Free The Earl's Design of Love: The Stenwick Siblings by Kirsten Osbourne, Morganna Mayfair Page A

books, of course.”  He looked worried that she might pauper him with her book reading habit for a moment.
    She laughed and threw her arms around him.  “I’m extremely frugal.  Thank you for letting me read whatever I want!”  The freedom that would come from being a married woman, coupled with the man she’d married, was going to make her a truly happy woman.
    He caught her waist, looking down into her face for a moment.  “Your mother didn’t let you read what you wanted to read?”   He knew most of the mothers in Society kept strict control over everything their daughters did, but he would have thought her mother would approve of her reading, not try to discourage it.
    She rolled her eyes.  “No, she really didn’t.  She would force me to hide the books I was reading in another book so she wouldn’t know about them.”
    Percy laughed.  “She forced you to hide your books, did she?”  He loved the way she’d phrased that.
    Diana nodded, her face serious.  “She couldn’t really expect me to read scientific treatises happily.  No one could.”
    He shook his head with a grin.  She was exactly what he’d needed in his life without even realizing it.  He kissed her lightly.  “You are something special, Lady Stenwick.”
    She looked at him startled for a moment.  “Lady Stenwick?  That sounds…strange when applied to me.”  She hadn’t considered that her name would change when she married him, and the honorific?  It wasn’t something she needed, but she knew her mother would be overwhelmed with bliss the first time Diana was called that in her presence.
    He stroked his hand across her cheek.  “I promise you, it will soon fit you like your own glove.”  He looked toward the window.  “You know…the sun really has set.”  He gave her a leering look that she couldn’t help but laugh at.
    “So it has.  I think I’ll find myself a good book, and retire for the night.  Good night, milord.”  She curtsied and walked off as if to peruse his shelves, making certain her back was to him so he wouldn’t see the impish grin that had crossed her face.
    He walked up behind her and leaned down, kissing the back of her neck, thankful that ladies’ hairstyles were such that her hair wasn’t in his way. 
    She pretended he wasn’t there as she selected a book.  “Oh, I’ve wanted to read this one.”  She flipped through the pages, sucking in her breath as he bit her neck.  She had planned to send Anna out to get it for her, but there had been no time amid the wedding preparations.
    “Take it upstairs with you then.  You can read it tomorrow.”  His lips on her neck and his hands stroking her waist left her in no doubt of what he considered more important than her reading the book.
    She turned to him, brushing her lips against his.  “Give me ten minutes to change into my nightgown.  Please.”
    He caught her waist and turned her soft kiss into one of great passion.  “Hurry.  I don’t want to wait.”   He knew he must seem terribly impatient to her, but he was impatient.  He didn’t think he could wait much longer to touch her the way he wanted to.
    Honestly, she didn’t either.  “I’ll hurry.”  She turned and all but ran from the room and to the stairs to rush to get ready before he joined her.

Chapter Seven
     
     
    Percy watched Diana run from him with a smile.  She’d been hugging the book to her chest as if she’d just been giv en a great gift.  He was happy she would entertain herself with books.  He wasn’t going to be able to give her the time most of the women of the ton demanded from her husbands, and didn’t want her to wander around his estates thinking about how much better things would be in London.  That could lead to her wanting to go to London for the Season, and he would rather shoot himself in the foot.
    He took his time walking upstairs, leaving the lamps lit for Bertram to put out.  He untied his cravat as he walked.  He