The Truth

Posted as a gift of my time and thoughts to the readers of my books, thank you for the lovely messages of appreciation,

❤

© Jane Lark Publishing rights belong to Jane Lark,

this novel should not be recreated in any form without prior consent from Jane Lark

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 ,19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33,34,35,36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59

 

Emerald

“Miss Martin,” the woman began. “I am sorry, but I see him so rarely,  you are not escaping me, Richard. Are you staying with us, will you be coming home? You must come and say hello to my friends.” The woman took hold of Richard’s hand. “Will you excuse us, Miss Martin?”

Richard glanced at Emerald then at his sister, then his eyes returned to Emerald. “Pardon me.”

“Of course.” Her agreement was breathless. If he went away she felt as though she might never see him again.

He bowed his head, she bobbed a weak curtsey and then he was drawn away by the woman.

“Miss Martin.” She turned to face the Russian Ambassador, a friend of The Duke’s. He held out his hand to receive hers, she lay her hand into his open palm and he bowed deeply and kissed the back of her silk glove. Then he straightened and leant forward a little. “Be careful with whom you consort, Miss Martin,” he whispered.

Did he mean Richard? warmth glowed in her cheeks as the Ambassador turned away, while memories of Richard’s kiss and his bed past through her mind.

“Emma dear, where have you been?” Emerald turned to face her aunt. “Why do you not sit down, my dear, you look flustered, your colour is up.”

She did not want to speak to her aunt. “No thank you. Excuse me.” She turned to the room, which was full of all their guests men and women and she could no longer see Richard.

“Emma.”

Emerald began to walk across the room. Ignoring her aunt’s plea to be heard.

She saw him. He was on the far side, taller than those about him, and he stood with a younger man who looked like him and another, older, woman as well as his sister.

He’d said he had no family to speak of on the ship.

“Emma?” She jumped as The Duke’s hand clasped her elbow in a firm grip to stop her movement. She turned to face him. “I was told you were speaking with Wroxeter. Heaven knows how he got in. But at least the people shall think it a coup that he appears here. But how came he to speak with you? Did he accost you?”

Wroxeter? The man The Duke liked to laugh about the ill-fortunes of. “I have not met him.” She freed her arm and glanced across her shoulder to ensure that Richard had not moved away.

“But Alekseev, saw you with him.”

She looked back at The Duke. “I spoke with Mr Farrow,.”

“Farrow?”

“I arrived on his ship…” Emerald began, but The Duke was not listening.

“Good God.” He was looking across the room, in the direction she had been looking. “He is Wroxeter.” She turned again. Richard? Wroxeter? An Earl… “You travelled all the way from India with him.

Emerald’s heart kicked. Richard was not an Earl. He’d have said so if he was. But he’d said he had no family to speak of on the ship and there he was standing amongst them. Her feet began to move, walking her towards him. He’d lied again. As he’d lied about his mistress and her mother––through omission.

To be continued…

The Marlow Intrigues: Perfect for lovers of period drama

The Tainted Love of a Captain #8 – The last episode in the Marlow Intrigues series

 

The Lost Love of Soldier ~ The Prequel #1 ~ A Christmas Elopement began it all 

The Illicit Love of a Courtesan #2 

The Passionate Love of a Rake #3

The Scandalous Love of a Duke #4

The Dangerous Love of a Rogue #5

The Jealous Love of a Scoundrel #5.5

The Persuasive Love of a Libertine #5.75  now included in Jealous Love, (or free if you can persuade Amazon to price match with Kobo ebooks) 😉

The Secret Love of a Gentleman #6 

The Reckless Love of an Heir #7

Jane’s books can be ordered from most booksellers in paperback

Go to the index

For

• the story of the real courtesan who inspired  The Illicit Love of a Courtesan,
• another free short story, about characters from book #2, A Lord’s Scandalous Love,
• the prequel excerpts for book #3  The Scandalous Love of a Duke

Jane Lark is a writer of authentic, passionate and emotional Historical and New Adult Romance stories, and the author of a No.1 bestselling Historical Romance novel in America, ‘The Illicit Love of a Courtesan’.Click here to find out more about Jane’s books, and see Jane’s website www.janelark.co.uk to learn more about Jane. Or click  ‘like’ on Jane’s Facebook  page to see photo’s and learn historical facts from the Georgian, Regency and Victorian eras, which Jane publishes there. You can also follow Jane on twitter at @janelark