Charles Carrington, Earl of Ranford is the very epitome of a devilish rake and he has no desire to change it.
However, taking up the reigns of his family’s estate brings his grand plans of debauching the whole of London to an abrupt halt.
Charles can only imagine the boredom he will experience, living in rural Ireland and being disgustingly respectable.
Then along comes Julia.
Charles has no idea why, but his reaction to the mysterious Miss Julia Channing is more powerful than any attraction he’s ever experienced. And he’s experienced a lot.
She is his opposite in every way; good where he is bad, soft where he is hard and determined to be kind to everyone, which is definitely is not.
But Julia is not all she seems and as their attraction grows, so too does Charles’s certainty that all is not what it seems with the beautiful companion.
Will Charles be able to solve the mystery of Miss Channing? And in doing so, will he find the happily ever after he didn’t even know he wanted?
Julia continued down the steps, but, instead of heading to the kitchen, she turned instead toward the music room. If someone was waiting until the house was abed to play, she or he probably did not want an audience.
But Julia’s curiosity got the better of her. Whoever was playing was wonderfully talented. It was a melody she hadn’t heard before, simple yet intricate. It spoke of love, of longing, of loss, and it pulled at Julia’s heartstrings in a way that she could not explain.
Inching closer, Julia reached out a hand and pushed the only partly opened door even wider. She should have known. Everything about him called out to her very soul. Why should his playing be any different?
Julia watched fascinated as Charles’s deft fingers skimmed gently over the keys, and, to her shame, she imagined those same fingers and their magical touch on her flesh. Her heart beat faster, and her throat suddenly dried up. The music, the silence, the darkness that lent itself to secrets and hidden desires — they all served to make it seem as though her fantasy had come to life. She and Charles alone.
Julia had not thought that she had made a sound, but she must have for in the next instance, he spoke.
“Come closer if you wish. I do not bite.” He paused then continued, a smile in his voice. “Not unless you ask.”
He should not say such things. And not for any proper reason. But because she wasn’t sure she could remember to breathe when he did.
“You knew it was me?” she asked softly, as though speaking above a whisper would somehow shatter the air around them.
“Of course,” he responded, still playing, still looking at the keys.
“You have supernatural powers?” she quipped, though her throat remained as dry as a desert.
He laughed softly.
“Only when it comes to you.”
Julia’s heart went from galloping to stopping in an instant.
An Unlikely Duchess
Seeking Scandal
Hey everyone!
I'm Nadine, a writer from County Laois in Ireland.
My debut novel, a Regency Romance called An Unlikely Duchess debuted in March 2014, with Book Two, Seeking Scandal, debuting July 2014. There is a final book in the series, Mysterious Miss Channing releasing in January 2015.
I'm also part of a box set, Forbidden, Regency Romance which contains my novella, A Winter Wish.
My brain is constantly full of stories and characters so don't be surprised if I come out with something completely different after that...though I have to say, my heart belongs to Regency!
When I'm not writing I can be found scurrying around after my three children. Or perhaps my dog. I don't scurry after my husband, that's generally the other way around! ;)
I hate housework so only kind of pretend to do it! Love reading (or research as I like to call it).
I have a brilliant family and wonderful friends who are ever patient and supportive of me.
I'm sometimes asked where my inspiration comes from. I guess it's from everywhere! I love my gorgeous husband to distraction so that helps! I think I also put a little bit of people I know into my characters...shhhh ;)
Have an ever so mild obsession with Jane Austen and have properly researched time machines in case there's one who could take me back to 1800s. I know. I need help. My brain might be odd but it's a pretty fun place to be at times!
My writing really took off when my three year old started preschool. So now, while my seven, five and three year old children are being taken care of by teachers, my characters are being taken care of by me!
To be fair though, I can quite regularly be found at 2am glued to the laptop when I get an idea!
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