Lady Rogue (35 page)

“Garrick….”

She felt his arms around her,  lifting her up, holding her to him in a haven of warmth.  Her body screamed with exhaustion.  What should she do, what could she say? She would think of it all later.  For the moment the security of his arms seemed so welcome.  Closing her eyes, she burrowed her head  against his shoulder as he  carried her down the streets of the Seven Dials.

Chapter Fifty-Three

The flickering flames of the Yule log seemed to pulsate with the rhythm of  music, mirth and merriment echoing throughout the house as Dawn and Garrick stepped inside the drawing room
of his townhouse.  Holly and mistletoe hung from every bower, and candles twinkled along the tables, illuminating the veritable feast laid upon them.

"What is this?"  Dawn looked about her, unable to believe her eyes.  There, sitting around  one table was Jamie, Taddie, Arien, Farley, Murdock and a face so dear to her Dawn gasped in delighted surprise.  "Robbie!  Oh, Robbie!"  Her feet took flight as she ran to him, throwing her arms about his neck.  "I thought never to see
you again.  I thought......."

"I'm a free man, I am.  Thanks to a fine, upstanding bloke."  Playfully he tweeked her nose, not wanting the others to know how deeply he was touched by the reunion.   "Aye, but it is good ter see ye again, sister dear.  When I 'eard what 'ad 'appe
ned and all, yer being sent to ‘the stone jug, saime as me, well I.....I...." His eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

"But we're all together now.  Thanks to Garrick," Taddie said, coming to Ro
bbie's rescue.  "And oh, ‘e really is a fine one, 'e is, Dawn.  A gent for all that.  A wonderful, wonderful gen'leman.  Why, 'e  insisted we all come 'ere and spend Christmas wi' 'im.  Said  'e was going ter find yer if 'e had to search the 'ole of London, 'e did and bring yer 'ere."

"He said that?"  Dawn's gaze softened as she looked in
to Garrick's eyes, loving him so much at that moment that she thought her heart would surely burst.

Garrick was a bit embarrassed by Taddie's praise.  "I wanted to give you a special Christmas, my love.  Have I?"  His eyes were on her
s as he waited for her answer.

Looking at Garrick
, then at  Robbie, then at Garrick again she smiled.  "You have.  You have given me the best Christmas gift of all.  You've given me my brother back again."  And love, she thought.  How could she doubt him now?

"And am I forgiven?"  The expression on his face was somber as he handed Dawn a tiny package.  
For a long time she stared at the little box, then she opened it with trembling fingers to find a diamond ring inside. Placing it on her finger, she watched as the stone reflected  a prism of sparkling lights from the  yuletide flames.  The ring was beautiful and told her how very much Garrick  really did love her.

"Forgive him.  Dawnie, I saiy
, let bargains be bargains.  I've put me anger behind me, I 'ave.  'Ere's me 'and on it."  Sticking out his hand robbie took Garrick's in a firm handshake, then pulling him closer, patted him on the back.  "All in all 'e seems ter be a mighty fine bloke, for a "toff" that is." 

"M
mm, well....."  Garrick eyed the young man warily, but decided it was the beginning of a tremulous truce.  If Dawn said she would marry him, Robbie would soon be his brother-in-law, and that meant they had to get along.  The tension between the two men eased as he returned the pressure of Robbie's hand.  "I hope we can be friends, Robbie."

Robbie grinned.  "So do I, maite.  So do I.  I'm thinkin' ter become a gen'leman.  If Dawnie 'ere can teach me the proper waiy to talk, that is."  Putting his hands in his pockets
, he sauntered across the room.             

"Robbie!"  Dawn's voice was stern as s
he came up behind her brother. "Give back the watch!"

"Wot...?"

"I said, give back the watch."    She sighed in exasperation.  "I know what you did!"

Throwing up his hands Robbie pretended innocence until Dawn's search of his pockets procurre
d the timepiece.  He smiled sheepishly at Garrick.  "I was only tryin' to see if I  was rusty for lack of practice.  No 'arm done.  I would 'ave given it back.  I
would
."

"It was a watch that got us all into trou
ble in the first place, Rob."  Folding her arms across her chest, Dawn  scolded, "Won't you ever learn?"              

"I'm sorry, really I am.  No 'arm meant."  He put his hands out and wiggled his fingers.  "But I proved to meself that I still got me dexterity.  Indeed I
'ave.  Eh, Garrick old chum?"

Garrick laughed
and turned his gaze to Dawn again. "It looks like you just might have your hands full, my dear.  We both will. Your brother seems a bit set in his ways.  But perhaps I can put his talents to use.  I'll think of a way."

"A job?"  Robbie shrugged his shoulders.  "I suppose it's tim
e I became an 'onest bloke.

"But there is a price to be paid.
That you convince your sister to be my wife."  Smiling, he swept Dawn into his arms in an ardent kiss. At last when they broke apart he asked her again.  "I want to marry you.  Will you be my wife?  Will you?"

She didn't even have to think before she gave her answer.  "Yes, oh yes!"  The words ca
me easily.  Tears of happiness slid unheeded down her cheeks.  Her heart ached with sweet joy.  She was going to be Garrick's wife, belong to him forever.   She felt an overwhelming sense of peace and happiness.  She had everything she had ever hoped and dreamed of.

"I love you, Dawn.  With all my heart......"  They made plans for a life together, as the others politely turned their backs, pretending interest in the fire.  Oh, but they did make a fine looking couple, or so Robbie whispered behind his hand,
and everyone raised their glasses in a toast. 

All the uncertainties of the past were forgotten.  Truly it was a wonderful Christmas.   Garrick and Dawn smiled at each other, basking in the warmth of their love as Christmas bells began to peal throughout
London.  Good will towards men.  For the moment at least there was peace and joy in the City.

AUTHOR BIO

    
Kathryn Kramer hails from the Rocky Mountains and makes her home in Boulder, Colorado. Writing under her own name, and under her pseudonyms-- Katherine Vickery or Kathryn Hockett--she has published with Dell, Pocket, Berkley, Penguin, Kensington and  Dorchester publishers.  Together with her mother, Marcia Hockett, who aided her daughter in research and editing until her death in 2003, she has  written a total of 40 historical romance novels which have been translated into German, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Japanese and Hebrew. She has won the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award several years in a row.             

A current project  is formatting all 40 book
s into the ebook format. To date twenty nine are now available in ebook format for the Kindle—including The
Pendants of Ragnar,
Viking Saga:
Outcast, Conqueror
, and
Explorer
. Kathy is currently working on
Love’s Blazing Ecstasy
(Kramer), and
Angel of Passion
(Hockett) which is the second book in the “bandido” series.
Outlaw Seduction
,
Cherokee’s Caress
,
The Legend’s Lady
and
Renegade Lady
(Hockett),  are part of the “Women of the West” series. 
Desire’s Deception
and
Highland Bride
(Kramer) are two books in the Game of Queens series.

Prior to writing, Kathy sang with a jazz band and devoted her time to music via theater, teaching and singing professionally.  She attended the University of  Colorado College of Music on a music scholarship.
In a daring, innovative move, Kathryn has fulfilled every writer’s fantasy by following her heroine from mere idea to full-bodied character to life itself by modeling for the cover art of the printed version of LADY ROGUE, published by Dell.