Lord Windmere (The Four Lords' Saga Book 1) Read online

  Lord Windmere

  Regency Romance Novellas

  The Four Lords’ Saga – Book 1

  Fourth Edition

  By

  Gianna Thomas

  Copyright © 2015 Gianna Thomas

  All Right Reserved

  https://www.facebook.com/GiannaThomasAuthor/

  https://www.amazon.com/author/giannathomas

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design

  Cover Design by CranesNestPublishing.com

  Acknowledgements

  As always, my thanks and gratitude go to my editor, #1 Amazon Author Kay Springsteen. Even when she nearly yelled at me about echoes (and other things), she has been wonderful in teaching me to be a better author and how to make my writings more interesting. If my books turn out well, it is due to the hard work of this dear colleague.

  Preface

  By popular demand, this Fourth Edition of Lord Windmere includes a backstory of Matt Fremont’s (Lord Windmere) early history with Janie Thornton.

  Table of Contents

  Foreshadow of Things to Come

  Lord Windmere Chapter I

  Lord Windmere Chapter II

  Lord Windmere Chapter III

  Lord Windmere Chapter IV

  Lord Windmere Chapter V

  Lord Windmere Chapter VI

  Lord Windmere Chapter VII

  Lord Windmere Chapter VIII

  Lord Windmere Chapter IX

  Lord Windmere Chapter X

  Lord Windmere Chapter XI

  Lord Windmere Chapter XII

  Lord Windmere Chapter XIII

  Matt and Janie Prologue

  Matt and Janie Chapter I

  Matt and Janie Chapter II

  Matt and Janie Chapter III

  Matt and Janie Chapter IV

  Matt and Janie Chapter V

  Matt and Janie Chapter VI

  Matt and Janie Chapter VII

  Matt and Janie Chapter VIII

  Excerpt from Lord Weirlane (Book 2)

  Thank You!

  Other Books by Gianna Thomas

  About the Author

  Foreshadow of Things to Come

  Janie’s scream of terror echoed through the glen where everyone had gathered for a picnic.

  For a second, Matt was frozen in shock as he saw her lose the fight for her balance and fall out of the window. A moment later, Janie slammed into him as he managed to break her fall before he landed on his back. Her hysterical sobs made his heart clench even as he fought to catch his breath. Both of them lay stunned until Matt could breathe and ask her what had happened

  Heedless of propriety, he struggled to a seated position and held Janie in his arms as she sobbed uncontrollably. He gently rocked her until her sobs quieted enough for him to ask, “Sweetheart, tell me how you fell.”

  “Someone pushed me. He hit me behind my knees then across my shoulders. There was nothing to grab and…and…” Janie cried again with heartbreaking sobs that made Matt’s heart twist in his chest.

  He softly crooned to her as he held her closer and comforted her until she sniffled, hiccupped then begged a handkerchief. Whoever has done this will pay.

  Chapter I

  A fortnight earlier

  Laughter came from the card room at White’s where four young lords had been playing for a while. The joviality elicited smiles from some of the other patrons in the outer rooms as the young men were admired by many, not only for their amiability, but their luck with the ladies as well. The lords were not hardened rakes, but they’d had their share of willing widows and other young flirts. However, as they each neared the age of thirty, their families were beginning to exert pressure, encouraging them to seek out appropriate wives and begin their nurseries.

  All four came from wealthy families that expected them to marry well as many of the ton had done. The problem was that not one of them was yet ready to yield to his parents’ wishes. It was known at some point they would have to take action, as marriage and begetting heirs was inevitable. In the meantime, the lords were enjoying less responsibility and having more fun with the flirtatious element in several spheres of society. The thought of getting caught in parson’s mousetrap though, was the furthest thing from their minds.

  The Marquess of Foxdown, Gareth Edward Russell, had just related an embarrassing incident that occurred earlier in the year on a busy London street when he bent down and the seam of his breeches had split leaving his backside open to the breeze as he wore nothing underneath. He had finally joined in the raucous laughter of the other three as all acknowledged the humor of the situation. This led to recitations of the most embarrassing moments that each had ever experienced.

  Crispin Alan Copley, the Duke of Weirlane, and Julius Ignatius Lagrant, Earl of Brookton, had related two hilarious incidents with guffaws and back slapping from the others when they noticed that the fourth lord, the Marquess of Windmere, had grown conspicuously quiet and was blushing a deep crimson. After he endured merciless teasing about his red countenance, and after much badgering, he reluctantly agreed to tell of his most embarrassing encounter.

  “Ah…well, er…it just happened earlier today.” This statement immediately piqued the interest of the other three, and at their insistence he continued his tale. “When I arrived back in Town, I stopped to greet my parents.” He paused and deliberated about telling his friends all that had happened.

  “Cut line, Matt.”

  Matthew Edmund Fremont, heir apparent to the Duke of Castlemeade, sighed and continued. “I was eager to see my father and mother as they have been in the country for the past five months, and my father’s health has not been the best. His physician advised rest and urged him to relinquish some of his responsibility to his stewards. You are aware that my father is much older than my mother, so his health is a concern for us.”

  The other three men nodded in understanding but expressed puzzlement as to how this could be embarrassing.

  “Bledsoe let me in, and I asked where my father and mother were, intending to stay a while and, perhaps, get invited for dinner. He said they were in the duke’s study, and I quickly went in that direction, but Bledsoe…was not himself and was stammering at me as I walked. I should have stopped and listened, as he had a very good reason for me not to go into my father’s study. I love my parents and outstripped their butler, and I opened the study door and stepped in.” At this, he felt the heat of a blush in his face, and noted that his three friends were getting very impatient to hear the rest of the story.

  “Matthew,” Crispin growled at him.

  Matt sighed again, ran both hands through his hair, then scrubbed his face, and finished the tale. “When I entered the study, my mother was sitting on my father’s lap…like a courtesan. I had walked in on an intimate scene.”

  The other three tried their best not to snicker.

  “I was speechless. Down through the years I’ve thought their marriage was one of convenience but…have wondered on occasion if that was an incorrect assumption as they seemed to be happy. This time, I knew for sure that I was wrong.” His friends were amazed when his face turned redder still. “My mother turned around with a grin on her face, offered a greeting, and winked at me as my father laughed. She asked if they had upset me and said that it shouldn’t be a secret about intimacy and where babies come from. She also mentioned that I hadn’t been found in a cabbage patch after all….” A shudder tore through him. “Then she giggled, and I was
mortified. They proceeded to mention that nothing should be a surprise with the widows and the lightskirts that I had associated with from time to time, and I was ready to crawl down the hallway.”

  By this time, Fox was doubled over with laughter and commented, “Damn if the Duke’s not a randy old bastard, health issues and all.”

  “Fox, that’s my father whom you are insulting,” Matt said bristling with indignation.

  Immediately, Crispin saw the need to intervene and interjected, “Matt, your father was the rake from hell before he married your mother. He had probably bedded every willing female from London to his nearest estate and more. I’m not surprised at him…but I am a little surprised at the duchess.” And he chuckled again.

  Lord Windmere sighed and paused. “Don’t be. I found out that theirs was a love match from the beginning. My parents reminisced with me for about an hour. It seems that when he first met my mother, my father determined to wed her, come what may. He did not bed her until they were married as she was an innocent. My mother, for her part, agreed to marry him no matter what his reputation was because she felt a strong attraction to him. When he approached my grandfather and offered for her, Grandpapa was shocked that she was willing to marry him. My father said he never slept with another woman after meeting my mother and has been faithful to her for twenty-nine years.” He smiled. “My mother was nineteen years old and the diamond of the first water that season, and my father was forty-two when they met; it was love at first sight. Neither ever considered marrying anyone else. And they assured me they both are very passionate people…” He released a delicate cough into his hand. “…which I believe after today. My father cuddled my mother on his lap the entire hour,” he said dryly, and he blushed again as he remembered how embarrassed he was.

  At this scandalous statement, the other three men whooped and offered huzzahs to Matt’s mother, the duchess. Matt just hung his head in embarrassment as he recalled the whole incident.

  By this time, patrons outside the card room were curious as to what the excitement was all about, but Crispin denied entry to four friends coming to play cards, and then he shut the door.

  Chuckles were heard for the next few minutes around the table until Matt sighed again. He ended the account by saying, “It seems they extracted a little retribution for my interruption and hoped that in the future I would not ignore the butler.” This brought another round of guffaws and whoops of laughter.

  Then all four men became quiet thinking about getting leg-shackled and how the notorious rake, the Duke of Castlemeade, had married for love. The card play was set aside, and a serious discussion about marriage ensued.

  “I’ve never met a young lady that I would even consider offering for. The simpering misses of the ton and their grasping mamas I want no part of, much less to wed one of them and spend a lifetime in misery.” Jules scowled and leaned back in his chair while the other three nodded in agreement.

  For a fleeting moment, the face of Catherine Benton flashed before Crispin’s mind’s eye. Matt even had a thought about his childhood friend Jane Anne Thornton, but dismissed it. All four lords were intimidated as they contemplated parson’s mousetrap and ordered another round of drinks. After the waiter left, all four sat quietly looking into their brandies for a few moments.

  Then Fox grinned at the serious faces of his friends. “Gentlemen, at some point we all need to marry. They can be marriages of convenience, which are quite common, or love matches. We just need to decide what we want.”

  “I agree,” said Crispin. “And to make it a little more interesting, why don’t we make a wager on marrying before age thirty?”

  “What kind of wager?” Jules barked out.

  “Don’t be so suspicious, Jules,” Crispin replied in an exasperated tone. “First…all of us should wed by age thirty. Second…well…let’s make it a little more difficult. All need to be love matches.”

  “Love matches? Are you insane, Crisp?” Brookton nearly jumped up from his chair in agitation.

  “Not at all, Jules. There can be no marriages of convenience. Any one of us who marries for wealth or power and not for love will have to pay the other three £500…each.”

  “I’m in,” said Matt. “Despite my embarrassment at my parents’ behavior, I have come to realize that they have a wonderful marriage. Without a love match, I doubt I would have five siblings. If I can find a passionate lady to love, I’ll never complain about being caught in parson’s mousetrap.”

  “A passionate lady, eh, and a wonderful marriage?” Fox laughed. “It would seem that marrying a reformed rake does make a difference.” said Fox slyly with a leer.

  All four of the lords grinned as they thought of finding passionate women to permanently warm their beds. Would they be able to do that? And who would have to pay out £1500? Surely, there would be at least one of them unable to make a love match, wouldn’t there?

  A Se’nnight Later

  It was still early. The four young lords had just finished a delicious meal and were enjoying their port. “Ah, ’tis the season for house parties, gentlemen. Starting Tuesday of the week, I will be attending Lady Stockton’s house party in Kent. A fortnight of lazy days and looking over the ladies in attendance.” Matt sat with a smug look on his face as the other three looked at him as though he were a candidate for Bedlam.

  Jules snorted, and the other two lords just shook their heads.

  “Why are you three surprised? We have a wager do we not?” Matt blustered. “And I’m the eldest of us and will turn thirty in just nine months. I do not wish to lose £1500 to you three scamps,” he said with a frown, “simply because I didn’t find a love match. Lady Stockton’s house party is a good place to start looking for my…ahem…passionate lady.

  With that comment, the laughter began until all four men were howling with glee. As the chuckles subsided, Crispin cleared his throat, attracting the attention of the others. “Speaking of house parties, Damien and I have invitations to Lady Meriweather’s house party at her country estate in a se’nnight as well. Should be an interesting affair.” With that, he waggled his eyebrows.

  Fox frowned. “You are going to Lady Merry Widow’s house party with Lord Underwood?”

  “You mean Damien Worthing? Crisp, you should stay away from him. There are rumors of bad dealings, and he’s been known to betray even his friends. Leave him alone.” Jules scowl told of his feelings for Underwood.

  Not to be left out, Matt verbalized his thoughts as well. “Lady Merry Widow’s house parties have the dubious distinction of being gatherings for multiple liaisons for single and married individuals. Our reputations are not sterling, but you do not want to add her name to your resumé. She has been known to bring innocents with large dowries to her home and set up compromising situations to deliberately see them ruined so they have to marry fortune hunters. My advice…stay away. In fact, run away.”

  Crispin, though, was not of a mind to listen. His friend, Damien, had promised a week of fun and frolic with very pleasing and willing women, and Crisp was unwilling to give that up. So he just told the others he would think about it. Then—as a diversion—he said, “Have we entered our wager into White’s book?”

  Jules responded, “Would we really want a wager such as ours in the book?”

  “No,” said Matt. “Just think of what our love matches would have to say about that if they found out. No, we do not want to mention it in White’s betting book.”

  “I, too, am of a mind to avoid White’s book,” Fox chimed in. “I would like to find a passionate lady to wed but do not want her passion directed toward killing me for placing a bet concerning her.” Tentative laughter again rang out as the three lords shivered at the thought.

  The Duke of Weirlane smiled to himself, pleased that his diversion had worked and no further mention was made of the dubious house party. He was going no matter what the others thought, and it should be a fun affair in more ways than one.

  Chapter II

&nbs
p; Matt was experiencing a bit of unease. Although he was packed and ready to go to the house party, he hesitated. Do I really want to go and look for a wife? No! But, my parents…

  He continued to pace the floor thinking about his parents’ wishes and his desires. He had never found a woman whom he would even think about marrying much less live with for the rest of his life. Oh, some had been diverting for a time. They were beautiful but shallow in their thinking and desires except for intimacy. He smiled when he thought of two of them then frowned. Temporary enjoyment that had lasted but a moment then disappeared. He couldn’t think of one woman who could hold his interest for any length of time.

  Jamison, his valet, appeared. “The carriage is ready, milord.”

  Matt scowled, sighed, and finally nodded, and the two men headed down the stairs toward the front door. After giving final instructions to his butler, Matt and Jamison boarded his carriage and headed toward Kent.

  ***

  It was late Tuesday afternoon when Lord Windmere arrived at Lady Stockton’s home in Kent. The house was a beautiful three story Tudor with two large wings, tall mullioned windows and ivy adorning much of the brick front. Footmen poured out of the large double doors, pulling down the steps of his carriage, so he could alight, and taking charge of his trunk and portmanteau. Inside, the butler informed him that everyone was gathering in the drawing room for tea; would he care to join them or refresh himself instead.

  “I believe that I shall change clothes and then join the others.”

  “Very good, my lord. Henry will show you to your bedchamber.”

  “Thank you, uh…”

  “I am Billingsley, my lord.”

  “Ah, thank you, Billingsley.” Matt then followed Henry to a pleasant room decorated with royal blue and touches of red, with lots of fine wood. It had a pleasing, masculine feel to it. He also noted that the room looked out over the rose garden in full bloom with just a hint of their fragrance wafting through the open window. Lord Windmere immediately felt at home and knew he would enjoy his stay if the company was as pleasing as the accommodations.