A Historical Christmas Event with Bronwen Evans

USA Today bestselling author, Bronwen Evans grew up loving books. She writes both historical and contemporary sexy romances for the modern woman who likes intelligent, spirited heroines, and compassionate alpha heroes. Evans is a three-time winner of the RomCon Readers’ Crown and has been nominated for an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award. She lives in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand with her dogs Brandy and Duke.

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Waving, from a very hot and sunny summer in New Zealand. One of the things I love about writing Regency historical romances is that I can pretend to have a white Christmas. For those who don’t know me, I’m a USA Today Bestselling author of historical and contemporary romance.

Thanks to Danielle for inviting me to this Historical Christmas gathering. Below is a little story of how a couple who are newly married, decided what gifts to give each other.

Some of you may not have read ATTRACTED TO THE EARL book #3 in my Imperfect Lords series, so I’ll tell you a little bit about the hero, Guy Neville, Earl of Argyle and his heroine, Miss Abigail Pinehurst.

Guy is the second son of the Earl of Argyle who finds himself elevated to the Earldom on the death of his beloved brother. The only problem is—he cannot read or write. He suffers from a condition no one understood until the early Victorian era called ‘word blindness’. His childhood was not a nice one with his father threatening to send him to an asylum, which is where most children with dyslexia, or other learning difficulties, ended up.

Abigail had no less an auspicious upbringing. But she is a clever and talented artist who works her way into a commission position for Lady Calthorpe, illustrating rare botanical plants. She visits the Earl of Argyle to find and paint the rare Ghost Orchid. Needless to say they fall in love, but not before having to foil a villain trying to take control of Guy’s estate.

Now on with my ‘What do I want for Christmas?’ story:

An Earl’s life is very busy. Especially on the Argyle estate. It has over four working farms spread over 300,000 acres. There was always something Guy had to do. But it wasn’t her husband Abigail wanted to talk to. It was his best friend Kit, but it was very hard to get Kit alone. Abigail had been waiting days for an opportunity, but Kit was Guy’s man of business and his ‘affliction’ protector. Kit did all the reading and writing for Guy so that no one learned the Earl could not read or write. The two men were always together, and when they weren’t together, Kit was with his family in his own house on the estate.

So today, she’d resorted to drastic action. She’d told a white lie. She’d told Guy that his hounds man needed his advice on which of the new pups to keep.

It wouldn’t give her a lot of time, so as soon as she heard Guy go out the front door, she raced to his study to find Kit.

“Abigail, your husband’s just stepped out to visit—”

She approached the desk Kit was sitting behind. “Yes, yes, I know. I sent him there, so I know he won’t be long. I just need some advice on what to get Guy for Christmas. Has he mentioned anything he wants? I asked you to find out what he wanted weeks ago, but you haven’t told me anything, and it’s only a few days before Christmas. It’s too late to send to London for anything.”

“I gave you some ideas. A nice hip flask for when we’re out in the cold.”

“He has Reginald’s old one. He cherishes his late brother’s flask. How could I think of giving him another?”

“Then why didn’t you knit him a nice scarf for winter.”

“Knit? I never learned to knit. My upbringing was not that of a genteel lady. I fought on the streets just to survive.” She started pacing. “I can’t get him a pocket-watch because it makes him feel stupid that he can’t work out the time. I can’t buy him a book for the same reason.”

Kit stood and came round the desk towards her. “I told you I was no good at this. Give him something from the heart.”

She wanted to crumble to the floor. She knew Guy would get her something glorious and she didn’t want to present him with a silly trinket. “It should be easy but it’s not. Most days you spend more time with him than I do. You must have an insight into what he needs, or loves.”

Kit looked like a Cheshire cat who’d lapped a huge bowl of the cream and now had a stomach ache. “I’m not really comfortable about getting in the middle of this. Surely you know, or can think of something your husband would like.”

“Would like? Would like?” She threw her hands up. “Are you not listening? I want something he’ll love so much he’ll cherish it forever.”

“I already have the one thing I love more than life itself, and the one thing I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. You as my wife.”

She whirled to find her handsome husband leaning against the doorframe, his arms folded across his chest. His sultry smile sent her pulse skipping through her body and she answered his smile with a sensual one of her own.

Kit groaned and stomped back to sit behind his desk. “I’d offer to leave, but I’d like to get these accounts done so I can spend time with my family over Christmas. Besides, you have a bedchamber upstairs. I recommend using it—more comfortable.”

“But not as exciting,” Abigail teased back.

“I’m pretty sure I can make it really exiting,” her husband said as he moved and scooped her into his arms and carried her upstairs to their bedchamber.

******

Abigail stretched her well used muscles after making love with Guy, and gave a soft purr of contentment. Guy lay panting next to her and she let him rest because he’d worked really hard, her—their—pleasure being his only goal. She loved making love in the afternoon with the sun shining through the window, tucked up from the cold winter’s day outside. The fire needed to be stoked as the room was growing colder so she rolled against his side and slid her hand over his muscled chest. He was a work of art.

Abigail still pinched herself every morning to remind herself this fairytale was real.

“If we can do this all Christmas day, I’d be a very happy man.”

She laughed. “But Kit and Dora are coming over.”

He pulled her into his arms. “Can’t we just have our own private Christmas? That would be my perfect gift. A day in bed with you.”

She rolled on top of him, loving how his body responded almost immediately. “I think I can arrange that. We can see Kit and Dora the following day. We could even give all the staff the day off, with supplies well stocked of course, and spend the perfect day in bed. Selfish I know, but it’s our first Christmas as man and wife.”

As he ran his lips down the side of her neck in little kisses that sent shivers over her body, he whispered, “I love you.” Then he laughed and reminded her, “Because as you once told me, neither of us our perfect, only love is perfect.”

*******

Abigail and Guy’s spent Christmas day in bed, and nine months later, they both got the most perfect gift of all. Evidence of love—their son, Alfred.

What’s your favorite festive season holiday memory whatever holiday you celebrate? Anyone who leaves a comment goes in the draw to WIN a selection of NZ Whittaker chocolate and a signed book copy of Wicked Wagers: The Complete Trilogy.

Open internationally.

Unable to read or write, an earl discovers love in the last place he expects to find it—within the embrace of a brilliant woman—in this sexy, irresistible novel from USA Today bestselling author Bronwen Evans.

What’s an earl to do?

The Earl of Argyle has died suddenly, leaving his brother Guy Neville at a complete loss. The dull-witted second son, as his father used to call him, Guy is now responsible for the estate and his brother’s seat in the House of Lords. Shamed by an inability to read or write, his distress is multiplied by the sudden appearance of Miss Abigail Pinehurst, a dyed-in-the-wool bluestocking. She wishes to use the Argyle library and to study a rare plant on the estate. Guy’s first instinct is to decline her request—until he catches a glimpse of her.

How’s a girl to behave?

Abigail cares for only one thing: plants. She is unconcerned about how she looks, what she wears, or the impression she makes on men. An orphan who turned to books for solace in a miserly, cruel institution, she now makes her living illustrating the greenery she adores. Lord Argyle, in fact, with his uncanny memory and chiseled features, is the first man to capture her attention—a ridiculous distraction since he is so far above her station. But her unreasonable heart has a mind of its own.

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Up For Grabs:

• 1 NZ Whittaker chocolate + a signed copy of Wicked Wagers: The Complete Trilogy

To Enter: 

• What’s your favorite festive season holiday memory whatever holiday you celebrate? 
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