A Mask, A Marquess, and a Wish Upon a Christmas Star

by Ingrid Hahn

  “I am content.”

  “You are not. Else we wouldn’t be here.”

  “Except for that, of course. And I wouldn’t want more than I needed. Why would anyone want more?” Beatrix couldn’t fathom anything so foolish. Although, it was an absurd question, even to her ears. Thousands of people wanted more than they needed. Perhaps almost everyone. Maybe it was simply a part of the human condition.

  Sarah seemed to be thinking close to the same lines. “Yes, let’s stand here and debate that question, shall we?”

  Against all odds, a smile pulled over Beatrix’s lips. It was the finest of things to have a friend such a Sarah. Sarah’s whimsy balanced Beatrix’s tendency to be far too serious, and her tart tongue never failed to amuse, even in a situation such as this.

  She bent to pick up a white stone and pressed it into Beatrix’s hand. “There’s your wish.”

  Holding the fragment upon her palm, Beatrix brought it closer to her face for better examination. “It’s small.”

  “Do you want a larger one?”

  “Wouldn’t a larger one make my wish more likely to come true?”

  “You think so?”

  “I’m asking you.” Beatrix gave her friend a flat look. “You’re the expert.”

  It was Sarah’s turn to laugh. “You’re beginning to believe. I can tell.”

  “I assure you, I am not. Wishes don’t come true—not in this way, they don’t.”

  Around them, a light breeze rustled the new spring growth around them. Beatrix shivered. It was as if a spirit were roused by her assertion.

  Which was utterly absurd. Her mouth compressed.

  Sarah found a larger stone. “Just make the wish, won’t you?”

  Beatrix took it. “You never told me in just what way I was to be more specific.”

  Her friend sighed. “Yes, I did. I said think about the means.”

  “Very well. I wish—” Beatrix was poised to fling the rock into the well when Sarah grabbed her by the wrist. “What?”

  “First, you can’t say it aloud or it won’t come true.” Her eyes were wide with warning. “Second, you’re not imagining what it is you want, I can tell.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “No. You’re humoring me.”

  Beatrix smiled. “I thought we’d already established that I was humoring you.”

  “Think of Sir Walter.”

  Her smile vanished. “Please do not say his name.” The response was sharper on Beatrix’s tongue than she’d meant it to be.

  “Saying his name isn’t going to summon him, you know.”

  “I hate hearing it. Pray indulge me.”

  “Very well, then, think of being his wife. Think of being Lady Dursdon.”

  A wave of revulsion passed through Beatrix. It was the fate she was facing, though, wasn’t it? Tossing a stone into a well wasn’t going to solve anything. There was no way out. She was going to have to marry him. “He’s not…he’s not so bad.” She could have bitten out her tongue for such a vile lie.

  “I can’t see you go to him. I can’t. It’s wrong. So wrong. If his twelve thousand a year isn’t enough to entice people out of their revulsion of him, he must be the most odious man alive. There’s no two ways about it.”

  Beatrix sighed. “Be that as it may, I ought to accept it. It’s horribly selfish of me not to, isn’t it? It’s not as if I have any romantic inclinations. Me at my age with no fortune, even if I did hold any—I’d have no hope.” She had once, though. Romantic inclinations, that was. Once upon a time there had been someone—someone she couldn’t have.

  And with when he went, so did all hope of ever marrying for love.

  Yet he lingered, that man, like the vestiges of not-quite-forgotten dream.

  “No.” Sarah’s grip grew firmer. “It’s not selfish to want a good life for yourself and to resolve your father’s debt by means other than marrying yourself off to that odious old codger who stinks of fish guts.”

  “He’s an odious old codger, I’ll grant you, but he doesn’t stink of fish guts.”

  “Well, he certainly looks as if he does…which is essentially the same thing.”

  Beatrix’s nose crinkled. “He does smell rather of stagnant old pond.”

  “Imagine lying with him in the marital b—”

  “No!” Panic flooded her at even the barest mention of submitting to a wifely duty with that man. “No. That’s quite enough, I assure you.” Beatrix drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes, her mind drifting back five years to that idyllic summer of him, when she’d had quite a different idea of how her life would turn out.

  If she could have that again…

  If they could go back to erase the betrayal, somehow, someway…

  If she could have a second chance, even one night to do something well and truly wicked with him before she gave herself over to the inevitable…

  No. It was more likely to rain money than ever have a chance like that again. Some things came around only once in a lifetime.

  Beatrix held the rock in her hand above the well, a shiver going up her spine. She let go.

  There should have been a splash. Or a clink of stone against stone, if the well were dry.

  There wasn’t.

  Instead, there was a odd thump. Then a very deep, very masculine voice sounded from below. “Ouch.”

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  About the Author

  Ingrid Hahn is the author of THE LANDON SISTERS series with Entangled Scandalous, sweet and sensual Regency romances set in a world that neither forgives nor forgets. She is extremely proud of her books (and their gorgeous covers!), flaws and all.

  If you enjoyed these stories, posting a review to a major book retailer or reader site would be fantastic, and help her tremendously in fulfilling her goal of continuing to write books well into the future.

  She lives in the metropolitan DC region with her ship-nerd husband, small son, and four opinionated cats.

  www.ingridhahnauthor.com

  ingrid.hahn.writer@gmail.com

  Also by Ingrid Hahn

  With Entangled Scandalous:

  TO WIN A LADY’S HEART

  England, 1811. When the Earl of Corbeau, is caught in a locked storeroom with Lady Grace, he has but one choice—marry her. She will do anything to help her mother and sisters…but throwing herself into the arms of her dearest friend’s older brother to trap him in marriage? Never.

  TO COVET A LADY’S HEART

  Phoebe will not agree to a false engagement and leaves Max no option but to blackmail her into agreeing to his scheme. She will go to great lengths to avoid anything remotely dishonorable and blackmails Max right back—directly to the altar.

  TO SEDUCE A LADY’S HEART

  To pay a longstanding debt, Jeremy will do anything, including marrying a stranger. To prevent a travesty, Lady Eliza switches places with his arranged bride. An attraction blooms but they must overcome deception and scandal for love to last.

  ***

  Be Careful What You Wish For:

  Novella One

  A WISH UPON A CHRISTMAS STAR

  One simple wish leads to one perfect night. But is forever out of reach?

  Abigail Sutton doesn’t belong at the Marquess of Harland’s infamous masked Christmas Ball. But she indulges anyway, and from behind the safety of her disguise, she discovers perfection: the Marquess himself. And he demands just one thing from her: a dance. In his arms, Abigail’s heart does something strange. When he asks for one night together—just one night—she can’t say no. But it can be only one night. And her mask must remain on.

  With the masked woman who enchants him, the Marquess of Harland comes alive. When he awakens alone, he realizes that without her, part of him will be forever missing. He’s determined to do whatever it takes to find her and make her his, no matter how different their worlds might be. But when Harland discovers his mys
tery woman in the last place he ever expected, convincing her to be his forever isn’t as easy as he dreamed. They had a single night together; could just one night ever lead to true love?

  Novella Two

  ONCE UPON A WISHING WELL

  When an accidental wish is granted, can two surprised lovers overcome their past?

  Beatrix Crofton doesn’t believe in wishes. But when she’s blackmailed with a packet of her father’s incriminating letters, she’ll do anything to escape being forced into marriage. Which is how finds herself at a wishing well. In the dead of night under the light of a full moon, she closes her eyes and makes a desperate wish. But midway through, her mind wanders back to a long lost love…

  When Beatrix first rescues Hugh Thacker, the Duke of Vandemere, then comes to him for help, he knows exactly what to do. Losing her once froze Hugh’s heart. This time, he’ll marry her himself to save her from a despicable fate.

  Marrying Beatrix is easy. Keeping her is something else. Old hurts and betrayals come to the surface once more as Hugh must try to help Beatrix’s father, a man he once exposed as a fraud. Their painful history might be too much to overcome, and time is running out. If Hugh loses Beatrix a second time, it will destroy him.

  Novella Three

  A BEAUTY, A BEAST, AND A KISS UPON A CASTLE TOWER

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  Novella Four

  THE VIRGIN AND THE BIG BAD DUKE

  Nonfiction for Writers by Ingrid Hahn

  WRITING PROMPTS: 365 DAYS OF HABIT-BUILDING WRITING AND SPONTANEOUS CREATIVITY (2017)

  MORE WRITING PROMPTS (2018)

  WHAT HAPPENS WHEN… 156 SPECIFIC STORY SCENARIOS

  All currently available only on Amazon.

  Acknowledgments

  I love writing acknowledgements because I have so many amazing and wonderful people to thank!

  Marta Miller Bliese and Laurel Wanrow. These two fantastically talented, scary-smart writers support me a lot. Thank you both for all you do! They’re not just on Team Mask Marquess, but on Team Ingrid Hahn. I’m honored and humbled to call you friends. We’ll always have Smith Mountain Lake.

  To the editor of this novella, Christina Miller, who offered deft suggestions and caught me from embarrassing myself with a dispersed/disbursed mistake. My middle school didn’t teach advanced homophones. Hers did! Thank goodness. You’re lovely to work with! I enjoy and appreciate your help so much.

  To writing friends and critique partners old and new: First, to Marta Miller Bliese and Laurel Wantrow again. And also to Meghan Maslow, Adele Buck, Janet Mullany, Lina Perez, Nancy C. Weeks, Marianne Mangold, Margaret Hren, L. Penelope, M.C. Vaughn, and Carrie Lomax. It’s both wonderful and frustrating that the depths of my appreciation for you run so deep that I can’t express the true depths of my gratitude for having you in my life.

  Special thanks to Jamaila Brinkley for the babysitting co-op and the incredible blurb writing.

  To my team at Entangled. These kind, hardworking, and generous people might not have been involved with this particular story, but they are a very important part of my writing life. First and foremost, Erin Molta and Holly Bryant-Simpson. And the amazing people less directly involved with a book’s production and marketing, but critical behind the scenes to running a strong and healthy business: Curtis Svehlak, Katie Clapsadl, Erin Dameron-Hill, and Anita Orr—among others!

  To my son’s babysitter, Emily, for gracefully putting up with a lot of tears (thankfully not mine, though they could be on any given day when I have to rip my heart to shreds and spend a few hours apart from my toddler to work) and being so wonderfully reliable and kind.

  For my husband, Jonathan, the best person with whom I could ever hope to share the adventure that is life. Thank you for your faith in me and support of my work. I love you many hundreds and hundreds of thousands of millions of lightyears past the Andromeda Galaxy and back again.