The Midnight Heiress (Once Upon a Regency Book 2) Read online

  Kate didn’t want to wait until the next day to see Aiden. She didn’t doubt his ability to defend himself from his relatives, but she wanted to ensure his safety as he had ensured hers that night. She wanted to explain her deception to him, to confess her feelings to him, to discover if he felt the same.

  There was a knock on the door of the study, pulling Kate from her thoughts.

  “Enter,” her father said.

  The door opened at the hands of a footman. Standing beside him, his jacket torn and his trousers streaked in dirt, his face ruddy and his hair falling in dark tangles on his forehead, was Aiden. His eyes, light brown, captured her gaze, a smile shining through them, though his mouth remained serious.

  He bowed, first to her father, then her mother. “Your grace,” he addressed the duke, “Forgive my intrusion, but—”

  “It is no intrusion.” Her father stood, a gleam of joy in his eyes that seemed to surprise Aiden. “Come in. I will allow you a private audience with my daughter.”

  Aiden’s face did not conceal emotion well. He looked altogether shocked, pleased, and far too endearing to be fair. Kate’s heart galloped as he entered.

  She stood, catching her mother’s reluctant eye as both she and Kate’s father exited the study. Kate followed Aiden’s eyes as they settled on the door handle, watching it turn as the door closed. The moment it did, he walked forward, taking both of her hands in his. “Kate,” he whispered, tipping his head close. “Are you well? Are you hurt? Please, tell me honestly.”

  A pang of guilt hit her. “You have good reason to doubt my honesty. I should not have pretended to be a maid.”

  He touched her cheek, his hand warm and strong and safe. “I am glad you did. I very well could have been a conniving fortune hunter.” A whisper of a grin touched his lips. “I hope if you ever meet another man in the woods you will tell him you are a maid as well. It was a wise decision, and I do not blame you for it.” There was a certain sadness in his voice, hanging on his words with a weight she wanted to erase.

  “Would you find yourself… envious if I found another man in the woods?”

  He seemed surprised by the question, but then the heaviness reached his eyes. “Yes. Very much.” Silence hung between him, his fingers still resting on her face, tracing over her cheek and jaw. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingertips grazing her neck as he dropped his hand. “I would be tempted to throw him in the brook, in fact. Or feed his hand to Freddy.”

  She giggled, covering her mouth. She had been hiding her smile, repressing her joy.

  He stared at her with piqued curiosity, his own sadness still reflected in his features. “But it does not matter, Kate. Does it?” His voice turned sad. “I could never give you the connections your father desires for you. I’m a tradesman. I am a cordwainer’s apprentice.” He dug through the bag he wore across his body, withdrawing a small, gold satin slipper.

  She felt keenly the cold floor beneath her toes.

  Aiden’s brows drew together, his mouth a tight line. “You lost this when Evan abducted you. It’s how Freddy and I discovered your location. I recognized it as yours because I made it.”

  “You made it?” she breathed, staring at the beautiful shoe. Her heart pounded. “Th-thank you. But is this the only reason you have come? To return the shoe to me?”

  He hesitated, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on hers. Three beats of silence passed between them before he spoke. “No.”

  “No?”

  He dropped the slipper to the floor and stepped close to her once again, taking her hand in his. He took several deep breaths and swallowed, his throat rising and falling along with his chest. “I—I also came to say—to tell you…” He exhaled sharply, squeezing his eyes shut. In a flash, his eyes opened, meeting hers with an intensity she had never seen before. “I love you.” The softness of his voice threaded into her heart, squeezing and pounding and filling it with joy. “I love you, Kate. I would not care if you were a lady’s maid, or a dairy maid, or a scullery maid.” He swiped away the tear that slipped from her eye.

  “I love you, too,” she whispered, her skin tingling from his touch. Emotion choked her, joy and peace overcoming all the dread and uncertainty she had felt earlier that evening. All she could see and feel were Aiden and his beautiful eyes and smile and words. “I love you more than Freddy loves you, which is quite a lot.”

  He smiled, cupping her face in his hands. His eyes lowered to her lips, his head tipping closer. He met her eyes again, his expression growing serious. “If I could somehow convince your father to allow it, would you honor me by accepting my proposal of marriage? I can’t imagine my life without you, Kate.”

  She smiled. “My father has already expressed his approval.”

  Aiden’s eyes widened, hope seizing his expression. “Truly? But I have nothing to give you.”

  She shook her head. “That is not true. You have given me everything I could ever want.”

  His mouth stretched into a smile, and he pressed his lips to her forehead. Taking her face gently between his hands, he pulled her close. His lips brushed over hers, soft and gentle, like the sweep of a bird’s wings. She sighed, and he deepened their kiss, threading his fingers through her hair. She had never felt more loved, more happy or secure in her life. She leaned into him, kissing him in return, savoring their brief embrace.

  He pulled back, staring into her eyes. “You never did give me an answer.”

  “You kissed me before I could,” she teased, and he kissed her lips one more time. When she could breathe again, she gave him the answer she never thought she would be allowed to give. “Yes.” She laughed, and so did he, their joy too much to be kept contained by mere smiles. He scooped her slipper up from off the ground, pulling out her chair for her to sit.

  Kneeling before her, he held out the slipper. She extended her leg, allowing him to slip the shoe onto her stockinged foot before he pulled her up and into his arms.

  “Shall I make Freddy my groomsman?” he asked. “It would be a reward for his assistance in rescuing you this evening.”

  She laughed, enjoying the warmth of his arms around her. She rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes as he pressed a kiss into her hair. “He would like that very much.”

  Kate could think of nothing she would like more than to marry Aiden, to live the rest of her life with him. The fears she had felt at the idea of managing Silverbard alone had fled, replaced with the assurance of the man at her side. His laugh rumbled against her.

  Against all odds, the original wishes of her father, and the doubts of her mind, she would marry Aiden Notley. Her heart soared. And she was certain they would live—a struggling apprentice and a reluctant heiress—quite happily ever after.

  OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES

  The Fairest Heart - Heather Chapman

  Coming soon…

  Spun of Gold - Jen Geigle Johnson

  Beauty’s Rose - Rebecca J. Greenwood

  Awake at Widmore Manor - Jessilyn Stewart Peaslee

  JOIN THE NEWSLETTER!

  Receive updates about Ashtyn Newbold’s latest works and get amazing deals from other authors!

  SIGN UP HERE!

  ALSO BY ASHTYN NEWBOLD

  Regency Romance

  A Convenient Engagement (Brides of Brighton 1)

  Marrying Miss Milton (Brides of Brighton 2)

  Romancing Lord Ramsbury (Brides of Brighton 3)

  Mischief and Manors

  Lies and Letters

  Road to Rosewood

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Ashtyn Newbold grew up with a love of stories. When she discovered chick flicks and Jane Austen books in high school, she learned she was a sucker for romantic ones. When not indulging in sweet romantic comedies and regency period novels (and cookies), she writes romantic stories of her own across several genres. Ashtyn also enjoys baking, singing, sewing, and anything that involves creativity and imagination.

  Connect with Ashtyn Newbold on
these platforms!

  ashtynnewbold.com

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Other books in the series

  Join the newsletter!

  Also by Ashtyn Newbold

  About the Author