by Rebecca King
Annalisa closed her eyes and sucked in a breath while she waited for her world to stop hurting.
“I am not wrong about him,” she breathed. “Joshua is too honest to tell me that he will be back when he knows he won’t be. He wouldn’t lie to me like that.”
“Things change, dear. He is a man of the world. Maybe he has been caught up in an investigation?”
Annalisa knew her aunt was just trying to show her some support and offered her aunt a half-hearted smile but the look in her eyes warned Yvette that she didn’t believe it either.
“No. Joshua is my hero next door. He is honest and brave and will be back, just like he said he would.”
“Yes, dear,” Yvette murmured and returned to trying to thread her needle.
Annalisa watched her before she was compelled to do something with her time, if only to stave off the worries that started to cloud her thoughts.
“I am going to cut some flowers for the dinner table,” she burst out as she suddenly launched out of her chair and made for the door.
As she had done more and more of late, Annalisa sought solace in the garden, around the spot where Joshua had first kissed her. It made her feel closer to him somehow.
Rather than wallow in my misery, I am going to put it all out of my mind and get on with my day.
With that decision firmly made, she began to select flowers for pruning.
At first, she didn’t realise she was no longer alone. It wasn’t until she went to pick up her full basket that she noticed a pair of boots standing several feet away. Her gasp was as loud as her eyes were round when she looked up and saw that the person blocking the sunlight was Joshua. Dropping the basket, all Annalisa could do was blink and stare at him.
“You are back,” she breathed in stunned belief.
Unlike the last time they had stood this way, Joshua was smiling at her. He looked healthy, happy, and more than a little uncomfortable but wonderfully handsome. Annalisa could barely contain herself.
“I said I would be,” he smiled. “Pleased to see me?”
Annalisa nodded and took a step toward him, then another, then another. Joshua walked toward her until the distance between them was removed completely.
“Hello,” he whispered gently when they were toe-to-toe.
“I am so glad to see you,” she murmured tearfully.
Joshua’s brows lifted. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes, you goose. I am delighted to see you.” With that, Annalisa threw her arms around his neck and tightened them as she stepped closer for a hug.
Joshua buried his face in her neck and returned her embrace. They savoured being together at last.
“When did you get back?” she demanded.
“Just now. My boss in London has transferred me so this is my new home.” Joshua wasn’t at all sure she could understand him seeing as his voice was so muffled by her shoulder, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t release her.
“Here?” Annalisa looked at her aunt’s house in delight. “You are staying here?”
“Er, no.” Joshua pointed a finger at Mr Richardson’s house. “I am staying there.”
Annalisa leaned back to blink up at him in stunned disbelief. “Mr Richardson’s house?”
Her heart soared.
“I bought it last week,” Joshua admitted a little ruefully.
“You bought Mr Richardson’s house?”
“Well, I spent so long there during the investigation that it started to feel like home. Of course, it needs decorating and a few repairs, but I have a few weeks off so have the time to fix it before I re-join the team with their investigations.”
“You are taking some time off?” Annalisa parroted.
“Well, yes, you see I have several very important things to sort out. I won’t be able to concentrate on the job even if I did get involved in a new investigation right now. So, I have a month off to sort out my home, and then I have to return to work.”
“A month?”
“I thought that might be enough time for us to get to know each other a little better. I mean, we haven’t really had the time to find out all the nitty-gritty details that makes us individuals. Given distance has been a major problem in our lives thus far what with me having to return to London and all, I thought it would be best resolved by purchasing the house next door. We can spend as much time together as we like, with your aunt’s permission of course. I wouldn’t want to ruin your reputation or anything,” Joshua teased.
Annalisa blushed prettily but her smile widened. “I think that has already been ruined, don’t you?”
With that, she planted a hand on either side of his face and tugged his head down to hers for a very thorough kiss.
“I don’t believe I have really ever told you how very much I love and adore you,” she whispered when they finally came up for air.
Joshua sighed and rested his forehead against hers. “I don’t think I have ever really dared tell you how much I love and adore you. If I had, not even my boss in the War Office would have forced me away from you. I do, though, more than words can ever express.”
“I told my aunt that you were honest and brave,” Annalisa murmured, her eyes shining with her love for him.
“I am just a man who is in love with a very beautiful woman,” Joshua breathed. “I had to force myself to leave because I didn’t want you to confuse needing me with love. We faced such dire circumstances. I wanted you to have some time to yourself without the danger, so you could think about how you truly feel about me, and us. I hoped you would miss me but was never sure.”
“I have missed you so much my life is not complete without you in it,” Annalisa assured him. “I am so pleased you are going to stay this time.”
“Wild horses wouldn’t drag me away. I love you, Annalisa,” he assured her.
“I love you to.”
“Well?”
Annalisa blinked at him. “Well, what?”
“What do you think to Mr Richardson’s house?”
“Well, it is a little bigger than my house, but it is wonderful. You have made a very good choice,” Annalisa smiled. “Of course, it is better that you are just next door. We can spend as much time together as we like.”
“That isn’t why I bought it,” Joshua said. He sucked in a breath to try to quell his nerves and hoped that Yvette wouldn’t come outside to see what was taking Annalisa so long.
“Why did you buy it? You are going to live there, aren’t you?” Annalisa’s smile began to dim.
“Yes, of course I am. It is a fine house and like you have said, right next door to the house you have called home all your life. You know about my work, and that it sometimes takes me away for several weeks at a time. Mr Richardson’s house would be the ideal location for you to live while I am away. With your aunt just next door, if you need anything your aunt will be there for you to talk to. Moreover, you will be living in a village you have been a part of all your life. Can you share it with me? Forever, do you think?”
“Are you-?” Annalisa gulped. “Are you-?”
She couldn’t form the words.
“Asking you to marry me, yes,” Joshua grinned. “If you would do me the greatest honour of being my wife?”
He winced a little because he had practiced his speech throughout his journey from London, but at the crucial point fudged it so the words he spoke were more of an unintelligible jumble, but he knew she had gotten the point from the stunned look on her face.
“Will you?” he pressed impatiently. “Because I know for definite that you are the woman for me. I love you and adore you and will do whatever it takes for us to be together.”
“I would love to,” Annalisa laughed. She squealed with delight when Joshua swung her around in a high circle before returning her carefully to her feet before him.
“Promise?”
“I promise. I would love to be your wife,” Annalisa breathed.
“I told you, the Star Elite are the honest and the br
avest of men,” Yvette smiled from several feet behind them. “And one is about to be happily married. Let me be the first to congratulate you.”
With that, Joshua and Annalisa turned to face a brand-new future, as man and wife working together to create their very own happy ever after.
The End.
MISS FLORENTINE’S SCHOOL FOR INVESTIGATORS
SNOWDROPS IN SPRINGTIME
Book One
RELEASED OCTOBER 2019
After inheriting a fortune to add to her already comfortable lifestyle, Miss Florentine has everything she could want in life. However, her life as a lady of circumstance is boring. Thanks to the benevolence of a distant relation, though, Florentine has an opportunity to change her life for the better and thus, Miss Florentine’s School for Investigators is born - much to Bertrand’s disgust.
As a lawman with a fine reputation for getting results the last thing Bertrand Hartington-Myers needs is a meddling female, sorry, investigator getting herself involved in his work. Doesn’t she know that crime-fighting is dangerous work? Apparently not seeing as she gets her friends helping her, oh, and a few irritating, nosy, and meddlesome villagers. Together, they seem determined to involve themselves in everything he does, but are no more distracting than the beautiful, wilful Miss Florentine, who seems determined to drive him nuts.
Miss Florentine is determined - to make Bertrand see her School for Investigators as a credible crime-fighting organisation. What she is less thrilled about is having to battle her attraction toward the handsome lawman who sees her as nothing more than a meddlesome female. Can she persuade him that she considerably more than an addle-brained chit with more money than sense? It is harder than she imagined when a killer in their midst focuses his attentions on one of her investigators and everyone’s lives are thrown into chaos.
Can Miss Florentine and Bertrand work together to catch the killer, or will their organisations keep them apart forever?
DUTY OR DISHONOUR
RELEASED SEPTEMBER 2019
Ryan Carmichael had never heard anything so preposterous in his life as being a guardian to a three and twenty-year-old young woman. Firstly, he knew absolutely nothing about young women except how to get them into bed, and preferably undressed as quickly as possible. Secondly, wasn’t three and twenty too old for a guardian? Finally, he was a single man, alone, supposedly protecting a single young woman while sharing a house with her. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Ryan argues with the solicitors until he is blue in the face, but nothing works. Nobody listens. He must do his duty by her or face dishonour. He will not just ruin the family name, but his good if somewhat battered reputation will be destroyed as well. Nobody seems interested that he is going to lose his life as he knows it, and all for a woman who is too old for a guardian anyway.
Lilias Jones has no need for a guardian, but those are the stipulations of her father’s will. She must remain under the guardianship of Lord Rocherham until she is four and twenty – eight long months away. She can survive with a strange old man for that long, can’t she? From the enquiries she has made, Lord Rocherham is an old, seventy-something harridan who is all bluff and bluster.
Wrong.
Lord Rocherham is a rogue. Handsome, a little less than charming, and far too smooth for his own good. Thankfully, though, he hates Lilias, and makes it clear to her that she is unwelcome in his home. She is there through sufferance not through choice. Given that, Lilias spends as much time out of the house as she can. It is difficult to keep her distance from him, though, when everywhere she goes, he appears and makes his disapproval of her clear no matter what she tries.
When a disreputable rogue starts to make his interest in Lilias clear, Ryan faces a whole realm of emotions that don’t sit too well with him, the first and foremost of which is jealousy. However, having already started off on the wrong foot, he finds himself helpless to stop his wayward charge from dabbling with things she would do best to forget. Can Ryan battle his jealousies and allow her to leave when the eight months are over? Or will the disreputable rogue steal her forever?
Whatever happens, Ryan faces a life-changing battle between duty or dishonour, and it is going to change his life forever.
MURDER AT HYNDE HOUSE
RELEASED - NOVEMBER 2019
They are invited to attend the reading of a will of an old acquaintance. The only condition is that they spend the weekend at a house nobody wants to visit. When this eclectic group of people gather on the dockside, awkwardness and suspicion abound.
Nobody has any idea what lies in store for them.
Is everybody as innocent as they seem?
When they are greeted by somewhat questionable servants, and a series of worrying situations that leave everyone shaken, the guests begin to grow uneasy. The rather dour persona of the solicitor, whose silence and odd behaviour leave everyone aghast, make everyone question their connection to the recently departed.
Disappearances, murder, the shocking contents of a will, sinister threats and strange warnings abound in this dark murder mystery set along the Cornish coastline.
Does local folklore have a ring of truth to it? Is the island truly cursed?
It quickly becomes evident that the benefactors of this will reading will be lucky if they survive to see the benefits of their inheritance, especially when events turn sinister and it becomes clear someone wants all of them dead.
Can they find out who is living seemingly innocently amongst them, yet trying to murder each one in turn? Is the deceased really in the afterlife? Can anybody be trusted?
More importantly, will any of them ever get off the island?
TUPPENCE
Tipton Hollow Series – Book Three
RELEASED – OCTOBER 2019
When Tuppence is arrested for a crime that she most definitely did not commit she knows her life is ruined. Facing trial for murder means she can never return to the life she once knew and loved, not in the small village of Tipton Hollow in any case. All right, so life there was a little boring, and left her yearning for something more in life, a little adventure maybe. But the kind of adventure Tuppence found herself in was something she wouldn’t ever dream possible in her worst nightmares.
Lost in a world of gaol, false accusations, lies and broken trust, Tuppence is forced to turn to the last man she should ask for help. Her humiliation is complete when Isaac Chester, Lord Aldridge arrives to speak to her in prison before he tries to secure her release. She should be pleased he would help her try to gain her freedom but is embarrassed that this handsome, debonair man should see her in her darkest hour. Little does she know of his ulterior motive, or the personal reasons behind his decision to help her.
Can they find out who the real murderer is before Tuppence appears in court? While Isaac does find enough evidence that casts doubt on her presence at the scene of the crime and secures her release, keeping her out of gaol is a different matter entirely. The finger of the blame still points at her, and not even he can protect her. Life in Tipton Hollow swiftly becomes impossible for Tuppence, especially when another body turns up and all eyes turn to her once more.
What Tuppence doesn’t expect is to not only have to fight for her freedom but the burgeoning desire she has for the one man who has given her hope for the future.
Aware they can never have that future together, Tuppence must make a very brave decision, and it is one that leaves her heartbroken.
Tipton Hollow should be a normal, sleepy village hidden in rural England. However, sinister events begin to unfold which changes the lives of several of its residents and takes them on epic adventures of love, murder, lies and mystery. Join Harriett, Beatrice, Constance, Tuppence and Eloisa as they battle murderers, parsimonious gossips, and the men in their lives as they work to solve the mysteries that Fate hands them. Will they ever find the happiness they deserve?
Five dashing heroes meet five rather daring young ladies: a perfect combination for romance – or disaster.
Further details of all of Rebecca’s books can be found on her website:
Rebeccaking-author.co.uk
STAR ELITE – A NEW ADVENTURE BEGINS
Betrayal of Innocence (Book One)
A Spinster’s Awakening (Book Two)
Fallen Hero (Book Three)
The Runaway (Book Four)
Cold Comfort (Book Five)
A Terrible Misunderstanding (Book Six)
To Have A Heart (Released September 2019)
DIVINE CLUB SERIES
Double Entendre (Book One)
Duplicity (Book Two)
SAVED BY DESIRE SERIES
One Penny Surprise (Book One)
To Catch A Thief (Book Two)
Mistaken Identity (Book Three)
A Scandal Most Daring (Book Four)
Hiding Rose (Book Five)
Reckless Desire (Book Six)
The Arrangement (Book Seven)
Hope’s Secret (Book Eight)
Runaway Groom (Book Nine)
OTHER BOOKS
Shattered Dreams
Lies and Misdemeanours
Eloisa’s Adventure
Wishing for Rainbows
Redemption
Devoted to You
Hopeless Heart
Catch A Falling Star
The Christmas Ball Affair
Marley’s Second Chance
Ghostly Endeavours
To Love and Love Again
Ghost of a Chance
Heart of an Angel
Shadows and Lies
Heart’s Desire
Duty or Dishonour (Released Autumn 2019)