A Viscount's Choice (The Unforeseen Lovers Book 4) Read online

  A VISCOUNT’S CHOICE

  A Secret Lovers Regency Romance

  Lily Holland

  A Viscount’s Choice Copyright © 2019 by Lily Holland. All Rights Reserved.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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  Chapter 1

  Miss Maggie Knight

  A light wind blows and leaves abandon their trees as the autumn weather claims them. I follow the course of a rose petal swirling in the wind before a noise beside me calls my attention back.

  “And what about this one?”

  I blink a few times, focusing on the drawing hanging on the wall.

  “A landscape,” I announce and the man beside me snorts.

  “I think I noticed,” he says with a mischievous smile. “Where is this place?”

  The blue strikes of the brush depicting the clear sky, the green lines showing the idealized grass… I can only remember good things about the city I have painted on the canvas.

  “It’s from my time in Bath last summer.”

  I look at the bright colors used to depict one of my favorite places in the world and I catch Wyatt’s nod in the corner of my eye.

  “It’s beautiful, you are incredibly talented. Are all the other paintings yours as well?”

  My lips stretch in a smile and I turn to him.

  “Most of them are, except this one. I have tried to convince my mother not to get it, but she wouldn’t listen.”

  I point at the portrait of an old lady my mother thought to be agreeable to the eye when the painter sold it to us last year.

  “Your pieces of art are definitely more impressive, should you try to make it your profession?”

  A new smile on my face, a new smirk on his.

  “I don’t think so,” I announce, looking back at my attempt to render the peculiar light shining over Bath at sunrise. “I do not believe I would have a brilliant career.”

  My tone just changed and I know Wyatt perceived it. I blink when two strong hands connect around my waist and a warm breath warms my right ear.

  “You are brilliant in all things…”

  My grin widens and Wyatt’s hands tighten around me. He holds me all up against his body and I let my arms cover his.

  “You should not be doing this,” I whisper, “my sister could walk on us.”

  “I don’t believe she would be willing to disturb us, my love.”

  I laugh but my breath soon catches as his lips close on my neck and my entire body trembles at his touch.

  “Or my mother could walk on us, and let’s not forget my father. I wonder, what would you say for yourself if any of them happened to find us out?”

  A powerful laugh makes his chest shake in my back and he uses his strength to spin me around.

  “Do you truly think I would need to find an explanation?”

  He leans forward to brush his nose to mine and my eyes close.

  “I think you might.”

  His lips glide on my cheek and I feel his grin get bigger. Both his hands link on the small of my back and he holds me closer to his figure, his enthralling warmth making me lose my ground.

  “I think I am willing to take the risk.”

  His words send a shiver up and down my spine and my breath hitches. Wyatt and I have been in love for more than two years. Ever since our first meeting, our love hasn’t faltered. We have been secretly engaged for some months, ever since that ball at the Hinsleys. We haven’t said a word to my parents yet because my father is pretty uptight. He likes when things are thought through and I am convinced that the minute I will admit my feelings for Wyatt, he will question every single one of my certainties to make sure I am not making a mistake marrying him.

  I can already say it is not one. Wyatt is a Viscount, he has money and lands, the situation he is willing to offer me is most comfortable and I know for a fact that I will be happy with him. Truth be told, I already am so happy between his arms…

  “My sweet Maggie…”

  Wyatt’s nose caresses mine again before, finally, his lips connect with my mouth and my heart radiates an unprecedented pleasure. There is so much desire in this embrace, so much love and passion… There is nothing more a bride could be willing to request from her husband-to-be.

  When his hands travel up and down my back tightly keeping me pressed to his body, I know I must step back, but I don’t want to. He kisses me again and again and, after a long minute trying to gather my composure, I lean back.

  “Wyatt…”

  “I want you, my love…”

  His burning breath sends shivers all over my body but I must keep my mind straight. Anyone could walk on us right now, my mother is about to come back from her trip to town, my sister is walking in the garden and my father is in his office down the corridor.

  “Now is neither the place nor the time,” I oppose but my voice is so weak it is closer to a murmur.

  A groan of restless desire echoes in Wyatt’s chest and he buries his nose in my neck, his lips finding my skin and making me ever weaker between his arms.

  “I can’t stop thinking about you, Maggie. From sunrise to sunset, you and your warmth are always on my mind…”

  His words and his kisses, his lips nibbling at my skin and tasting my flesh, I feel the will to resist deserting my body. I close my hands around his neck and tilt my head to find his mouth again.

  We have always been very appropriate in our love affair, at least until recently when we have given way to our feelings one lovely night. It’s a good thing we are engaged, otherwise I wouldn’t have trusted him as I do.

  “I can’t wait for us to be married,” I whisper in the midst of long, passionate kisses.

  He nods, his hands cupping my face and his lips hovering above mine.

  “Me neither. I want you to be my wife fully and legitimately. Thankfully, I don’t think we will have to wait long any more.”

  My eyes shoot to his.

  “No?”

  He shakes his head, a finger gently brushing over my cheek.

  “No. I have talked to your father earlier this week. We were not talking about you but he brought your name up and declared you might soon be ready to marry. I don’t know if he meant you are coming of age or that he has been working on your dowry, but he seemed pretty open-minded. I believe we might talk to him about us soon enough.”

  “Really?” I exclaim in a squeal. “Oh Wyatt, that would be wonderful!”

  “I know,” he argues, his fingers trailing at the base of my hair before combing through my brown ringlets. “I have good reasons to hope for our wedding to take place before another two months, my love. That would meet your father’s love of decorum and, then, you would finally be mine.”

  A thrilling sensation makes my belly clench as he speaks those words. I wag my head with a wide smile on my lips.

  “Yours,” I repeat. “Yours to cherish and to love freely.”

  His grin gets larger and he inches forward.

  “Oh yes, there’ll be a lot of love, you can be sure of that.”

  I laugh but he closes his lips back on mine and I am silenced by his delicious tongue and sweet perfume filling my nostrils.

  Our bodies losing the patience we still need to protect both our reputations, we take a sudden step back when a door slams somewhere in the house.

  My breath is short and his even more so when my sister enters the room without as much as a knock on the door.

  “Oh Maggie, something bad is happening!”

  My brow creases at once and Wyatt’s body tenses beside me.

  “What are you referring to?” he asks and my sister’s alarmed eyes make me wary.

  “Are you okay Susie? You look pale!”

  I take a step toward her as she shakes her head vigorously and a loud voice makes the three of us start.

  “You will hear from me, Sir! This behavior is unforgivable! You are a rascal and a thief, I will make sure the law punishes you!”

  My father’s angry tone is so unusual that it makes us all look at each other, abashed. I fight a wave of terror that threatens to overcome me and I blink toward the door. None of us dare to move and, when we perceive some movement down the corridor, I inhale a deep breath.

  I reach the door and open it at once while Wyatt and my sister remain unmoving in the middle of the room.

  “How dare you make such threats against me?! I will make sure Lord Trevorian hears about it! You will lose your seat in Parliament soon enough!”

  I have never heard my father that vehement in my life. The man he addresses b
arely takes notice of his words. I walk down the corridor only to wait against the wall while I can peer into the hall.

  “You can shout all you want, Sir, but you are the one at fault here. I am only courteous enough to let you know about what is to come. I am, I dare say, pretty certain you will be the one condemned by the judge.”

  I know the man talking, I have seen him many times before. Mr Foredale I think I recall his name is. From what I have been able to understand from my father’s affairs, Foredale is a friend. Or at least he was a friend; as my father starts insulting him one word after another, I suppose he is now considered an enemy.

  My feet take me back to the drawing room and I close the door back behind me. Wyatt stands near the window, his hands clasped in his back and his eyes shooting to mine inquisitively.

  My sister is fanning herself, sitting on a chair and whispering inaudibly about the terrible meaning of such trouble in the house.

  “So?” wonders Wyatt and I don’t know what to say.

  I shrug.

  “Some unfortunate business matter, I reckon.”

  “Oh but Maggie, can’t you see!” exclaims my sister with dismay. “Papa was talking with Mr Foredale! Haven’t you heard the terrible news?”

  I detail her face before looking at my fiancé who shrugs in ignorance.

  “What terrible news? What are you talking about Susie?”

  “Oh, it is terrible, awful indeed!”

  She shakes her head so quickly I am scared she might end up with a stiff neck, and she fans herself with renewed vigor.

  “If they are screaming, it’s because they are disagreeing!”

  I can’t help but frown again and I let my eyes travel to Wyatt’s face. Once more, his shoulders tense and he shakes his head. He has no more idea than I have about what might be going on.

  “Oh my God, it’s so bad! Where is Mama? We need her now!”

  As quickly as she entered the room, Susie stands up and disappears at once. I let my hand rest on my forehead and Wyatt walks to me.

  “Do you know what it is all about?”

  I shake my head with a sigh.

  “I don’t have the slightest idea,” I confess. “Susie seems to know though; I think I might get more information out of her if I go after her.”

  He bows and closes the distance between us. He cups my face in his palms and smiles faintly before drawing a light kiss on my forehead.

  “I should leave for now,” he says, his thumbs caressing my cheeks. “I believe you have some family issues to take care of.”

  I fail to repress a new sigh but I toss my head.

  “I don’t know what is going on but I truly hope she is exaggerating.”

  “I’m sure everything will be fine, my love. It’s probably nothing more than a men’s opposition in business matters. It happens all the time, I’m sure your father will come round soon enough.”

  His words find a way to the place holding all tension inside me and I inhale an easier breath.

  “You are probably right.”

  “Without a doubt,” he adds with a confident smile. “Once his bad mood will be vanquished by your mother’s comforting words, I am certain he will be more than inclined to hear about the offer I have to make.”

  “Oh?”

  A large smile settles on my lips and he grins in response.

  “As I told you, I don’t want to waste any more time. I want you to be my wife. I want you, Maggie.”

  He kisses my cheek as he speaks and I melt in his embrace. When his lips find mine for a brief but intense kiss, I can’t even remember anything that exists apart from him in this world.

  “I should go now,” declares Wyatt taking a step back and releasing me. “Your family needs you and I don’t want to feel like an intruder in your father’s business. I will visit tomorrow.”

  I nod in response but my hands are still attached to his jacket. I don’t want to let him go and yet, I know I have to. I love so much having him close to me. Becoming his wife will be a blessing to my heart, I will finally be allowed some rest from always wishing to steal a moment alone, always being careful not to speak too loud when we exchange words of love… It has become quite tiring as the months went by.

  “I will write to you if what has happened is so troublesome that my parents prefer not to entertain any company for tea tomorrow.”

  “No,” he says making me frown. “I will come no matter what. I can’t spend a day without seeing your face, Maggie.”

  I believe he is about to lean forward to press his lips on mine, a powerful shiver making my spine tense, but he grins and grabs my hand. His eyes never leaving mine, he kisses my bare knuckles with tenderness and my heart resumes an uncommon race.

  “I can’t wait,” I whisper, barely aware I have spoken out loud.

  “Neither can I,” he adds, his eyes going over my entire body and making me shudder once more.

  I accompany him to the front door and see him off, reflecting on how much happiness awaits me once I will be his wife.

  When my daydreaming clears from my mind, my sister’s impatient questions to the servants capture my attention. I walk to her and, when my father joins us in the drawing room with an expression on his face I have never witnessed before, my stomach sinks.

  Chapter 2

  Viscount Wyatt Chambers

  My carriage gets me home but I don’t see time going by. My mind is still with Maggie, back in this room where I successfully stole a few kisses. I want so much more from her…

  When my butler hands me a note as soon as I pass the front door, I know something is up.

  “Who is it from?”

  “Your sister came in a few hours ago, Sir. I believe she mentioned having supper here tonight. She expected catching you for tea and she was disappointed to see you were not home.”

  “I see,” I say unfolding the note. “Thank you Daniel.”

  “Sir.”

  The man bows and takes his leave, disappearing behind a door as I review the card. As always, my sister’s pretension makes me sigh and I head to my study. Nothing is more annoying than a woman who spends her time boasting about her situation in life, and that is exactly my lovely sister’s main occupation. She adores three things most of all: gossiping about her neighbors, gossiping about the royal family and her husband’s proud legacy as one of the oldest names of the country.

  She would have earned more respect from me if she had adored her husband for himself instead of his name, but I will not deny a secular name added to the standing of our family name.

  Before my father passed away three years ago, he was very concerned about my sister marrying well. Caroline is the kind of woman who doesn’t like going unnoticed; as a result, she has convinced many great Ladies that she was silly and many great Lords that she was funny. All in all, she did alright and even found a way to secure Lord Steward’s affection. How she achieved such a thing remains a complete mystery to me, but he proposed and she said yes and that’s all I ever needed to know. For all I do know, they are happy together and I am contented when they are not too close from here.

  As suppertime gets closer, I tense when the sound of hooves in the driveway announces my guests’ arrival. I welcome them as a warm host must, and we all get to supper soon after.

  My sister spends the evening telling me how surprised she was earlier today to find out Lady Myrtle married below her station and I listen to her as well as I can—which isn’t much.

  Ever since I got back from Maggie’s house, a strange feeling has been twisting my insides. I wonder… What was her father’s shouts all about? From the drawing room, I didn’t hear much, but everything in his tone told me it was something really important. I find it peculiar for a man such as him to be thus giving ways to his emotions. It is not like him and it makes me extremely anxious. What if it had to do with Maggie? What if the man he was arguing with had told him he wanted to marry her? It is far-fetched, I know, but I am afraid of anything that might tear the two of us apart.

  “… and then she told me about the Knights' affairs, such a troublesome business,” declares my sister.

  She takes a sip of her wine and I blink to focus on her.

  “What did you say?”

  I stare at her, doing my best to recall the words she has just uttered while I wasn’t paying attention.