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Strange and Puzzling
Richie watched for a few seconds, he was appalled at what he was seeing, and his lungs refused to work, to take a breath in or give one out. He moved away from the doorway to flatten himself against the wall. His fists curled so tight that it hurt, his knuckles bone white. All he could hear was Margaret's breathing, as it was getting faster and louder with every second and the slight squeak of the bed as she moved, rocking on the mattress. His head rested against the wall, and his eyes screwed up tightly.
Suddenly her gasps turned into his name. "Richie."Richie froze against the wall; surely she didn't know he was here?"Oh, Richie!" The squeaking of the bed got louder.The sweat trickled down his shirt collar, and nausea in his stomach roiled."Oh my God, Richie!" Margaret screamed.Richie clamped his hand over his tightly sealed lips to stop the vomit from erupting as he flew down the hallway. He took the stairs three at a time, and fortunately, heRelated chapters
The Disreputable Duke The Wedding Morning
Jasper woke early on his wedding day, he'd not had a great deal of sleep, and his head didn't hit the pillow until gone three in the morning. He was just very excited about what was going to happen today. He found Richie in the kitchen, glaring at a cup of cold coffee."Hey mate, couldn't sleep either?"Richie looked up. He was miles away. His thoughts were of sitting on the beach, watching Suki playing with the sand and admiring his beautiful girlfriend. He wondered if he would still feature in either of their lives by the end of the week. "No, I did sleep for a while, but yesterday was quite a day." He shrugged. "There are so many things that need to be said, and I need to sort out." He looked up at Jasper. "But today, it can all go to hell. How are you feeling?"Jasper held his hands out, shaking them forcefully. "Just excited and praying that she doesn't find out before it's time." He laughed."I think we have everything covered. Kylie will stick with h
The Disreputable Duke I Do
Jasper, Richie Gabriel and Nick set off for Shettleham at midday. Jasper insisted on driving."Driving calms me down. It's routine. If I sit in the back, I shall be going spare."The Rolling Stones kicked in with Jumping Jack Flash on the iPod, and Jasper began his last drive as a single man.Ellie and Kylie had lunch with the rest of the family; Rosslyn had decided to have it in the formal dining room as there were so many of them. "I thought this might be nice, Ellie, to have all your family together, it's a pity Jasper isn't here, but he'll be here for dinner this evening." "Your hair looks fabulous," Ellie said to her mum, "What did you think to the hairdresser Roni?"Roni turned to Ellie; she was immensely enjoying the fuss and performance of the day. "He's good; your hair will look fabulous. Are you going to have it up?""I have no idea. Isn't that why we have this day to sort these things out?" Ellie shrugged, "The more I think abo
The Disreputable Duke No Knickers.
As Jasper took hold of Ellie's left hand, the emotion of the past few months caught up with her, and the tears began to roll down her face slowly. He slipped her plain gold wedding band onto her finger and held it there as he spoke the vow."With this ring, I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; Amen."Ellie never heard Quentin say the final words of the ceremony. The next thing she knew, Jasper was gently lifting her veil, his face wreathed in smiles before he kissed her. She could hear the congregation clapping and cheering as Jasper kissed her thoroughly.He eventually let go of her. "I told you that the next time I kissed you that you would be my wife." he said with a grin, "Just didn't expect it to be so soon, did you?""Hah, you'll pay for this one day," Ellie whispered, trying very hard to keep a straight face.Jasper laughed, "Fighting, talk
The Disreputable Duke The Wedding Night
Francis Braxton opened the main doors to the ballroom and announced in his best butlers voice."My Lords, ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding for his grace the Duke of Shettleham and her grace the Duchess of Shettleham."As Jasper and Ellie went to their places at the table, Gracie nudged Gabriel, who she had opted to sit next to"Why is Francis calling Aunt Ellie Grace? That's my name.Gabriel spent the next ten minutes explaining the terms of the nobility to Gracie."So she's like the Queen?""Almost, not quite as high up. We shall have to call your aunt, Her Ellie-ness." He said, making Gracie laugh.Richie reached for Kylie's hand under the table. She had been relatively quiet, not usually her bubbly self."Are you alright, Kylie?""Yes, it's just been a long day." She turned her head to smile at him, "it will be nice to get home." Kylie hesitated, "We need to talk." She said very quietly.Richie looked at her. "Is
The Disreputable Duke Irritable Morning
It was dark in the bedroom, but around the window, there was the yellow-orange tint from the street light outside. Ellie always thought that glowing shade looked exciting, as if there was some incredible stage show hiding behind the drawn curtains, but one that always vanished when you opened them.Ellie lay with her back to Jasper. She could tell he was still sleeping; his breathing was deep and even. If Ellie turned over and snuggled up to him, his warm solid arms would go around her, his legs would intertwine with hers, and her head would rest on his chest. It's where she felt the utmost safety, not that she had anything to feel unsafe about, but just the usual worries of every day dissipated as soon as he held her to him.Ellie got out of bed very slowly. The last thing she wanted to do was to disturb her husband. She needed to get in the bathroom, get showered and dressed before Jasper awoke and reached across for her. She usually loved their time together in
The Disreputable Duke An Even More Irritable Afternoon.
Ellie strolled across the park, and she didn't know whether to be cross with him or not. She was missing his body just as much as he was missing her. They couldn't even sneak off this afternoon after Betty had gone home, as Gracie was coming for the weekend. Maybe if she felt better, she could sneak up to the studio when she got back and seduce him. Not that it would take much doing, she only had to lick her lips in front of him, and he would get that look in his eye. She chuckled as she thought of the first time she had done that, in the villa on the Indian Ocean island where they had spent their honeymoon. He had chased her around the villa threatening all sorts of delights when he caught her. Eventually, he'd backed her up against the trellis on the verandah and thrown her over his shoulder. Gently spanking her bottom and telling her what a very naughty wife she was for running away from him.
The Disreputable Duke Roni
Ellie watched with her hand over her mouth as Ronnie locked fingers with her lover, and they strolled off through the park. It took her a few moments to register what she had just seen. Turning, she slowly walked back to the house. Her emotions were as bare on her face as the naked trees. Bloody Roni, Ellie knew she was up to something. How could she do this to Gareth? He'd done everything for her, worked all the hours he could to make a good lifestyle for them all, and especially for Roni, who valued all that was material in her life.Huh! By the time she had done with Roni, the stupid woman wouldn't know which planet she was on! Feeling disgusted, Ellie quickened her steps. She was determined to make Gracie's weekend a happy one. Gabriel and his family were coming this afternoon, and Gracie loved chatting to him so that would please her.She found Ja
The Disreputable Duke Decision Time
Jasper and Ellie led their friends up the stairs to the sitting room. Ellie had been phoning Gracie all week with updates on the fairies who were magically decorating the tree, and Gracie was dying to see the sitting room all decorated.Ellie had been buying decorations since October. They'd had a mad decorating week at the beginning of December, which started on the porch. The conical box trees that stood on either side of the front door had were adorned with sparkling white lights.The bannister was swathed with swags of greenery, red velvet bows, and more lights. But it was the sitting room where Ellie had her piece de resistance. The mantelpiece was full of gnomes and elves hiding behind big gold pine cones. There were trails of fairy lights in between them, and hanging from the swag of greenery along the front of the fireplace were sheep with wings on and tiny gold fairies and toadstools. There was some decoration on every flat surface, including the piano. There was
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