My first novella, Marry in Haste, is now available on Kindle! It’s a Regency romance and here is the
blurb:-
‘I need to marry, and I need to
marry at once!’
When James, Viscount
Demarr confides in an acquaintance at a ball one evening, he has no idea that
the potential solution to his problems stands so close at hand …
Amelia Ravenscroft is
the granddaughter of an earl and is desperate to escape her aunt’s home where
she has endured a life of drudgery, whilst fighting off the increasingly bold
advances of her lecherous cousin. She boldly proposes a marriage of
convenience.
And Amelia soon proves
herself a perfect fit for the role of Lady Demarr. But James has doubts and
his blossoming feelings are blighted by suspicions regarding Amelia’s past.
Will they find, all
too painfully, that to marry in haste is to repent at leisure?
Extract:-
Before Amelia could
think further, she jumped to her feet and half-ran over to the man by the
balustrade. Obviously startled by the unexpected footfall behind him, he turned
swiftly, and she saw him frown. ‘What the …?’ he began, then collected himself.
‘I beg your pardon, ma’am, I did not hear you come out.’ He bowed stiffly and
threw his cheroot into the flower bed below, then made as if to step around her
to return inside.
Amelia stopped him by the simple expedient of
taking a step in the same direction. ‘I … I didn’t come out exactly,’ she
stammered nervously. ‘I was sitting on the bench over there,’ she pointed
towards the shadows behind them, ‘and I’m afraid I overheard your conversation
with your friend.’
His eyes narrowed a fraction and he looked at
her more closely. ‘I see. And did you learn anything of value?’ he asked
sarcastically.
‘Well, yes, I mean no … I mean, oh I don’t
know how to say this, but …’ She took a deep breath and the words came tumbling
out in a rush. ‘I will marry you if you wish.’
The man stared at her as if she had suddenly
grown two heads and Amelia cringed. She couldn’t understand what had possessed
her to do this. She must be out of her mind, but having gone this far, she
decided she may as well continue.
‘I don’t care for society at all, so I
wouldn’t mind being snubbed the way you said your wife would be, and I come
from a very good family. My grandfather was the Marquess of Ravenscroft.’
‘Was he indeed? If that is so, then why are
you out here on your own proposing marriage to a stranger? I take it you don’t
know who I am?’
‘Erm, no. No I don’t, but the thing is, it
doesn’t matter. Anyone will do.’
‘How flattering. That makes me feel a lot
better,’ he drawled.
Amelia took another deep breath. This was not
going at all well and had it not been so dark, the man would have seen that she
was blushing from head to toe. ‘What I meant was, like you, I need to marry and
I cannot afford to be choosy. I’m one of those females you spoke of who would
appreciate having my own establishment, rather than being dependent on an
employer or relative. As long as you can give me a roof over my head and a ring
on my finger, that is all that matters.’
He regarded her in silence, then shook his
head as if he couldn’t believe this was happening. ‘Tell me, what is it you
need to escape from? I take it there is a good reason for your desperation? Are
you with child?’
‘No!’ Amelia was horrified. ‘Of course not.
That’s the whole point – I’m trying to avoid being seduced out of wedlock.’
‘Perhaps you should start at the
beginning? I’m finding myself increasingly muddled by your explanations. Come,
let us sit on your hidden bench.’ He grabbed her elbow and steered her none too
gently to the dark corner and sat down ...
UK Amazon buy link here
US Amazon buy link here
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