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Chapter 264
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The League of Rogues Chapter 265
The night was still and cold, no breeze to stir the mane of Cedric Sheridan's horse as he reached his home. Tucked safely in his coat was a carefully wrapped package containing a set of ruby earrings for Anne. An early Christmas present he couldn't help but get when he'd seen them earlier that day in a little shop on Bond Street. He grinned rakishly as he thought of how she would thank him, hopefully with ecstatic kisses, and he could then sweep her into his arms and carry her off to bed.He dismounted just as the darkness deepened and clouds swept over the stars above. No lights could be seen from the windows, which meant Anne had gone to bed early. Given her condition, it was for the best. She needed more sleep. Cedric looked around, expecting his groom, Joel, to see to his horse, but the lad was nowhere in sight.With a sigh, Cedric led the horse around the side of the house himself to the small stable he kept for his and Anne's horses. He saw to the gelding's needs, ensuring that
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 266
Jonathan St. Laurent held Audrey in his arms, placing teasing kisses on her lips as she finally fell into sleep. He tenderly placed her beneath the covers and blew out the candles. She caught hold of his hand as he started to rise from the bed."I'll be back, sweetheart," he said, and her hand dropped to the sheets.He left the bed and donned his clothes in the dark, then exited the bedchamber and headed down the stairs, hoping to find himself a glass of brandy. He was having the worst time getting to sleep ever since Ashton had told them all they were in imminent danger. He didn't fear for his own life, but he did fear for his brother and his friends, and most importantly for Audrey. She'd been targeted once by Hugo already, simply to hurt the League, and he wouldn't let that happen again.Something felt wrong. It was like a change in the air of a coming storm. He slipped outside unnoticed, hoping that the brisk air would clear his head. Having once been a servant, he knew how to b
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 267
Charles brushed his fingertips over Lily's cheeks, picturing himself as an old man, still holding her in his arms and marveling that he had been granted a long and happy life with her. She watched him, her eyes the purest blue he'd ever seen.He pulled her body beneath his, covering her with slow, soft kisses. She tilted her head back, exposing her throat, and he ran his fingertips down the delicate column until he reached her collarbone. She sighed dreamily and stroked her hands up and down his arms as he nibbled on her throat. Each time he gave her little love bites, she giggled and then moaned. He slid one hand down to her breasts, exploring the peaks. The pale-pink nipples were perfect tips, and he shifted down her body so he could take them into his mouth, sucking on them until they were hard and Lily's breath came out faster.Charles wanted to linger over every inch of her skin, learning her secret spots that made her moan and call out his name. The ticklish spots on her lower
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 268
Lily was lost in a dream of kisses and whispered words of love as she and Charles watched the sunrise through the bay windows. Her husband leaned over her, his gray eyes alight with passion.Then the sun sank back below the horizon and darkness cloaked them. Charles cried out as dark, shadowy hands pulled him from the bed and dragged him under the floor, which had become the surface of an icy river."Charles!" Lily screamed.She bolted upright in the bed. The empty bed. Charles was gone.Lily threw back the covers and glanced around the room. The fire had died in the hearth, and everything was quiet. Charles would never have left her, not tonight. Not while they all waited for Hugo to make his move. He had to have been taken. They all had.But so soon? She had been sure he would wait at least a few days. Why now? No, the why didn't matter. What mattered was where. She believed she knew where Hugo would take them. A place where he could arrange for privacy and have dramatic effect.
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 269
Charles never wanted to see another bloody doctor ever again. He lay back in his bed, his torso heavily bandaged. It was just as Daniel had told himthe knife wound wasn't fatal. It had stopped at his hip bone. Painful, but shallow. He'd known exactly where to strike to make a convincing, bleeding wound without killing Charles. The man had spared him and then saved him."You're frowning again," Lily whispered.She lay in bed beside him, her own body bandaged to support her broken ribs. What a pair they were. Broken and bruised and bedridden on their honeymoon. But alive and together. He turned his face toward her, still overcome with love and relief. She leaned into him and pressed her forehead against his, closing her eyes."By all rights we should be dead, and yet we are not." He reached up to hold her face in one hand. "I'm so grateful."She curled her fingers around his wrist. "As am I.""But it doesn't make our good fortune any less remarkableor puzzling.""Puzzling?""We li
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 270: Epilogue
Five months later"She has the loveliest green eyes, Emily. Just like Godric's," Charles teased as he stared down at Emily and Godric's daughter, Sierra. They were by a small lake in Hyde Park, taking in the glorious spring sunshine."She's going to be so spoiled." Emily's complaint was followed by an indulgent chuckle."Of course she is," Lily replied. She held a hand over her slightly rounded stomach protectively. She sat on a bench not far from where Charles and Emily stood by the small lake in the middle of the park, and held Kat on her lap. The child wiggled her legs in excitement, more eager to run about then sit still.When Charles looked her way, his heart turned over in his chest. He would soon be a father twice over, and he couldn't think of anything more wonderful.I love you, he mouthed. She mouthed the words back and set Katherine down on the ground, nudging her toward Charles. He knelt and opened his arms."Kat, come to Papa." Kat ran over to him. He lifted her into
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 271
BOOK NINE: Never Kiss a ScotExcerpt from the Quizzing Glass Gazette, June 30, 1821, the Lady Society column:Lady Society has been hearing the most delicious tales. Dare I say rumor has it that Lord Kincadea Scottish earland his two brothers have recently come to Bath and are setting the fans aflutter and the matrons atwitter? I'm tempted to suggest matches for these Scottish rogues, but then again, if I know anything about Scots, they will take what they want, when they want it. Ladies of Bath, if you desire one of them for a husband, I wish you the best of luck!Hampshire, June, 1821The wild Highland lord grasped the woman in his arms, pressing his lips to hers. Wind tore at her skirts as they stood upon the highest point of the heather-covered hill, embracing each other. There was nothing so wondrous as this, nothing so fulfilling as a perfect kiss"A perfect kiss?" Joanna Lennox glared at the last page of her Gothic novel, Lady Jade's Wild Lord. "There is no such thi
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 272
Bath, one month later"She'll never marry, not that one, unless she sets her sights low, and maybe not even then." A society mama tsked a little too loudly as Joanna passed by her in the assembly room."Quite right," another woman whispered back. "No one ever asks her to dance. Must be something wrong with her." The words cut deep because Joanna knew the woman was talking about her, and she knew the woman was right.There was only one man in England who seemed to be interested in her at alla rather boring but decently attractive man named Edmund Lindsey. He was only a gentleman, no title but plenty of fortune. Still, Joanna was hesitant to consider him. She felt no passion for him, no great fire in her belly or flutter in her chest. She didn't want to marry Edmund simply because he was her only choice, but what else could she do?The one man she had wanted to marry had given her a wonderful, perfect kiss and then vanished into the night like the rogue he was. It was the sort of thi
Last Updated : 2022-06-15
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The League of Rogues Chapter 311
The roads proved to be quite passable as sunlight melted much of the last evening's snowfall. Ella leaned against the side of the coach, watching sunlight glint off the snow like diamonds scattered on the surface of a white sheet. The rocking rhythm of the coach and the thudding sounds of the hooves lulled her into a numb state somewhere between wakefulness and slumber. She tried not to let her mind drift back to this morning, but it seemed determined to replay flashes of their lovemaking.The way Phillip's eyes lit up between slow kisses, how it felt to thread her fingers through his hair, the sighs he made as they embraced after coming apart. The way it felt to have his fingertips brush against her cheek. Even the way he spoke her name as she walked away. She would remember every little thing, the bursts of light and heat, and the cold sting of her breaking heart. Perhaps in time the memories would fade, but she doubted it. If only he was brave enough to come after her, to fight for
The League of Rogues Chapter 310
Ella awoke to the smell of porridge, eggs, and ham. She moved languidly, stretching her limbs, feeling sore between her thighs and a slight dampness in the sheets. Her face flushed as she sat up in bed. Phillip was seated by the fire, reading a novel. A tray of food sat on the table beside him, untouched."You should eat."He looked over his shoulder at her, his mouth quirking into a grin. "I was waiting for you. Come." He patted his lap, and the invitation was too much for her to resist. She slipped out of bed and joined him. He curled an arm around her waist as she eased down on his lap."How do you feel?" he asked, his eyes tender as he looked at her."A little sore," she admitted. "But wonderful too. I fear you've given me a taste for sin.""Have I now?" His delighted chuckle pleased her so much that her heart hurt. She loved his laugh, his smile, everything. She wanted only happiness for him because he had suffered so much."Yes, most definitely. Where did you learn such a u
The League of Rogues Chapter 309
Phillip woke before dawn, feeling more rested than he had in a long time. A beautiful woman lay beside him, and memories of how sweet the previous night had been made him want to burst into song like a lovestruck fool. He'd given her pleasure and she'd returned it, and it had been going so damned well until he'd fallen asleep. Yet his body didn't ache, and his leg didn't hurt as he was used to first thing in the morning. He moved slightly, expecting pain, but the usual stiffness in his thigh and lower calf and shin weren't there.He stared down at Ella's scantily clad body lying beside him. Had she truly rubbed his body last night, or had it been a sweet dream? He'd gotten so used to that, dreaming she was there to heal everything with her love and sweetness, that he didn't quite trust the reality.No, it hadn't been a dream. She had pleasured him with her mouth and almost brought him to his knees. Then she'd shown tenderness in helping him with his leg. God, the woman was exquisite
The League of Rogues Chapter 308
The night was full of magic. Ella couldn't stop smiling as she left the dancers and returned to the table with Bridget.Warwick poured them wine from a bottle a barmaid delivered to them. "Well done, ladies, well done."The wine was sweet on Ella's tongue and went straight to her head as she ate dinner. Phillip kept a hand on her waist, so deliciously scandalous, even though they were pretending to be married. She could have floated away without a care in the world."Well, it's getting late. I think we'll turn in," Phillip said at last. "It was a pleasure to meet you both."Bridget smiled. "As it was for us, my lord."Phillip collected his cane, and Ella slipped her arm in his as they headed for the stairs."You were stunning tonight," Phillip said as they climbed the steps together."Was I?" She couldn't resist preening a little. She rarely received compliments from men who weren't her brothers."You were most enchanting." Phillip leaned against the wall as he unlocked their d
The League of Rogues Chapter 307
Phillip was damned, but he couldn't stop what he was doing. She was so tender, so full of warmth and youthful excitement. Her kiss made him feel like the man he'd once been long ago. Like the man who'd danced with her in that ballroom ages ago, feeling her spin and twirl back into his arms. How she'd looked up at him when he'd kissed her beneath that starry night sky, and he'd thought in that moment they could have held the entire world between them.Now he was kissing her again, and it was different. She was not a young, teasing debutante. She was a woman now, one who'd learned disappointments and heartache and clung to happiness that much stronger whenever she found it. He wanted to make sure their time together now was everything she'd dreamed of.Her eager response to the touch of his lips or the flick of his tongue against hers brought back a flood of excitement. He'd thought he was incapable of feeling like this again, but he'd been blissfully wrong. A sweet melody echoed about
The League of Rogues Chapter 306
The following morning, Ella stepped out into the courtyard between the two gatehouses and blinked in surprise to find Phillip dressed and ready to leave. She'd thought perhaps after last night he wouldn't come. Yet there he was, eyes glinting with amusement at her astonishment.He looked dashing in buff trousers and an indigo waistcoat. A greatcoat hung around his shoulders, only adding to the handsome picture he presented. Beyond him a large traveling coach stood ready. Marcus and Cora were helping the driver secure several valises to the back of the coach. The morning sky was still a watery gray as the sun failed to penetrate the heavy snow clouds that had gathered above them.Phillip greeted her with a smile as she reached him. "Good morning."She smiled back, but a sudden bout of nerves made her tremble. Had she really asked him to tutor her in seduction last night? The reality of that moment was now a little daunting in the cold light of day."Come now, don't be shy," Phillip
The League of Rogues Chapter 305
Ella followed Mr. Boucher through the house as he escorted her to her chambers for the night. Most of the furniture was covered in cloth to protect from sunlight and dust. Many of the tall paned windows throughout the house were shuttered, effectively sealing off the rooms from light and life. This beautiful house had been emptied of people. Closed off, just like its master.They passed into one of the few more well-lit rooms, a long hall with paintings of fine-faced men and women. She glanced up at more than one of the portraits, seeing Phillip's eyes or chin, even his nose in several of the ancestors upon the walls."Mr. Boucher.""Yes, Lady Ella?""Is he in much pain?" She was perhaps indelicate to inquire about Phillip's injuries in such a way, but she needed answers.Boucher paused to look at her in the moonlight. Whatever he seemed to be looking for he must have found."Yes. In the beginning, he couldn't walk. He lay in bed for several weeks, only moving with the aid of oth
The League of Rogues Chapter 304
Phillip sat in the faded armchair in his study, staring into the crackling fire in the fireplace. His left leg ached, especially during the damp winter months. He rubbed his thigh, squeezing the muscles, and then farther down to his shin and calf. The muscles were still weak from the lack of use. But it hurt too much to walk, so he did so only when necessary.A sound from the hall below caught his attention. Voices. Who the devil could Boucher be talking to? They'd reduced the staff over the last year, mainly because he had shut up most of the house since he remained close to his bedchamber and never entertained. He sat up a little in his chair, listening to the sounds of a woman. The pair of maids he still employed were likely on the first floor of the house at the farthest end where the other bedchambers were or in the kitchens."Boucher?" he called out, but his voice was hoarse since he hadn't used it in what felt like days. He hadn't had occasion to see anyone or truly talk to an
The League of Rogues Chapter 303
One year later"If I have to listen to one more man explain to me that business and politics are not things to concern myself with," Ella growled over the rim of her teacup."It is most frustrating," her friend, Audrey St. Laurent, agreed. "I often say some men need a good whack to the heador between their legs, depending on the man."Ella snickered but then sighed as her mood deflated again."What's truly bothering you?" Audrey inquired.Ella glanced about Audrey's morning room, seeking a distraction from her mortification, but they were alone. A fire crackled in the hearth, and sunlight glinted off the snow outside. It was a perfectly lovely day, which made her black mood all the worse."At one and twenty, it seems I'm now to attract the worst sort of men. I was at Lady Hearst's ball last evening, and every single man I danced with lectured me about how fortunate I was to even be dancing at my age. To make it worse, the younger ladies have taken offense at my being there. More
