The Scandalous Love of a Duke ~ Prequel elements from the Marlow Intrigues Series ~ Winning John back

CONTAINS SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE ILLICIT LOVE OF A COURTESAN!

Leading up to the release of the 3rd book in

The Marlow Intrigues Series

The Scandalous Love of a Duke

all about John, who has grown up, fractured ~ I am going to share excerpts of John in the earlier books to remind you of his past before his book is released on the April 3rd.

Excerpts from The Illicit Love of a Courtesan

Winning John back… (taken from the 1st edition published in the USA)

“He’s here?” Following her gaze, Edward saw the Duke of Pembroke. He was, and from his vantage point, at the top of the stairs which descended into the ballroom, Pembroke had seen them first. His gaze met Edward’s across the room, hard and cold.

Lord, Edward hoped the man was not here to make trouble.

Ignoring the silent summons, Edward looked away, scanning the crush of guests for Richard. Both of them over average height he caught his brother-in-law’s eye.

Richard was at the edge of the dance floor, in mid-conversation, near the bottom of the stairs. At Edward’s nod Richard looked up and saw the Duke, then threw Edward back an answering nod, before visibly giving apologies and then moving to weave a path through the crush to where Pembroke stood.

Edward turned away and back to Ellen. He wouldn’t lead her like a lamb to the slaughter. Richard would divine whether it was wise or not to let them speak…

…his hand caught her wrist before she lifted the glass again. Across her shoulder, he saw Richard approaching with her father. This was more than Edward had hoped already—he’d thought Pembroke would have called them to his court.

“Brace up, your father is on his way,” Edward whispered through the corner of his mouth.

Ellen glanced backwards, saw her father, and then set down the glass.

Her wide eyes spun back to Edward’s face declaring absolute panic, but then almost instantly he watched her overcome it, steeling herself for the meeting, her fear shifting to determination. He took her hand and held it tight, offering what courage he could…

…Her father stood in the center of the room, his hands clasped behind his back, his angular face fixed in an expression of distaste, his gaze following her. She faced him, with Edward behind her, while Richard stood near the door.

Refusing to shrink back before her father’s condescending stare she took two steps closer, unflinching, and felt Edward move too, his fingers gently resting at the curve of her waist.

“You have something to say to me, Father?”

She watched him hesitate and swallow.

“I owe you an apology.”

But she noted he could not quite bring himself to give one and say I am sorry.

“I accept I have not made the right decisions towards you, and now things are—as they are—you have left me with no choice but to allow you access to your son.”

It was as though the weight of years slipped from her shoulders. He was backing down. He had heard her the other day. He was using her name. “I do not want access to my son, I want my son.” Her voice was low and measured, brimful with righteous anger. “I want him to live with Edward and I. That is where he wishes to be. It is where he belongs.”

Her father’s eyes seemed to skim across her face.

“If that is what you wish,” he hesitated.

“It is.” Ellen held his gaze.

“Then you may collect him in two days’ time…

“He’s said we may have John.” Ellen turned to Edward and wrapped her arms about his neck. “I cannot believe it. I cannot. We will have John.” Edward picked her up off her feet and twirled her around, clearly jubilant…

Preorder The Scandalous Love of a Duke

out

April 3rd

He is all grown up now, my gorgeous fractured, tender-hearted, Duke

Amazon http://ow.ly/uNPDs
Barnes and Noble http://ow.ly/uNPtw
Kobo http://ow.ly/uNPTX~

All my normally blogging stuff will carry on around these excerpts

😀

The Scandalous Love of a Duke ~ Prequel elements from the Marlow Intrigues Series ~ The plan to get John back

CONTAINS SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE ILLICIT LOVE OF A COURTESAN!

Leading up to the release of the 3rd book in

The Marlow Intrigues Series

The Scandalous Love of a Duke

all about John, who has grown up, fractured ~ I am going to share excerpts of John in the earlier books to remind you of his past before his book is released on the April 3rd.

Excerpts from The Illicit Love of a Courtesan

The plan to get John back … (taken from the 1st edition published in the USA)

I do not like my father, but I know he will keep John safe. John is his heir you see, my father had no son. If John cannot be with me, he is safer with him.”

Edward downed his drink. Another nail in the coffin then, the man would not easily let his heir go…

… “Give me time to think and we will work out how to respond, but I refuse to let him keep John.” Her eyes opening wider, the pale blue caught the light from the window as she took a steadying breath. Her fingers closed over his then and drew them down.

“You will never cease to amaze me, Edward. I don’t understand you sometimes. How can you not continue to blame me for this? I am the spurned daughter of the Duke of Pembroke, and you are not daunted by it?” Reaching up onto her toes she kissed his lips briefly, then, with a silly burst of fearful laughter and a shake of her head, she added, “If you can find a way to get John back you shall not simply be my hero, I shall bid to the church to have you sainted. And do you know what the most surprising thing is? I really think perhaps you can.”

“I am known for my determination, Ellen. Perhaps I should have warned you of that.”

Edward unwound his fingers from hers, interrupting her speech, stood and walked over to Casper to take his drink, then he turned to her, his gaze fixed and intent.

She knew that stubborn look, it meant he would not be shifted from whatever notion he’d set into his head.

“Julie is right,” he began, holding Ellen’s gaze. “That is the answer—if you want John back. We cannot fight the man with lawyers, but if your family recognize you again your father would look too much the fool to deny you. You should meet your sister and write to the others. They are all married now, none under his control, and all of them to influential men. If together they stood against your father I would like to see him fight against that. He’d look ridiculous if he did.

“We are going to London. That is what we will do, Ellen. Brazen it out and make the man squirm. We shan’t go after him. We shall force him to come to us.”

Ellen shook her head. “I can’t do it, Edward. I could not face them now.”

With that Edward set down his glass, walked to where she sat and squatted down onto his haunches. His hands rested on her forearms. “Do you want John back?” When he spoke one eyebrow lifted, visibly adding emphasis to his point.

Ellen didn’t hesitate. “You know I do.” But this would take more courage than she had.

“Then what choice do you have?” His touch slipped from her arms and he rose. Her eyes followed his movement. “Make them face you. Make your father face what he’s done.”

“And what if he makes it public?” she whispered.

“Then it is him that is shamed not you,” Edward answered.

Ellen took a breath and her eyes turned to the coffee Julie passed her, aware that they all studied her.

She had been the center of attention before. She’d learnt to shut out the scorn, but if it came from people she loved. Could she do it? Could she do it for John? For John the answer could only ever be, yes, she had to try. With Edward, her rock, she could try.

A while later Ellen stood in one of Lord and Lady Forth’s guest bedchambers, dressed in a borrowed nightgown, leaning against the windowsill.

John was somewhere beneath the stars she saw, thinking of her as she thought of him, wondering if she would come for him, waiting. She knew it. Her fingertips touching the window pane, she looked out across the sweeping lawns into the distance as Edward blew out the candle. Darkness absorbed the room, but as it did it made the gardens clearer when her eyes adjusted.

She heard Edward moving behind her, barefoot, the floorboards creaking with his footfalls as he neared her. His fingers slipped about each side of her waist and splayed over her stomach, and his lips brushed her neck.

“Do you think we can really get John back?” she whispered, her breath dewing on the glass. “What if they do not accept me?”

“We can only try, Ellen.” His deep voice filled the air, the resonating sound sending a shiver through her body, and his hands swept lower, drawing her back against him stirring her desire. “If they do not accept you then we will simply find an opportunity to take John and leave the country.”

Her head tipped back to his shoulder and she sighed into the air, longing to escape thought and heartache.

“I want him back.”

“I know sweetheart, I do too. We’ll get him back, whichever way. I promise.”

Her fingers still on his arm she pulled him back. “Edward, I cannot do this.”

He turned back again and covered her fingers on his arm with his hand in a gesture of reassurance. “Ellen, you can. What is worse, never seeing John again, or telling a few white lies?

Edward smiled in reassurance. It was Ellen this put on a precipice not him, he was well aware of that. He did not like it, but if they wanted John she had to be brazen. It was the only way. And yes, he did think it would work, it could hardly not, with Pembroke’s status…

He gripped her shoulders, gave her a light shake and then kissed her on the bridge of the nose. “I know my little shrinking violet, but you shall suffer it none the less, for John.”

“For John, yes,” she sighed.

Preorder The Scandalous Love of a Duke

out

April 3rd

He is all grown up now, my gorgeous fractured, tender-hearted, Duke

Amazon http://ow.ly/uNPDs
Barnes and Noble http://ow.ly/uNPtw
Kobo http://ow.ly/uNPTX~

All my normally blogging stuff will carry on around these excerpts

😀