For an ex-duchess, obeying orders proves difficult.
But Melanie has little choice. Scarred and cheated out of her widow's
entitlement, she accepts a post as housekeeper in remote Gavington House where
widowed Lord Jarrow rears his young daughter. He has secrets, and Mel's
curiosity will not let her rest until she has discovered what it is that
occupies both him and his friend Mangerton. Soon she is embroiled in lying to
the Excise men and dealing with gunshot wounds in the middle of the night… amzn.to/ZLEeT1
Excerpt
‘Circumstances change, sir. A new master appeared, with
staff of his own.’ In a way, that was true. Her step-son, the new duke, had
summoned his lawyer friends and cheated her out of the dower house and
everything else to which she had been entitled.
A grim smile touched the corners of Lord Jarrow’s mouth.
‘Well, at least your mistress was prepared to give you good references. These
are excellent.’
‘Thank you, sir. I hoped they would serve.’
His eyes narrowed, and Melanie’s stomach clenched in
response. Her tone had been a little too pert. Lord, it was so difficult to
strike the right balance. Dipping her head, she surveyed her clasped hands and
waited to see what direction he would take. Be subservient, she told herself.
Think subservience, and you will practice it. If you do well, you will be his
housekeeper, and have the security of a roof over your head.
‘Gavington is perhaps not what you expected,’ he said
slowly, sitting forward with his forearms on his desk. ‘The house is virtually
closed. I keep few staff, only those necessary for the comfort of myself and my
daughter. I do not welcome visitors. Now you have seen how isolated we are, do
you still wish to be considered for the post?’
‘Of course, sir.’
‘Why?’
Jolted, she met his quizzical glance. ‘Why, sir?’
‘It is a simple question, Miss Grey. Why do you, a young and
attractive woman, wish to disappear into the countryside when you have had
command of a house such as Rockford?’ He looked down at her reference ‘Why,
there must have been forty staff there when I visited Middlesex three years
ago. Here, we have less than six.’
Dear God, he’d been to Rockford House! Three years ago? She
blinked, frantically searching her memory. Had he been a guest at dinner? No,
she would have remembered him. But if he’d paid a call on the duke in the
estate office at the far end of the west wing, she might never have seen him.
That must be what had happened. Thank goodness he showed no sign of remembering
her.
Available on Amazon Kindle: Here
This title was formerly on sale as Victorian Beauty but I decided neither the title not the cover gave a true flavour of the story, so in the middle of December 2013 I sat down at the computer, linked to Amazon Kindle and changed both things. It was easier than I expected, and I only wish I'd done it sooner!
Uploaded by Jen Black
