“That’s wonderful.” Lady Constance stood. “I’ll set everything up. I suspect the earl will be anxious to begin, so if you will follow me, Lady Regina can give you some advice and explain how matters work around here.”
The remainder of the day, her mother hardly spoke to her. And, when they received a message from Lady Constance that evening informing them her first lesson would be the following day, Genevieve heard her mother’s loud complaints to her father. As was his typical fashion, he didn’t seem to be concerned as this didn’t affect him.
Once her mother had dropped her off at the House of Reform the next day, the woman had promptly left. Genevieve wasn’t surprised as her mother was still angry, but it would have been nice to know she’d had support.
Glancing at the door of the drawing room, Genevieve concentrated on trying to remember every word Lady Regina had told her yesterday. The woman was very friendly, and it was clear she cared a great deal about the success of this business. Genevieve only hoped she would be able to add to that.
Footsteps in the hallway set her heart pounding erratically. Why did she think she could actually do this? Her face grew cold and the room began to spin. Dear God, she was going to swoon. She swallowed convulsively. This couldn’t be happening. She had to prove that she could do this. Otherwise, she would never be able to find a husband, and that was her only goal in life.
“Miss Jubal,” Marvin, the graying butler, said from the doorway. “The Earl of Andel is here to see you.”
She nodded and forced herself to her feet. No introductions? How was she supposed to converse with him if nothing was done properly? Then, she recalled how easily she talked to him two days ago. That’s the person she needed to be.
Her hands shook when he appeared in the doorway, his muscular build filling every ounce of space. Her breath caught in her throat. Why did he have to look like a Greek god? Surely this would be easier if he were a gangly fop. Or, perhaps someone with some kind of flaw.
“Good morning, Miss Jubal,” he greeted as if they’d known each other for years.
“Bonjour, mon seigneur,” she returned his greeting.
His twitching lips called her attention. They were beautiful, and if speaking French would get her a smile, she would oblige him every chance she got. Besides, it once again gave her a confidence she’d never had before.
“Is that going to be how this is going to work? You speak French, and I am to guess what you said until I am fluent?” His tone was teasing.
“If that is your preferred learning style, je vais vous obliger.” She shrugged. For once, she actually believed she could do this.
“In my experience, I will do better if I know what I’m saying first.” He raised an eyebrow. “May we sit?”
Heat rushed up her cheeks. She was already doing this wrong. “Of course. Please, make yourself comfortable while I pour some water.”
“That’s not necessary for me. I’m not thirsty.”
She clicked her tongue the way her mother always did when she was displeased. “I highly recommend a glass. You will need it as we will be using our mouths quite a bit during these lessons.”
His eyes widened, then he laughed. “Really? I wasn’t aware that was part of the services offered with the French class. I guess I should have known better.”
Fire blazed up her face as her horrified eyes shot to his, her mortification complete to see his absolute amusement. “Talking, my lord. I mean we will be talking. I’m sorry. I-I’m not used to it, apparently. I would never . . . I mean, someone will be checking in on our classes upon occasion. You’re safe with me. Dear God.”
Realizing she was rambling and had made a total fool of herself, she spun around. Tears clogged her throat. Normally, she couldn’t get out two words to a gentleman, and with this one, she couldn’t seem to shut up. She covered her face with her hands, this couldn’t possibly have gone worse.
She jumped when she felt his hand on her shoulder. Her breathing tripled. Never before had a man touched her without the intent to dance with her, or punish her. Turning back toward him, she put a respectable distance between them while keeping her eyes downcast.
“Are you all right?” His low voice was full of concern. “It was a simple jest, nothing more. I don’t feel threatened in your presence. Trust me.”
Biting on her bottom lip, she nodded. “Thank you, my lord.”
“Can’t you look at me? I’d like to begin anew, and I can’t do it if you intend to avoid eye contact.”
Forcing herself to draw her gaze up, Genevieve met his liquid, chocolate eyes. The sincerity in their depths made breathing difficult. Exactly like the other day, all his attention was solely focused on her, and, although unnerving, she enjoyed it.
Lord Andel was unlike anyone she’d ever met, and she feared she should be the one to feel threatened by his presence.
Also by Soul Mate Publishing and Jenn Langston:
THE PERFECT SERIES
HIS PERFECT BRIDE
Richard Carrack received the title of Marquis of Stonemede upon his father’s death six months ago. Knowing of the duties associated with the title, he decides to marry and spend the remainder of his days tending to the estate. His requirements for his bride are simple; he wishes her to be obedient and calm-spirited. When circumstances place him in the path of Lady Brianna Denton, whose wild ways make her an unsuitable candidate, he lies about his identity to discourage her from pursuing him for his title.
Brianna Denton knows what she wants out of life. She wishes to marry an untitled lord and live the remainder of her days in the country with no obligations. Only then can she spend her free time painting. When she meets Mr. Richard, she decides he would make the perfect husband. Little does she know, her boldness puts her in a position where she must decide between what she always thought she wanted and what her heart is telling her.
Available now on Amazon: HIS PERFECT BRIDE
HIS PERFECT GAME
Greyson Thorpe, Viscount Merrick, wants respectability above all else. Knowing the fastest way to achieve that state comes through marriage, he challenges Hammond Everett, the Duke of Donetic, to a card game. After winning the match, the duke agrees to exchange his daughter’s hand in marriage for the forgiveness of his debts.
Willimena Abigail Everett had no desire to marry after experiencing the violent nature of men at her father’s hand. When Viscount Merrick arrives, she has no choice other than to obey her father and marry him. Will she be able to set aside her previous beliefs about men and judge her husband by his own merits?
After obtaining good social standing, Greyson sends his bride to the country; however, he finds himself missing her. Following her to the estate, he discovers she had been living a double life. Will he discover her secrets and control his burning desire for her at the same time?
Available now on Amazon: HIS PERFECT GAME
HIS PERFECT LADY
Notorious rake Jonathan Alastair, Viscount Linwood, has spent six years proving he has moved on after being cast off by the only woman he ever cared for. When their paths cross again, his desire for her re-ignites. Intending to pursue her for one night of pleasure, he discovers he wants more from the one woman who got away. But can he overlook her previous rejection in order to forge a new relationship?
Mrs. Catherine Gates is cursed as evident by the swift deaths of two husbands, both on their wedding nights. Brought to London at the insistence of her uncle to remarry, seeing Jonathan again makes her body ache, however she must maintain her distance to save him from the curse. Unable to fight her building passion, can Catherine find a way to break the curse that threatens his life and her everlasting happiness?
Available now on Amazon: HIS PERFECT LADY
CATCHING THE BARON
Kenneth Rawson, Baron Berwick, needs to marry
an heiress, but when he discovers his new stable boy, Sam, is actually a woman, he finds himself intrigued. Knowing his choice of a bride must be based on more than blinding passion, he makes his stance on not marrying her very clear.
Samantha Jenkins disguises herself as a boy after the tragic loss of her parents in order to escape a landlord who claimed she owed a debt. After spending time with Baron Berwick, she finds herself falling in love. However, a telling conversation with him makes her realize he only meant to remain with her until he weds.
Will Kenneth realize he is lost without her and beg for forgiveness? Will Samantha forgive him?
Available now on Amazon: CATCHING THE BARON
WINNING THE DUKE
Grace Denton’s first Season solidifies her decision to never marry. How can she? The London gentlemen are boorish and unappealing. When reunited with the handsome, yet brooding Braiden Everett, his hidden charm captivates her. If she marries him, she could obtain her dream of having a child of her own and a husband she can stand to be around. Despite his contentions to a union, she is confident their connection will help him as well. She has already seen how her proximity begins to heal his pain. Faced with his indifference, will she be able to control her building passion for him?
Discovering women’s heartless nature, Braiden Everett, Duke of Donetic, has sworn off the foolish idea of love. Upon reentering his life, the sweet and spirited Grace illuminates the only light left in his dark world. He agrees her marriage of convenience proposal has some merit. But is it wise? He’s intrigued by her mind and tempted by her body. However, he refuses to lose his heart again. Besides, she deserves more than he can give. After all, he’s forgotten how to love, hasn’t he?
Available now on Amazon: WINNING THE DUKE
REDEEMING THE EARL
Rebecca Doutree has a secret. A big secret. She is the author of the famous Unscandal Sheet. The anonymity provides her a unique position to discover the legitimacy behind local gossip and to aid the wrongly accused in her publication. When she meets the Earl of Dunmore, the facts hidden underneath the rumors surrounding him beckon her to unveil them. However, as she spends time with him to secretly uncover the truth, she discovers concentrating on her mission to be much harder than she anticipated. What is it about him that affects her so?
Charles Edwards, the Earl of Dunmore, only wants one thing: an heir. Yet, as a four-time widower, he is surrounded by scandal. Knowing of his duty to the earldom, he ventures to London to clear his name and obtain wife number five. Coming across the husky-voiced Miss Doutree, he turns his attention to her. To his surprise, he finds himself tempted by her like never before. The new feeling is discomforting, and he isn’t sure he likes it. Can he marry her and still remain the same man? Or, more importantly, will she survive the endeavor?
Available now on Amazon: REDEEMING THE EARL
TOUCHED BY FIRE SERIES
EMBRACING THE KNIGHT
(TOUCHED BY FIRE BOOK 1)
Miss Claire Ashford knows exactly what she wants out of life — to marry for love. When she finds herself alone in the woods with none other than notorious rake Ian Michael Caldwell, Viscount Knightly, her chances of a proper match are ruined. He is willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of her reputation, but she is determined not to marry anyone out of obligation.
For years, Ian has wanted nothing more than to, one day, marry Miss Claire Ashford. When fate forces them into a compromising situation, he vows to do just that. In spite of every effort, she refuses his suit. Not one to easily give up, Ian drafts assistance from an unlikely source.
As her first season continues, Claire finds it increasingly difficult to keep her distance from Ian. His charm, and ability to stir feelings inside of her she didn’t know existed, makes it hard to remember why she refused him in the first place. With his relentless pursuit and her weakening resolve, she desperately wants to give in to him. However, after seeing he hasn’t changed his rakish ways, how can she trust him not to break her heart, again?
Available now on Amazon: EMBRACING THE KNIGHT
ENSLAVING THE DAY
(TOUCHED BY FIRE BOOK 2)
One night’s mistake finds Lady Annalise Hera in a very compromising situation. Pregnant, unmarried, and on her way to Gretna Green. Although Baron Dailey put her in this position, she belatedly realizes she can’t marry him and will do anything to get him to release her. Even lie. After all, life would be better as a disgraced, unwed mother than the wife of a cocky, irritating man she can barely tolerate.
Gordon Ashford, Baron Dailey, never thought much about his friend’s younger sister. That was, until she grew into a beautiful woman. Now, after one drunken night when he took her innocence, he can’t seem to get her out of his head. With her constant refusal of him, and perpetual need to argue, he should give her up. But he can’t, even though she’s told him she’s not carrying his child.
Convincing her to accept him proves to be near impossible, but he’s not one to easily give up.
Available now on Amazon: ENSLAVING THE DAY
ENSNARING LORD STARSEN
(TOUCHED BY FIRE BOOK 3)
Tethered to a restrictive life on her half-brother’s estate, Lady Isabella Rossland tries her best to find her own happiness. With the dreary gentlemen nearby not appealing to her restless spirit, she’s left with few escape options. Then, a man she’s known for years catches her attention, and she’s intrigued. What could make a man so aloof act so unexpectedly? It seems there is more to Lord Starsen than the person he presents to society.
Marcus Hera, Earl of Starsen, vows to lead a calm existence, due to a fiery tragedy during his reckless youth where he suffered permanent injuries. As such, he wants a dutiful wife to complement his life. When his path crosses unexpectedly with the impetuous Lady Isabella, he’s shocked to find himself drawn to her. He resists his undeniable attraction to her, choosing duty over the confusing emotions she’s wrought in him.
Realizing Marcus has a spirit that matches her own, Isabella makes her intentions known, only to discover he has made a promise to another. Not one to easily give up, Isabella must convince him she is the right woman for him. With his impending betrothal approaching, time is running out. Has she pierced his barriers and won his heart, or is she too late?
Available now on Amazon: ENSNARING LORD STARSEN
ENCHANTING THE DUKE OF DEMOON
(TOUCHED BY FIRE BOOK 4)
Miss Carolyn Ashford wants one thing from marriage: love. After spending one informative season in London, she discovers the rarity of the emotion. Resigning herself to a life of spinsterhood, she leans on her brother’s charity. When she stumbles upon a secret garden on the Duke of Demoon’s property, she sets to restore it. As the garden comes to life, so does her spirit, as though she’s finally found her place.
Edmund Marsham, Duke of Demoon, for over a decade hasn’t shown his scarred face—the only outward sign of surviving a devastating fire in his youth—to anyone outside of Moonlight Castle. Seeking sanctuary from his callous mother, he rides off to his grandmother’s secret garden. Once there, he is surprised to find a young woman has brought life back into the neglected place. Although he keeps his identity from her, they form an unexpected friendship. Before long, Edmund begins to want impossible things. Things he knows he can’t have.
Carolyn knows her time with Edmund is limited considering he has no desire for a wife or child. With another man vying for her attention, she knows with him she will have everything that Edmund denies her. She attempts to distance herself from Edmund, but her traitorous body has other plans. Will her heart survive a temporary romance with Edmund, and will those memories be enough to satisfy a lifetime without him?
Available now on Amazon: ENCHANTING THE DUKE OF DEMOON
TO LOVE A MARQUIS
(Reformed Rakes Book 1)
&
nbsp; Miranda Jayne Whittier flees to London, escaping marriage to the Marquis of Melbourne, a man she’s never met who is surrounded in rumors she can’t overlook. With the last of her pin money spent, she accepts employment at Lady Constance’s House of Reform. Assigned to Viscount Harken, a handsome but difficult man who doesn’t make their association easy, she is determined to help him and, in the process, solidify her position. She soon discovers he deserves better than he believes.
Anson Greenleaf, Marquis of Melbourne, thought collecting his betrothed would be a simple matter, but he’d been wrong. Miss Whittier has taken on a position in the city, which presents him with a unique opportunity. Using one of his lesser known titles, he poses as a client. Instead of learning why she ran from him, he finds himself drawn to her and is determined to charm her. Before long, he forms an intense desire for her. One he must fight.
When Miranda discovers the Marquis of Melbourne followed her to London, she fights against the need to leave the position she loves and the man she’s come to care for. As her life falls apart, she’s forced to give up the viscount. When she learns of the Marquis’s deception, she realizes she can’t marry him. After all, she knows exactly what he wants in a bride. And, she knows it’s not her.
Available now on Amazon: TO LOVE A MARQUIS
To Tame a Viscount (Reformed Rakes Book 2) Page 23