Jessica Gilmore - Expecting the Earl's Baby

SUMMER WEDDINGS Summer Weddings Title Page About the Author Dedication PROLOGUE CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE EPILOGUE Extract Copyright

A season of confetti and whirlwind romances!

You are cordially invited to attend the Huntingdon-Cross summer weddings.

Celebrate the shotgun marriage of Daisy Huntingdon-Cross and Sebastian Beresford

in

Expecting the Earl’s Baby by Jessica Gilmore Save the date: on sale April 2015

Raise a glass to Rose Huntingdon-Cross and Will Carter as they finally tie the knot

in

A Bride for the Runaway Groom by Scarlet Wilson Save the date: on sale May 2015

Join us in celebrating Violet Huntingdon-Cross and Tom Buckley’s star-studded wedding day

in

Falling for the Bridesmaid by Sophie Pembroke Save the date: on sale June 2015

Expecting the Earl’s Baby

Jessica Gilmore

www.millsandboon.co.uk

An ex au-pair, bookseller, marketing manager and sea-front trader, JESSICA GILMOREnow works for an environmental charity in York. Married with one daughter, one fluffy dog and two dog-loathing cats, she spends her time avoiding housework and can usually be found with her nose in a book. Jessica writes emotional romance with a hint of humour, a splash of sunshine and a great deal of delicious food—and equally delicious heroes.

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For Carla

A book about sisters, for my sister

Love Jessica x

Contents

Cover

Summer Weddings SUMMER WEDDINGS Summer Weddings Title Page About the Author Dedication PROLOGUE CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE EPILOGUE Extract Copyright A season of confetti and whirlwind romances! You are cordially invited to attend the Huntingdon-Cross summer weddings. Celebrate the shotgun marriage of Daisy Huntingdon-Cross and Sebastian Beresford in Expecting the Earl’s Baby by Jessica Gilmore Save the date: on sale April 2015 Raise a glass to Rose Huntingdon-Cross and Will Carter as they finally tie the knot in A Bride for the Runaway Groom by Scarlet Wilson Save the date: on sale May 2015 Join us in celebrating Violet Huntingdon-Cross and Tom Buckley’s star-studded wedding day in Falling for the Bridesmaid by Sophie Pembroke Save the date: on sale June 2015

Title Page Expecting the Earl’s Baby Jessica Gilmore www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author An ex au-pair, bookseller, marketing manager and sea-front trader, JESSICA GILMORE now works for an environmental charity in York. Married with one daughter, one fluffy dog and two dog-loathing cats, she spends her time avoiding housework and can usually be found with her nose in a book. Jessica writes emotional romance with a hint of humour, a splash of sunshine and a great deal of delicious food—and equally delicious heroes.

Dedication For Carla A book about sisters, for my sister Love Jessica x

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

PROLOGUE

‘OH, NO!’

Daisy Huntingdon-Cross skidded to a halt on the icy surface and regarded her car with dismay.

No, dismay was for a dropped coffee or spilling red wine on a white T-shirt. Her chest began to thump as panic escalated. This , Daisy thought as she stared at the wall of snow surrounding her suddenly flimsy-seeming tyres, this was a catastrophe.

The snow, which had fallen all afternoon and evening, might have made a picturesque background for the wedding photos she had spent the past twelve hours taking, but it had begun to drift—and right now it was packed in tightly around her tyres. Her lovely, bright, quirky little city car, perfect for zooming around London in, was, she was rapidly realising, horribly vulnerable in heavy snow and icy conditions.

Daisy carefully shifted her heavy bag to her other shoulder and looked around. It was the only car in the car park.

In fact, she was the only person in the car park. No, scratch that, she was possibly the only person in the whole castle. A shiver ran down her spine, not entirely as a result of the increasing cold and the snow seeping through her very inadequate brogues. Hawksley Castle was a wonderfully romantic venue in daylight and when it was lit up at night. But when you were standing underneath the parapets, the great tower a craggy, shadowy silhouette looming above you and the only light a tepid glow from the lamp at the edge of the car park it wasn’t so much romantic, more the setting for every horror film she had ever seen.

‘Just don’t go running into the woods.’ She cast a nervous glance over her shoulder. The whole situation was bad enough without introducing the supernatural into it.

Besides it was Valentine’s Day. Surely the only ghosts abroad today had to be those of lovers past?

Daisy shivered again as her feet made the painful transition from wet and cold to freezing. She stamped them with as much vigour as she could muster as she thought furiously.

Why had she stayed behind to photograph the departing guests, all happily packed into mini-buses at the castle gates and whisked off to the local village where hot toddies and roaring fires awaited them? She could have left three hours ago, after the first dance and long before the snow had changed from soft flakes to a whirling mass of icy white.

But, no, she always had to take it that step further, offer that bit more than her competitors—including the blog, complete with several photographs, that she’d promised would be ready to view by midnight.

Midnight wasn’t that far away...

‘Okay.’ Her voice sounded very small in the empty darkness but talking aloud gave her a sense of normality. ‘One, I can go into the village. It’s only a couple of miles.’ Surely the walking would warm up her feet? ‘Two, I can try and scoop the worst of the snow off...’ She cast a doubtful glance at the rest of the car park. The ever heavier snowfall had obliterated her footprints; it was like standing on a thick, very cold white carpet. An ankle-deep carpet. ‘Three...’ She was out of options. Walk or scoop, that was it.

‘Three—I get you some snow chains.’

Daisy didn’t quite manage to stifle a small screech as deep masculine tones broke in on her soliloquy. She turned, almost losing her footing in her haste, and skidded straight into a fleece-clad chest.

It was firm, warm, broad. Not a ghost. Probably not a werewolf. Or a vampire. Supernatural creatures didn’t wear fleece as far as she knew.

‘Where did you come from? You frightened the life out of me.’ Daisy stepped back, scowling at her would-be rescuer. At least she hoped he was a rescuer.

‘I was just locking up. I thought all the wedding guests were long gone.’ His gaze swept over her. ‘You’re hardly dressed for this weather.’