Compromising the Marquess (24 page)

“Me!” Leah’s laughter was tinged with a touch of regret. “That’s very gallant of you, but quite unnecessary. I came to you, remember, both in Denby and here, tonight.”

“And if you hadn’t, then I would have come to you and proposed
before
we allowed passion to sweep all before us.” He sat up, leaned against the headboard and pulled her with him. “I love you, Leah Elliott. You are clever, principled, loyal, you sing like an angel and you don’t suffer fools gladly. What more could I want in a marchioness?”

Leah gaped. He was actually serious. He really did want to marry her! He’d even professed to love her. She could think of a thousand reasons why the union wouldn’t work, not the least of which was her lowly birth—something which would cause him to be ostracised by society. But if it didn’t matter to him? Leah was sorely, so sorely, tempted to accept him.

“I’m hardly marchioness material,” she said lightly.

“No, you’re more duchess material,” he agreed.

“Oh heavens, I’d forgotten about that!” Leah’s hand flew to her mouth. “Your uncle will probably disinherit you the moment he sets eyes on me.”

“Actually, he’ll adore you. We’ll take
The
Celandine
to Cornwall and visit him.”

“Why are you so sure he’ll like me?”

He answered her question with one of his own. “Why do you suppose he never married?”

“I wondered about that. Presumably he was under pressure to produce an heir but was unable to find a lady he could stand to share his life with.”

“Not exactly. He found exactly the right lady and fell headlong in love when he was still in his twenties.”

“What happened?”

“The lady was deemed unsuitable and he was forbidden to marry her.”

Leah sighed. “How sad.”

“She had a beautiful singing voice, just like you. My uncle wouldn’t go against his parents’ wishes and marry her without their approval. Instead he set her up as his mistress and never looked at another woman, in spite of being besieged with aspirants for his hand wherever he went. It was his revenge, you see. As far as he was concerned, my father could produce the next heir and if the world didn’t like it, it could go hang.”

Leah laughed. “He sounds like a fine gentlemen.”

“Oh, he is. His mistress bore him several children before her death and I get along well with all of them. He’s made provision for them and would pass on the title to his eldest son, if he could, with my full approval.”

“Presumably that’s not possible.”

“No, it’s not.” Hal laughed. “People explain away his mannerisms as eccentricity, which apparently makes them acceptable. He speaks his mind and can be appalling rude if he doesn’t like someone, as my stepmother has good reason to know. She launched herself on my uncle once, hoping to charm him into favouring her son with financial rewards. The duke chased her away with his stick.”

Leah smiled. “If even half of what you say about her is true, then it’s no less than she deserved.”

Hal pulled her into his arms. “But you have yet to give me an answer. Will you be my wife, sweet Leah, or do you condemn me to a solitary life?”

“You must be very sure of my answer.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you were adamant about my husband taking my virginity but did so
before
you proposed.”

“That wasn’t arrogance, if that’s what you’re thinking. Far from being sure of your feelings, I find myself anxiously awaiting your decision. I really didn’t mean to force your hand by compromising you. Had you not come to me, looking so irresistibly lovely, I might have behaved in a more gentlemanly manner and proposed first, as I had every intention of doing.”

His agonised expression caused Leah to explode with laughter. “I do believe you’re nervous, my lord marquess, which must be a unique feeling. Unless I miss my guess, you’re seldom unsure of yourself.”

He grasped her shoulders and stared intently into her eyes. “Don’t keep me waiting, sweet Leah. Tell me at once what’s in your heart.”

She met his dark, anxious gaze and felt her heart swell with love. If he didn’t give a fig for society’s view, what was it to her? Unconventional behaviour clearly ran in his family.

“Yes please, Hal,” she said, gently framing his battered face with one hand and bestowing a butterfly light kiss on his lips. “I would very much like to marry you.”

* * * * *

Author’s Note

The London Times
was founded in
1785 by John Waters. As underwriter at Lloyds, he lost severely due to a
hurricane in Jamaica. With his remaining resources he purchased the patent
rights to a typesetting process and started an advertising sheet, including in
it minor news items. He was unable to sell his typesetting process but made
enough money from the paper, then called
The Daily
Universal Register,
to survive. He was paid the massive sum of £300 a
year to print stories favourable to the government. In 1788 he changed the name
to
The Times
and began to print gossip in an attempt
to make the paper more popular. This led to his being fined and put in Newgate
for two years over a story he printed about the Prince of Wales.

Was Waters the pathfinder for the tabloid press? There were
certainly pamphleteers in the Regency period, printing single sheets that were
sold cheaply on street corners featuring sporting events, criminal cases and
crim.cons. (Regency speak for “criminal conversations”—a euphemism for
adulterous liaisons). However, the type of local newspaper that my villain
Morris produces in
Compromising the Marquess
may or
may not have existed. If it did, I like to think that Leah was also ahead of her
time, reporting salacious society gossip that all classes of society were
anxious to read about, much though they might pretend otherwise.

Lose yourself in more Regency romance from Wendy Soliman.

The Perfect Imposter

Struggling to escape her past and make ends meet as a modiste, Katrina Sinclair hopes the daring new wardrobe she's designed for her childhood friend Julia—now a marchioness—will attract the business she desperately needs. But Julia's help comes at a price: Katrina must take her place at a house party.

Leo Kincade has been tasked with catching a traitor who steals from house parties to fund Napoleon's armies. Three women are suspected—including Julia. But when Leo intercepts her at the party, he finds an impostor who stirs an attraction stronger than anything he felt for Julia.

A Scandalous Proposition

When a beautiful woman bursts into Lord Adam Fitzroy's room seeking refuge, he assists her. He's intrigued when he later spots her entering the local house of ill repute. He is shocked when his mother introduces the woman as her new paid companion. Adam agrees to keep Florentina's nightly activities a secret…on one condition: she must spend one wicked night with him…

Of Dukes and Deceptions

When Nicholas Buchanan, the Duke of Dorchester, accepts an invitation to visit a country farm, he counters his boredom by striking a wager that he'll bed the poor relation, Alicia Woodley, before the end of his stay. Alicia's unimpressed by his grandeur and wants as little as possible to do with him. But when her life is endangered, quite possibly from those closest to her, it is Nicholas who seems determined to ensure her safety. As they conspire to uncover secrets that the family wants hidden at all costs, they discover a passion that surpasses all obstacles…

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About the Author

Wendy Soliman grew up on the Isle of Wight, in southern England. She blames the castles, fabulous old buildings and ancient monuments that surrounded her for her enduring love of history. She started writing stories at an early age and basically never stopped.

Wendy now lives in Andorra, dividing her time between there and the west coast of Florida. She lives with her husband and a rescued dog of indeterminate pedigree. When not writing she enjoys reading other people’s books, walking miles with her dog, drinking decent wine and generally making the most out of life.

Visit her website at
www.wendysoliman.com
for more details about her and her books.

Also by Wendy Soliman from Carina Press:

Of Dukes and Deceptions
A Scandalous Proposition
The Perfect Impostor

Writing as W. Soliman:

Unfinished Business
Risky Business

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ISBN: 978-14268-9482-4

Copyright © 2012 by Wendy Soliman

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