David Lord of Honor (The Lonely Lords) (40 page)

“Oh, you really mustn’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Smile, my lord.” She let him turn her under his arm. “When you smile, you look so convincingly human.”

“And when you steal a glance at Fairly, you look so convincingly happy.”

“I am, you know. I am so happy, and it’s generous of your family to make this effort on my behalf.”

“To have two weeks at Morelands with her granddaughter,” Westhaven rejoined, “my mother would present Attila himself at court. In a dress. With a smile.”

“Rose seems to be looking forward to the journey, provided she can take Sir George, of course. Will you be joining them?”

“That was part of the bargain,” Westhaven said, holding Letty a trifle too close on a turn. “To keep His Grace in check, of course. But I’ll take any excuse to leave Town, as will Valentine.”

The dance came to an end, and when the next set started, Letty whirled off on the arm of the marquess. She spent the entire evening partnered by one impressively titled gentleman or another. The Duke and Duchess of Moreland had mustered unbelievable influence to make it so, but Letty was also touched to see that many of the former patrons of The Pleasure House were present, and to a man they treated her with utmost courtesy and sincere good wishes—though their ladies were a much cooler group.

She scanned the Moreland ballroom, looking for her husband. By agreement, David was to partner her in the supper waltz, and happily, that time drew near. When he found Letty, she stood flanked by David’s family—Heathgate, Greymoor, Amery and their ladies, Westhaven and Lord Valentine, a brooding Thomas Jennings, and her own brother. Decked out in evening finery, they ranged around her, tall, handsome, and impressive, even at play.

One of Letty’s memories of her mother involved an outing to a stone dance favored by the locals as a picnic spot. As a small child, she’d found the place daunting, the silent monoliths intimidating in their height, mystery, age, and sheer mass.

Standing with David’s family at a ball held in her honor, Letty felt again as if she were surrounded by a dance, but a dance of men and women, people whose honor, integrity, and sheer force of will rendered them every bit as impressive as the actual stones that had withstood the centuries.

“My love?” David interrupted her musings. “May I have the pleasure?” He made her a formal bow, she curtsied, and placed her hand on his.

“I cannot believe,” David said as they waited for the music to start, “this scheme has worked so well. I haven’t heard even an innuendo all evening.”

“I’ve heard plenty of innuendo,” Letty countered, assuming waltz position. “All about a rake reformed and wonders never ceasing.”

David slid one hand around her back, tucked her other hand into his, then curled it against his chest. “I am reformed in so many ways.”

The music started, and to Letty’s surprise, the orchestra dropped away to leave only a solo piano. The tempo of the waltz changed, slowing into a more romantic, intimate cadence, and Letty recognized the work as one of Valentine Windham’s.

“I wanted this night to be perfect for you, Letty-love,” David said. “To make it so, we must endure this waltz and stay at least twenty minutes into supper.”

“And
then
you’ll make it perfect for me?”

“As many times as you like, my love.”

When the waltz ended, they lasted all of twelve minutes in the supper room, stole a bottle of Heathgate’s finest, and made it perfect twice in the coach as the horses sedately walked them home.

Their first child—a darling girl with lovely green eyes—was born a mere seven months after the wedding.

Acknowledgments

David and Letty’s story concludes the Lonely Lords series proper, and what a series it has been! My first historical romance hit the bookstore shelves little more than three years ago, and I know of no other editor, publisher, or publishing house that would have shown an author this much support this early in her writing career.

Getting out a full-length title per month (plus a few novellas!) for a year takes tremendous organization and commitment on the part of the entire publishing village. Though the manuscripts had been completed in draft some time ago, editorial, art, marketing, publicity, production, sales, EVERYBODY had to endure a schedule that was, quite honestly, not always fun.

So my thanks go to that village, and to the readers who make that village a wonderful place to be. The Lonely Lords has concluded as a series, but I plan on writing love stories for many more lonely lords and lonely ladies—and possibly even a few lonely lawyers!

About the Author

New
York
Times
and
USA
Today
bestselling author Grace Burrowes hit the bestseller lists with her debut,
The
Heir
, followed by
The
Soldier
,
Lady
Maggie’s Secret Scandal
, and
Lady
Eve’s Indiscretion.
The
Heir
was a
Publishers
Weekly
Best Book of 2010,
The
Soldier
was a
Publishers
Weekly
Best Spring Romance of 2011,
Lady
Sophie’s Christmas Wish
won Best Historical Romance of the Year in 2011 from RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards,
Lady
Louisa’s Christmas Knight
was a
Library
Journal
Best Book of 2012, and
The
Bridegroom
Wore
Plaid
, the first in her trilogy of Scotland-set Victorian romances, was a
Publishers
Weekly
Best Book of 2012. All of her Regency and Victorian romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from
Publishers
Weekly
and
Booklist
.

Grace is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland. She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached through her website at graceburrowes.com.