until the day he met ye.” Gavin suddenly turned serious. “What value can ye put on happiness? What value can ye put on a mother’s love, a love that is pure and unconditional? Ye’re his mama now. Ye are priceless to him. He won’t ever trade in his points.”
“And you, Gavin?”
“Och, lass. I’ll never trade mine in either.”
THE END
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed Taffy, Gavin, and Rafe and their adventures in Hartland Abbey. Gavin’s younger brother, Vicar Adam Carstairs, is everyone’s heartthrob in my Book of Love series. If you are interested in more of my books, I’ve included a list of them right after this sneak peek of Ellie St. Clair’s contribution to this House of Devon connected series, A Touch of Temptation by Ellie St. Clair. We hope you enjoy these House of Devon romances, each story written by a well known historical romance author, as we bring you love below stairs.
With love,
Meara
A Touch of Temptation
Chapter 1
March, 1818
CHARLOTTE SIGHED AS she stared dreamily at Abigail practically floating out of the small chapel.
She was stunning today, it was true, in her pale-yellow gown with her hair intricately designed by Delilah, the duchess’ lady’s maid, but it was more than that. There was a glow about her. A glow of love that transformed her.
“She is beautiful, isn’t she?” Charlotte said, leaning over to whisper in Ellen’s ear. The other maid nodded with a small smile, though she said nothing, respecting the silence of the ceremony much more than Charlotte did. But she couldn’t help herself.
She had loved Abigail ever since she had joined the House of Devon. The housekeeper – soon-to-be former housekeeper now – was friendly, fair, and a pleasure.
Charlotte was happy that her friend had found love – and Rex Ableman was ever so handsome.
When the happy couple passed through the chapel, Charlotte found her gaze connecting with another – with mischievous chocolate brown eyes that she knew nearly as well as she knew her own. Then one of them winked at her, as though their owner knew her thoughts, and she rolled her eyes back at him.
She had known Philip Webster since she was a child, and often she found that he still treated her like one, despite the fact he was but two years older than her – two years to the day in fact, for they shared the same birthday.
As they filed out of the chapel to resume their duties, she met him in the center aisle.
“Are you jealous, Lottie?” he asked, reaching out to tweak her nose, and she swatted his hand away as Ellen snorted beside them. Raine, one of the newer maids, said nothing, although she looked down at her hands with a small smile on her face.
“Of course not!” she exclaimed, looking around to make sure no one else had heard. “Why would you think such a thing?”
“I could sense you pining away from across the chapel,” he said, laughter in his eyes as she glared at him. “Ableman is a good-looking man, if you like that sort of thing. The blue eyes, dark hair, muscular stature. Too bad Abigail caught his eye first.”
“I have no feelings for Mr. Ableman!” she insisted in a low voice, looking around to make sure no one else heard Philip’s teasing and might make assumptions they shouldn’t. She knew that she was only allowing Philip to goad her, but she was unable to resist responding. “I am happy for Abigail, that is all. They are so in love,” she continued dreamily.
“And now Abigail no longer has to work as a servant,” Philip remarked.
“Do you have no romance within you at all?” she asked with a sigh, and he shrugged.
“Not really. No need for it.”
They walked out into the sunshine of the beautiful summer day. Charlotte took a deep breath of the fresh air and the delicious scents wafting through the air from the flower gardens just beyond the hedgerow of beeches.
She tilted her head up to feel the warmth on her face.
Philip reached out and tugged at her Sunday bonnet to bring her head back down.
“You’re a maid, Charlotte. Where are you going to find any romance around here?”
“Romance can be found anywhere, Philip. It just takes finding the right person.”
“Like you would know.”
“I do!”
“How?”
“My parents found love.”
His face twisted somewhat as he likely thought of his own beginnings. While Charlotte’s parents had worked at Hartland Abbey for years until their recent retirement, Philip’s mother was still in their employ as the Cook. She always