Read A Kiss Before the Wedding - A Pembroke Palace Short Story for Free Online

of
excitement for the future, but it was mixed with fear and
uncertainty.
    “Are you sure about this?” he asked, his
expression serious.
    “Of course I am. You are everything to me,
William. You always were, for as long as I can remember. And
knowing you feel as I do, I cannot imagine my life without
you.”
    “Nor can I imagine my life without you . I
love you, Adelaide. Nothing will ever change that.”
    Stirred by the power of his love for her, she
lifted her face to meet his kiss, which held a promise that would
never be broken. She felt it in her heart and in her
body—especially when his silken tongue met hers with raw, heated
passion. Happiness settled into her, and she knew that William
Thomas was the great love of her life.
    He kissed her devotedly, then drew back and
smiled down at her. “Now it begins,” he whispered, as he took her
hand and led her across the room to the door behind the
tapestry.
    “What begins?” she asked.
    “Our future together.”
    Quietly they slipped into the secret, narrow
corridor that would see them out of the palace.
    Adelaide clasped William’s hand tightly as he
led her down the dark passageway. Her heart pounded with a
combination of fear and daring exhilaration. She felt as if they
were prisoners making a brave escape from a dungeon.
    They were not out of the woods yet, however.
Anything could happen before they reached the stables.
    Nevertheless, as they made their way toward
freedom, Adelaide knew that nothing would keep them apart. Even if
her father caught them, even if he beat her and locked her up
again, she and William would find a way to be together somehow, for
it was their destiny. He was the other half of her soul.
    She had known it the moment he kissed her.
     
    THE END

Dear Reader,
     
    I hope you enjoyed A KISS BEFORE THE WEDDING,
the fifth story in my Pembroke Palace Series. I confess I was
unsure about calling it the fifth instalment, as it takes place
almost thirty years before the series begins. At the end of the
day, I felt it would work best as a bridge to the series
conclusion, SEDUCED AT SUNSET, which is coming in 2013.
    That story will feature Lady Charlotte, the last
unmarried daughter at Pembroke Palace, who has been ‘on the shelf’
for a number of years, while her brothers have all been finding
love. It will also resolve the enduring love story between Lady
Charlotte’s mother, Adelaide, and Dr. William Thomas.
    (For those of you who haven’t read the first
four books in the series, you may be surprised to discover that
Adelaide does marry the Duke of Pembroke, but it is a tumultuous
relationship. Dr. Thomas remains a constant devoted presence in her
life, however, and his friendship helps her through many difficult
times. Please continue reading for a complete list of the books in
this series.)
    I want to take this opportunity to thank you––my
cherished readers––for all your wonderful letters and emails over
the years. They mean so much to me and often help me to decide what
to write next.
    Please sign up for my Email
Newsletter so I can let you know when my next book is
out. And visit my website for more information about all my books,
or to contact me directly. I love hearing from you!
     
    Best wishes,
    Julianne

Available Now
    MARRIED BY MIDNIGHT
    Copyright © 2012 Julianne
MacLean
     
    Featuring Adelaide and Dr. Thomas
as secondary characters
     
    AN UNATTAINABLE ROGUE...
    For seven years, Lord Garrett Sinclair—the
ruggedly handsome illegitimate son of the Duke of Pembroke—has been
traveling abroad with no intention of ever returning home to
Pembroke Palace... until his father commands that he must marry by
Christmas in order to thwart a family curse or lose his inheritance
forever. Haunted by a tragic accident that has hardened his soul,
Garrett entrusts his brothers to seek out a bride who will agree to
a marriage in name only. Her reward? A sizable share of his
inheritance—payable immediately after the wedding