His warm breath elicited a giggle she could not contain.
Benjamin raced to the carriage and stopped in front of the door. “Allow me to open the door for you, Mother and Father,” he said haltingly as he opened the door. He tried out their unfamiliar names, speaking in the King’s English with only a hint of his accent. He had obviously been practicing hard for the occasion. “Would you mind if I rode with Uncle Jonathan to Grandmother’s house?”
There could be no better gift from her husband than these four children. Nora reached over and hugged her little gentleman. “I am sure your Uncle Jonathan will take good care of you. Off with you, now!”
“I will be happy to do so,” Jonathan answered. “Do not take too long.” With a grin, he tapped Benjamin on the shoulder and the two of them walked to his chaise.
The door to the bridal carriage closed as it lurched forward. “At last, I have you to myself,” Colin said, leaning in to give her neck a soft kiss. “I meant what I said a few minutes ago. The night awaits us, wife.” He cast a sly look at her.
Nora had never felt so happy in all her life. “My husband, I cannot wait to learn all you have to teach me,” she said coyly. She placed her head on his shoulder and peered up at him, letting herself sag against him. Her body pulsed with an unfamiliar need. She was not hungry for food.
“Impudent wife.” He cupped her face in his hands. “This will be the shortest wedding breakfast in history… I promise.”
He leaned closer and his lips gently feathered a trail of warm wet kisses down her neck as she inhaled his delicious bergamot scent. His slow, gentle nibbles to the lobe of her ear sent delightful pulses to her core and prompted a groan of need. As if in answer, Colin slanted his mouth over hers and kissed her in a way that left no doubt Nora had found her prince.
EARL OF ALNWICK By Meara Platt
CHAPTER ONE
Alnwick Hall
Northumberland, England
September,1821
Katie Pringle’s scream caught the attention of Niall Jameson, Earl of Alnwick, while he happened to be nakedly bathing in a side pool of the river between the boundary of their estates on this fine autumn day. The sun was shining and a gentle breeze ruffled his hair as he washed off the sweat and grime of a solid day’s work rebuilding the rundown stables at Alnwick Hall. “For the love of...Katie, no!”
Niall watched in horror as the bane of his childhood existence, the Perfect Miss Pringle, caught her fancy slipper on the hem of her elegant gown, tripped, and tumbled headlong into the deepest part of the river.
He cursed as she fell in with a loud splash and was immediately caught up in the swiftly moving current that would certainly pull her down into its cold depths because the irritating girl, his childhood nemesis, did not know how to swim.
She had never learned.
For this reason, Niall knew she’d always been afraid of the river and had never dared go near it before.
So what was she doing here now?
He pushed off the bank and swam as fast as he ever had in his life toward the irritating girl, desperate to reach her before she sank beneath the surface, never to be seen again.
As often as he’d dreamed of tossing her into these swirling waters and laughing as she flailed and sputtered, her perfect pigtails and neatly tied bows coming undone, he had never considered actually having her drown.
His heart was pounding by the time he reached her side. All that remained visible was one lace-gloved hand. He firmly entwined his fingers in hers and hoisted her upward so that her head broke the surface. “Katie, of all the stupid, reckless–”
She coughed in his face.
Well, she hadn’t meant to do it. She was obviously terrified and struggling to regain her breath. As he helped her, she spit out water and took in great gulps of air. “Katie, you–”
“I know. Don’t yell at me.”
She tearfully threw her arms around his neck and pressed herself to his body, holding him in a death grip while sobbing. “Thank you! I’m so grateful. You saved my life.”
Yes, he had.
He was surprised by how good it made him feel. He’d spent most of his life avoiding responsibility, doing all for himself with little care for others. His father and grandfather before him had been cut from the same cloth, which probably explained why the Alnwick holdings were in such a dismal state.
But now that he was earl, he’d been trying to improve matters.
Katie suddenly gasped and tried to push away. “Oh, spillikins! It’s you. What are you doing here, Alnwick?”
He tightened his grip on her body on the chance she was stupid enough to actually let go of him. “Fight me and I vow I shall let you drown, you little peahen. The more important question is what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in London marrying into one of England’s wealthiest families?”
Her wedding was supposed to have taken place a week ago. She was marrying the Marquess of Yardsley, an inconsiderate arse who was never going to be faithful to the Perfect Miss Pringle, but why should he care? Katie was an uptight, righteous–
“I ran away.”
He burst out laughing. “What? Am I hearing right? You? The paragon of perfection, the obedient, never a hair out of place, never a white glove soiled, soul of propriety and decorum, is a runaway bride? Did you run off before or after the wedding ceremony?”
“Before.”
He began to swim her over to the safety of his side of the river, but slowed his strokes so he could pry more information out of her. The sun was shining down on them and there was not a cloud in the sky. He’d finished
