Raven (Gentlemen of the Order 2)

He gasped a breath when her cold hands settled on his back, and her icy feet brushed against his calves. “Hell, we need to do something to heat your blood.”

“A wicked kiss might be a good place to start.”

“No, my love. Let’s start by warming your heart.” He stared at her, looked deep into her eyes, ready to bare his soul. “I’m in love with you, Sophia. I’m so in love with you I can barely catch my breath.”

Water filled her eyes. “Can this be true, Finlay? Tell me it’s not a dream.”

He kissed her slowly, a soul-stirring mating of mouths. “When you marry me, I shall spend every night proving this is a glorious reality.”

She blinked in surprise. “Marry you? Are you sure you want—”

“I never want to be parted from you again.”

“But you’ll want children.”

“I want you. Nothing else matters. Besides, there are hundreds of children living on the streets, hundreds of children without a home and loving parents. Just say you’ll marry me and we will work out the details later.” He smiled. “Hurry. After all the activity tonight, there’s every chance my knee will seize.”

She laughed. “I love you, Finlay Cole, and cannot wait to be your wife. Now kiss me. Let me feel passion’s heat burning in my veins.”

He obliged.

They ignored the knock on the door and Anne calling to say she’d brought brandy. They ignored Anne’s question about leaving the tray on the landing and focused on making love in a bed of all places.

Finlay and Sophia were married in the quaint chapel in Blackborne a week later. Viscount Morley had accompanied Finlay to see the archbishop at Doctors’ Commons, had argued that a man whose life had been torn apart by a clerical error deserved some consideration. Indeed, the viscount and his son were the only wedding guests but for Finlay’s colleagues from the Order.

“So, Miss Draper is to marry Mr Blent?” Sloane said.

The guests were enjoying drinks in the drawing room, but Finlay had strolled out to the forecourt to get some air.

“They’re in love. Sophia will give them Blackborne as a wedding gift, and Viscount Morley has hired Blent to design the gardens at his Hertfordshire estate.”

“The fellow let me see his drawings last night. I asked if he might create a twenty-foot waterfall in an orangery. He agreed to give the matter his consideration and let me know when he’s drawn up the plans.”

“You wish to create a tropical oasis?”

Sloane’s slow smile reached his eyes. “Though I wish it were otherwise, the call to water is in the blood.” He glanced out towards Blackborne Wood. “During our work for the Order I’ve seen many horrific sights. Nothing compares to seeing Goodwin snared in a mantrap.”

“No. I heard Sir Malcolm needed a large brandy.”

Thankfully, all three conspirators were dead. Jessica had made a steady recovery. How ironic that Maud was the mentally unbalanced one.

“I can’t say I’ll miss riding through these woods,” Finlay said.

Sloane nodded. “There’s an eerie presence out there, something unsettling, but then I find myself constantly looking over my shoulder of late.”

Sloane never appeared unnerved.

“Daventry said you solved the stolen identity case in a matter of two days. Surely you’ve no other miscreants out baying for your blood.”

Sloane gave a mocking snort. “This particular miscreant has a penchant for stalking. I visited the circulating library only to find Miss Hart perusing the books on the opposite shelf. Miss Hart sat behind me at Gunter’s and ordered pineapple mousse.”

“Is there something significant about that?”

Sloane threw his hands in the air. “I ordered pineapple mousse.”

“I see.” It took Finlay all his time not to burst into fits of laughter.

“I saw her sneaking around Little Chelsea with her servant the other night when she should have her back pressed to the ballroom wall. I’m likely to return home and find her soaking in my damn bath tub.”