The Earl's Design of Love: The Stenwick Siblings by Kirsten Osbourne, Morganna Mayfair Read Free Book Online Page A

have no choice in the matter?”
    “Sometimes.  I want to rage at people not to marry the wrong person, but no one is going to believe me.  I think that’s the hardest part for me.  I want to help people, but no one will believe a young woman who hasn’t even found love herself.”
    He raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her.  “Maybe it will get easier once we’re married.”
    She smiled up at him, her tongue creeping out to moisten her lower lip.  “I hope so.”
    He watched her tongue, and slowly lowered his head, his own barely reaching out to touch the moisture on her lip.  He let out a low groan.  “I don’t want to wait three weeks.”
    Diana smiled, resting her cheek against his shoulder.  “I want to get married yesterday.”
    “How upset would your mother be if I obtained a special license and we got married in three days instead of three weeks?”
    She shook her head sadly.  “She would be mortified.  Mother would assume everyone would think we’d anticipated our vows, and that I was carrying, and we had to get married immediately to spare my shame.”
    Percy sighed, kissing her forehead.  “So would my mother.  You game?”  He didn’t really care if people talked about him.  They’d been talking about him since his father died.
    “No, I’m sorry.  It’s too important to my mother to do everything ‘correctly.’”
    “I was afraid you’d say that.”  He rubbed the back of his neck.  “I guess I’ll just have to stay here and play with my fountain while you go back to London and make the rounds and act all happy to be engaged.”
    Diana looked up at him with a smile.  “I am happy to be engaged.  If it were any other man, I wouldn’t be, but it’s you.” 
    He smiled, brushing one last quick kiss across her cheeks.  “I hope the next three weeks move very quickly for us both then.”
    Diana sighed.  “You know you’ll need to come into town at least once during our engagement.  My mother will want to throw a huge engagement ball for us.”
    He groaned audibly.  “I’ll have to pretend to be one of them again?”
    She giggled.  “I’m sorry.  It’s expected.  We have to do what’s expected for Mother at least until we marry.  After we’re married, we can do whatever we want to do.  As long as we hide in the country to do it.”
    “I’m going to hold you to that.”
    She pulled his head down for one more kiss before standing.  “Please do!”

Chapter Five
     
     
    Two weeks later, Diana sat in her room while her maid, Anna, brushed through her long blond hair, arranging it just perfectly atop her head.  It was the evening of her engagement ball, and she hadn’t seen Percy since they’d left the country party a few hours after their engagement.  The two mothers had spent all their time together, planning out each minute detail of both the party and the wedding.  Diana had ignored them for the most part.
    She knew she should be nervous about seeing Percy again, but she wasn’t.  She was simply excited, because she felt so strongly for him, and she was certain that he had feelings for her as well.  Maybe he didn’t love her yet, but the potential was there.
    She slipped into the pale pink gown her mother had purchased new for the evening.  It had a narrower skirt than she usually wore, and was cut a bit lower.  Diana wasn’t certain how Percy would feel about it, but it made her feel as if she were doing something terribly naughty.
    Anna took a step back from her and smiled.  “You look beautiful.”  She studied her for a moment.  “It needs something.  Do you have your mother’s pearls?”
    Diana nodded.  “They’re on my table.”  She pointed to the table with her brush and other beauty aids.
    Anna rushed over and picked up the box containing the pearls, carefully draping them around Diana’s neck.  She once again stood back and studied her mistress.  “That’s perfect.  Couldn’t be better.”
    Diana stepped in