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Regency Romance Novel Meghan Sloan
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Mending the Baron's Sins: A Historical Regency Romance
Muchlikeherspiritedmother,thefieryLadyJaneCaldwellyearnsforadventure,butfacesanirresistibleobstacle;shemust marry to pursue her dreams. Seeking a husband means not only sharing her dreams, but also her bed. Armed with her sketchbookandknowledgeofastronomy,shecravestoexploretheworldanditsmysteries.Soon,however,shefindsherself delvingintoaworldoflustanddeception,whenthewickedLordBalwoodentersherlife. Willshebeabletoresisthisdevilishcharm?
Margaretrolledhereyesandslammedherbookshut,puttingitdownonthesetteenexttoher “Youreallydohaveanabhorrent memory, Jane. I said nothing of the kind. Come, come, tell me what you're drawing.” Margaret's grey eyes widened with interest,andJanechuckled
Margaretsighed softly. Jane puther hands behind her backand closed her eyes for a moment, knowingwhather bestfriend wasabouttosayanddreadingitslightly.
To her surprise, Jane chuckled. Thoughts of her mother always lowered her mood, drawing her back into the past, but Margaret'squickwitandsarcasmalsoalwaysbroughtherbacktothepresent,remindingherofthehappinessathand
“How are youtoday? We've hardlyspoken.We hadall these plans for a peaceful,quietafternoon,butIfindIcan'tbear it,”
Herblondecurlswerebouncingasshespokeexcitedly.Herdearfriendwasalmosthercompletecontrast:blonde,bright,and cheerful with gray eyes, while Jane had long, raven-black hair and sharp. blue eyes. She was hardly ever considered as cheerfulasMargaret,forgriefhadstruckherlifeearly.
“Iknowyouthinkmelying,butit'strue.LastSeasonwasnotasuccess,asyouknow,andmymotherisveryeagerthatIfinda matchthisyear IknowshewillputsomuchpressureonmethatIwon'tbeabletobearit”Margaretclosedhereyes,butthen they snapped open again and an apologetic look crossed her face. “Forgive me, Jane. I know I should be grateful that my motherisstillheretobotherme”
Jane smirked. “Yes, youshould be, but Icanunderstand how frustratingit would be to deal withthe Viscountess. She is a formidablewoman,andI'vebeenafraidofhermyentirelife”Theybothlaughed,andJaneleanedbackinherchair,hermind turningbacktohermotheragain.
“I suppose this is not as muchof a surprise that I'malso not lookingforward to the season I know Aunt Sarahand Uncle Hamishareeagerformetofindamatch,butyouknowwhatIreallywant.”
“Yes, but she had her travels first. Having a wealthy uncle helped her, and they traveled together for so many years. Her journals,Margaret,they'reincredible.Andsheandmyfathertraveledtoo,beforeshegotsick.
Buteveryoneweknowinthemarriagemartmakesitseemasthoughfindingamatchistheendofeverything,stayingathome and beingexactlywho everyone wants youto be. Iknow thatAuntSarahso wishes itfor me, claimingthatitwill ‘protect’ me”
“Well,Idonotknowhowmuchthatis,butsurelyitwouldbeenoughtobegin?Thisisyourtownhouse,fromyourfather,and Aunt Sarahand Uncle Hamishare just here as your family. Theylove youand care for you. Theywould understand ifyou wishedtodosomethingelse”
“Youknow,perhapsyoumightenjoybeinginlovewithsomeone.Itmightnotbesoverybad.”Margaretcolored.“Youknow that mywishis to find someone I could trulycare for, not just a wealthy, established manwhommyparents approved of SomeoneIlovesoverypassionately.”
Margaretblushedagain,andtheteaarrived.Janepouredacupforthemboth.ShedidnottellMargaretthatsheoccasionally dreamedofaman Hedidnothaveadistinctiveface,buthiseyesweresharpandheatedwhenhelookedather Thedreams made her squirm, heatliftingover her skin. Whenthe manwould reachfor her, she would ache to be touched, butthenshe wouldawakentoacold,darkroom.Shewouldthenchastiseherselfandreturntosleep.
“I suppose it is a blessingthat I have beengivenso muchso that I have the time to choose someone properly, if I choose someoneatall.Idonothavetochooseinthenextfewweeks.Icantakealittletime.”
Butsheunderstoodheraunt’sanduncle’sargumentaboutmarriage,atleasttoacertainpoint.Withstatusandahusband,she would nothave to fear people tryingto take advantage ofher, and all the properties and wealthwould come to her and her husband.
If only my husband is not the one trying to take advantage
She looked around the well-furnished room. Her father had died onlyeighteenmonths ago, and one ofher deepest, darkest secretswasthatwhenhedied,shehadfeltasenseofrelief Theirsharedgriefhadbecometoomuchforthebothofthem He hadbecomeangry,strict,andthey'dlosttheclosenessthey'donceshared.
Before theycould continue, her aunt, the LadySarahBarnet, rushed into the room, holdinganinvitationinher hand “Good afternoon,Margaret,dear,”shesaidkindly,tappingtheletterandcomingtositnexttothetwoofthem.
“Yes, I'msure we will” She leaned backinher chair witha chuckle Her aunt, atfiftyyears ofage, was still beautiful and vibrant,her lightbrowncurlsgrayingonlyslightly,her figuretrim.Sheandher UncleHamishhadnever hadanychildrenof theirown,andtheyhadbeentheperfectreplacementparentsforJaneforanumberofyears.
SheglancedatMargaret,whosentheranencouraginglook,butnowwasnotthetimetotellherauntthatshehadnointerestin seeking a marriage of convenience. Everyone in the ton already knew about how much she’d inherited, and so she wasn’t certainthemenwhowouldapproachherwouldevenbeinterestedinheratall.
NathanielWorthington,theMarquessofBalwood,wasnothavingaverygoodday.Hewasn’tsurehow longithadbeenthat he’dbeensittingthereinhisfather’sstudy,hiselbowsonthetable,handsfolded,staringdownatapileofbillsthatwereyet unpaid Itcouldhavebeenalifetimeor couldhavebeenafew seconds,butwhatdidthatmatter?Thesituationwasstill the same.
We are lost
Heletoutalongbreathandscrubbedahandoverhisfaceasheleanedbackinthechair.Hefeltlikehehadn’tsleptindays,at leastnotsince his father, the Duke ofWorwood, had fallenill His whole familywas surprised athis suddenloss ofgood health,butoncethetruthcameoutaboutthedebts,itallmadesense.
Heknewwhathisrolewasnow,especiallyifhisfatherwastotakeaturnfortheworseand,Godforbid,passawaywithout beingable to resolve this mess Nathaniel had to be the one to take charge, to comfort, to help his mother and sister, and to makesurethateverythingwasgoingtobewell.Buthecouldseenofeasiblewayoutofthatmesscurrently.Well,atleastnot onethathedidnotwishtodo.
Pushingawayfromthedesk,hewanderedaboutthestudy,andhepouredhimselfaglassofwhiskey.Hepausedatthewindow, lookingout for the afternoonstreets below. His hand idlycame to brushagainst the globe his cartographer grandfather had boughtandgivenhimasagiftmanyyearsbefore.
Butas he sippedhis whiskeyandstaredatthe globe,he wonderedifhe ever wouldgetthatchance.Andifso,when.Right now,thefuturelookedbleakerthanever.
Chapter3
Threedayslater,thenightfortheWorwoodballarrived,andJanewastryingtosteadyherbreathandhernervesassheandher familynearedthebaseoftheWorwoodsteps.Notsurprisingly,theirswasamassiveestate,eveninthemiddleofLondon,and her hands shook a little. This was to be her first Season, and with such an inheritance, she knew that everyone would be lookingherway
“Ofcourse, and we will notbe far awayas we wander the ballroom” Theyjoined the line ofguests, butitmoved far too quicklyforJane’staste,andtheysoonwerestoodinfrontoftheirhosts.ShehadnevermettheDukeandDuchessofWorwood, buttheduchess,althoughbeautifulandstately,lookedfarkinderthanJaneexpectedforsomeoneofherstation
So,itwasjusttheduchesswhosmiledatthem.Sheworeadarkgownwithfeathersinherhairandshesmiled,greetingthem all Buttherewasalittlesadnessinhereyes,andJanewonderedifitwastodowithherhusband’sillness
They might have been more appropriate on a sailor or dock worker. His dark coat fit snugly along his muscles, and Jane blinkedafewtimes,wonderingifanyonehadsaidanythingforseveralminutes.
Certainly, the man was unequivocally handsome, but Jane could not shake the feeling that she had felt those same strange feelingsbeforefromthemaninherdream
Thoseeyes,blueandbright,werelikethecolorofafrozenlake.Andshehaddarkraven-blackhairthathe’dhadthestrange urge to runhis hands through She had stared rightbackathimtoo, and he wondered ifshe had feltthe same thingthathad buzzedbetweenthemlikesomethingliving.Shewasmesmerizingandastonishing.Herfigurefull,butalsotrim,andherlovely pinklipswerealreadyburnedinhismind.
He smiled curiouslyathis awestruckfriend, and thenhe approached her. Itwas his dutyto escorther down, and so, witha smile,hewalkedpartwayupthestepstomeethissister.Hergownwasbrightwhite,andtherewerepearlsaroundherneckas wellaswhitefeathersinherhair.Hercurlshadbeenpinnedback,andherbrighthazeleyesshonewithexcitement.
Sheblinkedafewtimes,tryingtomakeherselfnotseehimasimpossiblyhandsomebecausewhatgoodwouldthatdo?Hewas a duke’s son, and he certainlyhad his share of admirers Feelingas plainas she did, Jane knew she would never gainhis interest.Notonlythat,butshehadherownplanstomake,planswhichhadnothingtodowithdangerouslyhandsomemenor hazeleyes
She sipped at her glass, attemptingand failingto take her eyes offhim She had seenmeninher life, but this was entirely different.Shehadneverbeensoutterly aware ofsomeoneinherentireexistence,andshefearedthatshewouldneverbeable togethimfromhermind.
“Whyare youstandinghere onyour own?” Margaret said, her eyes flashingas she tookinthe arrayof guests. “There are certainlymanyhandsomeandeligiblegentlemenheretoday,andyoushouldnotwastetheopportunity.”
Was this what Margaret meant by all the handsome and eligible gentlemen in the room?
Shemadeitthroughthedance,butshehardlyhadtimetobreathebeforethegentlemencame,onebyone,tosignherdancecard and to whisk her away to the dance floor This was not exactly what she had expected by attention, but while she’d been annoyedatfirst,shewasgladforthedistraction.However,therewasjustonethingthatniggledathermind.
She could see all the constellations like painted objects ona canvas, and sometimes, ona perfectlyclear night, she could almostseethestarspointingherwaytowardsherfutureunknownjourney.
The journey that may have to wait until someone could be found. Someone who understands.
Her smile fell as lookingat the stars made her thinkof her mother and the keenloss that didn’t seemto get anybetter Of course,theedgesofgriefhaddulledovertime,butstill,thelossfeltlikeanachingchasminside.
“Oh,no,”shesaidhurriedly,turningaway,andhethoughtshewipedatearawaywithherglovedhand.“Iamverywell,thank you Iwassimplyadmiringthestarryskyandgettingabreathoffreshair”
It lit up her eyes. It changed her face ina wayso different to whenhe’d seenher nervouslyat the front door. She seemed invigoratedandevenmorebeautiful,ifthatwaspossible.Hewasgladshespokefirst,forhewasn’tcertainthathewouldhave beenabletofindhiswordsrightthen.
“Mymother was anastronomer of sorts,” she told him “She traveled all over withher uncle and saw so manyinteresting things, marking her findings along the way in her many journals. I too enjoy studying the stars, and so I find themjust as comforting Mylord”She’daddedthetitlehurriedly,asiffearingshewasbeingdisrespectfulbyspeakingsoheatedly
He thoughtshe was blushingtoo, butitwas hard to tell inthe torchlight.“Itseems we have more incommonthanwe might haveexpected,LadyJane”Hesmiled,hisheartdrummingawayinhischestasheturnedhisgazebacktowardthestars
“WhenIcan,butitseemsthatsomanythingstakemytimeoflate.”Heglancedtowardstheopenbalconydoorsandthedrifting sound of light music coming through them. He straightened, turning towards her, his one hand still pressing against the balustrade
He hadn’tintendedit,butthe motionbroughtthemcloser thantheywere before,andevenmore sowhenshe turnedtowards himaswell.Shelookedupathim,herbeautifulblueeyeswatchinghim.
Hehadneverseensucheyesbefore,eyesthatthreatenedhiscomposure,threatenedtomakehimdothingshemightneverhave donebefore His skinbuzzedandtingledwiththe urgetoreachoutandgraspher,andittookeverythinginhimtoquell that urgeandkeephishandsathissides.
LadyJanegaspedagain Herpinklipsparted,anditdrewhisgazedowntothem Forafewmoments,Nathanielwasentirely lostinthe world ofLadyJane. Inthatworld, he had no familyto protect, no fortune to returnto his family’s coffers. There were no burdens onhis shoulders. There was just this beautiful woman, her eyes searchinghis, her mouthlookingfar too inviting,andhersoftskinunderhisfingertips
Hecouldkissher,drownhimselfinthespellshewassurelycastinguponhimandtasteherlovelypinklipsagainsthisown It would feel like reliefsweepingdownthroughhimand over his soul ifshe allowed himsucha privilege. He nearlyleaned down,topresshislipsagainstherswhenhefeltthegentlepushofherhandagainstherchest.Shebackedaway,hereyeswider thanbefore,andhishandslippedfromhercheek
“Forgive me, mylord. Imustgo. I ” she shookher head, backingaway, step bystep, before she turned around and nearly racedthroughtheopenbalconydoors
Itwasjustlikethedreamsshe’dhave,butonlythistime,therewasafacetotheman,andhehadactuallytouchedher Fora fewseconds,she’dbeenlostentirely,unsureofwhereshewasorwhatshewasdoing.Ithadfeltglorious,almostlikeshewas bathinginaseaofstars
Butsoon,she’dfacedcold,hardreality.Ifthey’dbeencaught,shewouldhavebeenforcedtomarryhim,andthatshecouldnot have She mighthave neededtomarryinorder togetthe whole ofher inheritance andall the properties,butshe wantedthe choice to be her own. For a moment, she considered that Lord Balwood had done it onpurpose. But thenshe pushed that thoughtaway.
No, he had been sincere. One can always tell by the eyes. And I think, perhaps, he might have been trying to kiss me.
She'dseentheslightleanandthegazetowardhermouthbeforegoodsensehadtakenhold,andshe’drushedawaytoescape him. Pushingfurther into the crowd, she found another glass ofchampagne and she tooka large gulp ofit, hopingit would somehowcalmher.
I’m ill. That must be it. For why else could I be feeling in such a way? Like I have no control over my limbs or my heart? I’ve met handsome men before and not reacted in such a mad fashion This must be some kind of fever
Hereyestrailedoverthecrowdasshetriedtodistractherselfforafewminutes.Shespottedtheyoungwomanwhoseballit was Throughoutthe evening,she had beensurrounded byyoungsuitors As lovelyas she was,itwas nosurprise Jane had beenbusyenoughherself,butLadyEmilyhadbeenhardnottosee.
Andinthatmoment,Janewaswatchingasayoungmanapproachedher Hehadkindeyes,andhewassmiling Astheyspoke Jane could tell theyknew eachother. The manheld outa hand to her, and LadyEmilynodded withenthusiasmas well as a blush
He swepther ontothe dance floor for the nextset,andJane smiledafter them.Theymade itlooksosimple,withtheir easy smilesandcomfortablelooks.
She doesn’t look weak at the knees or as if she can’t breathe when that young man is around. I couldn’t possibly have a marriage where I lose all sense and balance
She took it, grateful for the gloves or else she would have to feel her skinagainst her own, and she wasn’t sure after the eveningshe’dhad,ifshewouldhavebeenabletobearit.Janetriedtoforceherselftoremainsteadyonherfeet.Thankfully, LordBalwoodheldhersnuggly,hishandspreadonherlowerback,hisotherhandholdinghers Theireyesmetasthedance began.
There was a little furrow in his brow, and even though he was smiling, Jane wondered at his expression. It seemed that somethinghungheavyonhim, justas somethinghungheavyonher. Mightitbe thatshe and the impossiblyhandsome Lord Balwoodwerekindredspiritsofasort?
Thatevening, ittooka while for Jane to getto sleep, butonce she did, she could see Lord Nathaniel Balwood’s handsome features. Itwas as ifhe was reallythere inthe roomwithher. Itwas a dream, butitwas the mostvivid dreamshe’d ever experienced Shecouldfeelthehairsliftingonherarmsandasweatcomingoutoverherskin
Her muscles weakened, and his kiss onher hand feltlike fire “Iwonder ifyoumightletme kiss you,” he told her, and she nodded,stillunabletoutteranywords.
Withahandsome,rakishsmile,LordBalwoodleanedforwardandkissedher.Janecouldfeelallthewarmsoftnessofhislips againsthers.Itwaseverythingshehadeverdreamedakisscouldbe,bothhotandsweetatthesametime.Hiskissmadeher meltinto his arms, and everynerve tingled atthe touchofhis tongue againsther own Ifthis was a kiss, itfeltwicked and wonderfulatthesametime.
At breakfast, Jane hoped that her Aunt Sarah would not be too chatty about her and Lord Balwood dancing at the ball. Thankfully,she’dbeentootiredonthecarriageridehomefromtheballlasteveningthatshehadnotsaidmuch.
Whenshe satdown, she barelyhad time to pour herselfa cup oftea before her auntasked, “Well, how did youenjoyyour evening?InoticedthatyouhadmanydancepartnersforwhichIamveryproudofyou Butmostofall,Isawthatyoudanced withLordBalwood.Youmadeaverystrikingcoupleonthedancefloor,Jane.”
“Youmustbe Jane. Dear cousin, whata pleasure itis to meetyouatlonglast.” He reached outfor her hand, and his eyes remainedonhersashebowedoverit,turningthentogreetheraunt.
That means she will have no end of suitors shortly I will have to act quickly
“Please tell us aboutyour journeyhere fromFrance,” LordBarnetasked,andEdwardhadtoturntowards him,his attention distractedforthemoment.
Heansweredhimpleasantly,butallthewhileatthebackofhismind,hewasthinkingaboutwhattodonext.Hehadearneda title, anearldom, whichwas more thanhe ever could have hoped for, especiallyafter whatever had happened betweenhis fatheranduncleallthoseyearsago.
Foryears,growingupinFrance,hisfatherhadtoldhimthathewouldbeoustedfromhistrueinheritancebecauseofhisvery beautifulcousinJane.Shewastheappleofhisfather'seye,he’dheard,andonceshemarried,shewouldreceivetheentiretyof the wealthand propertyofher father He had onlyreceived the title, so withoutthe wealthand propertyto backit, he was basicallynothing.
After his uncle had nothad a son, and Edward had become the heir, he had made ithis planfromthe beginningto take his revenge.Perhaps marriagetohis dear cousinwas theonlywaytogoaboutit.Hewouldtakeall thatmoneyfor himself.He wouldbecomeoneofthewealthiestnoblemeninthecountry
