Her eyes were full of tears. ‘I can’t believe you went to Robert Dyas without me.’
‘When we got back we told your mother, and she took me into the study and took this out of the bureau. She said, Laura, and I’m going to repeat it, “She’ll have so much if she marries you, but I’d like the symbol of your engagement to be about where she came from, too. So that everyone knows how proud we are of her.”’
Laura shook her head. ‘Oh no, they shouldn’t be proud. Not yet.’
He held her hand and stopped her. ‘No. You have to be patient when you see your future for the first time, Laura. Sometimes you don’t recognise it when you see it. Because it’s going to be totally different from what you know and it seems frightening.’
‘And what do you do when you find it?’
‘You walk towards it,’ he said, and he kissed her. ‘You know that we’ve got each other and that’s all that matters.’ He slid the ring onto the tip of her finger. ‘So? For the final time, what’s your answer? I’m not going to ask you again, you know. Will you marry me?’
Laura laughed. ‘This is my answer.’ She kissed him. ‘Yes, Nick. Yes, yes, yes.’
July 2013
From the Norfolk Gazette:
Bookshop manager wanted, ideally with two years’ experience, to cover present bookshop manager/owner’s maternity leave. One year initial contract, but may be extended.
Contact Laura Foster on [email protected]
From the Daily News, July 2013:
As the nation prepares for the arrival of a new heir to the throne, I hear from my sources in Norfolk that similar plans for change are afoot at the house of Ranelagh. You may remember that last year Nick Needham, aka the Marquis of Ranelagh, married his long-term so-called ‘normal’ girlfriend Laura Foster. I hear not only are bootees being knitted, but legal writs are being prepared. The Marquis and Marchioness have lodged an appeal at the High Court to ask that their child, whether it be boy or girl, have the right to inherit the 10,000-acre estate, essentially reversing centuries of tradition.
The Marquis is quoted as saying, ‘I’m married to a remarkable woman, and she’s expecting our first child. I can’t wait to meet him or her, but when I do I want to be able to look them in the eye and say, “This is yours,” no matter what their sex.’
The Marchioness added, ‘If it’s a boy, I want him to be just like his father. If it’s a girl, I want her to grow up reading nothing but non-fiction and only watching TV documentaries with David Attenborough, current affairs programmes and medical dramas.’
It is understood that this is supposed to be a joke.
Announcement in The Times, 22 July 2013:
Dominic Needham, twelfth Marquis of Ranelagh, and his wife Laura, Lady Ranelagh, are delighted to announce the birth of their first child, a daughter, Mary.
Author’s Note:
Those who read A Hopeless Romantic, to which this book is intended in part to be a sequel, might wonder at the timings of Rules for Dating A Romantic Hero. The first book was set in 2005, but to bring the story up to date for new readers (and to not leave Nick and Laura in limbo for such a long time) I have allowed four years to magically vanish. Author’s prerogative!
I really hope you enjoyed this book.
Harriet xx
About the Author
Harriet Evans is the author of seven previous novels: Going Home, A Hopeless Romantic, The Love of Her Life, I Remember You, Love Always, Happily Ever After and Not Without You. She lives in London with her family.
Also by Harriet Evans
Going Home
A Hopeless Romantic
The Love of Her Life
I Remember You
Love Always
Happily Ever After
Not Without You
Books In The Series
Amy’s Diary Maureen Lee
Beyond the Bounty Tony Parsons
Bloody Valentine James Patterson
Blackout Emily Barr
Chickenfeed Minette Walters
Cleanskin Val McDermid
The Cleverness of Ladies Alexander McCall Smith
Clouded Vision Linwood Barclay
A Cool Head Ian Rankin
A Cruel Fate Lindsey Davis
The Dare John Boyne
Doctor Who: Code of the Krillitanes Justin Richards
Doctor Who: Made of Steel Terrance Dicks
Doctor Who: Magic of the Angels Jacqueline Rayner
Doctor Who: Revenge of the Judoon Terrance Dicks
Doctor Who: The Silurian Gift Mike Tucker
Doctor Who: The Sontaran Games Jacqueline Rayner
A Dreadful Murder Minette Walters
A Dream Come True Maureen Lee
The Escape Lynda La Plante
Follow Me Sheila O’Flanagan
Four Warned Jeffrey Archer
Full House Maeve Binchy
Get the Life You Really Want James Caan
The Grey Man Andy McNab
Hello Mum Bernardine Evaristo
Hidden Barbara Taylor Bradford
How to Change Your Life in 7 Steps John Bird
Humble Pie Gordon Ramsay
Jack and Jill Lucy Cavendish
Kung Fu Trip Benjamin Zephaniah
Last Night Another Soldier Andy McNab
Life’s New Hurdles Colin Jackson
Life’s Too Short Val McDermid, Editor
Lily Adèle Geras
The Little One Lynda La Plante
Love is Blind Kathy Lette
Men at Work Mike Gayle
Money Magic Alvin Hall
One Good Turn Chris Ryan
The Perfect Holiday Cathy Kelly
The Perfect Murder Peter James
Quantum of Tweed: The Man with the Nissan Micra Conn Iggulden
Raw Voices: True Stories of Hardship and Hope Vanessa Feltz
Reading My Arse! Ricky Tomlinson
Rules for Dating a Romantic Hero Harriet Evans
A Sea Change Veronica Henry
Star Sullivan Maeve Binchy
Strangers on the 16:02 Priya Basil
Survive the Worst and Aim for the Best Kerry Katona
The 10 Keys to Success John Bird
Tackling Life Charlie Oatway
Today Everything Changes Andy McNab
Traitors of the Tower Alison Weir
Trouble on the Heath Terry Jones
Twenty Tales from the War Zone John Simpson
We Won the Lottery Danny Buckland
Wrong Time, Wrong Place Simon Kernick
Quick Reads are brilliant short new books written by bestselling writers to help people discover the joys of reading for pleasure.
Find out more at www.quickreads.org.uk
@Quick_Reads Quick-Reads
We would like to thank all our funders:
We would also like to thank all our partners in the Quick Reads project for their help and support: NIACE, unionlearn, National Book Tokens, The Reading Agency, National Literacy Trust, Welsh Books Council, The Big Plus Scotland, DELNI, NALA
At Quick Reads, World Book Day and World Book Night we want to encourage everyone in the UK and Ireland to read more and discover the joy of books.
World Book Day is on 6 March 2014
Find out more at www.worldbookday.com
World Book Night is on 23 April 2014
Find out more at www.worldbooknight.org
Hidden
Barbara Taylor Bradford
Drama, heartbreak and new beginnings.
This is a gripping story from a master storyteller.
On the surface, Claire Saunders has it all. She has a rewarding career in fashion and a talented concert pianist daughter. Her loving husband is one of the country’s most trusted diplomats.
But every now and again, she has to plaster her face in heavy make-up and wears sunglasses. She thinks she’s hidden her secret from her best friends, but they know her too well.
Can her friends get her out of harm’s way
and protect her from a man who is as ruthless as he is charming and powerful? And along the way, can Claire learn to stop protecting the wrong people?
Harper
Blackout
Emily Barr
You wake up in a strange room,
with no idea how you got there.
You are abroad, in a city you have never visited before.
You have no money, no passport, no phone.
And there is no sign of your baby.
What do you do?
Headline Review
Rules for Dating a Romantic Hero
Harriet Evans
Do you believe in happy endings?
Laura Foster used to be a hopeless romantic. She was obsessed with meeting her own Prince Charming until she grew up and realised real life doesn’t work like that.
Then she met Nick. A romantic hero straight from a fairytale, with a grand country estate and a family tree to match.
They’ve been together four years now and Laura can’t imagine ever loving anyone the way she loves Nick.
Now, though, Nick is keeping secrets from Laura.
She’s starting to feel she might not be ‘good enough’ for his family.
Can an ordinary girl like Laura make it work with one of the most eligible men in the country?
Harper
Four Warned
Jeffrey Archer
These four short stories from a master storyteller are packed full of twists and turns.
In Stuck on You, Jeremy steals the perfect ring for his fiancée.
Albert celebrates his 100th birthday, and is pleased to be sent The Queen’s Birthday Telegram.
Why hasn’t his wife received hers?
In Russia, businessman Richard plots to murder his wife.
He thinks he’s found the answer when his hotel warns him: Don’t Drink the Water.
Terrified for her life, Diana will do whatever it takes to stick to the warning given to drivers: Never Stop on the Motorway …
Every reader will have their favourite story – some will make you laugh, others will bring you to tears. And every one of them will keep you spellbound.
Pan Books
A Cruel Fate
Lindsey Davis
As long as war exists, this story will matter.
Martin Watts, a bookseller, is captured by the king’s men.
Jane Afton’s brother Nat is taken too. They both suffer horrible treatment as prisoners-of-war.
In Oxford Castle jailer William Smith tortures, beats, starves and deprives his helpless victims. Can Jane rescue her sick brother before he dies of neglect? Will Martin dare to escape?
Based on real events in the English Civil War,
Lindsey Davis retells the grim tale of Captain Smith’s abuse of power in Oxford prison – where many died in misery though a lucky few survived.
Hodder and Stoughton
The Escape
Lynda La Plante
Is a change of identity all it takes to leave prison?
Colin Burrows is desperate. Recently sent to prison for burglary, he knows that his four-year sentence means he will miss the birth of his first child.
Sharing a cell with Colin is Barry Marsden. Barry likes prison life. He has come from a difficult family and been in and out of foster homes all his life. In prison, he has three meals a day and has discovered a talent for drawing.
He doesn’t want to leave.
Sad to see his cellmate looking depressed, Barry hatches a plan to get Colin out of jail for the birth. It’s a plan so crazy that it might just work.
Bestselling author Lynda La Plante’s exciting tale of one man’s escape from jail is based on a true story.
Simon & Schuster
Why not start a reading group?
If you have enjoyed this book, why not share your next Quick Read with friends, colleagues, or neighbours.
A reading group is a great way to get the most out of a book and is easy to arrange. All you need is a group of people, a place to meet and a date and time that works for everyone.
Use the first meeting to decide which book to read first and how the group will operate. Conversation doesn’t have to stick rigidly to the book. Here are some suggested themes for discussions:
How important was the plot?
What messages are in the book?
Discuss the characters – were they believable and could you relate to them?
How important was the setting to the story?
Are the themes timeless?
Personal reactions – what did you like or not like about the book?
There is a free toolkit with lots of ideas to help you run a Quick Reads reading group at www.quickreads.org.uk
Share your experiences of your group on Twitter @Quick_Reads
For more ideas, offers and groups to join visit Reading Groups for Everyone at www.readingagency.org.uk/readinggroups
Enjoy this book?
Find out about all the others at www.quickreads.org.uk
For Quick Reads audio clips as well as videos and ideas to help you enjoy reading visit the BBC’s Skillswise website www.bbc.co.uk/quickreads
Join the Reading Agency’s Six Book Challenge at
www.readingagency.org.uk/sixbookchallenge
Find more books for new readers at
www.newisland.ie
www.barringtonstoke.co.uk
Free courses to develop your skills are available in your local area. To find out more phone 0800 100 900.
For more information on developing your skills in Scotland visit
www.thebigplus.com
Want to read more? Join your local library. You can borrow books for free and take part in inspiring reading activities.
Copyright
Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd
77–85 Fulham Palace Road
Hammersmith, London W6 8JB
www.harpercollins.co.uk
First published in Great Britain by Harper 2014
Copyright © Harriet Evans 2014
Cover photograph © Shutterstock.com
Cover layout design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2014
Harriet Evans asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
Source ISBN: 9780007545360
Ebook Edition © February 2014 ISBN: 9780007545377
Version: 2013-11-22
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
http://www.harpercollins.com.au/ebooks
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
2 Bloor Street East – 20th Floor
Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada
http://www.harpercollins.ca
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
77-85 Fulham Palace Road
London, W6 8JB, UK
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022
http://www.harpercollins.com
Rules for Dating a Romantic Hero Page 7