The Worldly Widow by Elizabeth Thornton.

I think I prefer Elizabeth Thornton's older historicals, where the heroes are very, very, very, very x 1000 alpha. (Her later ones are only very x 100 alpha).

I've only read two of her older works, this and To Love An Earl, but I think my deduction is right.

Anyhoo, let me present the reason for this post:

♥♥ David Falconer, Earl of Dalmar ♥♥

And Annabelle too actually, I just LOVE how she fights back. But let me talk about David. Please.

(SPOILERS warning...)

"A child," he murmured, and his eyes, glittering with some new emotion, swept over her. "Don't worry about it," he soothed. "If you give me a whole brood of children, I'll welcome every one of them."

^ This, on page 56 in the 1990 edition. So early on in the book. I love that.

"You're mine. I'll never let you go."

^ Page 58. I can never be tired of reading this. He might be under a bit of laudanum but I believe he's 99% lucid.

And then there's chapter eight. Probably my favourite part. He's thinking about how magical (my words) Annabelle is, how he has never felt this way about anyone before etc. etc.

I don't know which part to quote, his whole thinking about what is going on between him and Annabelle is just awesome, a great pleasure to read. Elizabeth Thornton just rocks at writing. I re-read it before going on the next part, him meeting Annabelle and his son (awesome scene) and then him and Annabelle alone (awesome scene yet again).

"What exactly do you want?" she asked, eyeing him curiously.
"The usual. A home, a wife, a children -- a personal stake in the future, and someone to share it with. Is it so hard to understand?"

I know there's no love mentioned, but as a reader I know he's thinking of it because Annabelle made him think all above are possible. With her. Oh com'on, it's romantic already, how much he (albeit in his mind) admits Annabelle can do to him. ♥

And then when he himself accepted that it's over between Annabelle and him? Totally wretching. I like how Annabelle baited him and got him back though. ☺

I would really love more scenes at the end, but I suppose at 400+ pages, this book is looong already. But I don't think I would mind reading fifty or so more pages about them being happy.