“Will?” Ben exclaimed, surprised to see him here. Though Will had been quick to show his support of both their marriage and their new endeavour, he did not approve of gambling himself and never played. “This is a surprise.”
He ushered Will into the room, a little unsettled by his grim demeanour.
“I won’t stay, Ben, only … I wanted to give the news to you myself.”
Ben reached for Dinah’s hand, wondering what on earth had made Will look so serious.
“It’s Dreighton,” he said, running a rather unsteady hand through his hair. “He’s dead.”
Ben blinked. “He’s … what?”
Will let out a breath and sat down, he looked ashen and badly shaken. “I know, I can’t believe it myself, but … it’s true. His heart, by all accounts. His doctor had been telling him for months he had to stop eating and drinking as he did, but …” His brother shrugged, spreading his hands out in a rather helpless gesture.
“I can’t believe it,” Ben said, hardly wondering at the shock in Will’s eyes. Dreighton had been such a forceful character, a bully and a bad-tempered, mean-spirited one, but still … To think he was dead. It was hard to take in.
Will nodded, giving him a rather bewildered look. “Me neither, Ben, but I assure you, it’s true.”
“My God,” Ben said, as he realised what this meant. “The title goes to you. You’re Dreighton now.”
He watched as his brother seemed to go a whiter shade yet. “Not for long,” he said, his voice a little unsteady. “It seems that father … well, he hasn’t long left, Ben.”
Ben sucked in a breath. This at least was unsurprising. Dreighton had refused to allow Ben to visit their father, even knowing he was dying, and though he doubted his sire would even have known who he was anymore, Ben had thought that the cruellest thing his eldest sibling had ever done.
Will got to his feet and moved to take Ben’s hand, shaking it warmly. “I just wanted to tell you myself and to let you know that … I in no way share Dreig … share Hugh’s feelings. You are now, and have always been, a Lancaster, you are my brother, and I’m proud to have you.”
Ben acknowledged the strange feeling that unfurled in his chest at his brother’s words. As odd as it seemed, bearing in mind that his eldest brother had just died, and his father was soon to follow, he felt like he had a family for the first time in his life. He had Dinah and their child, Joe, and now his brother would welcome him back publicly, he knew. As unlikely a combination of characters as that seemed to be, they were his family, and he was proud of them.
“The feeling is mutual, Will, and I can say in all honesty I think you’ll be a fine earl and a better marquess,” Ben said with complete honesty. Will had shouldered much of the burden of the estate since he was a very young man as their father had been ill for many years and Hugh was too self-important to turn his attention to such mundane matters. “You should have had it in the first place,” he added, realising he didn’t resent Will’s inheritance. He had everything he wanted now. “You were born to it in a way Hugh never was.”
Will made a self-deprecating sound and Ben realised the man was feeling rather overwhelmed by events, as well he might. They bid him good evening, though, and were once again left alone.
“Well,” Ben said, letting out a breath as he turned back to Dinah. “I don’t know what else could happen tonight. I feel like the world has been stood on its head.” He laughed, though he felt much like he suspected Will did, simply overwhelmed.
“I’m sorry about Dreighton,” Dinah said, taking his arm and curling her fingers around his. “I know he wasn’t kind to you and that you never got on, but still … he was your brother.”
Ben nodded, realising he felt a sense of sorrow about the man’s death. Not because he cared much for him, or would miss him, but because it seemed such a wasted opportunity. They could have been friends, brothers in the true sense of the word, but their father had built Hugh up to believe he was special, better than the rest of them because he was the heir. Hugh had taken it to heart and never let them forget it.
“Dinah,” he said, his voice low. “Our children must all be loved equally. No matter if they are boys or girls, the eldest or the youngest, clever or …” He gave a rueful smile. “Or as thick as two short planks. Let us ensure they know they are all important to us, no matter what.”
He spread his hand over her stomach once more, the sense of wonder at her news still somewhat dreamlike. “What an adventure awaits us, love,” he said, looking into her eyes now and feeling full of hope for what was to come. “I can hardly wait.”
Dinah chuckled and lifted on her toes, pressing her lips to his. “Me either, darling Ben, but for now … I want to go to bed.” She pulled at his hand, tugging him towards the bedroom and giving him a mischievous wink. “Besides,” she added, grinning now. “I have discovered that with you, there’s adventure enough to be found right here.”
Ben lunged forward and swept her up into his arms, laughing as she squealed and clung to his neck. “There certainly is, my love,” he said, carrying her towards the bed and placing her down with care instead of throwing her so she bounced, as he had many times before. He leaned over her, happiness a warm weight in his chest. “Every day spent with you is an adventure, Dinah. It has been from the start, and I know … that it always will be.”
Coming July 27, 2018 – The next instalment in the Rogues and Gentlemen Series …
Flaming June
Rogues & Gentlemen Book 10
When the beautiful Lady Isabella Scranford finds herself in the family way and her lover refuses to do the honourable thing, she knows her life is at an end. With a reputation for being a cold-hearted bitch, there will be no sympathy for her, only shame and ridicule. Finding that even her best - and only - friend refuses to be associated with her any longer, Isabella decides she cannot go on and makes a fateful decision.
Henry Barbour is known locally as the Bear of Barchem Wood. Living alone in the vast and decaying splendour of Barchem Place, surrounded by wilderness and woodland, he inspires such tales of madness that no one locally will go near the once grand house.
When a filthy and frightening man rescues Isabella from drowning, she begins to believe her fate has taken an even darker turn. Yet appearances can be deceptive and an unlikely bond is created between two damaged souls who need to hide from the world.
As Isabella comes to understand the meaning of compassion, she begins to realise that the most important things in life are not at all what she expected them to be.
Pre-Order your copy now:
Flaming June on Amazon
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About Me!
I started this incredible journey way back in 2010 with The Key to Erebus but didn’t summon the courage to hit publish until October 2012. For anyone who’s done it, you’ll know publishing your first title is a terribly scary thing! I still get butterflies on the morning a new title releases but the terror has subsided at least. Now I just live in dread of the day my daughters are old enough to read them.
The horror! (On both sides I suspect.)
2017 marked the year that I made my first foray into Historical Romance and the world of the Regency Romance, and my word what a year! I was deligh
ted by the response to this series and can’t wait to add more titles. Paranormal Romance readers need not despair however as there is much more to come there too. Writing has become an addiction and as soon as one book is over I’m hugely excited to start the next so you can expect plenty more in the future.
As many of my works reflect I am greatly influenced by the beautiful French countryside in which I live. I’ve been here in the South West for the past twenty years though I was born and raised in England. My three gorgeous girls are all bilingual and the youngest who is only six, is showing signs of following in my footsteps after producing The Lonely Princess all by herself.
I’m told book two is coming soon ...
She’s keeping me on my toes, so I’d better get cracking!
KEEP READING TO DISCOVER MY OTHER BOOKS!
Other Works by Emma V. Leech
(For those of you who have read The French Fae Legend series, please remember that chronologically The Heart of Arima precedes The Dark Prince)
Rogues & Gentlemen
The Rogue
The Earl’s Temptation
Scandal’s Daughter
The Devil May Care
Nearly Ruining Mr. Russell
One Wicked Winter
To Tame a Savage Heart (March 23, 2018)
Persuading Patience (June 1, 2018)
The Last Man in London (June 29, 2018)
Flaming June (July 27, 2018)
The Regency Romance Mysteries
Dying for a Duke
A Dog in a Doublet
The Rum and the Fox
The French Vampire Legend
The Key to Erebus
The Heart of Arima
The Fires of Tartarus
The Boxset (The Key to Erebus, The Heart of Arima, The Fires of Tartarus)
The Son of Darkness (2018)
The French Fae Legend
The Dark Prince
The Dark Heart
The Dark Deceit
The Darkest Night (May 12, 2018)
Short Stories: A Dark Collection.
Stand Alone
The Book Lover (a paranormal novella)
Interested in a Regency Romance with a twist ?
Dying for a Duke
The Regency Romance Mysteries Book 1
Straight-laced, imperious and morally rigid, Benedict Rutland - the darkly handsome Earl of Rothay - gained his title too young. Responsible for a large family of younger siblings that his frivolous parents have brought to bankruptcy, his youth was spent clawing back the family fortunes.
Now a man in his prime and financially secure he is betrothed to a strict, sensible and cool-headed woman who will never upset the balance of his life or disturb his emotions ...
But then Miss Skeffington-Fox arrives.
Brought up solely by her rake of a step-father, Benedict is scandalised by everything about the dashing Miss.
But as family members in line for the dukedom begin to die at an alarming rate, all fingers point at Benedict, and Miss Skeffington-Fox may be the only one who can save him.
FREE to read on Amazon Kindle Unlimited..Dying for a Duke
Lose yourself in Emma’s paranormal world with The French Vampire Legend series….. Book 1 is a FREE download on Amazon….
The Key to Erebus
The French Vampire Legend Book 1
The truth can kill you.
Taken away as a small child, from a life where vampires, the Fae, and other mythical creatures are real and treacherous, the beautiful young witch, Jéhenne Corbeaux is totally unprepared when she returns to rural France to live with her eccentric Grandmother.
Thrown headlong into a world she knows nothing about she seeks to learn the truth about herself, uncovering secrets more shocking than anything she could ever have imagined and finding that she is by no means powerless to protect the ones she loves.
Despite her Gran’s dire warnings, she is inexorably drawn to the dark and terrifying figure of Corvus, an ancient vampire and master of the vast Albinus family.
Jéhenne is about to find her answers and discover that, not only is Corvus far more dangerous than she could ever imagine, but that he holds much more than the key to her heart …
FREE download
The Key to Erebus
Check out Emma’s exciting fantasy series with hailed by Kirkus Reviews as “An enchanting fantasy with a likable heroine, romantic intrigue, and clever narrative flourishes.”
The Dark Prince
The French Fae Legend Book 1
Two Fae Princes
One Human Woman
And a world ready to tear them all apart
Laen Braed is Prince of the Dark fae, with a temper and reputation to match his black eyes, and a heart that despises the human race. When he is sent back through the forbidden gates between realms to retrieve an ancient fae artifact, he returns home with far more than he bargained for.
Corin Albrecht, the most powerful Elven Prince ever born. His golden eyes are rumoured to be a gift from the gods, and destiny is calling him. With a love for the human world that runs deep, his friendship with Laen is being torn apart by his prejudices.
Océane DeBeauvoir is an artist and bookbinder who has always relied on her lively imagination to get her through an unhappy and uneventful life. A jewelled dagger put on display at a nearby museum hits the headlines with speculation of another race, the Fae. But the discovery also inspires Océane to create an extraordinary piece of art that cannot be confined to the pages of a book.
With two powerful men vying for her attention and their friendship stretched to the breaking point, the only question that remains...who is truly The Dark Prince.
The man of your dreams is coming...or is it your nightmares he visits? Find out in Book One of The French Fae Legend.
Available now to read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited.
The Dark Prince
Acknowledgements
Thanks, of course, to my wonderful editor Diana Rubin
To Victoria Cooper for all your hard work, amazing artwork and above all your unending patience !!! Thank you so much. You are amazing !
To my BFF, PA, personal cheerleader and bringer of chocolate, Varsi Appel, for moral support, confidence boosting and for reading my work more times than I have. I love you loads!
A huge thank you to all of Emma’s Book Club members! You guys are the best!
I’m always so happy to hear from you so do email or message me :)
[email protected]
To my husband Pat and my family ... For always being proud of me.
The Last Man in London Page 23