Read My Lady, My Lord Online

Authors: Katharine Ashe

Tags: #Earl, #historical romance, #novel, #England, #Bluestocking, #Rake, #Paranormal, #fiction, #Romance, #Fantasy, #Rogue, #london, #sexy, #sensual, #Regency

My Lady, My Lord (30 page)

BOOK: My Lady, My Lord
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Several minutes later when she was able to catch her breath, she pressed her lips to his jaw.

“Ian, do you think this will be the end of our quarrels?”

“I wouldn’t wager the estate on it.” He nuzzled the sensitive place beneath her ear, his arms tight around her.

“Then I hope we will always end our quarrels as we’ve been doing lately.” She twined her arms about his shoulders and her foot stole around his ankle. His hands slipped down her back to cup her behind. She kissed his neck. “In fact, why don’t we quarrel right now?”

His arms tightened about her. “I thought you’d never ask.”

When the parlor door opened some time later, Ian cursed beneath his breath and pushed her behind him into deeper shadow. Corinna hastily readjusted her bodice as her stepmother’s anxious voice crossed the room.

“There you are, Ian. Marcus and I have been looking for you. We heard about Corinna’s confrontation with that tart Amabel Weston. It’s so unlike her. She hasn’t been herself and we’re worried where she might have run off to. We know the two of you quarreled earlier today, but we thought you might have gone looking for her.”

“Clearly he hasn’t, Charlotte,” her father said, disappointment heavy in his voice.

Corinna poked her head out. “In point of fact, I went looking for him. Or, rather,” she moved into the light, holding on to his arm, “I chased him here.”

Her father smiled.

“Chased him?” Lady Mowbray took in Corinna’s disordered appearance and distress colored her face. “Ian, I don’t know what to say to you.”

“Congratulations would be appropriate, Mother.”

Her mouth fell open and comprehension spread across her features. She backed up into her husband’s hold.

“Oh, then, well, we will leave you to—I mean to say—You should continue—”

As the door shut firmly behind their parents, Corinna looked into Ian’s laughing eyes.

“We should continue...?”

“Reconciling,” he said huskily, drawing her into his arms. But a moment later he lifted his head and put her away from him.

“Ian? What—?”

“We mustn’t remain here.”

Her eyes lit with hope. “It’s a short ride to your house.”

He grasped her hand and drew her toward the door. “We’re not going to my house.”

“Then where?” Her breath caught. “Ian, have you a
nid d’amour
? Are you going to take me there as though I were one of your doxies? How exciting. Bluestocking-turned-Bird of Paradise. The gossip columnists will be in alt.” A giggle escaped her.

“Don’t be disgusting.”

“Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Have a—another house in town?”

“No, I don’t have another house in town, nor have I ever.
Corinna
.” He gazed down at her in dismay, but the sparkle in her eyes, lit with love, stole his indignation. He pressed a kiss onto her lips and drew her into the foyer.

They made straight for the carriage. Ian rapped on the roof and it sped off.

“If you aren’t taking me somewhere wicked to make mad passionate love to me, where are we going?”

He pulled her atop his lap and bent his warm mouth to her neck. “I assure you, I would have my way with you right here if time permitted. But we have arrived already.”

“Arrived?”

He handed her out of the carriage in Bloomsbury.

“The museum? But, Ian, I don’t think—”

“You needn’t think at present. Leave that to me.” He grasped her hand and drew her toward the entrance. The same attractive young guard who had stood sentry a month earlier answered the bell.

“Evening, Lord Chance, milady.” He bowed, pulling the door open. “Back to see the Aphrodite statue?”

Ian nodded.

“Be my guest.” The young man gestured toward the exhibition hall. He whistled as they went, then Corinna thought she heard him chuckle and say, “Mother has been looking forward to your visit.” She glanced around, and he winked. She gasped, but Ian’s hand tightened as he pulled her into the hall.

The statue stood in solitary splendor atop its display pedestal, as solid and lovely as on that day that now seemed eons ago in Corinna’s heart. They moved toward it, her fingers trembling. Unease from the guard’s words shivered along her spine. She halted, forcing Ian to as well.

“Ian, what if she isn’t finished with us? What if this is simply some sort of game for her? What if she turns us back again?”

He curved a palm around her face. “Corinna, I have loved you my whole life. I will continue to love you in whatever form you take, whatever shape you wear.” He kissed her brow. “But I don’t think she will, or I wouldn’t have brought us here.”

“You don’t relish a life without ever making love to a woman again.” She tried to laugh, but it caught in her throat.

“I don’t relish a life without making love to you.” He pulled her toward the statue. They stood before it and he drew her into his arms. “Now, come, my love. Let us show this clever deity how appreciative we mere mortals are of her assistance.” He bent his head and Corinna lifted her lips to him. With all the love in her heart, mind and body, she showed him just how grateful she was.

Behind the statue’s alabaster eyes, a flame flickered, ignited, spread, and the stone began to glow in a rich, rosy hue. The goddess’ filmy garment seemed to flutter, her long tresses to wave as though in the wind, and her lips to part in an exultant smile.

Before her, the pair entwined in each other’s embrace took no notice at all.

Author’s Note

O
FTEN WHEN I’M WRITING AN HISTORICAL NOVEL
, I come upon modern songs, films or books set in the present day that resonate with my story and characters. As a professional historian, I’ve learned that the complexity and richness of human experience is not confined by time or place, which of course is why Shakespeare’s plays and Austen’s novels, for instance, can still move us deeply today. I’m comfortable borrowing bits of art from the present and weaving them into my historical stories and characters while doing my best to maintain the authenticity of the past.

That is
not
how I wrote this book. There were no “bits” or ephemeral resonances, rather, overwhelming excitement on the part of this author to recreate a story set in the present day by setting it in the past. The principal inspiration for this book came from two films and one contemporary romance novel:
It’s a Boy Girl Thing
,
Freaky Friday
, and Rachel Gibson’s
Truly Madly Yours
. Through laughter and passion, these stories brilliantly show how misunderstanding and prejudice can be vanquished by education, open mindedness, cooperation, selflessness, and—above all—love. I adored them, and once I’d seen and read all three, I couldn’t stop thinking about them
together
. Then one day a story based on them stepped into my imagination and exclaimed, “Write me as an historical romance!”

I love modern-set remakes of literary classics. Why not, I asked myself, turn the table and write an historical romance based on modern stories? Rather, the characters asked it. Indeed, they begged. So, because I usually think it’s a good idea to listen to my characters, I wrote it. Consider this book a heartfelt “Thank you” to the films for the happiness they gave me, and a love letter to the novel that remains one of my favorites.

Just as I took inspiration from modern stories for this book, I also took it from modern music. Popular songs of the late 20th and early 21st century meaningfully inspired Corinna and Ian’s characters as well as minor characters and scenes in the story. (Giles Fitzhugh, for instance, might never have existed if not for one song by a popular artist.) I chat about these songs and other influences on the story, as well as future novels in the series, in my monthly newsletter. You can subscribe to that here:
http://www.katharineashe.com/get-katharines-books-news/

All of my books are connected in one manner or another. Ian Chance finds his way into
When a Scot Loves a Lady
, and his friend “Jag” Grace plays a crucial role in my novella,
A Lady’s Wish
. A number of other characters mentioned in
My Lady, My Lord
are featured in my other books too. You can learn more at
www.KatharineAshe.com
. I love hearing from readers.

Thank You

F
OR THEIR INVALUABLE, GENEROUS, AND GRACIOUS HELP
in preparing this novel to bring to publication, I sincerely thank Anne Alexander, Georgie C. Brophy, Sarra Cannon, Isobel Carr, Nita Eyster, Sonja Foust, Cari Gunsallus, Carrie Gwaltney, Meg Huliston, Toni Kemble, Christy Krupa, Melinda Leigh, Rose Lerner, Dr. Diane Liepzig, Caroline Linden, Mary Brophy Marcus, Miranda Neville, Maya Rodale, and Pattie Withers. Very special thanks go to my agent, Kimberly Whalen, for her support, and to my mother, Georgann T. Brophy, as well as Lori Devoti, Julie Schroeder, and Martha Trachtenberg, for their indispensible work on this project.

 

~ ~ ~

 

If you enjoyed
My Lady, My Lord
, please consider posting an online review of it. You can find all my books at Amazon listed here:
http://www.amazon.com/Katharine-Ashe/e/B003GMQEVS
Click on a book cover to add a review for that book. Thank you, in advance!

Copyright

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portion thereof, in any form. This ebook may not be resold or uploaded for distribution to others.

MY LADY, MY LORD: Copyright © 2014 Katharine Brophy Dubois.

Cover design ©
Julie Schroeder Designs
.

ISBN 9780991641208

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