No matter how much
their mothers wanted Sarah and Arthur to wed, Sarah had loathed him. However,
circumstance, and her late
husband’s father conspire against her, and she is forced to turn to Arthur, for help. Perhaps she
needs his legal expertise, but she refuses to acknowledge how handsome her
oldest foe has become…or her reaction to him.
His childhood nemesis is the last person
Arthur Davenport expected to require his services. When a spurious claim
against her late husband’s estate brings Sarah Wetherall to his door, he can’t
refuse the pretty widow, no matter how much he wants to.
Thrown together by fate, will they discover
there is a fine line between scorn and passion?
Early Victorian Sweet
Romance
Coming 19 February
2014
Excerpt:
15 February,
1847. Mrs. Wetherall.
He stared
down at the name. There was something familiar about it, but he could not
recall what it might be. He shrugged. She was soon to appear, and any
familiarity would be quickly established.
At that, the
door opened and a woman who could only be Mrs. Wetherall swept in, an obscenely
large hat obscuring most of her face. A gown of uncommon simplicity clothed her
person, but for all the garment was simple, it was obviously well made, which
suggested wealth.
Ah, well, no
matter if he knew her name or not. A wealthy client was always welcome.
Dunn trailed
behind her, his expression as eager as ever. “Mrs. Wetherall, sir.”
Arthur
inclined his head. “Thank you. That will be all.”
“Right you
are, sir.” The clerk bobbed his head and left, closing the door behind him with
a quiet click.
Arthur
turned his regard to the woman. Currently she studied his qualifications, hung
on the wall along with the framed pictures his mother had given him for his
birthday every year since he’d become a solicitor. “Mrs. Wetherall, good
afternoon. Please, seat yourself.”
Her
shoulders straightened infinitesimally but she didn’t respond, instead
continuing to regard the wall.
Irritation
tugged, but he suppressed it. Emotion would get him nowhere. “Mrs. Wetherall?”
With a sweep
of her skirts, the lady and her hat settled into the chair before his desk.
Frowning, he
sank to his own seat. That enormous hat was absurd, still disguising her face.
Why did women think such things were attractive? In addition to being
ludicrous, it no doubt put undue pressure upon her neck.
Lacing her
hands in her lap, the lady finally spoke. “I find I require the services of a
solicitor in regards to my late husband’s will.”
The hair at
the back of his neck stood up. No. Oh, Christ, no.
The hat
tilted, exposing her face. Every muscle in Arthur’s body seized.
Mrs. Wetherall,
formerly Miss Sarah Stanhope and the bane of his childhood, glared at him from
beneath her ridiculous hat.
======================================
About Cassandra :
Cassandra grew up daydreaming, inventing fantastical worlds and marvelous
adventures. Once she learned to read (First phrase – To the Beach. True story),
she was never without a book, reading of other people’s fantastical worlds and
marvelous adventures.
Fairy
tales, Famous Fives, fantasies and fancies; horror stories, gumshoe detectives,
science fiction; Cassandra read it all. Then she discovered Romance and a true
passion was born.
So,
once upon a time, after making a slight detour into the world of finance,
Cassandra tried her hand at writing. After a brief foray into horror, she
couldn’t discount her true passion. She started to write Romance and fell head
over heels.
The
love affair exists to this very day.
Cassandra lives in Adelaide, South Australia.
You can find
Cassandra at:
CassandraDean.com
~ Cassandra and Lucy ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
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Thanks for hosting me and SILK & SCORN, Krista!
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