The Reluctant Duchess

by Sharon Cullen

  “I love him, Father.”

  He looked deep into her eyes. “I worry about you.”

  “There’s no reason to worry. Truly, there’s not. He’s not the same person he was when he was betrothed to Meredith, and he loves me, too. He makes me happy.”

  He seemed to think about that for a bit. “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear. You have my blessing. I will tell Rossmoyne the same.”

  Tears sprang to her eyes. Lately, she cried more than she had in a long while. Every time she had a nightmare, Ross was there for her. He woke her in the middle of the night from the memories she couldn’t control. He walked with her through his gardens and listened to her talk out her fears. He’d even cried with her a few times, although he swore her to secrecy about that.

  “Thank you, Father.”

  “How’s your mother been?” he asked.

  Sara drew in a deep breath. “Quiet.”

  Ever since Ross had dressed her mother down for sacking James, Carolina had been very quiet. Ross had found James and rehired him himself. Jenny had found her way back to Carolina after losing Sara and Newport that fateful day. The poor woman had been beside herself with guilt but Ross had finally persuaded her that Sara’s abduction had not been her fault. Ross had settled a good sum of money on Jenny and allowed her to retire. She was now residing in the country with her daughter.

  —

  “I really don’t like this,” Sara said.

  “Just a few more minutes, I promise.” Ross kissed her on the lips. She jumped when their lips touched, then smiled.

  “I’ve decided I don’t like surprises.”

  “I can tell.”

  She turned her head toward his voice, biting back her laugh at the sardonic tone. “I’m being ungrateful,” she said.

  “No, you’re not.”

  “I am.” She adjusted the blindfold covering her eyes.

  Ross took her hands and held them in his. “You’re fidgeting.”

  “I can’t see.”

  “I know. I’m the one who put the blindfold on you.”

  She sighed and leaned in to his strength, trusting him to get her safely to wherever they were going. Earlier in the day he’d said he had a surprise for her, but she’d never imagined something as elaborate as a blindfold and everyone riding in two carriages for a long drive.

  Since then Ross had been tightlipped about the surprise, and that frustrated her. She hadn’t realized just how much she didn’t like surprises until now.

  Her father, her mother, and Elizabeth were in the carriage behind them. James rode on top of Ross and Sara’s carriage. James had been rehired by Ross after the incident with Newport. Sara managed to suppress her shiver at the thought of Newport. If Ross knew she was thinking about that, he would be concerned, and she’d caused him enough grief.

  It had been three months, and the nightmares were slowly dwindling, although sometimes memories of Newport and that night overtook her. Ross was so patient and kind.

  The wedding was set for two days from now, and she couldn’t wait. All of her reservations disappeared in the face of her overwhelming love for Ross. They would make it work. They would survive. They’d already proved they were survivors.

  The carriage slowed to a stop and Sara sat up. “Where are we?”

  “Relax, love. We are where we’re supposed to be.”

  She turned her head toward the sound of his voice. “I like that,” she said softly. “We are where we’re supposed to be.”

  He kissed her, a quick peck on the lips. “If we’re together, we are where we’re supposed to be.”

  She heard the carriage door open. The carriage dipped as Ross got out, then he took her hands to guide her down the steps. She felt the cool air on her cheeks and the warm sun on the top of her head.

  “We’re in the country,” she said. “I don’t hear the normal city noises, and it smells different. Cleaner.”

  “You’re remarkably astute.”

  She could hear her mother and father and the duchess behind them. Her parents seemed to be getting along well, which was a relief, although she had her doubts that they would get back together. But that was their choice, and she’d learned over the past few days that their choices were not her problem anymore. She had her own life to live.

  “Are you ready?” Ross asked, unable to quell the excitement in his voice.

  “I’m more than ready,” she said. Her heart was thudding. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what Ross had in store for her.

  He moved behind her. She could tell by the sound of his boots. His fingers worked the knot on her blindfold, and there was bright light. Sara blinked a few times before her eyes adjusted.

  She was facing a house. A rather large house. A mansion that stretched and stretched to her right and left. It was made of white stone with a set of stone steps that fanned out from the massive front door. The windows gleamed in the sunlight, and a profusion of potted flowers marched down the sides of the steps.

  She turned to Ross in confusion. “Is this one of your homes?” He’d said he owned many.

  “Not mine.”

  She frowned. “Then whose home is this?”

  “Yours.”

  Her frown deepened. “Mine?”

  Ross’s smile seemed to stretch from ear to ear. She’d never seen him look so pleased with himself. It was quite the contrast from the first time she’d seen him that day in his drawing room, with his wet hair and scruffy beard.

  “I confess that it was mine until a few days ago. I have turned it over to you. It is completely in your name and your name alone. The dowry your father gave me is in an account under your name only. My hope is that you will start your school for orphaned children.”

  Sara stared at him, dumbfounded, then turned back to the house with new eyes. Except she couldn’t see it through her tears. She’d never owned anything like this in her life. And to think that it was all hers was beyond her comprehension.

  Slowly, her hand came up to cover her trembling lips. Her parents stood to her side, her father smiling and nodding at her. Even her mother looked a little less severe, and Elizabeth beamed.

  Sara swallowed and looked at Ross again. Then, unable to contain her excitement, she threw herself at him. She hugged him tightly as the tears broke through.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

  “So do you like it?” he asked as he pulled away to look down at her.

  “I love it. It couldn’t be a more perfect gift. I can’t wait to fill it with teachers and students and…” It was all so overwhelming. “I want to find her,” she said softly. “I want to find that girl we saw the first time we visited Mrs. Kettles. I want her to be one of my first students.”

  “I will set Montgomery on it as soon as we return to London.” Ross gently turned her toward him. “Sara Ferguson, you know I love you, don’t you?”

  She nodded, too overcome to speak.

  “But I want you to know that I also admire you. You are courageous and kind, and you have the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. I think I fell in love with that big heart the moment I found you sitting in my drawing room, looking more scared than a cornered rabbit but determined to find out who was writing those letters. I love that you don’t take no for an answer and that you have the courage to stand up to me. I love most that you’re willing to put aside your fears to spend the rest of your life with me. You will be a beautiful, elegant duchess, but more important, you will be a success with this school because you’re stubborn. You’re also brave. I couldn’t be more proud to have you as my wife.”

  Speechless, she touched his cheek as her tears overflowed. “I’m only brave and courageous because your love makes me brave and courageous. Thank you for loving me.”

  He swept her up in a fierce hug. Behind them, Carolina and Elizabeth sniffed, and her father surreptitiously wiped his wet eyes.

  Ross set her down and she turned to look at the house, envis
ioning what it would take to make it a great school for children who thought life had given up on them.

  She searched for and found Ross’s hand and squeezed his fingers tight.

  “We are where we are supposed to be,” she whispered.

  As always to John, Megan, Nic, and Abby, who put up with this crazy career I chose. I couldn’t do it without you all.

  And thank you to my readers, who keep me going by posting awesome things on my Facebook page and generally just cheering me on. You’re all the best.

  Acknowledgments

  Writing books is not a one-person job. There is a host of people who help with the production of each book. A huge thank-you to my agent, Jessica Alvarez, of BookEnds Literary Agency; to my wonderful editor, Sue Grimshaw; and to all the marketing people at Random House Loveswept who help me promote my books and schedule all kinds of online appearances.

  But before my books reach them, I have some really great writing friends who are always available to bounce ideas off of. Thank you to Christine Warner, Kristina Knight, and Sonja Goedde.

  BY SHARON CULLEN

  Secrets and Seduction

  The Notorious Lady Anne

  Loving the Earl

  Pleasing the Pirate

  Sebastian’s Lady Spy

  Other Books

  His Saving Grace

  The Reluctant Duchess

  Highland Pride

  Sutherland’s Secret (coming soon)

  PHOTO: PAM JONES PHOTOGRAPHY

  The Reluctant Duchess is SHARON CULLEN’s sixth historical romance with Loveswept. Her other novels include Sebastian’s Lady Spy, His Saving Grace, The Notorious Lady Anne, The Infamous Lord Blythe, and Pleasing the Pirate. Sharon is also the author of romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance.

  If you’d like to find out more about Sharon and her books, you can visit her at her blog or her website. She’s addicted to social networking, so you can find her on Facebook and Twitter. Friend her! Like her! Follow her! She’d love to hang out with you and talk about her passion—books.

  sharoncullen.net

  Facebook.com/​SharonCullenAuthor

  @SharonCullen

  The Editor’s Corner

  Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November…wait, it is November, and Loveswept is releasing some of our best books of the year! Check out these fabulous romances:

  New York Times bestselling author Marquita Valentine releases her second new novel in her Boys of the South spin-off series Take the Fall series with When We Fall, in which a small-town sweetheart takes a chance on the bad boy who’s always been her hottest fantasy. Another Loveswept New York Times bestselling author, Tracy Wolff introduces her new Hotwired series with Accelerate, where a sexy carjacker takes a would-be starlet for the ride of her life. New York Times bestselling author A. Meredith Walters releases a powerful romance akin to The Fault in Our Stars with Butterfly Dreams. Then, welcome to Thistle Bend! A charming series debut from Tracy March, Should’ve Said No introduces a small town where old secrets are revealed—and wounded hearts are opened to new love. And in a short novel, Rebecca Rogers Maher’s Rolling in the Deep, two kindred spirits share a winning lottery ticket—and discover what it really means to get lucky.

  Sports fans were introduced last month to the Aces Hockey series by Kelly Jamieson with Major Misconduct, and this month Kelly releases a holiday romance, Off Limits. Book two in the Recovered Innocence series by Beth Yarnall features a San Diego investigative team with a soft spot for lost causes and a passion for redemption in Vindicate. And Taking It Off, by USA Today bestselling author Claire Kent introduces you to Matt Stokes, the sexy-as-sin male stripper and club owner who knows what it really means to bare everything. Jessica Lemmon’s irresistible Lost Boys series kicks off with Fighting for Devlin the story of a good girl who plays by the rules—and the bad boy who brings out her wild side. And in Cecy Robson’s O’Brien Family series debut, two total opposites find that the flames of desire are still smoldering in Once Kissed.

  For historical romance fans, Sharon Cullen’s The Reluctant Duchess ignites as a shy country girl and a hotheaded duke surrender to dangerous temptations. Then it’s on to Scotland for USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Haymore’s Highland Knights and the first book in this new series, Highland Heat, an electrifying tale of class warfare, fierce loyalties, and forbidden love.

  I don’t want this month to end! But the good news is December is upon us with more fabulous Loveswept titles. Until then…

  Happy Romance!

  Gina Wachtel

  Associate Publisher

  Read on for an excerpt from

  Sutherland’s Secret

  A Highland Pride Novel

  by Sharon Cullen

  Available from Loveswept

  Prologue

  ABERNATHY PRIORY, SCOTLAND

  JUNE 1746

  “What the bloody hell is Campbell doing here?” Colin MacLean growled. “I’ll no’ have anything to do with anything that has a Campbell involved.”

  “Easy, bràthair,” Brice Sutherland said quietly.

  He caught Colin by the neck of his shirt and pulled him away from the door he was heading toward. Colin tended to act first rather than think first. Brice, on the other hand, was curious to see what this clandestine meeting was all about, although he had his suspicions, and he didn’t like his suspicions one bit.

  “Let’s see what Graham has to say first,” he said.

  Nearly a fortnight ago Brice had received a missive from Alasdair Graham, one of the oldest and most respected Highland chiefs. It said naught of what he wanted, only that he required Brice’s presence on this day in this priory.

  Brice had hesitated in coming. ’Twas not a good time, but if Graham requested his presence, then it had to be important. He’d been surprised to discover that there were around a dozen other chiefs here.

  A gathering of Highland chiefs was very dangerous, indeed.

  Just six weeks past, the Scottish Jacobite army had been defeated by the English in the Battle of Culloden. Since then the English had been rounding up any Jacobite supporters they could find and killing them, or arresting them and imprisoning them.

  No, it was not a good time for the chiefs to gather for a secret meeting. If they were discovered, they would be put to death.

  Colin grumbled beneath his breath and leaned against the wall, his hand on the butt of his pistol and his eye firmly fastened on Campbell, who sat off to the side, his back to the wall. Brice eyed Campbell as well, not trusting the man in the least.

  MacLean shifted beside him. “Sinclair is here as well,” he muttered with a tip of his chin toward the man.

  Brice nodded to Evan Sinclair, who nodded back. They were a mixed bunch, part English sympathizers, part Jacobites, and part clan chiefs such as Brice, who had not fought on either side of the Battle of Culloden.

  “What do ye make of this?” MacLean asked.

  “Interesting,” Brice said.

  MacLean grunted.

  A door on the far side of the room opened. Every chief, including the English sympathizers, tensed. More than one hand went to the hilt of a sword or the butt of a pistol. A few even stood in readiness. Alasdair Graham stepped through the door. Those standing sat, and all hands relaxed from weapons, but all eyes watched the elder chief curiously.

  He made his way through the silent room until he stood before them. “No doubt ye are all wondering why I brought ye here.”

  There were murmurs of agreement, but Brice remained silent.

  “I don’t have to tell ye that this meeting must be kept secret. If the English discover we have met…well, we all know the consequences.” Graham paused to eye the inhabitants of the room. “Much thought went into this meeting and whom I could trust,” he said.

  Jacobites glared at English sympathizers, who glared back.

  “As ye can see, I drew no lines. I have invited clans from both sides of the war, and I expect every
one of ye to behave civilly.”

  “The man is daft,” Colin muttered.

  “I think we can all agree that the atrocities perpetrated against our people by the English are unconscionable,” Graham said into the silent room. “Our women and children need our protection. They’re being abused and slaughtered. Our men are arrested for no reason.”

  One chief pounded on the arm of a chair. “Death to every Sasannach,” he bellowed. His outcry was followed by loud cheers, the loudest coming from Colin.

  Graham held up his hand. “I did no’ call ye here to propose more war. We have no’ the resources, the men, or the weapons to fight the English in that way. But we can protect what is left of Scotland and those who cannot protect themselves.”

  “What do ye want from us?” someone called out.

  “I want ye to be the watchers, the Tèarmannair, the protectors. I want ye to devote what men ye can to patrolling our countryside, no’ to engage the English but to watch over those who have no voice and no arms against the English.”

  Brice had been correct: He wanted nothing to do with this. What Graham was proposing would cost manpower he didn’t have, not to mention put his life and the lives of his men in grave danger. He liked Graham’s plan, admired the initiative, but where in the hell would he get the men?

  There was a loud murmur of assent. Heads were nodding, and men began speaking to one another of where they should patrol.

  “Why invite a Campbell?” MacLean shouted, causing all conversation to come to a halt. Many glared at Campbell. For his part, Campbell stared impassively back.