Chapter 1
London, 1816
The bells of St George’s Cathedral proclaimed the fall of another bachelor as Viscount Sebastian Lyons flung coins to the crowd gathered near the church steps. He turned back, his breeches pulling across his trim hips, and helped his bride, who was being waylaid by debutantes offering well wishes.
“Come, my love, let’s leave before the carriage gets stuck and we have to spend our honeymoon on Hanover Square,” he said.
Jane Lyons née Simmons, resplendent in a dress made just for the occasion, ducked her head and placed a hand at the base of her veiled hat as she stepped out into the windy morning.
Sebastian drew her nearer and whispered into her ear, “You shouldn’t deny the crowd sight of the beautiful bride on a day such as this.”
She blushed, nearly tripping before his arm steadied her. “You are too kind, my lord, but I wouldn’t want to make a display of myself and embarrass you or your family name.”
Jane tilted her face to study her husband’s, neither artifice nor guile clouding her expression.
“Ourfamily name,” he said, stealing a kiss and provoking a cheer from the crowd. “My beautiful Jane, modest Jane, you turn to me with those big brown eyes and my…heart swells. Blood pumps in places I thought were alive but now know functioned as mere shadows of their true potential.”
Sebastian escorted his bride down the steps to the waiting carriage, handing her into the open barouche personally before climbing in beside her.
“Is my aunt riding with us?” asked Jane, looking for her guardian in the crowd. “I forgot to establish how she would travel to the wedding breakfast since she rode in the carriage with me on the way to the church and—”
Sebastian stilled her nervous chatter with another kiss, more than a peck this time, but nothing of the lingering sort he longed to plant on his bride.
“Ranlaegh has agreed to drive Mrs. Meers to the breakfast, darling,” he said, scooting closer as he wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Sebastian, what will people say if we’re seen canoodling in the carriage?” she asked.
He pulled her a fraction closer. “They’ll say we’re a love match, my demure bride. My lovely paragon, mine,” he said before dropping a kiss on her neck.
She turned on the seat to face him and brought her hand to his jaw. “We are a love match, aren’t we?” Her voice was low and serious as she gazed into his eyes.
“But of course, and I have so many ways I will love you,” he said, his voice rougher than before.
He brought her gloved hand from his face to the placket of his breeches. “I have so much love to give you, Viscountess Lyons,” he said, subtly pressing up into her hand.
Her fingers reflexively closed around him. “I am Lady Lyons now, aren’t I? It’s such a dream to be married to you. I keep forgetting that I’ll spend the rest of my life as your viscountess.”
Sebastian, meanwhile, held back a groan, thankfully covered by the sound of rolling carriage wheels. “If you continue your ministrations, my heart, I’ll be the one spending,” he said.
“But you already spread coins at the church. Surely there is no more to be spent?”
“I have so much more to spend, darling,” he said, subtly shifting away to regain control of himself as the Meers townhouse came into view.
“Oh Sebastian, I can’t wait to cut the cake with you!” exclaimed Jane in a rare moment of exuberance. “We’re well and truly married.”
“Well, technically speaking, the marriage won’t be finalized until tonight, in our own townhouse,” said Sebastian, thinking ahead to the wedding night to come.
“The wedding night,” whispered Jane reverently so that the outriders couldn’t hear their conversation. “I hope I have studied sufficiently because I want to be perfect for you. I listened to everything Mrs. Meers told me about being an accommodating wife and stood ever so patiently while being measured for my nightgown. There’s a shocking use of lace on the—”
Sebastian stilled her mouth with another kiss. “Should you persist in previewing the delights to come, I might instruct the driver to turn towards our own home now and let our guests entertain themselves.”
“We couldn’t deprive them of a party,” said Jane. “Especially not Cousin Hortense from Bath. She traveled ever so far, despiteher lumbago. Or Miss Bell, she has so few occasions to move in society these days.”
“We’ll restrain ourselves for their sake, but only ’til tonight, my love.”
They circulated amongst the guests until a suitable hour arrived, then traveled to their new home as husband and wife.
That night, as promised, Jane wore a shockingly sheer nightgown, and Sebastian’s blood heated every organ until he had to stop kissing his bride and lay her on the counterpane she had embroidered with their family crest.
