Secret Confessions of the Enticing Duchess: A Steamy Historical Regency Romance Novel
Page 32
“Am I so far beyond redemption, Caroline?” Lydia chuckled to herself.
“With those inappropriate books beneath your bed, I should say you are not far from it.”
Lydia turned to her. “I will have you know that those are for educational purposes only. I seek to improve my Greek and Latin, so that I might make some dull Duke exceedingly proud one day. He can parade me in front of his peers and have me recite ancient languages in a most fluent tongue.”
“Your Greek and Latin are already perfect, Lydia. Mother and Father may believe your excuses, but I do not. You would do well to replace them with some sermons. I can recommend several, if you would be interested?”
Lydia grinned. “I think I will stay with my selections for now, dear Sister.”
“Much good may they do you,” Caroline muttered.
“I should like to read Lydia’s books!” Mary shrieked, as she shuffled to the edge of the bed and dangled down. Caroline crossed the room and pulled her back onto the bed, giving her a smarting slap on the wrist as she continued with her nightly sermons.
Lydia’s gaze stretched towards the expansive fields that reached the very horizon. She paused upon a figure that stood close to the riverbank, half-bathed in the silvery light of the full moon. At first, she thought she was imagining things, or envisioning a tree that had somehow warped into a person, prompting her to blink rapidly to clear her vision.
There was no mistaking it. A man stood on the edge of the river, shrouded in a dark hood. A shiver of fear shot through her body as the figure lifted his head, his shadowed gaze lifting to meet hers. Even at such a distance, she could feel the malevolence brimming from the unknown figure.
She turned quickly. “I think there may be a stranger in the grounds.” Her voice trembled as she spoke.
Caroline snorted. “Yes, we know all about the new stable boy, found half-nude in the bushes. A disgraceful affair. Why father has thought to give him employ here, I cannot understand it.”
Lydia shook her head. “No, there is another man. Come and see!”
Mary and Caroline rushed over, seeing the fear in Lydia’s eyes. However, as she turned her gaze back out toward the riverbank, the figure had vanished…as if he had never been there.
“What a fevered imagination you have, Lydia,” Caroline chided. “You see, Mary, what reading too many novels may do to a young lady’s mind?”
“But…he was right there.” Lydia prodded her finger against the glass.
“I think you need your rest, Sister.” Caroline shook her head and wandered away from the window.
“But he was right there,” Lydia repeated, in a hushed whisper.
Mary cast her a sympathetic glance. “I believe you, Lydia. Probably one of the cottagers on their way home, taking a swifter path along the river.”
She frowned. “Perhaps.”
No…I know what I saw. There was a man there, and he did not mean well. But how could she convince anyone, when the shadow had vanished into the night?
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Also by Olivia Bennet
Thank you for reading Secret Confessions of the Enticing Duchess!
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Some other stories of mine:
Daring Fantasies of a Noble Lady
Wicked Temptations for the Seduced Duchess
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Thank you for allowing me to keep doing what I love!
Olivia Bennet
About the Author
Having obtained a degree in Journalism, but with an affinity for literature and creative writing, Olivia Bennet knew from a young age that her future lay in the romantic ideals of the past. With a fascination for the Regency era and a good romance, she started her career as a historical romance author the old-fashioned way: with pen and paper.
Born in rural Devon, Olivia draws inspiration from the vast farmlands of the British countryside and the people living in the surrounding villages. An avid artist, she takes her sketchbook everywhere with her and captures the beauty of nature, which she then incorporates into her books.
Allow your conscious to be carried away on a wind made of letters and words, of love, mystery and the magic of the Regency era. Start your journey and allow Olivia’s pen to guide you!