An Unconventional Bride
By Fiona Miers
Book 2 in ‘The Seymour Siblings’ series.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
AN UNCONVENTIONAL BRIDE
First edition. May 16, 2020.
Copyright © 2020 Fiona Miers.
Written by Fiona Miers.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter One,
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
Book 1 in the Seymour Siblings is now available! https://geni.us/seymourbook1 | Read on for a sneak peak of the first chapter if you haven’t read it already.
The Duke’s Marriage of Convenience. | Chapter One
Chapter One,
The lush gardens of Woodlock Manor created a stir inside the heart of Lady Emma as she gazed out at the foliage that surrounded her. The air was clean and crisp and the atmosphere, delightful.
The cheerful chatter of wedding guests filled the autumn air as Emma glanced around. She hardly knew anyone at the lavish estate except the beautiful bride, Lady Katherine, otherwise known as Kitty, who was now referred to as the Duchess of Somerset.
Despite Emma lacking a sense of shyness, she had kept to herself during the ceremony, but now she was unavoidably forced to mingle. Usually, she would be joined by the duchess, but it seemed her friend had vanished with her new husband.
Emma had met the Kitty when they were a mere six years of age, and they shared many interests, hence their immediate friendship. Their love for the out of doors was unrivaled, but Emma had never developed the fondness for horses that Kitty had.
Instead, Emma enjoyed traveling with her parents, the Earl and Countess of Montague, to various parts of the country, as well as France, Italy, and Greece. She was also well-read and was not oblivious to the ways of the world.
Her friendship with Kitty had endured many holidays where Emma had been away, but it only seemed to strengthen their bond. The two had a firm and close friendship that even occasional time spent apart could not weaken. They had been like sisters, when neither of them had any by birth, which was why Emma had been delighted when she received an invitation from Kitty to attend her wedding to the Duke of Somerset.
Emma had been equally delighted to witness her beloved friend marrying the man of her dreams. Although Emma had not yet had the opportunity to speak to Kitty about the union, she patiently waited for the ceremony to end, as well as all the formalities that accompanied the proceedings.
Kitty had invited her to stay at the estate for a few days following the wedding, an extremely generous offer, which she had been inclined to accept.
The skirt of her pale green dress fluttered in the light breeze, and rays of sunshine danced over her skin. They couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day.
Emma heard the rambunctious laughter of a young man who stood nearby, speaking loudly to the gentleman beside him. He was quite attractive and handsome, but Emma could clearly see he was foxed.
Happily, he did not appear in the least aggressive, as she had come to see many men in similar situations act inappropriately. But this gentleman, if one could call him that, simply laughed loudly, clearly enjoying the festivities of the duke and the duchess’ wedding day.
His light brown hair and square jaw appealed to Emma, but her awareness and wary nature when it came to men stopped her from even considering approaching him.
Her uncle had a bad drinking habit that had caused much embarrassment for her aunt, and despite not thinking much of it while she was a young girl, she was well aware of the ramifications of such behavior as an adult.
“Emma!”
Emma recognized Kitty’s voice immediately and she spun around, deciding to ignore the young man who had caught her attention so suddenly and unexpectedly.
She had vowed to herself she would only marry for love or not at all. Of course, her parents were rather upset by that choice, as they had planned on marrying her off to a rich marquess, but even then – or perhaps especially then – Emma had refused. She would not hang onto someone else’s sleeve, no matter the situation.
“My dearest Kitty,” Emma beamed as she opened her arms towards the duchess. Kitty embraced her warmly, and Emma giggled. “Or shall I say, Your Grace.”
“Such nonsense you speak, my dear friend. Refrain from using such formalities,” Kitty insisted. “I am still the same person I was before.”
“Only now, you have a lavish estate, a new title, and a charming husband,” Emma pointed out. “Where is the decadent duke now?”
Kitty chuckled and motioned to the duke to join them. Emma beamed happily as she noticed the sparkle in both their eyes.
Their love practically lit up the entire sky.
Kitty motioned to her. “My love, this is my dear friend, Lady Em—”
“Emma,” Emma interrupted. “It is such an honor to finally make your acquaintance, Your Grace. I have heard much of you.”
“And I of you, my lady. It is an honor,” the duke answered with a smile.
“I must compliment, you, Your Grace. The gardens of the estate are magnificent,” Emma said, motioning around her.
“Emma has been a lover of gardens from the time we met all those years ago,” Kitty said with a beaming smile.
“Wonderful. Are you a lover of horses as well, my lady?” the duke inquired.
“Oh, no,” Emma giggled, feeling slightly embarrassed in the duke’s charming presence. She felt foolish and lowered her gaze. “That is Kitty’s, I mean, Her Grace’s love. I much rather prefer reading a book in the shade of a tree while a brook flows nearby.”
“She is quite the dreamer, although at times she tends to be much too realistic for her own good,” Kitty pointed out.
“And why is that?” the duke asked.
Emma’s cheeks heated with a blush, and she glanced briefly at her friend. “Only in certain aspects of my life, Your Grace. One cannot be a dreamer when important decisions are to be made.”
“I could not
