March 1817
It has recently come to my attention that the Earl of B may be looking for a wife! The ton was all atwitter with matrons guessing who he might settle upon while misses whispered behind fans and dream of becoming his lucky bride. I certainly couldn’t assume such titillating gossip was accurate and suspected it was more wishful thinking than anything else. However, I did go in search of the truth and who better to ask than his mother.
So, for all those misses hoping to land a devilishly handsome earl – the rumors are in fact true!
However, Lord B is none too pleased and might prove to be reluctant when it comes time to stand before the vicar. As confided in me, his mother was most insistent that Lord B take a bride and the earl finally capitulated, but only because of his duty, which he reluctantly admitted could not be put off indefinitely no matter how much he may wish to do so. He will turn thirty this year, and if I were to offer my opinion, Lord B should have wed long before now and already fathered an heir and a spare.
But I digress. With this new information, I set my attention on Lord B, a rake of the first order and gentleman rumored to be the best lover in all of England, as he navigated the ballrooms, parks, picnics and all the various venues one must haunt in pursuit of a mate hoping that I might be the first to discover who he might court. Instead, he has been spending all his time with Lady K, a widow recently out of mourning, which makes one wonder if Lord B is truly looking for a bride, or simply another lover. And is his mother aware that the lovely widow has captured her son’s attention?
What Lady K is about has yet to be determined. Despite the obvious pursuit of Lord B, Lady K has given no indication that she has succumbed to his charms despite Lord B’s best efforts. This leaves me to wonder if Lord B will win Lady K in the end and, if he does, what his intentions may be, or will he finally choose a simpering miss to settle upon.
About Season of the Rake: Angelo Evans, the Earl of Bolton made a promise to his mother—that he’d marry before Christmas. As this would be the last Season he would ever enjoy, Angelo is determined to embrace all of life’s pleasures: brandy, women, and gambling. Come the autumn, he will find a miss, marry, become respectable, and settle into a boring existence.
Lady Octavia Kepple is finally free. Now out of mourning, she intends to embrace the Season as only a respectable widow can: find a lover. She doesn’t want just any lover, but the gentleman rumored to be the best lover in England, the Earl of Bolton. Now, she just needs to convince him to be her rake for the Season.
Though intrigued by Lady Kepple’s proposition, and his desire for her cannot be denied, Angelo doesn’t want to be tied to one lover during his last Season of freedom. However, Lady Kepple is most persistent, and an agreement finally reached might be more than either of them bargained for.
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About the Author: USA Today bestselling author Jane Charles is a prolific writer of over fifty historical and contemporary romance novels. Her love of research lends authenticity to her Regency romances, and her experience directing theatre productions helps her craft beautiful, touching stories that tug at the heartstrings. Jane is an upbeat and positive author dedicated to giving her characters happy-ever-afters and leaving the readers satisfied at the end of an emotional journey. Lifelong Cubs fan, world traveler and mother of three amazing children, Jane lives in Central Illinois with her husband, two dogs and a cat. She is currently writing her next book and planning her dream trip to England. Be sure to join Jane on Facebook @JaneCharlesAuthor for Wine Pairings Wednesdays.
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Do send a reporter! I am far too busy with baking for the Harvest Festival to investigate and send regular dispatches. There is much to report, even among the Quality of our town!
As an American reader of your delightful column, I felt I had to write in and share ever such scandalous and shocking goings-on in the quiet and God-fearing town of Cedar Point, Massachusetts.
One man seems immune, but then again, Mr. Augustus Warwick, piano tuner and confectioner, is very eccentric. He seems to like Miss Mumford and her cat—but makes no attempt to woo her or to bell her fearsome feline. (Yet rumor has it that he has been over to Miss Mumford’s house several evenings to “tune her piano.”)
About Belling the Tigress: Rowena Mumford has the eye of every single man in quiet Cedar Point, Massachusetts. Her beauty and fortune outweigh her mischievous black cat, Tiger, and the murmurs of witchcraft that surround her. Tired of pointless suitors, Rowena states the man who can place a bell around Tiger’s neck may woo her. Soon, all of Cedar Point is hoping for a spring engagement!
Gwen Hughes has taken up the blacksmithing now her brother is gone. We think she’s hiding something too, and now some stranger—one of those footloose soldiers—has taken up residence.
About the book: Tamsyn McKiernan thinks her dreams have come true. She’s engaged to a dashing Key West bachelor and finally in her widowed father’s good graces. But in her heart, she knows something’s wrong. She loves the ocean and the quiet pleasures of nature—so what does the aristocratic life she’ll lead truly hold for her?