Have you discovered the Eardleys? I’m currently working on the sixth in this clean Regency romance series: Julia’s story.
Clean Regency romance: the Eardleys
The Eardley woman are perfect Regency ladies — to a point. However, they won’t allow anyone to destroy their reputation.
Melly’s story, the first in the series
Here’s an excerpt from Melly’s story, the first in the series. Melly discovers that Lord Linton has been eavesdropping…
Lord Linton stood with his hands behind his back. He stared at her. His grey eyes were stormy slate.
She wasn’t afraid of him, she told herself — and she was well and truly tired of the two male members of the Ward family. She narrowed her gaze on him, and stood up. “Did you eavesdrop?”
“I did not eavesdrop, Miss Eardley. My groom wanted to see me about one of my horses. On my return from the stables, I took a moment to blow a cloud. Imagine my surprise, when, as I was about to return upstairs, I heard you and my nephew. You were speaking loudly.”
“You eavesdropped — what you did was the very definition of eavesdropping!” Embarrassment made Melly cross. Her cheeks burned. She must look as heated as one of the flambeaux in the garden.
“Walk with me.” He held out his arm to her.
She didn’t want to walk with him. However, when she looked into his eyes, she saw that he wouldn’t brook a refusal. She sighed, and put her hand on his arm. He put his warm hand on top, to forestall an escape from what would be a humiliating conversation, no doubt.
Several other couples were strolling in the shrubbery. Flambeaux and lamps lit their way. One plump matron in green satin with large diamonds twinkling her ears and flashing on her throat eyed them with blatant curiosity. Melly knew the lady, she was one of her mother’s friends, but couldn’t recall her name.
“So,” Linton said, a few moments later, his voice barely above a whisper, so that they wouldn’t be overheard. “Mary in the village?”
Melly sighed again. “Mary in the village,” she agreed.
Her sister Catherine believes that Elaine's hair tells you everything that you need to know about her. It's flame-red. When Sir Oliver Destry trifles with Elaine, she decides on revenge. Elaine soon discovers the truth of the old saying that if you want to make the gods laugh, just tell them your plans.
Although he's a prize on the Marriage Mart, wealthy and twice-widowed Lord Delmere thinks that nothing could ever tempt him to marry again. Until he meets the lovely Lady Kingston.
Henry (Henrietta) Eardley makes a huge mistake. Then she makes it worse. She's never known a man like Lord Devernwood, and he's never met a woman like her.
Julia doesn't know whether to be amused or angry when Lord Lyneham decides to find her a husband. He and Julia's cousin take charge of Julia's fortunes. Suddenly, Julia's an heiress and her life changes.
