Saturday is here again and it brings another Sweet Sample with it. I've selected a bit from Deception, my Regency novel published in 2010. This one is closely connected to Heartless, my most recent release. The heroes of these two novels are friends and have been for years.
This scene is where the heroine, Aurora, first meets the Duke of Derringer (the hero from Heartless). Aurora is having a Season for the express purpose of securing a husband. Her parents are dead and she is an heiress—though her monetary value is a close-guarded secret. Her companion, Ellie, is charged with finding out what she can about the Season's eligible gentlemen.
Enjoy! ♥
“The one on his left,” Ellie continued quietly, “with the unfashionably long black hair is the Duke of Derringer. Beware of him, my dear. It is said he is a rake of the first order. There are, in fact, so very many unsavory rumors about him that I would hope you would avoid him altogether.”
“What rumors?” Aurora asked in spite of her dislike for harmful gossip.
Ellie pursed her lips for so long a moment, Aurora didn’t think she would tell her. “It is believed that he has killed two men in duels, ruined more than one innocent, drinks heavily, gambles only in the most disreputable of gaming dens, and keeps several mistresses. His grandfather, the first duke, made his fortune in piracy. It is said that he amassed so much wealth, the King, for fear of the man, granted him the dukedom in a bid to keep the man loyal to the crown. Lady Watson said that the present duke is involved in some illegal activities just like his grandfather. No one dares to ask him outright, or accuse him of anything, but the rumors abound anyway.”
To Aurora, none of it mattered. The man was a handsome gentleman, to be sure, and appeared every bit as dangerous as rumor claimed. Why, he wore nothing but black. Even his linen was black. To match his soul?
Perhaps that would be to her advantage. Many a man would think twice before tangling with a peer of such appearance and reputation.
She had to wonder, however, if such a man could be made to fall in love.
“Why is he accepted here?” Aurora asked curiously.
“Oh, his mother was bosom bows with Lady Sefton and he is very powerful for all he is only seven and twenty, nearly as powerful as his grandfather was. Lady Watson said none of it matters since the duke will die soon,” Miss Ellison told her young friend sotto voce. She was rewarded with a gasp at this little tidbit. “Apparently, his grandfather was killed by highwaymen when he was five and thirty. The second duke was four when he ascended to the title. He died in a boating accident when he was two and thirty, a year after his wife was found dead in their home near Folkestone. The present duke has held the title since he was seven.”
“But his father and grandfather died in accidents. Why would that suggest he will die young, as well?” Aurora asked, frowning.
Miss Ellison shrugged. “It is the way of gossip, I suppose. One will find intrigues where none exist.”
“Oh,” was Aurora’s enlightened reply.
This scene is where the heroine, Aurora, first meets the Duke of Derringer (the hero from Heartless). Aurora is having a Season for the express purpose of securing a husband. Her parents are dead and she is an heiress—though her monetary value is a close-guarded secret. Her companion, Ellie, is charged with finding out what she can about the Season's eligible gentlemen.
Enjoy! ♥
“The one on his left,” Ellie continued quietly, “with the unfashionably long black hair is the Duke of Derringer. Beware of him, my dear. It is said he is a rake of the first order. There are, in fact, so very many unsavory rumors about him that I would hope you would avoid him altogether.”
“What rumors?” Aurora asked in spite of her dislike for harmful gossip.
Ellie pursed her lips for so long a moment, Aurora didn’t think she would tell her. “It is believed that he has killed two men in duels, ruined more than one innocent, drinks heavily, gambles only in the most disreputable of gaming dens, and keeps several mistresses. His grandfather, the first duke, made his fortune in piracy. It is said that he amassed so much wealth, the King, for fear of the man, granted him the dukedom in a bid to keep the man loyal to the crown. Lady Watson said that the present duke is involved in some illegal activities just like his grandfather. No one dares to ask him outright, or accuse him of anything, but the rumors abound anyway.”
To Aurora, none of it mattered. The man was a handsome gentleman, to be sure, and appeared every bit as dangerous as rumor claimed. Why, he wore nothing but black. Even his linen was black. To match his soul?Perhaps that would be to her advantage. Many a man would think twice before tangling with a peer of such appearance and reputation.
She had to wonder, however, if such a man could be made to fall in love.
“Why is he accepted here?” Aurora asked curiously.
“Oh, his mother was bosom bows with Lady Sefton and he is very powerful for all he is only seven and twenty, nearly as powerful as his grandfather was. Lady Watson said none of it matters since the duke will die soon,” Miss Ellison told her young friend sotto voce. She was rewarded with a gasp at this little tidbit. “Apparently, his grandfather was killed by highwaymen when he was five and thirty. The second duke was four when he ascended to the title. He died in a boating accident when he was two and thirty, a year after his wife was found dead in their home near Folkestone. The present duke has held the title since he was seven.”
“But his father and grandfather died in accidents. Why would that suggest he will die young, as well?” Aurora asked, frowning.
Miss Ellison shrugged. “It is the way of gossip, I suppose. One will find intrigues where none exist.”
“Oh,” was Aurora’s enlightened reply.
Deception is available on Amazon and all other eBook retailers. The cover above is linked to the Amazon Kindle listing. ♥
Thank you for taking the time to read my excerpt.
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Sweet Saturday Samples
from other authors. Thank you! ☺
♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥
♫♪ Within Temptation ~ The Howling
4 comments:
Fascinating, you have drawn me in.
Very nice, Jaimey!
Please turn off your captcha if you want more comments. If I guess wrong, I won't try a second time. Other folks may do the same.
Thank you, Sherry and Marsha! ♥
As for the captcha, Marsha, I can't. Every time I do, the porn spammers take advantage. :O(
evWhat a great scene. Not only did this draw me in but now I'm wanting to get the book
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