Anne Barbour (32 page)

He smiled tenderly. "No, it is I who claim that dubious distinction. I am still of the opinion that you could do much better in your choice of husband, but having successfully cozzened you into accepting my humble self, I plan to marry you with all possible speed."

"But, what will your father say?"

Seth grinned, permitting himself the pleasure of placing his lips just there, where a curl fell enticingly against Eden's temple. "I expect he will be displeased that I have allowed a distraction in my life. However, he will have much more than that upon which to vent his spleen."

He drew back slightly to gaze directly into her eyes. "For I plan to terminate my employment with His Grace as soon as we leave this room—effective immediately."

"Oh, Seth, that's wonderful. You can lead your own life now!"

"With you at my side, my one and only love. How do you feel about living in the wilds of Warwickshire for the rest of our lives? I have a reasonably decent property there, needing only a rose garden to make it a paradise on earth."

Eden laughed into his face. "Ah, I see, this whole scenario is nothing but an effort to acquire a gardener with no expense to yourself."

Seth kissed her again, this time slowly and with great care. "Wench! I'm done with grand plans and designs. I'm marrying you because I can't think who else would have me."

"Nor I," replied his love obligingly, "but whoever she is, I'm prepared to scratch her eyes out."

"How territorial of you, m'dear. I like that in a woman—particularly one who is married to me, which by the by, I plan to arrange as soon as possible."

Eden, secure in the circle of his arms, chuckled. "Then we'd better divulge our plans to our respective families. I imagine my father has already imparted the news of our betrothal to your father."

"He will be amazed, no doubt, at your condescension," returned Seth, "but the news will pale, I think, at the information that he will have to find a new man of affairs."

"Indeed," purred Eden, her eyes sparking mischievously. "You will be much too busy with certain other affairs to consider those of the duke."

Upon which, her beloved swept her into his arms for one more searing kiss before leading her out of the library and into their new lives.

Author’s Note

Readers of Regency romance being a perspicacious lot, I'm sure many of you will have noted the reference to lithium in these pages as the probable reason for Bel's dramatic emotional improvement at the end of the story. While I am certainly not claiming that his ceramic mug and pitcher, glazed with lithium carbonate, were responsible for the alleviation of some of poor Bel's symptoms, I will observe that lithium was discovered in 1817 in Sweden by J.A. Arfvedson. It was not produced in quantity until the 1850s, and did not come into general use until this century.

The metal now is applied in many purposes, but its use in the treatment of mental disease did not come about until the 1970s. Thus, neither Bel nor his loved ones, even if the concept of bi-polar disorder had been understood in the Regency period, most certainly would not have comprehended its efficacy in relieving the symptoms of his affliction.

Thus, I will freely admit that in hinting at Bel's improvement because of the problematic leeching into his system of the lithium carbonate in the glaze of his mug and decanter (the same form of the metal employed in glazes and as a medication for mental disease) I am stretching fact almost to snapping point. However, the operative word there is "almost." I maintain that such an event, although unlikely,
could
have happened, and what is fiction, if not the realm of "what if?"

Copyright © 1999 by Barbara Yirka

Originally published by Signet (ISBN 0451196937)

Electronically published in 2010 by Belgrave House/Regency Reads

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No portion of this book may be reprinted in whole or in part, by printing, faxing, E-mail, copying electronically or by any other means without permission of the publisher. For more information, contact Belgrave House, 190 Belgrave Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94117-4228

     http://www.RegencyReads.com

     Electronic sales: [email protected]

This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.