An Unconventional Bride, page 1
An Unconventional Bride
Seymour Siblings, Volume 2
Fiona Miers
Published by Harley Romance Publishing, 2021.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
AN UNCONVENTIONAL BRIDE
First edition. November 3, 2021.
Copyright © 2021 Fiona Miers.
Written by Fiona Miers.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue
Chapter One
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Thank you to my team for making this book what it is today:
My cover artist- Josephine from Cover and Cupcakes.
Carolyn from Write Right Edits
and Jen Katemi for her proofreading.
Chapter One
THE LUSH GARDENS OF Woodlock Manor created a stir inside the heart of Lady Emma Carlyle as she gazed out at the foliage that surrounded her. The air was clean and crisp and the atmosphere, delightful.
The cheerful chatter of wedding guests filled the autumn air as she glanced around. She hardly knew anyone at the lavish estate except the beautiful bride, Lady Katherine, otherwise known as Kitty, who was now referred to as the Duchess of Somerset.
Emma had kept to herself during the ceremony, despite not being particularly shy, but it was admittedly a tad overwhelming to be surrounded by so many titled ladies and gentlemen, and not to know any of them at all.
It was now time to mingle, but she wasn’t sure who to approach. Usually, she would be joined by the duchess, but her friend had vanished with her new husband.
Emma and Kitty had met when they were a mere six years of age. They shared many interests, hence their immediate friendship. Their love for the out of doors was unrivalled, although Emma had never developed the fondness for horses that Kitty had displayed.
Instead, Emma enjoyed travelling with her parents, the Earl and Countess of Montague, to various parts of the country, as well as abroad to France, Italy, and Greece. She considered herself well-read and not oblivious to the ways of the world.
Her friendship with Kitty had endured many holidays where Emma had been away, but the absences only seemed to strengthen their bond. The two had a firm and close friendship that even occasional time spent apart could not weaken. They had been almost like sisters, when neither of them had any by birth, which was why Emma had been delighted when she received an invitation from Kitty to attend her wedding to the Duke of Somerset.
Emma had been equally delighted to witness her beloved friend marrying the man of her dreams. Although Emma had not yet had the opportunity to speak to Kitty about the union, her friend’s happiness was obvious. She knew there would be time to catch up with Kitty, once the ceremony and all the formalities that accompanied a wedding, were over.
She couldn’t wait to give her friend a proper hug and find out all the gossip; indeed, she hoped to hear all about how her friend and the duke had met and fallen in love.
Kitty had invited her to stay at the estate for a few days following the wedding, an extremely generous offer, which she had been inclined to accept. It would give them the opportunity to finally catch up.
The skirt of Emma’s pale green dress fluttered in the light breeze, and rays of sunshine danced over her skin. Kitty and her new husband couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day for their wedding.
Emma heard the rambunctious laughter of a young man who stood nearby, speaking loudly to the gentleman beside him. The man was quite handsome, but Emma could clearly see he was foxed.
Happily, he did not appear in the least aggressive. Many men in similar situations would act inappropriately, but this gentleman—if one could call him that—simply talked and laughed far too loudly, clearly enjoying the festivities of the duke and the duchess’ wedding day.
His light brown hair and square jaw appealed to Emma, but her wary nature when it came to men stopped her from even considering approaching him.
Her uncle had a bad drinking habit that had caused much embarrassment for her aunt, and despite not understanding much about the situation while she was a young girl, she was now well aware of the ramifications of such behaviour. As an adult, she recognised that imbibing too much could have very bad consequences for both the drinker, and for those around them.
She determined to steer clear of the inebriated young man in front of her, at all costs.
“Emma!”
She recognized Kitty’s voice immediately and spun around, the young man forgotten—or at least, tucked away in a corner of her mind.
Instead, she gave her friend an enormous smile.
“My dearest Kitty.” Emma beamed as she opened her arms toward the duchess. Kitty embraced her warmly, and Emma giggled. “Or should I say, Your Grace?”
“Such nonsense you speak, my dear friend. Refrain from using such formalities,” Kitty insisted. “I am still the same person I was before. And it has been far too long since we have caught up, Emma.”
“Only now, you have a lavish estate, a new title, and a charming husband,” Emma pointed out. “Where is the decadent duke now, by the way?”
Kitty chuckled and motioned to the duke to join them. Emma beamed happily as she noticed the sparkle in both their eyes. Their love practically lit up the entire sky.
How wonderful!
It was the kind of union Emma imagined finding for herself one day, though she knew such love unions were rare indeed.
She had vowed to herself she would only marry for love, or not at all. Of course, her parents were rather upset by that choice, as they’d had thoughts of marrying her off to a rich marquess, but even then—or perhaps, more accurately, especially then—Emma had refused.
She would not hang onto someone else’s sleeve, no matter the situation, for anything less than a love match.
Kitty motioned between her new husband and Emma. “My love, this is my dear friend, Lady Em—”
“Just Emma,” she interrupted. “It is such an honour to finally make your acquaintance, Your Grace. I have heard much of you.”
“And I of you, my lady. It is an honour,” the duke answered with a smile.
“I must compliment, you, Your Grace. The gardens of the estate are magnificent,” Emma said, motioning around her.
“Emma has been a lover of gardens since childhood,” Kitty said, with a beaming smile.
“Wonderful. Are you a lover of horses as well, my lady?” the duke inquired.
“Oh, no.” Emma giggled, feeling slightly embarrassed in the duke’s charming presence. She lowered her gaze, trying to hide her awkwardness. “That is Kitty’s, I mean, Her Grace’s, love. I much prefer reading a book in the shade of a tree while a tinkling brook flows nearby.”
“Emma is quite the dreamer, although at times she tends to be much too realistic for her own good,” Kitty pointed out.
“And why is that?” the duke asked.
Emma’s cheeks heated, and she glanced at her friend. “Only in certain aspects of my life, Your Grace. One cannot be a dreamer when important decisions are to be made.”
“I could not agree more, my lady,” the duke answered with a nod. “I believe my sister would adore you, as she is a lover of books, just as you are.”
The duke turned to his wife and she cocked her head. “Shall we introduce Emma and Lizzie?” the duke inquired.
“Certainly,” Kitty replied. “In fact, we can introduce her to the entire family.”
The duke’s smile flattened ever so slightly. Emma noticed it instantly and she wondered what that might be about. A hint of panic flickered in his eyes as he leaned in and whispered to Kitty, “Are you certain that is a good idea, my love?”
“Trust me, my dearest husband, Emma has seen much worse,” Kitty answered, and turned her attention to Emma. “Shall we?”
“Certainly,” Emma nodded, managing to contain her curiosity to a simple raised brow. Inside, she was bursting with thoughts of intrigue and conspiracy. Who were they talking about? Was there a curmudgeonly old man hiding in the family attic, or something even more sinister? Perhaps a family secret that the duke himself clearly felt uncomfortable about, was about to be revealed.
She almost clapped her hands with excitement, but instead demurely followed the newly married couple across the garden to a young woman with an infectious laugh and a bright and open face. Her blonde hair was pinned meticulously on the crown of her head and her eyes were bright and confident. The woman noticed their approach and her smile brightened even more.
“There they are,” she beamed, and embraced the duke.
“Sister, I would love for you to meet Kitty’s dear friend, Emma.”
“Of course. I have heard so much about you, my lady. I am the duke’s sister, Lady Elizabeth, but my family calls me Li zzie.”
Such informality from such a powerful family. Emma was becoming more and more intrigued, and glad for her friend, that she had married into a family who obviously seemed to care for each other.
“It is delightful to meet you, my lady,” Emma said, recalling the letters she’d received from Kitty telling her of the new family she’d inherited. “The duchess has written of you often. I feel as though I know you already.”
“Indeed, the feeling is mutual.” Lizzie grinned. Emma knew she should think of Kitty’s new sister-in-law as Lady Elizabeth, but “Lizzie” suited her open and friendly nature so much better.
“Emma is an avid reader, and I thought you would enjoy the pleasure of her company,” the duke said to his sister.
“Indeed, I would,” Lizzie answered with a genuine smile. “But I must first speak with Lord Maynard. My sincerest apologies, my lady. I don’t wish to seem rude. I would love to catch up with you later, though?”
“Of course, my lady, that would be delightful,” Emma assured her. “The duchess has invited me to stay for a few days at the estate, which will give us ample opportunity to visit and talk books.”
“Lovely.” Lizzie nodded happily. “Please do excuse me for now.”
Emma smiled as the duke’s sister removed herself and approached another dashing young man. She engaged with him in quite an enthusiastic manner.
“Your sister seems lovely, Your Grace,” Emma pointed out.
“Lizzie...” the duke answered with a momentary pause, “is quite the whirlwind. She comes and goes as she pleases.”
“Indeed,” Kitty agreed. “But she is lovely. I could not have wished for a better sister-in-law.”
As Emma opened her mouth to respond, a deep and cheerful voice called out from their left.
They all turned toward the rich sound and Emma’s cheeks immediately grew warmer as the handsome young man she had noticed earlier approached them.
So much for avoiding his company.
He was no longer accompanied by the other gentleman he had been conversing with earlier, but was now on his own.
He wore a smug smile as he leaned over to the duke and punched him gently on the arm. Emma’s eyes widened at the familiarity. “Just the man I wished to see.”
The duke straightened, a slight tilt of annoyance on his lips. “And why is that?”
Before the young man responded, he noticed the duchess and Emma, which seemed to give him pause.
“Your Grace,” he muttered apologetically toward Kitty. “I did not see you there. You and...err...”
His voice trailed off as he glanced curiously at Emma. “And who might this delightful lady be?”
Emma gazed into a set of bright blue eyes and let her gaze wander down to the playful grin that rested on his lips.
Rake. Definitely.
Her heart beat just a little faster under his regard, and she immediately decided her initial decision to steer clear of this man, was a sound one.
“Lady Emma, please meet Lord William Seymour. The duke’s younger brother,” Kitty said. “Will, this is my very good friend, Emma.”
Lord William reached for Emma’s hand, lightly squeezing it before he brought it up to his lips to kiss her skin. Shivers of delight engulfed Emma’s body, but she managed to keep her composure. Somehow.
That was not the response she wanted to have—not with this man, at least.
Despite Lord William’s charm and handsome features, as well as this strange giddy feeling he caused to rise up inside her, she was determined not to lose herself in the moment. Especially when it was clear Lord William had imbibed far more than he should.
He was swaying a little on his feet.
“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lord,” Emma greeted him simply.
“Likewise, my lady. I must say that you are a beautiful woman—”
“Pardon my brother,” the duke interrupted, but Lord William shook his head.
“I can speak for myself, James,” Lord William defended.
“Only if your words are respectful toward our guest,” the duke interjected.
“With all due respect, I, too, can speak for myself, Your Grace,” Emma said. She didn’t want to sound ungrateful for the duke’s assistance, but her travels abroad had taught her it was important to stand up for oneself in life.
“My apologies,” the duke said. “I simply do not find it appropriate for such behaviour in the presence of a lady.”
“I do appreciate your concern, Your Grace, and I thank you for it,” Emma answered truthfully. She turned to Lord William. “I see you are thoroughly enjoying yourself this afternoon, my lord.”
“It is a celebration in itself, as my sister and I never truly thought our dearest brother would marry,” Lord William explained. “And what a momentous occasion it is!”
“Indeed.” Kitty and the duke exchanged a loving glance
“Did the duchess tell you, Emma, of the incident with the horse—”
“I am certain Emma does not wish to hear the entire tale,” the duke interjected.
“In actual fact, Kitty told me everything already.” Emma grinned at the couple’s matching embarrassed expressions. Now that would bear another conversation with Kitty at a later date. Perhaps she hadn’t quite heard everything, after all.
Lord William’s brows rose, as if he had heard her thoughts. “Not everything, surely? What about—”
“That’s enough, Will.” Kitty laughed as she cut across him. “My love, perhaps we can give Will and Emma a moment to get acquainted,” she suggested.
“But my dearest—”
“Come along,” Kitty insisted, and she led the duke away.
“Well. The duchess has never been known for her subtlety,” Emma muttered.
“Nor are you, my lady, it seems.”
Emma glanced at Lord William and cocked her head. “No indeed. Not at all.”
A moment of silence passed and then Lord William cleared his throat. “I truly am delighted for my brother that he managed to find himself a wife such as Kitty. She is captivating, and she complements him well.”
Emma frowned, surprised by his candour. “That is a very kind thing to say, my lord. From my admittedly brief observation, I’d say they complement one another beautifully.”
“How long have you known the duchess?” he asked.
“Most of my life,” Emma answered truthfully. “She has been my friend and confidant for many years.”
“And is there a certain gentleman in your life at this moment?”
Emma’s eyes widened. “You are quite forward, my lord.” Refreshingly so, she realised, even if she did not wish to admit it. The duke’s brother might be in his cups, but at least he was honest. She detested lies and deceit more than anything.
“Is there?” he persisted.
“No. I am yet to meet a man who is brave enough to court me,” Emma answered.
“And why is that?” His gaze raked her, up and down, and she felt a frisson deep within.
She sighed dramatically, trying to hide the fact that she was enjoying the conversation with the duke’s brother far more than she’d anticipated. “I am too outspoken, and men generally do not approve of that. I do not agree with marriages where the man wields absolute power in the union. And I do not believe in marrying for anything other than love.”
“But if the man cannot wield power in the marriage, then who on earth do you propose would make the decisions? The woman?” Lord William’s tone was dismissive. His mouth thinned and his eyebrows were high.
Emma’s brows came together. Where had the carefree young man gone?
“My lord, your tone is condescending.”
“But my words are true,” he argued. “Men are better at making decisions and using their powers of authority.”
Really? He’d obviously never met a woman who applied herself to better her mind. “Perhaps in your opinion.”
“It is not an opinion. It is a well-known fact,” Lord William insisted. “Women are weak when it comes to making decisions, and taking charge. In everything.”
Anger boiled up inside Emma’s belly? Weak? In everything? How dare he!
She could barely formulate the words to respond; she was so incensed. “If women are weak, why are we the ones to bear children?” she inquired. “You think that is a sign of weakness?”
