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“Damnation woman,” he suddenly got down on one knee. “Will you, Mandy, will you marry me?”
“We shall see,” Mandy said and her musical laugh filled the room.
Epilogue
MANDY’S SEASON TURNED out to be epic. She did, in fact, take London by storm, but after a month’s time, disappointed any number of suitors when she and the duke announced their engagement.
Ned found London suited him immensely and told his sister that although he was installed and committed to the smooth running of their estates at Sherborne, he would be visiting with her and the duke as often as he could.
He and Chauncey’s bond was tighter than ever, and as a net result, they were destined for more adventures.
There was still the matter of Sir Owen.
He too returned to London, and fortunately discovered a fair widow of some means. Within a short span of time, they married and he was once again enjoying the lifestyle that suited him best.
Skippendon and his bride announced their marriage, and although they decided to remain quietly for a time at Wharfdale Manor, he had every intention of bringing her to London for the latter part of the season.
Elly would hurt for a long time, but Mandy had taken her on as her ladies’ maid and was determined to throw as many eligible fellows her way as she could, which kept the duke watchful and quite amused.
He held his bride to be in his arms and kissed her mouth. “I can’t wait my love, to get you into my bed…again.”
“But I was just there this morning…” she teased for she had broken all his rules and was forever creeping into his bedroom.
He laughed, “You are everything I could ever want or need.”
“Oh, did you want to go there now…to your bedroom, I mean?” she continued to tease.
He laughed and pinched her chin, “You beauty you, you outrageous beauty. Wild to a fault, headstrong and stubborn, glorious and kind, you hold my heart, gamine, you hold my heart.”
“Hmmm, I should like to hold a bit more of you, Your Grace,” the naughty lady said.
* * * *
Imagine you were about to attain your majority as a white witch, but your father wants you to marry a dark wizard—someone you dislike. Your mother wants to send you into the past to save you.
LADY X
~ Prelude ~
“There is darkness in light, there is pain in joy, and there are thorns on the rose.”
by Cate Tiernan
EXERILLA RADLEY SHIVERED from her dip in the ocean as she stood in the wet sand. She took a few steps further up the deep white sandy slope to where she had dropped her colorful beach towel. She snapped it in the wind and began drying herself off.
She squeezed water out of her long black hair and tossed it around herself as she looked up at the only home she had ever known.
Spanish red tiles made up its many tiered roof. A soft peach pastel colored the stucco exterior walls. Lush landscaping that incorporated palms and other tropical plants, made her home look as though it belonged in the tropics instead of Wrightsville Beach, NC.
Everything about the house was invitingly warm and Exerilla smiled. She loved her home and was glad that it stood magnificent and strong against all storms. And it did.
Nothing could touch it. Her mother was a powerful white witch and had enacted a protection spell right into its frame when it was being built.
Her life was taking a turn and it should feel exciting, but something was missing. She knew it, but wasn’t sure just what that ‘something’ was.
Her days at UNC at Wilmington were over. She wondered how it passed so quickly. Summer days were ahead. She sighed with a mixture of excited anticipation for the future and melancholy as she let go of the past.
Yup, X told herself--too soon she would leave everything familiar and safe and head for New York to do her graduate work at Columbia. That in itself was a major deal. She had always been a homebody. Now here she was, going off to of all places, New York City.
