Gabriel cleared his throat, straightening and attempting to give his daughter a stern look. It was a difficult thing to do. “You really ought not to hit other children, Hope, it isn’t nice.”
“I know,” she replied, her blonde ringlets bobbing as she nodded at him. He looked down at her, feeling such a swell of love and protectiveness as he looked into eyes that were just like his own that it quite took his breath away. “But she said I was a liar, and that’s not nice, either.”
“No,” Gabriel replied, wishing Crecy had unearthed this little nugget, as he didn’t know what to say. “But, it is perhaps a little hard to believe.” He paused, watching as Hope fed the dolls their imaginary dinner. “How about we ask Sarah to come to one of the tea parties?” he offered, wondering if he had completely lost his mind. God alone knew what they’d say about him if this got out. He found that didn’t matter, either, however, as Hope beamed at him and threw her arms around his neck.
“Oh, yes, please, that would be wonderful.”
Gabriel hugged her, making his voice stern again with difficulty. “But only if you promise that you won’t hit anyone else.”
His daughter sighed and scowled a little before giving a shrug. “All right, then,” she muttered, sounding as though it was a very unfair bargain to have struck.
“Good girl,” Gabriel said with a sigh, pleased to have cleared that hurdle. “Perhaps we’d better get it ready before she arrives, though,” he added as an afterthought.
“Yes, you’d prefer it if she didn’t watch you,” Hope said, getting back to her dolls.
Gabriel smiled, amazed and overwhelmed by his daughter as he always was. “I love you, monkey,” he said, getting a grin before she pulled a face at him.
“I’m not a monkey, I’m a wolf, grrrr,” she shouted, baring her teeth and turning her little fingers into claws. “And I’m going to eat you up.”
She threw herself at Gabriel, who pretended to shout in terror as she tickled him until both of them were crying with laughter, and then he became aware they were being watched.
Gabriel looked up to see Belle staring down at them, one eyebrow raised a little.
“Auntie Belle!” Hope cried with delight, rushing to hug her.
Gabriel cleared his throat, feeling a flush crawl up the back of his neck. “Hello, Belle,” he replied, feeling a little awkward as he got to his feet. He looked down at Hope with regret. “I’d better go, darling. Why don’t you invite your aunt to your tea party?”
He felt a stab of guilt at her obvious disappointment, but he knew Belle didn’t like him around. “Oh, but Daddy, you promised to stay.” Hope tugged at his hand and pouted at him, making him feel torn and unsure of what to do.
Gabriel looked at Belle and was surprised to see her looking at him with warmth in her eyes. “Oh, I’m sure Daddy will stay, if we ask him nicely, won’t you, Gabriel?”
Gabriel hesitated, wondering if he’d mistaken her look or her tone, but Belle reached out and took his hand, giving it a brief squeeze. “I’ve just met your son,” she said. “And Crecy looks so very happy.”
He smiled and nodded, and Belle gestured to the tea party as Hope was tugging impatiently at her hand, too, now. So the two of them got to the floor as Hope served them tea. Gabriel cast his sister-in-law a look of chagrin as he lifted the tiny tea cup obediently to his lips and pretended to drink it, but Belle just grinned back at him. She reminded him so much of his wife in that moment he could not help but chuckle.
“Oh, Hope, I almost forgot, I have a present for you,” Belle exclaimed, pulling a small wrapped package from her reticule. Hope bounced on the spot with excitement as she carefully opened the parcel, handing the paper to Gabriel to fold.
“A snake!” she exclaimed, waving the carved wooden creature in the air like a prize. “Look, Daddy, isn’t it wonderful?”
Gabriel looked at the carved and painted snake, with wicked black eyes and a painted red, forked tongue. Personally, he thought it looked a revolting creature. “Wonderful, darling,” he agreed with a grave nod.
“I’m going to show Mummy and the baby,” she shrieked, holding it above her head and running out of the door.
“I couldn’t resist it,” Belle admitted as she left. “It’s the sort of thing Crecy would have loved as a child.”
Gabriel nodded, his eyes full of worry all at once. “I know. She’s so much like her mother. I sometime worry that …” He trailed off, turning his attention back to folding the paper into a neat square, not wanting to voice the fact that he was terrified his daughter might be drawn to a man like him one day. He looked up in surprise as Belle laid her hand on his arm.
“Have faith in her, Gabriel. If she’s anything like my sister, she’ll be absolutely fine. Better than fine,” she amended with a smile, her voice warm. “She’ll be happy.”
Gabriel let out a breath, knowing that he’d been forgiven at last, and feeling that his future was full of hope, in every sense of the word.
Ready for more Rogues & Gentlemen? Book 8, Persuading Patience available for pre-order now coming June 1, 2018!
Persuading Patience
Rogues & Gentlemen Book 8
Lord Percy Nibley needs a wife, preferably before his mother’s nagging on the subject drives him to distraction. But being more comfortable with his rock collection than flirting, he’s not having a lot of luck.
In desperation, the shy nobleman enlists the help of Baron Marchmain - Lord August Bright. August is nothing short of dazzling. Charming, witty and amusing, he’s the darling of the ton, and a notorious heart-breaker.
August selects a suitable young lady for Lord Nibley; Miss Patience Pearson, a cool, level-headed woman, close to being on the shelf and with the reputation of a blue-stocking, meanwhile setting his own sights on capturing the heart of her vivacious younger sister, Caroline.
But Patience is not easily charmed, guarding her sister with the tenacity of a lioness and August must be at his most devastatingly charming to get past her defences.
Having finally done so, however …
August isn’t at all sure he’s chosen the right sister.
Pre-Order your copy now!
Persuading Patience
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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 delighted 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 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 (TBA)
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 as always to my wonderful editor for being patient and loving my characters as much as I do. Gemma you’re the best!
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.
To Tame a Savage Heart Page 30