A Marquis For All Seasons
by Renee Reynolds
Lady Miranda Leighton and the
Marquis of Stafford, Roman de Courtenay, have a similar problem: their families
want them to find a spouse. Together they hatch the perfect scheme: they will
pretend an attachment and trick their families in their pursuit of one last
season of unencumbered entertainment. Yet, in each other's constant company,
they find their ruse giving rise to some surprisingly very real feelings. What happens when you set out to fool
society, but only end up fooling yourselves?
Lady Miranda moved stealthily,
despite the late hour and the fact she used the less familiar servant
stairs. The house was eerily quiet and
she felt nearly smothered by the inky blackness of the narrow stairwell. She dared not light a candle in case some
member of the household still moved about.
She ran one hand lightly up the wall to keep her balance, and to
maintain some sense of uprightness in the void, while her other hand stretched
in front to locate the door at the top of the stairs. After what seemed an eternity, she reached
the threshold to the next floor, and silently slid the latch.
Opening the door, she squinted
at the brightness of the landing awash with the moonlight that streamed through
the windows at the end of the hall.
After her eyes adjusted, she cast a furtive glance in both directions
before hugging the wall, boots in hand, as she slipped quietly to her chamber. Once inside, she was again surrounded by blackness,
but this time, it comforted.
She was safe. She was home.
She was exceedingly glad,
loathe to admit to herself how poorly the night's adventures had actually
been. She would never admit aloud how
queasy the entire spectacle had made her, nor would she admit she had no idea
the crowd would be so loud and bloodthirsty over the fighting. She shivered slightly when a scratch sounded
from the darkness. A light flickered, growing
in brightness as a candle flame flared to life.
She was discovered.
She majored in majors in
college, and after obtaining a host of degrees she decided not to use any of
them and instead writes about what she cannot do - go back in time to dance at
balls, flirt with lords, gentlemen, and scoundrels, and gallop unfashionably
down Rotten Row during the most fashionable hour.
After dodging a few Collinses
and Wickhams, Renée happily snared a Darcy. Her HEA turned out to be in Texas,
where she resides with "the hubs, the kiddos, a boisterous menagerie of
indoor and outdoor animals, and a yard of meticulously maintained weeds."
She has happily tagged on this addendum to the family motto: you can never read
too much, too often, or too late at night.
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the blurb and excerpt. Another book to my TBR :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful cover!
ReplyDelete