Title:
Regency Summer Scandals: A Regency Summer Anthology
Author(s):
Arietta Richmond, Regina Jeffers, Janis Susan May, Victoria Hinshaw, Olivia Marwood
Genre:
Regency romance; historical romance; historical fiction; anthology; novellas
Book Blurb:
Five fabulous Regency stories to keep you reading all summer long!
This anthology contains:
Loving Lord Lindmore by Regina Jeffers
LADY CORA TAKES SOCIETY BY STORM… Lady Cora Midland, a high-spirited country beauty, offers no pretensions, which win her many admirers, despite her lack of knowledge on how to manage the beau monde.
LORD MATTHEW LINDMORE IS IN DENIAL… Lindmore reluctantly assists his grandmother in bringing Lady Cora out in Society. Yet, what appeared to be a daunting task becomes a transformation which the Earl does not expect.
Will time run out before Lady Cora and Lord Lindmore discover the truth… that they have fallen in love?
A Heart for an Heir by Arietta Richmond
A Duke’s heir seeking purpose in his life, a Lady with unconventional ideas, a collaboration for good, a campaign of scandalous gossip, a love won at knife point.
Thorne Gardenbrook, Marquess of Wildenhall, heir to the Duke of Elbury, needs something to fill his days – something other than his mother’s insistence that he find a bride. Lady Faith St John is facing the fact that, after the scandals which rocked her family in the previous year, she may never have the chance to marry. Then a secret revealed by a housemaid leads Faith into subterfuge, behaviour improper for a Lady, and an accidental meeting with Lord Wildenhall, and she is not certain, at first, whether he will condemn her, or conspire with her. What happens then leads them both down unexpected paths, into scandal which will destroy Faith’s reputation, unless they the gossip before it’s too late.
And, in the end, when the only thing between Faith and ruin is the point of a very small knife, will Lord Wildenhall find her in time?
Sister to Scandal by Janis Susan May
Miss Phyllidia Kettering is facing the destruction of all of her dreams – all because of a scandal her sister has caused, by leaving her husband and running off with another man. And the worst part is, she isn’t entirely sure that she blames her sister for what she’s done. Then, to add to her miseries, the situation brings Mr Gareth Routledge back to her door – the man who broke her heart, and left her haunted by the mocking whispers of society. When greed, malice and blackmail are discovered, the scandal deepens, even as Phyllidia and Gareth discover that, just perhaps, they still care for each other.
Can they prevent the destruction of her family, and find their way back to love as they do?
Lady Matilda Heals a Hero by Olivia Marwood
Lady Matilda Calthorpe has always been a little impetuous, although she hides it well, when on view to the ton – she certainly doesn’t want to face the whispers and scandal that her friends and her sister have all faced in their path to finding love! But when unexpected circumstances place her in a scandalously compromising situation with the man whom she secretly desires, her impetuous nature takes over – with the worst (or perhaps the best?) possible outcome.
Now all she has to do is convince him to let her love him, before they are doomed to a life of misery.
Beyond Scandal by Victoria Hinshaw
Lady Elizabeth Lovell has been betrayed – by those closest to her. As if it isn’t enough that her father has done something deeply scandalous, now her brother has decided to pack her off to her great aunt. Every certainty has been removed from her life, and as fortune hunting suitors circle, she finds herself taking comfort in morning rides with her oldest friend, the son of her great aunt’s neighbours. But nothing is as it seems, or as she expected, and to live beyond the revelations of scandal, they will both have to accept significant change – can they do it, and find love in the process? Or is there nothing but misery beyond the touch of scandal?
Excerpt from chapter one of Loving Lord Lindmore by Regina Jeffers:
“Another toll?” Mrs. Evans asked as she craned her neck for a look.
Within less than a handful of minutes, the coachman appeared at the window. “Apologies, my lady. The coach ahead belongs to Lord Lindmore. Her ladyship would expect me to assist Mr. Flauton.”
“Certainly. Do what is necessary? Is Lord Lindmore also assisting his man? she asked in concern. “Would he care to join us in our coach?”
The coachman frowned and cleared his throat. “Lord Lindmore did not wait in the coach, my lady. I believe he is within the house.” Mr. Vickers’s face turned red in embarrassment.
Cora lowered her voice. “Then who is in the second coach?”
Mr. Vickers’s lips twisted in disapproval. “The crest indicates Lord Truist.”
“Truist?” she questioned. “Is he alone? I thought I noted the coach rocking with movement.”
Again, Mr. Vickers blushed. “I cannot say with any assurance, my lady.”
Cora took a quick look around. “‘Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. That one may smile and smile and be a villain.’ Assist me down, Mr. Vickers.”
“It is likely best you remain within, my lady. Lady Lindmore would have my hide if her grandson and Lord Truist’s shenanigans brought scandal to your door,” the coachman pleaded. “I will assist Flauton, and we will be on the road again. No more than a quarter hour.”
Cora ignored his protests. I shan’t speak of this to the countess.” She released the door latch. “Whose house sets along the lane?”
From behind her, Mrs. Evans shared, “It belongs to the Widow Lawrence.”
“Oh, no, Oh, no,” Cora gasped. “Mr. Schroder is heading this way with a bouquet of flowers. He cannot find Lord Lindmore within and Truist standing guard. Those two are up to no good.” She swung the door wide. “Assist me down, Mr. Vickers. When Mr. Schroder appears, assure him you and Mr. Flauton have just finished the repair. Then come ahead of him to fetch me and his lordship from where we took refuge inside out of the warmth, while you completed the work.”
“Lady Cora,” her companion complained. “You cannot think to enter that woman’s house.”
“I plan to enter and so shall you. Now, fetch one of the jars of conserves we brought for her ladyship and climb down.” With a shooing motion, she sent Mr. Vickers to assist the earl’s coachman while Cora boldly strode across the road to pound on Lord Truist’s door. “My lord, I wish to speak to you. Now, sir!”
Truist dropped the window from the way to say sweetly, “My dear Lady Cora, I did not realize you were in the Lindmore coach.”
“I possess no time for your double speak, Lord Truist,” she ordered. “What have you offered Lord Lindmore to enter Mrs. Lawrence’s house?”
“I am injured by your accusation,” he began, holding a hand to his heart as if he were wounded.
“Then be uninjured,” she demanded. “Whatever it is you offered, I shall expect you to pay the debt or else I will see it quietly spread about London that you are not a man of your word. Now, be from this place immediately before I change my mind and call foul just to be contrary.”
Truist grinned. “I liked you better before you became a fishwife, Lady Cora. I will call upon you at Lind Hall once you are settled in with the countess. Adieu, my dear child.”
Cora did not appreciate being called a “child,” especially as she was set on correcting a very childish prank by two supposedly grown men. She turned to set a quick pace up the lane leading to the house. Catching Mrs Evans’s elbow, she directed the woman along with her. She explained, “We have perhaps less than a quarter hour, at best, likely less before Mr. Schroder makes his call on the widow. We must set the scene inside so as not to send the man’s hopes plummeting.”
“Cora,” Mrs. Evans protested, “a lady cannot interrupt what surely transpires within.”
Cora paused briefly. “If I do not, the Lindmore name will be attached to a bit of a scandal. The countess shall not be permitted to bring me out in society. Equally as important, we shall face our own share of gossip as we are at the scene of this tumult. Now, assist me as I asked.”
Mrs. Evans’s pace increased, and she had knocked on the door before Cora could set herself a plan.
“Yes, ma’am. Miss.”
“Lady Cora wishes to speak to her cousin. Immediately,” Mrs. Evans demanded in that special voice all former governesses have perfected.
The man servant stepped back in response to permit them to step inside. “I fear Lord Lindmore is in consultation with Mrs. Lawrence,” he managed.
Cora had no time for niceties. “Listen carefully. Mr. Schroder is walking this way. We saw him on the road. You,” she grabbed the conserves from Mrs. Evans’s hands, “are to bring up four cups and plates. Splash a bit of tea in each. Open the conserves and spread a bit on whatever the kitchen has available to create a scene of four people enjoying tea and the bread and butter or whatever while his lordship’s coach is repaired.”
“There is no tea made, my lady,” he argued.
“We are not actually going to take tea,” she said in slow syllables so he might comprehend what she required of him. “Tell the cook to have tea ready for Mr. Schroder. Just splash a bit of dregs in each cup to ‘pretend’ we all had tea.”
“Yes, my lady.” He started away, but Cora caught his arm.
“First, tell me where I might discover your mistress and Lindmore.” Despite the chaos, Cora found herself beginning to smile. Going to London would answer one of her questions if she was brave enough to view the scene within.
“The last door along the hall. Mrs. Lawrence’s sitting room.”
“A sitting room?” Cora muttered. She was thrown on what to do next for the passage of several heartbeats. She had always assumed the act of begetting a child took place in the bedroom, but she quickly reminded herself neither the Earl of Lindmore nor Mrs. Lawrence were considering a union of more than the flesh.
“Lady Cora?” Mrs. Evans caught Cora’s hand. “You have no need to do this. We will return to the carriage and permit all involved their due.”
Such was tempting, but Cora liked Mr. Schroder and wanted to view him knowing success in his obvious intention of a marriage proposal. Therefore, Cora strode purposely down the hall and pounded with her fist on the door. “My lord! Mrs. Lawrence! I am coming in!”
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What’s your favorite thing about autumn:
Autumn is my favorite time of year for more reasons than the change of seasons, which really does not happen until late October in the southern states. It is the prelude to my favorite holidays, as well as many family birthdays. My birthday is in September. If you know, dear reader, anything of the signs of the zodiac, I am a Virgo through and through. Shortly after my birthday, in early October, comes that of my eldest granddaughter, who will be 10 this year. The child is my mother made over, and when I look upon her, I smile and thank the good Lord for reminding me of all I still have in this world. The end of October brings us Halloween and kids in costumes and everything pumpkin spice, though I admit I prefer pumpkin pie to any pumpkin spice drink. November first sports my eldest grandchild’s birthday. He will be 12 this year and is headed off to middle school. I taught middle school for thirteen years of my 40 in the classroom. We used to say the students were all on elevators going up and down and none ever stopping on our floors. The hormones are powerful during those years. Toward the later part of November is my son’s birthday and then Thanksgiving for us in the U.S. December brings the youngest granddaughter’s birthday only a few days before Christmas. She will be 7 this year. She is our dancer. “Shake It Off” from Taylor Swift is a favorite. Autumn, therefore, means a return to FAMILY after a crazy summer of running around trying to cram fun in every day—sometimes succeeding and sometimes not so much. A slower pace. A time to be grateful for what we have and for being together.
What inspired you to write this story:
Like most of us who write historical romance, I love my heroines to have been cut from a mold that has a few “cracks” in order to permit the real person to show through. The Regency period was one in which a widow had more control of her life than did a wife. Women were property. In fact, they could not own property if they were married, only if they had never married or were a widow could a woman hold property in her name. A man could beat his wife and nothing in the law could prevent his actions. Therefore, those of us who write Georgian romances prefer to give the reader a woman we all can admire, along with a hero deserving of her. Let us face it, could anyone other than a man of Mr. Darcy’s nature tolerate Elizabeth Bennet’s opinions? Most the men of the day would have considered her a “fishwife” and likely taken a strap to her. And what of Jane Eyre? Mr. Rochester was not impressed with Blanche, though he admired the woman’s beauty and her social position. No, it was the obstinacy of Jane Eyre which enticed him. “I can live alone, if self-respect, and circumstances require me so to do. I need not sell my soul to buy bliss. I have an inward treasure born with me, which can keep me alive if all extraneous delights should be withheld, or offered only at a price I cannot afford to give.”
We are all influenced by the world around us and have unique, individual experiences that affect our personalities. In the same way, an author is influenced by his/her past when he/she writes. I write of strong heroines because whether I wanted it or not, I came from a home with an absent father. It was left to me to name my path. My characters are a reflection of my desire to succeed.
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon gift card
Open internationally.
Runs September 1 – 30
Drawing will be held on October 2.
Author Biography:
Regina Jeffers writes books about corsets, rakes, daring heroines, dashing heroes and all aspects of the Georgian/Regency era. She is an award winning author of cozy mysteries, historical romantic suspense, and Austenesque vagaries. Jeffers has been a Smithsonian presenter and Martha Holden Jennings Scholar, as well as having her tales honored by, among others, the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the Frank Yerby Award for Fiction, the International Digital Awards, and the Chanticleer International Book Award.
Social Media Links:
Every Woman Dreams (Blog) https://reginajeffers.wordpress.com
Always Austen (Group Blog) https://alwaysausten.com/
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Regina-Jeffers/e/B008G0UI0I/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1479079637&sr=8-1
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/jeffers0306/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/darcy4ever/
You Tube Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzgjdUigkkU