His father smiled a greeting. “Perhaps we might escort the ladies home, Sebastian?” His eyes never left Mrs Sperling.
“It would be a pleasure, but I drove my curricle here,” Sebastian flashed a smile to the women.
“I’m sure we can make room,” his father replied.
Sebastian shrugged. “As you wish.” He pointed the way to his vehicle.
His lordship offered his arm to Mrs Sperling, who flushed a pretty pink color that took years off her face.
Never before had his father favored her with his attention in any way that would expose her to village gossip. Now, here he was making a public show of escorting her home. Sebastian suspected that something momentous was happening between them. This was the behavior of a courting couple—something they could never be...unless his father had decided it was the time to change his life. Or should that be his wife?
The young stable boy acting as Sebastian’s groom, leaned against the picket fence of the graveyard. He straightened as they approached and tugged his cloth cap from his head. “M’lord.”
“Run up to the parsonage, Tom, and wait for us there,” Sebastian ordered. He and his father handed the ladies into the vehicle. The earl took the driver’s seat beside Mrs Sperling while Sebastian leaped onto the rear of the conveyance, in his groom’s place.
Sebastian barely had time to get accustomed to the uncomfortable position behind the occupants of the vehicle’s bench seat before they arrived at the parsonage. He leaped to the ground to assist Violet. His hands clasped her waist to lift her down. As always arousal flared at the luscious feel of her beneath his hands.
His love.
His wife. At last.
He could not wait for their life together to begin in earnest.
They took only a few steps towards the front door of the parsonage before Violet halted. “Sebastian, you need to make things right with your mother. Your father appears to have come around, now he has been presented with a fait accompli, but I suspect your mother will need more convincing and Miss Bromley must be appeased after your mother’s deception.”
“You are right, but not now. Today is for us. We can attend luncheon with my family tomorrow, unless you prefer to go there now?”
“I would much rather we spent our first Christmas together here rather than at Whitton Grange.”
“I agree,” he held her gaze as he kissed her hand. Sebastian turned to his father who had kept the horses standing. “We will not be attending Christmas dinner with you today.”
A frown skittered across his father’s brow. “I suspected not. I’ll do all I can to smooth the waters with your mother. We have quite a task ahead of us as she had her heart set upon this latest debutant.” He paused. “However, I believe you have made a wise decision and wish you both happiness.” His mouth fashioned a reassuring smile. “I presume you will bring your bride home to Whitton Grange this evening?”
Sebastian looked at Violet, who nodded her assent.
“To the Dower House,” Sebastian replied in firm voice.
“A good decision,” his father replied. “The renovations have been completed and all is in order for your occupation. I suggest you reside there until your mother returns to London at the end of the week.”
Epilogue
Whitton Grange, Christmas Eve, one year later
Violet sat bathed in the pallid late afternoon sunlight filtering through the bay window of the sitting room of the Dower House. She had completed the mistletoe kissing ball that would hang in the middle of the room, and leaned back to admire her handywork.
Once again they were in residence here. This time because Sebastian’s father and his new bride had just returned from their honeymoon. And as she knew from experience, every newly married couple desired privacy.
Warm lips nuzzled her neck, and the scrape of Sebastian’s bristles sent delicious shivers across her skin. The kissing ball tumbled from her hands onto the window seat. Violet turned her head and Sebastian’s mouth captured hers.
Long moments later, she broke their kiss to rest her forehead against his, breathless, flushed, and heart galloping. Her response to his kisses hadn’t changed during their year of marriage. And his willingness to provide them hadn’t wavered either.
Sebastian stroked his hand over her swollen belly. “How is my beloved family today?”
“We’re all the better for that greeting, husband.”
He gathered her closer in his arms and kissed her again.
Reluctantly she eased away from Sebastian. “Our guests will be with us soon.”
