A Regency era courtesan gives up her empire for love and discovers how truly binding her connections are to the noblemen she used to serve.
*****
In the sequel to Courte...
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The Rose and Water's innkeeper stood all possessed behind the reception desk as she watched the earl walk in. He nodded to her cordially, as did his son, Albert, who followed the earl in. If that were not enough to give a person the vapors, Jules sister, Alice, entered behind them. The surprise must have been plain on my face, as Jules quickly turned in his seat at the same time Alice noticed us.
"Jules! Rose!" She sprinted forward, and I barely had time to stand before she threw her arms around my shoulders. "It's so wonderful to see you. I'm just so happy I can hardly contain myself."
Goodness. I knew she considered me akin to a sister, but her enthusiasm seemed a bit exaggerated. When she lavished the same greeting on Jules, I felt somewhat crestfallen.
"What are you doing here, Alice?" Jules said. "What are you all doing here, for that matter?"
The earl called for a bottle of port, and Anne hurried to oblige his request. While he assumed a commanding position in front of the fireplace, Alice and Albert found comfort on a settee. "We have a very good reason for being here," he said, gesturing to Alice. "Alice, dear. I promised you could share the news."
Her merry smile lit up the room, putting the fire to shame. "Thank you, your grace. Well, I had the most pleasant surprise while in Coventry with the countess and Lady Kingsley. As we were enjoying a meal at Warwick and Sons, Albert showed up unexpectedly. And he looked about as spiffing as I'd ever seen him."
The two exchanged a glance that would have put lovebirds to shame. "He explained that he had something important to ask me which could not wait until I returned from holiday. Then he got down on one knee and he proposed to me right there in the middle of my custard."
Having not expected the proposal so soon, my slack jaw gave away my surprise. As for Jules, he held firm to his usual stoic pose as he queried Alice. "What did you say?"
"I said yes, silly. We have been talking about our future for some time now. I just didn't expect to receive his proposal while I was on holiday in the company of his mother and sister-in-law."
"Hmm...unexpected." While Jules mumbled to himself, I stood from my chair to offer Alice a congratulatory kiss on her cheek.
"I am so happy for you, Alice. For both of you." I smiled at Lord Kingsley, and he seemed to enjoy the attention. Then his face went sober as he turned to Jules.
"I want you to know I spoke with your father prior to the proposal. He was quite happy to hear of my intentions and heartily gave his approval."
"I suspected he would. Have you and Alice had time to talk about the date you will be married?"
A short beat of silence followed Jules's question. Just long enough to allow the air to thicken. "The end of June. The twenty-fifth, to be exact," Albert said.
"Next month?" Both Jules and I chimed in together, and a sudden wave of anxiety came over me. Why would they rush the nuptials after such a thoughtful courtship?
