by Amy Jarecki
“Absolutely not. I will be fine.”
Drake gathered her up and stood. “Shall I carry you below stairs.”
“And make a spectacle? No.”
“But—”
“Put me down this instant.” She thrust her finger toward the floor. “I will walk on my own two feet, and you will pretend nothing is amiss.”
“Spoken like a true duchess—your wish is my command.” Drake gently set her on her dainty toes. “But if you grow tired, or feel the least bit ill, I will insist that you take to your bed forthwith.”
She winked. “Our bed.”
He chuckled. “I think your confinement might prove good sport.”
Giggling, together they headed for the stairwell.
On Drake’s arm, Britannia swayed. “You never told me the story of why you embarked upon the task of building Chadwick Theater.”
“Hmm.” Drake pulled her to a stop and kissed her—he’d never in his life enjoy enough of his wife’s kisses. “It started as a wager with Percy. He thought such a grand venture would ruin me.”
“But you’re not so shallow to embark on such a risk without being passionate about it.”
“Do not misunderstand, I was and am most passionate about Chadwicks. My life has always been a bit of night and day. During the Season I’m expected to be in London and sit in the House of Lords. As a boy I attended Eton and then Oxford and once I inherited the title, I was expected to play the role of duke which, in my mind, can be dreary at times—Percy feels the same. And as we were commiserating over several glasses of brandy at Whites, I looked at him and said I intended to build a theater and premier only the most elite ballets and operas in all of Christendom.”
“And he wagered against you?”
“More or less.”
“What a foolish thing to do.” She rose on her toes and brushed the whisper of a kiss over his lips. “I would never bet against you, Your Grace.”
He chuckled, glancing back to the bedroom and wondering how long the guests would wait. “Nor you.”
“And this night you’ll collect on your wager.”
“Indeed, and oh, how sweet it will be.”
“What will you do with your booty?”
“Well, you must realize that some wagers are not about the sum at risk, but are placed merely for the thrill of winning.”
She gave him a coy glance. “Soooo...how much was at stake?”
“One pound—with which I plan to begin an endowment for Master John.”
“Oh, I do like that idea—as long as the fund grows exponentially.”
“Would you like to wager that it will?” After one more kiss, Drake cast a forlorn look to the bedchamber door and forced himself to break from their embrace. With his arm around Britannia’s shoulders, he rubbed her tummy. “Do you know how happy I am?”
“If you’re as happy as me, we’ll float through this night as if on angel wings.”
Unable to resist, he stopped once more, this time giving her a deep, passionate and meaningful kiss. “You and I are soaring on the wings of the Sylph. Not just this night, but every night for ever and ever more.”
Author’s Note
I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW much fun I had writing this book. It was my first foray into the Georgian Era. I had originally wanted to write a strict Regency romance, but the romantic era of ballet didn’t begin until the opening of La Sylphide with Marie Taglioni playing the Sylph in 1832. And I definitely wanted ballet to be at the core of this story.
Dance is near and dear to my heart. I started dancing when I was four years of age. In high school, I danced in Ballet Tacoma and as a senior, the Tacoma Performing Dance Company. From there I toured with Follies on Broadway for three years before injuries helped me decide to hang up my toe shoes and go to college.
There are a few other things to note about this story: The term prima ballerina did not exist at this point in history. There were many places in the text where I wanted to use prima ballerina but resisted. I do try to make my stories historically correct where possible, though I’ll be the first to admit that I am far from perfect.
The lead characters in this book are fictional as is Chadwick Theater. And interestingly, there is a Robin Hood’s Bay north of York where Ravenscar (a coastal village in the Scarborough district) at the beginning of the 18th century was known as “Peak” or “The Peak”, which is not to be confused with the more widely known “Peak District” south of the Pennines.
I hope you enjoyed The Duke’s Fallen Angel, for no matter in which era I write my characters always seem to embark on adventures of peril, finding love and happiness along the way.
Happy reading ~ Amy
Learn more about Amy Jarecki at amyjarecki.com
Other Books by Amy Jarecki
Visit https://amyjarecki.com/books or your retailer for links:
Coming Soon in the Devilish Dukes Series:
The Duke’s Untamed Desire
Lords of the Highlands Series:
The Highland Duke
The Highland Commander
The Highland Guardian
The Highland Chieftain
The Highland Renegade
The Highland Earl (August, 2019)
Highland Defender Series (prelude to Lords of the Highlands):
The Fearless Highlander
The Valiant Highlander
The Highlander’s Iron Will - A Novella
Guardian of Scotland time travel series:
Rise of a Legend
In the Kingdom’s Name
The Time Traveler’s Christmas
Highland Dynasty Series:
Knight in Highland Armor
A Highland Knight’s Desire
A Highland Knight to Remember
Highland Knight of Rapture
Highland Force Series:
Captured by the Pirate Laird
The Highland Henchman
Beauty and the Barbarian
Return of the Highland Laird (A Novella)
Visit Amy’s web site & sign up to receive newsletter updates of new releases and giveaways exclusive to newsletter followers: amyjarecki.com
If you enjoyed The Duke’s Fallen Angel, we would be honored if you would consider leaving a review. ~Thank you!
About the Author
MULTI-AWARD WINNING and Amazon All-Star author, Amy Jarecki likes to grab life, latch on, and reach for the stars. She writes historical romance with various series that span many eras and has 29 books in print. She studies karate a the Bobbly Lawrence studio in Saint George and you’ll often find her hiking Utah’s Santa Clara Hills. Reinventing herself a number of times, Amy sang and danced with the Follies, was a ballet dancer, a plant manager, and an accountant for Arnott’s Biscuits in Australia. After earning her MBA from Heroit-Watt University in Scotland, she dove into the world of historical romance and hasn’t returned. Become a part of her world and learn more about Amy’s books on amyjarecki.com.
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Also by Amy Jarecki
Devilish Dukes
The Duke's Fallen Angel (Coming Soon)
Guardian of Scotland
Rise of a Legend
In the Kingdom's Name
The Time Traveler's Christmas
Highland Defender
The Highlander's Iron Will
The Fearless Highlander
The Valiant Highlander
Highland Dynasty
Knight in Highland Armor
A Highland Knight's Desire
A Highland Knight to Remember
Highland Knight of Rapture
ICE
Hunt for Evil
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Body Shot
Mach One
Standalone
The Chihuahua Affair
From the Highland Mist