Mrs. Norcliffe set her dish of tea aside. “My son refuses to leave his shabby rooms at the Albany. I fear he will take after his bachelor uncle, God rest his soul. The dukedom is in jeopardy. I must find my son a bride, for he surely will not consider it.”
Lady Castlereagh sniffed. “I’ve yet to meet a bachelor who did not resist marriage. My advice is to trap him.”
“Oh, dear,” Mrs. Norcliffe said. “I could not lower myself to such tactics.” Not yet, at any rate.
Mrs. Drummond-Burrell, known as one of the highest sticklers, drew her quizzing glass to her eye. “You must find a way to entice Granfield. He will want someone young and pretty with at least five thousand for her marriage portion.”
Princess Esterhazy’s eyes twinkled. “Let us not forget that His Grace has already inherited a fortune. You need stronger inducement. I recommend an introduction to a beautiful young woman. If all goes well, he will conceive a grand passion for her.”
Lady Jersey rolled her eyes. “The only thing that entices gentlemen is their clubs. They gamble, they drink, and they take snuff. How many lose and win fortunes every night? It is scandalous.”
Mrs. Norcliffe applied her fan. “I had hoped that he would accept Lady Bellingham’s invitation to dine. She had meant to invite Miss Lingley and her parents, but apparently my son begged off due to other commitments.”
“Well, we all know what that means,” Lady Sefton said.
Mrs. Norcliffe sighed. “Indeed, the clubs.”
“I think they would live in them if possible,” Lady Cowper said.
“Perish the thought,” Countess Lieven said, “but truly we must help Mrs. Norcliffe in her quest. A dukedom is too important to let fall to a distant cousin or worse. No one wants to find an American among one’s relations.”
Mrs. Norcliffe placed her hands primly in her lap. “Dancing is the mode of courtship, is it not? Do we not encourage our fair offspring to find their perfectly suitable partners for life at a ball?”
“Yes, of course,” Lady Sefton said, “but you wish to make a point, do you not?”
“We need to make the experience exciting for the gentlemen,” Mrs. Norcliffe said.
“No spirits,” Mrs. Drummond-Burrell said. “The gentlemen will huddle around the sideboard all evening and overindulge.”
“Mrs. Norcliffe, how do you propose to drum up excitement?” Lady Cowper said.
“It is rather daring,” she said, “but one thing we know about gentlemen is that they cannot resist competing.”
All of the ladies leaned the slightest bit forward.
“I propose a dancing competition, one that would stir up passions not only for the dancers, but for observers as well. Of course, I hope to find my dear son a wife in this manner.”
“How can you be sure it will work?” Lady Castlereagh said.
Mrs. Norcliffe shrugged. “It is easy enough to tip off the scandal sheets. Imagine all of London anticipating the competition each week. News will circulate far and wide. Everyone who is anyone will not want to miss the weekly winners.”
“Winners?” Lady Sefton said in a faint tone.
“Each week the couples will dance and compete to stay in the competition another week,” Mrs. Norcliffe said. “Some will be eliminated and others will remain until the very last.”
“We are to judge them?” Lady Jersey asked.
“Of course,” Mrs. Norcliffe said. “Who better than the patronesses to make the decisions?”
“I think we need an incentive for the gentlemen to participate,” Lady Jersey said. “Otherwise, the gentlemen will return to their clubs.”
“An incentive implies commerce.” Lady Cowper fanned her face as if money were akin to devilment.
“In this case, it implies competition, and that is something no gentleman can resist,” Mrs. Norcliffe said. “Imagine if you will how many will be envious of those who are able to participate or observe at close hand. Almack’s will once again rise as the temple of exclusivity,” Mrs. Norcliffe said. And I will find my son a proper wife, so help me, God.
“It is rather bold,” Lady Jersey said, “but we are the patronesses. Who will dare criticize if we sanction the competition?”
“Indeed, it could result in the loss of one’s voucher,” Mrs. Norcliffe said.
“What will the prize be?” Lady Jersey asked. “It must be sufficient to draw the gentlemen away from their liquor, cards, and dice.”
“Ladies, what do you say to five hundred pounds as the prize for the most elegant dancing couple? Are we prepared to contribute seventy-two pounds each?” Mrs. Norcliffe said.
“That leaves four pounds unaccounted for,” Lady Sefton said.
“We will buy extra lemonade and buttered sandwiches,” Mrs. Norcliffe said.
Everyone nodded their approval.
“Well, ladies, I believe we are all prepared for the first annual Almack’s dancing competition,” Mrs. Norcliffe said.
Lady Jersey observed Mrs. Norcliffe with a sly expression. “Pray tell, how do you propose to tempt your son into participating?”
Mrs. Norcliffe smiled. “What every mother resorts to when faced with an obstinate son. I will make him feel guilty.”
Also by Vicky Dreiling
How to Marry a Duke
How to Seduce a Scoundrel
How to Ravish a Rake
A Season for Sin (e-novella)
What a Wicked Earl Wants
Glowing Praise for
Vicky Dreiling’s Novels
What a Wicked Earl Wants
“Wonderful! Top pick! Four-and-a-half stars…Rife with the Regency’s penchant for gossip, scandal, and matchmaking, What a Wicked Earl Wants is a delightful romance featuring a rakish hero, an innocent widow, corrupt villains, and a secondary cast of characters who add dimension, wit, and tenderness to the plot…Readers will find this a real pleasure to savor.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Absolutely loved it…I can’t wait until the next one in the series!”
—Maryinhb.blogspot.com
“With amazing characters and a story line that kept me turning the pages, What a Wicked Earl Wants is another winner from Ms. Dreiling.”
—UndertheCoversBookblog.com
“I fell in love with [this] book. Who wouldn’t with the romance, society, reputations, and extremely dreamy high society men?”
—ReadingwithStyle.blogspot.com
A Season for Sin
“A master of the genre.”
—Library Journal
“A Season for Sin is a short but sweet glimpse into Vicky Dreiling’s new series. Filled with intrigue and seduction, readers are sure to enjoy this treat and the prospects of what’s to come.”
—FreshFiction.com
“A delectable teaser…absolutely delicious.”
—RomanceJunkiesReviews.com
How to Ravish a Rake
“Dreiling secures her reputation as a writer of charming, matchmaking romances with engaging characters…her cast of quirky, unconventional characters sets her stories apart. Fans of marriage-of-convenience love stories have a treat.”
—RT Book Reviews
“A guaranteed delectable indulgence!…Vicky Dreiling is fast becoming an absolute must-buy for Regency fans.”
—Affaire de Coeur
“Five stars! Packed with a delectable plot, charming characters, clever banter, humor, scandal, and lots of love, this story is a winner.”
—RomanceJunkiesReviews.com
How to Seduce a Scoundrel
“Regency matchmaking, rakes, rogues, innocence, and scandal: oh what fun! Dreiling knows how to combine these ingredients into a delightfully delicious, wickedly witty slice of reading pleasure.”
—RT Book Reviews
“5 stars! This was an enchanting tale that had me grinning from ear to ear. The chemistry between Marc and Julianne was flammable and only needed a spark to set it off.”
—SeducedbyaBook.com
�
��The scenes between Julianne and Hawk are lots of fun; they have great physical chemistry and razor-sharp dialogue.”
—NightOwlRomance.com
How to Marry a Duke
“Sexy, fresh, and witty…A delicious read! Better than chocolate! Vicky Dreiling is an author to watch!”
—Sophie Jordan, New York Times bestselling author
“A terrific romp of a read!…Vicky is a bright new voice in romance.”
—Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author
“Dreiling’s delightful debut combines the rituals of Regency courtship with TV’s The Bachelor…the inherent charm of the characters (especially the dowager duchess) keeps the pages flying until the surprising conclusion. Dreiling is definitely a newcomer to watch.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Engaging…charming…the cast is solid as they bring humor, shenanigans, and deportment, but the tale belongs to the duke and his matchmaker.”
—Midwest Book Review
“A witty, nourishing romp of a romance…impossible to put down…Dreiling mesmerizes as she brings an era to life. She fills the pages with laughter, sensuality, and charm. How to Marry a Duke is an irresistible ride readers will return to again and again.”
—Examiner.com
THE DISH
Where Authors Give You the Inside Scoop
From the desk of Vicky Dreiling
Dear Reader,
I had a lot of imaginary boyfriends when I was a kid. My friend Kim and I read Tiger Beat magazine and chose our loves. I “dated” David Cassidy, a yesteryear heartthrob from a TV show called The Partridge Family. Kim’s “boyfriend” was Donny Osmond, although she might have had a brief crush on Barry Williams, better known as Greg from The Brady Bunch. I did a quick search online and discovered that Tiger Beat magazine still exists, but the stars for today’s preteens are Justin Bieber, Taylor Lautner, and members of the boy band One Direction.
The idea of a big family and rock-star boyfriends really appealed to us. We traveled in imaginary tour buses to imaginary concerts. We listened to the music and sang along, pretending we were onstage, too. Of course, we invented drama, such as mean girls trying to steal our famous boyfriends backstage.
Recently, I realized that the seeds of the families I create in my novels were sown in my preteen years as Kim and I pretended to date our celebrity crushes. As I got older, imaginary boyfriends led to real-life boyfriends in high school and college. Eventually, marriage and kids led to an extended family, one that continues to grow.
In WHAT A RECKLESS ROGUE NEEDS, two close families meet once a year at a month-long house party. As in real life, much has changed for Colin and Angeline. While they were born only a week apart, they never really got along very well. An incident at Angeline’s come-out ball didn’t help matters, either. Many years have elapsed, and now Colin finds he needs Angeline’s help to keep from losing a property that holds very deep emotional ties for him. Once they cross the threshold of Sommerall House, their lives are never the same again, but they will always have their families.
May the Magic Romance Fairies be with all of you and your families!
www.VickyDreiling.com
Twitter @VickyDreiling
Facebook.com/VickyDreilingHistoricalAuthor
From the desk of Paula Quinn
Dear Reader,
As most of you know, I love dogs. I have six of them. I see your eyes bugging out. Six?? Yes, six precious tiny Chihuahuas and all together they weight approximately twenty-seven pounds. I’ve had dogs my whole life—big ones, little ones. So it’s not surprising that I would want to write dogs into my books. This time I went big: 140 pounds of big.
In THE SEDUCTION OF MISS AMELIA BELL we meet Grendel, an Irish wolfhound mix, who along with our hero, Edmund MacGregor, wins the heart of our heroine, Amelia Bell. Grendel is the son of Aurelius, whom some of you might remember as the puppy Colin MacGregor gave to Edmund, his stepson, in Conquered by a Highlander. Since this series is called Highland Heirs, I figured why not include the family dog heirs as well?
I loved writing a dog as a secondary character, and Grendel is an important part of Edmund and Amelia’s story. Now, really, what’s better than a big, brawny, sexy Highlander? Right: a big, brawny, sexy Highlander with a dog. Or if you live in NYC, you can settle for a hunky guy playing with his dog in the park.
My six babies all have distinct personalities. For instance, Riley loves to bark and be an all-around pain in the neck. He’s high-strung and loves it. Layla, my biggest girl, must “mother” all the others. She keeps them in line with a soft growl and a lick to the eyeball. Liam, my tiny three-pound boy, isn’t sure if he’s Don Juan or Napoleon. He’ll drop and show you his package if you call him cute. They are all different and I wanted Grendel to have his own personality, too.
Much like his namesake, Grendel hates music and powdered periwigs. He’s faithful and loyal, and he loves to chase smaller things… like people. Even though Edmund is his master and Grendel does, of course, love him best, it doesn’t take Amelia long to win his heart, or for Grendel to win hers, and he soon finds himself following at her heels. Some of my favorite scenes involve the subtle interactions between Amelia and Grendel. This big, seemingly vicious dog is always close by when Amelia is sad or afraid. When things are going on all around them, Amelia just has to rest her hand on Grendel’s head and it completely calms her. We witness a partial transformation of ownership in the small, telltale ways Grendel remains ever constant at Amelia’s side.
Even when Grendel finds Gaza, his own love interest (hey, I’m a romance writer, what can I say?), he is still faithful to his human lady. We won’t get into doggy love, but suffice it to say, there will be plenty of furry heirs living in Camlochlin for a long time to come. They might not be the prettiest dogs in Skye, but they are the most loyal.
This was my first foray into writing a dog as a secondary character and I must say I fell in love with a big, slobbering mutt named after a fiend who killed men for singing. I wasn’t surprised that Grendel filled his place so well in Edmund and Amelia’s story. Each of my dogs does the same in mine and my kids’ stories. That’s what dogs do. They run headlong into our lives barking, tail wagging, sharing wet, sloppy kisses. They love us with an almost supernatural, unconditional love. And we love them back.
I hope you get a chance to pick up THE SEDUCTION OF MISS AMELIA BELL and meet Edmund and Amelia and, of course, Grendel.
Happy reading!
From the desk of Kristen Ashley
Dear Reader,
Years ago, I was walking to the local shops and, as usual, I had my headphones in. As I was walking, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band’s “You’ll Accomp’ny Me” came on and somehow, even having heard this song dozens and dozens of times before, the lyrics suddenly hit me.
This isn’t unusual. I have to be in a certain mood to absorb lyrics. But when I am, sometimes they’ll seep into my soul, making me smile, or making me cry.
“You’ll Accomp’ny Me” made me smile. It made me feel warm. And it made me feel happy because the lyrics are beautiful, the message of love and devotion is strong, the passion is palpable, and the way it’s written states that Bob definitely has Kristen Ashley alpha traits.
I loved it. I’ve always loved that song, but then I loved it even more. It was like one of my books in song form. How could I not love that?
At the time, however, I didn’t consider it for a book, not inspiring one or not to be used in a scene. For a long time, it was just mine, giving me that warm feeling and a smile on my face at the thought that there is musical proof out there that these men exist.
Better, they wield guitars.
Now, from the very moment I introduced Hop in Motorcycle Man, he intrigued me. And as we learned more about him in that book, my knowing why he was doing what he was doing, I knew he’d have to be redeemed in my readers’ eyes by sharing his whole story. I just didn’t know who was going to give him the kind of epic happ
y ending I felt he deserved.
Therefore, I didn’t know that Lanie would be the woman of his dreams. Truth be told, I didn’t even expect Lanie to have her own book. But her story as told in Motorcycle Man was just too heartbreaking to leave her hanging. I just had no idea what to do with her.
But I didn’t think a stylish, professional, accomplished “lady” and a biker would jibe, so I never considered these two together. Or, in fact, Lanie with any of the Chaos brothers at all.
That is, until this song came up on shuffle again and I knew that was how Hop would consider his relationship with Lanie. Even as she pushed him away due to her past, he’d do what he could to convince her that, someday, she’d accompany him.
I mean, just those words—how cool are they? “You’ll accompany me.” Brilliant.
But Bob, his Silver Bullet Band, and their music did quadruple duty in FIRE INSIDE. Not only did they give me “You’ll Accomp’ny Me,” which was the perfect way for Hop to express his feelings to Lanie; they also gave me Hop’s nickname for Lanie: “lady”. And they gave me “We’ve Got Tonight,” yet another perfect song to fit what was happening between Lanie and Hop. And last, the way Bob sings is also the way I hear Hop in my head.
I interweave music in my books all the time and my selections are always emotional and, to me, perfect.
But I’ve never had a song, or artist, so beautifully help me tell my tale than when I utilized the extraordinary storytelling abilities of Bob Seger in my novel FIRE INSIDE.
It’s a pleasure listening to his music.
It’s a gift to be inspired by it.
From the desk of Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
What a Reckless Rogue Needs Page 32