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speculation from anyone at the inn.
    She raised her hand so the shaft of sunlight coming through the window illuminated the ring. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the simple band about her finger. “It’s so pretty. And it’s my favorite color. Oh, George, this is undeniably the most romantic moment we’ve ever had.”
    “I knew it was your favorite color when I searched for it. They call it Russian gold.”
    “It’s perfect.” She threw herself at him and gave him a tight hug. “Thank you so much.”
    “If that’s to be your reaction for a simple gold ring, then I will shower you in jewels once we are married.”
    “You needn’t do anything so extravagant.” She tied a bonnet under her chin, hiding her disarrayed hair, then looked at her ring again with a contented sigh.
    “Are you ready, then, to make your first appearance as the Countess of Carleton?”
    Her smile could light a dark room. It was so genuine and exactly what he wanted to see.
    “Absolutely. I’ve been waiting for this moment for years.”
    She took his hand and let him lead the way down the carriage and through the doors of the inn. His footman had arrived yesterday and made arrangements for their stay.
    When they were finally alone in their own room, Kate threw her bonnet and cloak on a green velvet armchair sitting beside the door. “Whatever shall we do to amuse ourselves for the next few hours?” she asked.
    He stepped toward her and grasped her lightly about the waist. “I can think of a few things to keep us well amused for the remainder of the day.”
    “Well,” she said with a glance over her shoulder at the bed behind them, “there is some unfinished business from the carriage.”
    That was invitation enough for him. He reached for the neat row of buttons on her bodice. “You’re sure you don’t want to wait for our wedding night?” 
    “In a sense, we are already married and committed to each other since we are running off to Gretna Green.” She twisted the ring on her finger. “I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”
    George lay claim to her mouth and bent her back over his arm as their tongues twined. Kate’s hands ran through his hair, and she emitted little panting noises between each thrust of his tongue. He made quick work in removing her corset and the ties holding the thin skirt at her hips. While he left her chemise in place, the rest of her clothes fell in a heap at their feet.
    Never breaking their kiss, he scooped Kate up into his arms and walked them toward the bed. He placed her at the head of the mattress amidst the stack of twilled decorative pillows and followed her down. His hand was caressing her from temple to cheek, and to the smooth arch of her neck.
    Lying on his side, head resting against his curled fist, he looked over the soft, lean form of the woman he loved. The curve of her breast could be clearly made out, the tip was distended beneath the cambric hiding her from his voracious gaze. He touched the flare of her hip as she rolled toward him on her side.
    Opening her eyes, she stared at him with those big pools of blue.
    “I’m going to make love to you, darling.” His voice was thick with his mounting need to have her.
    She touched the side of his face, running her fingers over the stubble that had grown over the night. She kissed his nose, his mouth, his cheeks with gentle pecks of her lips, all the while releasing the buttons on his waistcoat. “You’ll treat me as your wife this morning.” Going up on his knees next to her, he shucked off the weighty material as Kate pulled his shirt from his breeches. He aided her in pulling that over his head, too. 
    When he was stripped of half his clothes, she kneeled in front of him and explored his chest with a curious touch. Her finger twirled around one areola, and her nail traced a path between his chest and lower to the dark trail of hair that disappeared beneath his breeches. He closed his eyes, clenched his fists