Read Regency Romance Collection From Christina Courtenay for Free Online

smile that she later entered the forge at Gretna Green, after they had first stopped at an inn to hire a room for the night and allow Amelia to freshen up a little.
    His lordship looked as handsome as ever, and Amelia felt a jolt of awareness stab her. He gave her a small smile and handed her a bouquet of flowers with a flourish. ‘For the bride,’ he said.
    ‘Why, thank you! How thoughtful,’ she murmured, almost overcome by this kind gesture. Any doubts she may have been harbouring fled in that moment. I am marrying a nice, kind man and I’m doing the right thing, she thought.
    The ceremony was luckily very brief and after they had signed the register, together with the two witnesses – their coachman and the smith’s wife – they went back to their inn for an early dinner. Amelia felt quite exhausted from the journey and all that had happened beforehand, but she knew that tonight there would be no sleep for her until after she had fulfilled all her wifely obligations. Although she did know what these duties entailed, she was nervous and sat picking at her dinner.
    ‘ You are not hungry?’ his lordship enquired.
    ‘ Yes, I mean no. I’m just a little tired.’ She felt herself blushing under his scrutiny and stared at her plate.
    ‘ You are not afraid of me, are you?’ he asked gently. ‘I assure you I would never hurt you in any way.’
    ‘Oh, no. Of course not, my lord.’
    ‘ Perhaps you could call me James now that we are married, Amelia?’
    ‘ I … yes, if you wish, er, James.’
    He handed her a glass of wine. ‘Here, a little of this will calm your nerves.’
    Amelia accepted gratefully and drank deeply, forgetting th at she hadn’t eaten very much. The wine went to her head very quickly and she began to feel much more composed and cheerful. So much so, that the meal passed in a blur. Before she knew it, she had consumed at least three glasses of wine, with the result that she felt a bit strange when she stood up.
    James did not seem to notice, however, and simply picked her up and carried her to their chamber, where he put her down just in front of him. A frisson slithered through Amelia as her body came into contact with his, and when he put his arms around her it felt so right. She twined hers around his neck with a smile and when he bent to kiss her, it was even more wonderful than that first time on the terrace, and she responded eagerly.
    He kissed her slowly at first, almost reverently, then began to deepen the kiss until Ameli a parted her lips in response. The most wonderful sensations began to course through her and it was beyond anything she had ever felt in her life. Eagerly, she pulled him closer to kiss him back in equal measure, but her passionate response was cut short as James tore his mouth away. He held her at arm’s length, staring at her with a frown.
    ‘ What’s wrong?’ she asked, confused and dizzy.
    ‘ I think perhaps we need more time to get to know each other before we pursue this, my dear,’ he said. His voice sounded oddly cold and Amelia shivered. Had she put him off with her ardour? She knew that young ladies of quality were not supposed to show their feelings, but she had not thought this applied to encounters with one’s own husband.
    ‘ As you wish,’ she murmured, distraught that she may have given him a disgust of her. She stumbled towards the bed and sat down abruptly.
    ‘ It would be best if we get a good night’s sleep, we have much to do tomorrow,’ James said and went over to his side of the bed.
    Engulfed in misery, Amelia hardly noticed as he blew out the ca ndles, undressed and lay down. Without looking at him, she did the same in the dark, but it was a long time before sleep claimed her.
     
    James lay staring into the darkness, very aware of the woman only a few inches away from him. The woman who had been willing to give him everything she had to offer.
    He had wanted her – still wanted her – with a fierceness that had taken him by