Dateline September 1814, Ghent

Dear Readers,

House at Chalmette Battlefield, Photo 48763837 / Battle New Orleans © Bdingman | Dreamstime.com

We present to you today, a plea for help from Lady C. M., sister to the highly respected, Duke of M. It seems her ladyship’s sibling has gone missing.

It is not unusual for various tulips of the ton to—ahem—absent themselves from the social scene from time to time. Young men must take their pleasures where and when they may. This is widely understood.

However, as Lady C. M.’s letter to us states, “my brother is a most steady and industrious man. Unlike some contemporaries now in Vienna, he does not indulge in behavior common to rakes, roues and rogues. His name has never been associated with any scandal or that of any woman save in the most respectable manner. Yet he has disappeared. I have had no news of him since August when he joined the British delegation to the treaty negotiations with the Americans in Ghent.

He had written to me in general of his encounters with Mr. Adams, Mr. Clay, and Mr. Russell and was looking forward to meetings with the other Americans. Then, two weeks past, his letters ceased. Enquiries sent to our delegation in Ghent and to the Home Office as well as Lord Liverpool have met with little response. Only Lord Liverpool was courteous enough to reply, stating “I regret that your brother has not confided in me. I am at a loss to explain his disappearance when his expertise in matters of state is needed most desperately.”

Her ladyship concludes her missive with this plea. “Mr. Clemens, I am deeply concerned. My brother is most responsible and would not simply disappear. Please, please, I beg of you, use your expertise at ferreting out the most obscure secrets to aid me in finding my brother.”

Despite all our efforts since receiving Lady C. M.’s letter we have uncovered no trace of her brother. Hence, with her permission, we seek the aid of our readers. If you have any knowledge of the duke’s whereabouts, immediately notify M. Clemens, Editor at the offices of The Teatime Tattler. We, indeed, the entire nation needs to know: WHERE IS HIS GRACE OF M.?

About The Creole Duchess:  A duke in disguise, a creole miss determined to get her own way, and two nations at war, is love even possible?

Miss Celie St. Cyr-Duval refuses to live under the thumb of some man chosen by her parents. Celie will do everything to gain the ability to make her own way and determine her own fate. But fate interferes in the form of a British businessman, Caleb Alden. A relationship with Caleb would find approval with Celie’s mother, but both Celie and Caleb have secrets that put them on opposite sides of a great conflict and could destroy them both.

With the Battle of New Orleans looming, can these two natural enemies compromise and protect each other, or will fear and betrayal end both their lives.

Availability:  The Creole Duchess, Duchess Series Book 3 is expected to launch in late 2023. You can get book 1, The French Duchess, now, available free from Kindle Unlimited. Book 2, The Pirate Duchess, is available for pre-order at a discounted price from Amazon or other retailers. The price goes up on launch day, January 9, 2023.

About Rue Allyn: Award-winning author of historical and contemporary romances, Rue Allyn fell in love with happily ever after the day she heard her first story. (She claims she was a precocious little brat who read at the age of two but could hear much earlier than that.) She studied literature for far too many years before discovering that writing stories was much more fun than writing about them. One of her greatest pleasures as an author is being able to read the story before anyone else. Rue is happily married to her sweetheart of many, many years. Insatiably curious, an avid reader and traveler, she loves to hear from readers about their favorite books and real-life adventures. Crazy Cat stories are especially welcome. You can contact her at Rue@RueAllyn.com. She can’t wait to hear from you.

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