Judith Fast
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This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.
DEDICATION
To my husband, with love
Judith Fast was always considered the story teller in her family. She grew up in Minnesota with one sister and enjoyed nothing more than taking a simple daily experience and weaving it into some sort of a story. Her father called it being creative, her mother called it stretching the truth.
A mother of two, Judith wrote Time To Smell The Roses, when her children were old enough to allow her the luxury of the time needed to write.
She is currently living in Dallas Texas with her husband, and has just finished her second novel, Longer Than Forever.
After being exiled from her father’s home in the middle of a stormy night, five year old Katherine Wentworth believes things can’t get much worse than they are until the carriage she and her mother are traveling in overturns and Katherine’s mother is killed.
After her mother’s death, Katherine is sent to live in Scotland with her aunt and uncle, Doctor Grady and his wife. Katherine remains in Scotland until shortly after her nineteenth birthday.
She returns to London to take part in Mary Elizabeth Thatcher’s wedding who had been her dearest and closest friend since childhood.
James Billington, the Duke of Blakemeir, grudgingly takes on the role of benefactor to Katherine after learning of his families involvement in ruining the reputation of her mother, which ultimately led to her death. Upon meeting Katherine Wentworth, not only does James find his neatly planned and orderly life turned upside down, but he soon finds himself embroiled in saving Katherine from the clutches of a greedy uncle bent upon seeing Katherine married off to a man suspected of murdering his first wife.
Being cast out by her father, abandoned by her brother and left under the care of her ruthless uncle, Katherine is determined to go through life alone until she meets James Billington. Although Katherine fights her attraction to the handsome duke, she soon finds herself in love with the arrogant man, and prays that her feelings might one day be returned.
Shortly after she marries the duke, Katherine is confronted by the woman James had intended to marry.
The woman wastes no time informing Katherine that James has married her out of family obligation and pity.
Feelings and fights between Katherine and James escalate to the point neither of them are speaking to one another, until fate steps in using Katherine’s fear of storms to force her back to the security of her husband’s arms.
After a rocky and chaotic start, James and Katherine find themselves deeply in love with one another. But their love is once again put to the test when James is asked the simple question, do you trust your wife and instantly realizes that the future of their happiness together is contingent upon his answer. Brought up from a young age never to trust anyone, James is surprised when he realizes his spirited wife has not only managed to win his heart, but has earned his admiration and trust as well.
Katherine was halfway down the stairway when the front door suddenly opened and a tall, muscular man strolled inside. From her vantage point she watched as he paused, glanced around for a moment, the started forward again. She assumed from the scowl of grim displeasure on his face he was clearly annoyed that no one was there to take the cloak that hung in folds reaching from his broad shoulders to his heels.
Knowing Peters was away from his post tending to dinner preparations, Katherine hurriedly descended the remaining stairs and started toward the newcomer. "May I be of service?" she asked.
Hearing her voice stopped James cold in his tracks. His gaze narrowed as it fastened upon Katherine. He stood where he was and allowed himself a slow, thorough inspection of her person from her long blond hair flowing freely over her slender shoulders down to the slippers peeking out from beneath her gown. Good God, she’s beautiful, he thought.
Since he had last seen her in Scotland it had been fairly easy to convince himself that her beauty could be attributed to his lack of female companionship, but standing face to face with her, gazing at her flawless skin, her green eyes surrounded by long, dark sooty lashes and a mouth men dreamed of kissing, she was simply breathtaking. "I don’t know, can you?" he drawled sarcastically, believing it was better to attack than let himself dwell on her beauty.
Katherine felt her back stiffen in anger as his gaze lingered on her mouth, her breasts, and her lips much too long to be considered anything but indecent. She studied him a long moment. His dark hair was close cropped, his brow was broad, his eyes were blue, and his nose straight. He was extremely handsome. He would have been devastating if there had been any warmth in his eyes, but as it was, they were cold, hard, and distrustful.
She didn’t like them, no, she corrected, she didn’t like him. "Tell me, were you born rude, or have you had to work at perfecting the art?"
He looked surprised for a moment. He hadn’t known what to expect from her, but it sure as hell wasn’t this. He couldn’t think of a man alive that would dare face him down and verbally attack him as she was doing. He had to admire her, she was not only beautiful, but she had courage as well. That thought did nothing to lighten his mood, nor did the fact that his pants were beginning to feel distinctively tight. His glare intensified. "Do you know who you’re talking to?" He watched her eyes narrow and darken. Strange, but he found her even more attractive when she was angry. Damn her beautiful green eyes.
Since receiving her uncle’s threat, Katherine had been able to think of little else. She was bursting with the need to let go of her temper, and the man standing in front of her seemed to be spoiling for an argument. In the mood she was in she was not about to disappoint him. She lifted her chin and matched his glare with one of her own. "Someone that obviously doesn’t know how to act like a gentleman."
The commotion in the hall brought Christopher and Mary Elizabeth to the door of the parlor. "James, I thought I heard your voice," Christopher called out as he walked forward to greet his friend.
"A last minute change in plans allowed me to accept your invitation after all," James told him putting out his hand to grasp that of his friends.
"Glad you could make it," he told him before glancing at the other occupant of the foyer. "Mary Elizabeth, come meet James, " Christopher called back over his shoulder. His face split into a wide grin as he added, "And you needn’t go upstairs, I believe I have located your friend." With that being said, Christopher walked over to stand directly in front of her,"I presume you are Lady Katherine?"
Upon her nod, he bowed formally then lifted her hand and kissed it.
Katherine was impressed with his manners. She could easily see why Mary Elizabeth was so fond of him. Christopher Chambers was a definite charmer. She immediately made a formal curtsy and honored him with a dazzling smile. "I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, My Lord. Mary Elizabeth had told me so much about you, I feel as though I already know you."
Christopher had been thinking to himself how very beautiful she was, but then she had lifted her gaze and stared up into his eyes, and he realized she wasn’t just beautiful, she was exquisite. He gave her hand an affectionate squeeze. "I’m afraid you have me a disadvantage, Lady Katherine, as my finance’s description of you in no way led me to believe what a radiant beauty you truly are."
As though on cue, Mary Elizabeth laughed as she walked up and took her place by Christopher’s side, "If I had told you how truly lovely my friend was before you had a chance to see her for yourself, you would have accused me of exaggerating."
Christopher gazed down at his fiancee and smiled lovingly as he pulled her close to his side and said, "Yes, I dare say, in this case I would probably have done just that."
He kept his arm around Mary Elizabeth’s waist as he directed his attention back to that of his friend. "James, permit me to present you to my fiancee." Giving her waist an affectionate squeeze he told her, "Mary Elizabeth, my love, this is my good friend, James Billington, The Duke of Blakemeir."
Mary Elizabeth signaled to the butler to come forward and take their guest’s cloak. Her greeting was given automatically, as a matter of training though for the life of her she wasn’t sure what she had said after hearing the name of the man now standing in front of her. Though she had never met James Billington before in person, she had heard enough about his reputation to make her stomach lurch in reaction. It was difficult but she managed to hold onto her smile, even though she was furious with Christopher for inviting this man to her parent’s home. Since this was not the appropriate time to take issue with her fiancée she decided she’d wait until later to blister his ear. She did, however, glare at him to let him know of her displeasure.
James inclined his dark head in a bow. "I hope you can forgive my tardy arrival," he said, nodding his thanks at the same time to the butler who relieved him of his cloak.
His question brought Mary Elizabeth’s attention back to him. "There is nothing to forgive," she told him, but even she realized how unconvincing she sounded.
"You’re very generous," James replied, as his gaze rested on her face. Dressed in a emerald green gown with her chestnut brown hair piled high on her head in a mass of tiny curls, and a pair of brown eyes that fairly sparkled with the anger she was trying to control, it was easy for James to see how she had captured Christopher’s ardent attentions. It was also easy to see that she was not overly thrilled by his presence. He was well aware of his reputation, he had worked hard to achieve it. A reputation was one of the few things in life a man could depend on.
James dismissed the matter from his mind and turned his attention back to the your beauty standing with her back facing him. He found himself wishing that she would turn around and bestow on him the same dazzling smile he saw her give so freely to Christopher. He cursed silently. What the hell was wrong with him, he didn’t give a damn if she ever smiled at him. He was behaving like a besotted fool. He instantly became angry. He wasn’t about to let her rob him of his discipline. He would fulfill the duty his grandmother had forced on him, and then he would never set eyes on the bothersome female again. Besides, he told himself, hoping his cynical nature would save him from acting like a complete imbecile, Katherine Wentworth wasn’t all that different from any other female he’d known. He was use to beautiful women competing quite brazenly for this attention hoping to snatch a title. He would wager his numerous estates that Lady Katherine would pay far more attention to him now that she had heard Christopher mention his title during his introduction to his fiancee. As though to prove his point, when James was finally able to catch Christopher’s attention he motioned with an arrogant tilt of his head for an immediate introduction, then stood patiently waiting for Katherine to turn around and face him, believing that when she did, she would be all smiles as she began batting those big green eyes at him flirtatiously.
James would have lost his bet. Katherine was neither surprised nor impressed upon hearing his title as Duke of Blakemeir. Everything from his perfectly tailored evening clothes down to his shoes set him apart and stamped him indelibly as "Privileged." She didn’t like him any better either. Therefore, after Christopher had made the introduction, Katherine simply acknowledged James with a curt nod, then immediately turned her back on him dismissing him with cool efficiency worthy of a queen.
James’ mood darkened. It always did when things were not proceeding in a logical manner, but then he was beginning to believe Lady Katherine Wentworth never did anything in the usual manner.
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