The Sons of the Aristocracy: Boxed Set

Genres: Regency Romance

Synopsis

Three Regencies, all featuring at least two couples in search of their happily-ever-afters, make up this collection.

In TUESDAY NIGHTS, boxer Michael Cunningham is more interested in building his fortune than finding a wife, but made a promise he would marry by his twenty-eighth birthday. Reminded of the deadline by his sister, Michael realizes he has much to do in the three weeks he has if he's to propose to Olivia—or she'll become his sister's governess! With no time for courtship, banns, or wedding planning, his sister insists Michael ruin Olivia!

Despite feeling affection for Michael since the day he rescued her from a rake, Olivia is still shocked—and ruined!—when he climbs into her bed.

Once they're married, Michael is sure Olivia despises him, while she is sure he wandered into the wrong bedchamber that fateful Tuesday night.

Will a week be enough time for Michael to court Olivia, to convince her of his affections? Or will he regret his last-minute efforts to keep his promise? Only time will tell...

When Clarinda married the Earl of Norwick, she thought she was marrying the Fitzwilliam twin who courted her. But it was David's identical twin brother Daniel, the spare heir, who captured her heart with pink roses and delectable kisses. So when the rakish David made her his countess, the embittered Daniel left London to run the earl's estates in Sussex.

With David's sudden death comes a reunion of the star-crossed lovers—and Clarinda's randy mother-in-law. Clarinda thinks Daniel despises her for being a fortune hunter—and because she's pregnant with what might be an heir to the earldom. Daniel knows Clarinda despises him, but can't remember what caused the row they had when they last spoke. Meanwhile, David's ghost is paying nocturnal visits to Clarinda while annoying Daniel with instructions to pursue his widow and pleas to discover who caused his untimely death.

Who can be in mourning when twin brothers are causing so much trouble? Or is two times the romance worth a bit of sibling rivalry? Twins double the fun in THE WIDOWED COUNTESS.

When Lady Julia and her friend Samantha notice an especially handsome groom from their vantage point of a second-story bedchamber window in Mayfield House, they decide the man would make the perfect gentleman. Julia accepts Samantha's challenge to transform the man in time for a ball.

Little do they know Alistair Comber is already a gentleman. The estranged second son of an earl works in service in order to make good on a promise he made to a fellow soldier while he was an officer in the British Army.

Alistair agrees to Julia's request that he learn how to bow, dance and dress like a gentleman in time for her mother's ball. After all, how hard can it be when MY FAIR GROOM is already a gentleman? How hard indeed!

Release date: June 24, 2016

Publisher: Twisted Teacup Publishing

Print pages: 1048

Sample

Chapter 2

A Picnic on a Tuesday

April 24, 1810 

Anna closed her eyes as the sun peeked out from behind an afternoon cloud. Her left hand, firmly grasped by her best friend’s hand, was lifted from where it lay in the grass. She smiled as she felt Edward’s lips touch the back of her knuckles, his fingers gently kneading her palm and wrist. When she was sure the sun had ducked behind the cloud again, she barely opened her eyes. Edward stared down at her, his face a study of joy and his blonde hair haloed by the rays of the sun. 

“You are so beautiful,” he breathed before lowering his lips to hers. The kiss, a mere teasing touch of his lips to hers, might have ended there, but Anna lifted her other hand to the side of his face. The ends of her fingers gently pulled his head down again and she kissed him. She opened her mouth and allowed his tongue to touch her teeth and her tongue before she used hers to do the same to him. When Edward finally pulled away, he regarded his childhood friend and the love of his life for a very long time. “I am going to miss you terribly,” he whispered. 

Anna reached up and plucked a blade of grass from his hair. “Will I see you at Christmastime?” she whispered, bravely keeping tears from collecting in the corners of her eyes. 

“Before that, I’m sure,” Edward said with a cocked eyebrow. “I’ll just be back at Oxford.” He said this as if he would be doing research at a school on the other side of town rather than eighty miles away.

Swallowing hard, Anna nodded, her head still resting in the lawn behind the Earl of Eversham’s country estate. The remains of their luncheon picnic were scattered over a blanket spread out beneath a live oak tree. “Father may move us to London before then,” she whispered. “Do you suppose it would be acceptable for me to write to you?” 

Edward frowned. “London?” he repeated. He lifted himself onto an elbow. “What are you saying?” 

Anna seemed to shrug as she continued to lay stretched out on the manicured lawn. She had a passing thought as to how difficult it would be to get the grass stains out of her morning gown, but quickly replaced it with the thought of how much she would miss the boy who had become a man whilst at Eton and Oxford. 

Edward had been in school for several years, but he returned to Somerset so frequently, she barely missed him. But Oxford for research on antiquities? She rather doubted Edward would return as frequently. And it was more likely he would be tempted by the larger city’s offerings, both in scholarly pursuits as well as other entertainments, and simply remain there during academic breaks. 

The young men of Bath didn’t always return after leaving for school. They were more likely to take a position as a clerk or join the militia or a ship’s crew. Edward was unlikely to undertake any of those occupations given his status as the second son of an earl; moving to London was more likely. 

“There is a marquess in Mayfair who fancies Father’s tailoring,” Anna finally replied. “He has promised Father a higher commission than he can ever hope to make if he stays here. Oh, and a character if he makes himself more ‘readily available’ to the man,” she quoted with a roll of her eyes. 

Edward sat up, bending one knee and wrapping an arm around it. Despite his height—he was just over six feet tall—he still managed to look elegant in the pose. “I shall just have to take my vacations from school in London then,” he said with a mischievous grin. “Not as far from Oxford, either,” he added with a wink. He regarded her for a moment more. “Fancy your father being noticed by an aristocrat, though. He should be proud.”

Anna covered her eyes with an arm to block out the sun. “He’s a tailor, Edward,” she stated sadly. “And even if every one of his clients is a member of the ton, he’ll always be the lowest class citizen in this country.” 

Her best friend frowned again, surprised at Anna’s assessment. It was true tailors weren’t well regarded, but a good tailor was a necessity for any man who wanted to stand out among gentlemen, especially those who lived in London. “Still, to have a marquess notice his work and request that he move is an honor, I should think.” 

Retrieving her bonnet from the grass, Anna sat up and pulled it onto the back of her head. She thought of putting her hair back into a bun, but she would have to find the hairpins Edward had pulled out of her carefully constructed bun, a rather difficult task given he had tossed them off so they were hidden somewhere in the grass. “Perhaps someone will notice my sewing skills and request I work in their modiste,” she said hopefully. At some point she would have to find employment. She was already one-and-twenty and still living at home. How much longer would she be welcome to do so? Perhaps the move to London would provide more opportunities. 

Edward took her hand again, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I won’t have you working, my love,” he stated suddenly, apparently surprised by her comment. “I intend to marry you ... just as soon as my older brother is married and an heir is born.” 

Anna arched an eyebrow and regarded Edward. She’d heard his claim before. At one time, she believed she would one day be the wife of Edward Seward, the second son of the Earl of Eversham. But as she grew older and learned more about the ways of the world—the ways of the aristocracy—the more she realized that Edward’s fanciful claims were just that. She was sure Edward’s parents would forbid such a match for the very reason that she was a daughter of a tailor. They would no doubt require Edward to marry an aristocrat’s daughter. At least a baron’s daughter. Anna could claim no ties to any wellborn family let alone a family of the ton.

“If my father does move us to London, than I shall have to seek employment, Edward,” she said quietly. “I will have to make my own way at some point.” 

Shaking his head, Edward gave her a look of impatience. “If and when you’re no longer welcome to live with your parents, I shall arrange a small house or apartment for you,” he insisted. 

Anna’s eyes widened. “You expect me to be your mistress?” she asked in alarm, stunned by his offer. No man arranged for a woman’s housing unless he expected to pay calls on her— and not for the purpose of having tea and biscuits. 

“No,” Edward replied too quickly. “I  ... Well, I suppose one would assume that, but ...” He allowed the sentence to trail off. Of course, he wanted Anna as his mistress. Especially if he couldn’t have her as his wife right away. “I love you, Anna. I want you in my life. For the rest of my life,” he vowed as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. 

Sighing, Anna nodded. “And I love you, Edward,” she whispered. “But I will not hold you to your claim.” 

A grimace formed on Edward’s face, making his long features a bit comical. “You think I will not honor my vow?” he asked, obviously offended by her comment. 

Anna shook her head. “I know you would if you could. But this isn’t just us we’re talking about. Your parents have expectations. You’re an earl’s son. You cannot expect to be allowed to marry a tailor’s daughter!” Tears suddenly streamed from her eyes, surprising her and startling Edward. 

“Anna,” he whispered as he gathered her into his arms, rocking her as he held her against his chest. Somewhere deep down, he knew that what she said was true—to a point. Once his brother had an heir and the earldom’s succession was secure, Edward would be free to marry whomever he pleased. But until then, he had a responsibility to his father—to the earldom—to make it appear as if he was biding his time in finding a suitable daughter of the ton to marry.

We have time, he reasoned. All the time in the world.