a little from his invasion.

Once they were both naked, he lay beside her and touched her, his hands stroking everywhere, and hers caressed him, touching his skin and feeling the muscle and sinew beneath.

When he touched her between her legs, she parted them and touched him too.

He broke their kiss and looked down at her.

He’d left the candles burning, as he’d done the night before. She could see his face clearly. His eyes shone bright.

“Meredith,” he said, before kissing her again. She did not understand his pitch; it was half question, half statement. She continued to touch him and he continued to touch her.

The sensation, which had overtaken her last night, stole her senses away again before he was even within her, and when it did, he moved over her. She looked up into his eyes, holding on to his shoulders.

She held her breath as he entered, but it did not hurt tonight. It was blissfully completing.

He moved with determined strokes, watching her too.

She wanted to speak, but she was afraid to, in case it broke the bridge, and he became distant again.

Her fingers cupped his face, and for the first time she thought of him as truly hers. He was her husband. He was hers.

His hazel eyes shone as he moved steadily and watched her, watching him.

She ached with love. She ached with need. Then he stole her wits, and her mind reeled, while he worked harder for a moment, then pressed deep and cried out.

Her arms slipped about his neck, and she clung to him, as his weight lay more heavily on her.

She did not want him to leave her body when he withdrew and pulled away – she did not want him to leave her bed. But she had to let him go; she could hardly force him to stay with her. Yet she wanted to keep standing on this bridge with him, and not let him put distance between them again.

He rolled on to his back, and lay beside her, his forearm falling onto his forehead.

She wished to lie on her side and hug him but she did not dare. Looking up at the canopy of the bed, she said to the air. “I did not intend anything to happen that night…”

His arm lifted and he turned on to his side.

“Rupert… I have—”

His fingers covered her lips. “Let’s not speak about it. What is done is done.”

He lay back, then set his arm about her and drew her head to his shoulder. “Sleep now, Meredith. I’ll be waking you in a little while.”

She did sleep, cuddling up against him, held as she had never been held.