by Jo Beverley
"I am."
To escape Cateril Manor. To live close to Ruth. To have a home of her own again, with a frequently-absent husband...
She read on, fearful of something to make it impossible.
If you are willing to consider the matter it must be soon. Dauntry is a man of brisk action. If you don't give him hope he will proceed to other ways of obtaining the wife he wants. I can't imagine it will be difficult. He's a handsome man, though in a cool way.
Ruth had run out of space and turned to write diagonally.
If you agree to consider the match, he will arrange your journey here at his expense, and your journey home if you decide he will not suit. You need only reply to me for all to be put in hand, but remember, it must be soon.
I don't know this man well, Kitty, and I fear my ardent desire to have you nearby influences me, but Andrew believes you should at least consider this and his judgment is sound.
That was it. Ardent desire.
Kitty rose and paced her room, Sillikin in her arms.
Escape!
But through marriage.
She hadn't rushed into her first marriage, but she'd been swept along on a fast-running stream of ecstatic romance with no one attempting to slow her down. Her parents had been dazzled by her being wooed by a member of the nobility. If they'd suffered any doubts, Marcus's wounds and true adoration had silenced them. Marcus had wooed her so desperately, with gifts, flowers, and passionate entreaties, that she'd have to have had a heart of stone not to melt.
Here was a very different situation. The offer was cool and the promises minimal. There were no tempting gifts. The man was a stranger, but she must decide in a moment. She had no one no advise her.
"I must go to Ruth."
With that, everything became clear. She must go to Ruth, for advice and for the joy of it. Once in Beecham Dab, once she met Lord Dauntry, she'd know whether to make this marriage or not. Mere travel there wouldn't commit her.
"How to escape?" she muttered. One thing was sure. Lady Cateril would never tolerate Marcus's widow marrying again.
She thought she had enough money to cover the cost of a coach ticket to Gloucestershire, but how to escape the house? She was devising complicated ways, some inspired by novels, when she came to her senses. No one here knew about the offer of marriage. She could simply ask to visit her old friend.
She hugged Sillikin. "I don't know why I haven't done that before. I've allowed us to be glued here by Lady Cateril's grief, but even she can't object to a short visit to an old friend, can she?"
End of excerpt
The Viscount Needs a Wife will be available in April 2016 in paperback and e-book. You can pre-order your copy now.
About the Author
Publishers Weekly declared Jo Beverley "Arguably today's most skilful writer of intelligent historical romance..." Her work has been described as "Sublime!" by Booklist, and Romantic Times described her as "one of the great names of the genre."
She is a NYT bestselling author and The Viscount Needs a Wife will be her fortieth novel. She sets her work in her native England in the medieval, Georgian, and Regency periods. Her novels have won the RITA, romance's top award, five times, and two Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times. She is a member of Romance Writers of America's Hall of Fame.
She has a degree in History and American Studies from Keele University in Staffordshire, which is located on the estate of a minor stately home, Keele Hall. She spent thirty-three years in Canada, but has now returned to live in England, in Devon.
Visit her website, http://www.jobev.com to see more about her works, including a number of other novellas, some with fantasy and science fiction elements. You can also sign up for her occasional newsletter.
She regularly blogs at Word Wenches.
http://www.wordwenches.com.
You can find her on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/jo.beverley