Lord, help me be strong.
He paled. “Not even, I love you?”
How strange, that his declaration of love should hurt
just as much as his declaration that he would never love
her.
Constance sank onto the edge of the bed. “When,
exactly, did you realize this?” she asked stiffly.
“In my heart, I suspect some time ago,” he said. “The
Karen
e
n K
im
m ♥
ABBY GAINES
328
first time I kissed you.”
“The day you denied all feelings for me? I don’t think
so!”
“I admit it took longer—much too long—for my head
to realize it,” he said. “That came this morning, and the
moment it did, I came after you.” He took her hands.
“Do you believe me, Constance?”
She turned her head away from his searching blue
eyes. “I believe you’re fond of me, and you’re lonely.
Don’t confuse that with love.”
“Fond!” He let go of her hands as if she had the
plague. “Is it fondness that makes me think all the time
of taking you in my arms, of kissing you, and more?”
She blushed. “Maybe not, but that’s not love, either.”
“Is it fondness that makes a smile from you
something to be sought, coaxed, treasured? Is it
fondness that makes me defend the worst paintings I’ve
ever seen to your brat of a sister? That makes me laugh
to think of you and your determined ways, even when
you’re setting yourself against me and insulting me in
the worst ways you can?”
“I…don’t know,” she said.
He looked grimly satisfied to have confused her. “Is it
fondness that makes me want to be a better man than
I’ve ever been?”
He couldn’t have advanced a more powerful
argument. And yet…she was wary. “All that means is
I’m a good influence on you.”
He gave a shout of laughter. “My darling, you’re a
shocking influence! Before I married you I was a model
Karen
e
n K
im
m ♥
329
THE EARL’S MISTAKEN BRIDE
of propriety.”
She started to smile. “And now you’re not?”
“Might I remind you that ten minutes ago I knelt
before you in the presence of strangers?”
“That was very odd,” she admitted.
“If you think that’s odd, let me tell you about my
journey here.”
He went on to explain that he had left London with
Harper soon after midday, racing his curricle to
Chertsey at insane speeds—Constance shuddered to
think of it.
“We passed carriages with inches to spare,” Marcus
said. “I thought Tom was going to throw up all over
me.”
Tom? Did he mean Harper?
“I would have been here earlier, if Tom hadn’t
insisted on food to settle his stomach,” he grumbled.
“The place where we stopped was packed to the gills—
we would have waited an hour if I hadn’t stood on my
chair and announced where I was going and why.”
“You did not,” she said, alarmed.
“I told them I’d made a big mistake in sending my
wife away, and now I must go after her and beg her to
return, implore her to bestow her glorious presence on
my wretched life.”
“You didn’t!” she said laughing.
“I did. You can expect to hear pretty much those
words repeated back to you at any number of ton
parties, if we’re still on any invitation lists—the
Mottram boy and Lady Jersey’s nephew were among
Karen
e
n K
im
m ♥
ABBY GAINES
330
my audience. All of London will know I am crazy with
love for my wife.” He was smiling at her, tenderly, but
anxiety lurked in the back of his eyes. He had
deliberately set out to show the world he was, as he
said, crazy for love; she believed that.
Which meant…
“Marcus,
have
you
no
pride?”
she
asked
wonderingly.
“I have far too much pride,” he said cheerfully. “As
you have repeatedly informed me.”
This time it was she who clutched his hands. “What
about your reputation, your bank loans?”
Without breaking the contact, he sat next to her on
the edge of the bed.
“They’ll have to accept my weakened mind—they’ll
soon see proof that my finances aren’t suffering.” Then,
more seriously, he said, “I know I have too much pride,
Constance, but I promise, my love for you exceeds it.
From now on, it always will.”
She couldn’t speak, for emotion welling in her throat.
“Constance, beloved?” He drew her into his arms.
“Tell me it’s not too late, set my heart at ease and say
you forgive me.”
“I forgive you,” she said.
He laughed, and his breath fanned her forehead.
“That felt too easy. You could make me suffer a lot
more, you know.”
“I don’t want you to suffer,” she said. “I want to be
with you every day for the rest of my life. I want to
share every sorrow, every joy.”
Karen
e
n K
im
m ♥
331
THE EARL’S MISTAKEN BRIDE
“That can most definitely be arranged.” He kissed her
lips,
but
it
was
constrained,
almost
chaste.
“Constance…are you speaking out of your Christian
compassion, which I know to be great…or something
more?” He hesitated. “Though I know I may suffer for
it, I must ask you to speak the truth or say nothing at
all. ”
“Marcus, you idiot.” She pulled one arm free of his
embrace so she could smack his shoulder. “I love you,
of course.”
“Of course,” he said, laughing. “The clue was in the
smack.”
She chuckled…but he cut it off with a kiss. This one
was deep and reverent.
When it ended, Marcus was trembling.
“Since it’s so late,” he said, “shall we stay here
tonight and return to London in the morning?”
Here? In this small room that was far more intimate
than their rooms in London?
“Yes, please,” Constance said shyly.
“Are you hungry?” His gaze roved her face. “For
dinner?”
She shook her head, wrapped her arms around his
neck.
Marcus dropped a kiss on her nose. “I’d better tell
Harper our plans. He’ll be pleased not to travel farther
today—if he hadn’t been too ill to talk on the journey,
he’d have resigned his post.”
“Poor Harper,” she said. “I believe there’s still some
of that ginger cake, if it would help him.”
Karen
e
n K
im
m ♥
ABBY GAINES
332
“Why don’t I just go and wait on the servants,” he
said drily. Seeing her about to agree, he held up a hand.
“I’ll ask the landlord’s wife to do her best for him.
Besides, he probably won’t even need her ministrations.
If all has gone to plan, your maid is about to marry my
valet—we may need new servants.” On his way to the
door, he said over his shoulder, “Dashed inconvenient.”
When he returned from issuing his instructions,
Constance said, “Marcus, I remember, when you were
raving on your arrival here, you said something about
expanding a school?”
“The Earl of Spenford never raves, my love.” He sat
next to her again, and told her his plan to offer much
more schooling to the children of his tenants, boys and
girls. And how he intended to hire a tutor for Harper.
“That’s wonderful.” Constance planted a kiss on his
chin. “No wonder I love you.”
“In the interest of complete honesty, an honesty that
was lacking on our wedding day,” he said, “I should tell
you I’ve made another bargain with God.”
“Marcus, no,” she said, dismayed.
He touched a finger to her lips. “The bargain is this—
from now on, I will leave everything in the Father’s
hands.”
Constance waited for more. Then: “That’s it? That’s
the bargain?”
“That’s the bargain,” he confirmed.
“It seems one-sided.”
“It has to be. I’ll be too busy making you happy to
take charge of everything else.”
Karen
e
n K
im
m ♥
333
THE EARL’S MISTAKEN BRIDE
“What an excellent plan,” she murmured.
His eyes darkened. “I adore you, my beautiful wife. I
adore everything about you, but most of all, I adore
your chin.”
It was so unexpected, she laughed out loud.
“I knew that chin meant trouble from the day I
married you,” he said with satisfaction. “And I was
right.” One finger caressed the chin in question. “This
chin has the power to bring a man to his knees. To
make him resolve to change his character, to be the kind
of husband he should be.”
“You’re already the only husband I could want,” she
said. “I love you dearly, my proud earl.”
“And I love you, my constant countess. For always.”
Karen
e
n K
im
m ♥
ABBY GAINES
334
ISBN: 978-1-4592-8259-9
THE EARL’S MISTAKEN BRIDE
Copyright © 2011 by Abby Gaines
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization
of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography,
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Love
Inspired Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the
product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events
or locales is entirely coincidental.
® and TM are trademarks of the publisher, used under license. Trademarks
indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark
Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
Karen
e
n K
im
m ♥
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine