Page 11 of Every Wallflower Has Her Thorns (Revenge of the Wallflowers)
S cotland, five years later…
The warm glow of the roaring fire cast a soft light across the cozy drawing room of Skye Manor in Galloway, Scotland. It was a hunting lodge at the edge of the estate by Loch Morn and was their family home, while Calum remained the Marquess of Skye. His parents and brothers still lived in the Galloway castle. That’s what she’d named it when she’d first seen the impressive house with turrets and steeples. They called it the Galloway Manor but she thought it rather too grand for just a manor.
Tonight Alice sat in a plush chair, cradling a small bundle in her arms. Her eyes filled with tender affection as she gazed down at the sleeping baby, the newest addition to the Skye family.
Calum entered the room with a contented smile on his face. Dressed in his riding gear, he crossed the room to stand beside Alice. “I took Star Blaze for a canter as you requested. She is eagerly awaiting your return to riding, but I have a funny feeling she might be in foal.”
Star Blaze was her horse that she rode almost every day until her condition made it impossible. Star Blaze, a medium sized mare, was the foal she’d won from Calum for helping him win a chess match all those years ago. “Thank you. I’ll be back riding soon.”
She had gotten over her fear of riding and loved galloping across their fields with her handsome husband, greeting tenants and viewing their thriving estate.
His eyes met hers, and the love that passed between them spoke volumes. He still caused her heart to race, and she wanted him with one look. Calum reached down and gently stroked the baby’s cheek.
“Another blessing,” he said, his voice filled with pride. “A daughter this time.”
Alice nodded, her gaze never leaving the infant in her arms. She had the look of Calum about her eyes and mouth. “Our little chess piece,” she mused, a playful glint in her eyes. “What shall we name her?”
Calum chuckled, taking a seat beside her, reaching out for her hand. “How about Catriona? A name as pure in heart as her mother.”
Alice smiled at the suggestion. “She is gorgeous, and that is a beautiful name for our precious daughter, but don’t think I’m not aware that you seem to be favoring names beginning with the letter C for our children. Our son is called Conan, and I only agreed with that name because you said it means intelligent in Gaelic.”
“It does. My son has his mother’s brains and our daughter has her beauty. Perfect.”
She scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. Catriona looks very much like her father. What are you going to do when we run out of C names?”
“My prickly little wallflower hasn’t lost her thorns, even though I married you and love you with all my heart.” Calum leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Or is that your way of informing me you’d like a rather large family?”
“Maybe it’s my way of telling you I like making babies a lot. When I’ve recovered, of course.”
His eyebrow arched. “I am more than willing to oblige whenever you desire.” They sat in companionable silence. “After Catriona is put to bed, how about a game of chess? I almost beat you last time.”
One of these days she should take pity on Calum and let him win, but whoever won the chess game got to decide their bed sport that night. She loved being in control of a powerful, handsome man who would do anything to please her.
Over Catriona’s head, Alice flashed him a saucy smile. “Perhaps I should let you win. It’s still too soon after Catriona’s birth. It would be a waste me winning tonight.”
“I’ll bank the win for when you’ve recovered. Then we can make another child to fulfill your demand for a large family.”
“Is that a promise?” she asked huskily. His smoldering smile warmed her. “Then let’s get the chess set out. I have a game to lose.”
She was clever enough to understand that even by losing, she won.
Being held in her husband’s arms and being loved by him, she’d treasure for the rest of their years together.
And she did.
Over the long winter nights in Scotland, the chessboard witnessed countless victories and defeats, but above all, it bore witness to the enduring love between them.
* * *
Thank you for reading Alice and Calum’s story. I’m not a great chess player, but I love how it brought these two together, and that Alice is the better player. Men can’t be good at all things, LOL.
Read on for a taste of The Allure Of Lord Devlin - book #3 in my Lady Bachelorette series.
From USA Today Bestselling Author Bronwen Evans, comes a best friend’s brother, enemies to lovers romance.
Unlike her stepmother, Lady Dharma Dexter totally believes in love. She knows all Lord Byron’s poems by heart and is waiting for the day when the man of her dreams woos her with sonnets. At her stepmother’s bachelorette house party, she can’t ignore her best friend’s brother, the annoying yet stunningly handsome, Warwick Sneddon, the Marquis of Devlin, a man who is there because he is in desperate need of money. For some reason, he ignores her stepmother and sets his sights on her. Dharma does have a very large dowry, but she is not giving it to any man until he wins her heart. She is not marrying for duty, or for a title. She wants love, and she’s sure Devil, as he is known, does not have a heart.
Lord Devlin’s father left the family estates in ruins, and Devil, as he is known to his friends, needs to marry quickly, and marry well. Only problem is, his father died with the rumor of traitor hanging over his head. No good family will let him near their daughters. With debtor’s prison a real possibility, fate throws him a bone in the guise of his younger sister’s friend, the very spoilt Lady Darma. She’s beautiful beyond words, clever, self-assured, and would make him a fine Marchioness—except she demands the one thing he refuses to give—his heart.
Buy now or read on for the first chapter….