No harm done, except that it reminded some in the country neighborhood that Kate had also refused the suit of the Earl of Winterton's brother--but then surprisingly accepted a legacy from him when he died in the Peninsula. Regency Romance by Laura Matthews

    BEATON BRINGS YOU SEVEN TITLES IN ONE – A REGENCY ROMANCE SERIES THAT IS SURE TO CHARM YOU AND BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE.The temptation to break society’s rules overwhelms even the most prim and proper heroine of the Love and Temptation collection. Beset by awkward situations, mixed identities and ambitious families, these women refuse to bend to society’s whim and still manage to capture true love in the process.The Love and Temptation Series includes: The Original Miss Honeyford, At the Sign of the Golden Pineapple, The Education of Miss Patterson, Quadrille, Sweet Masquerade, Miss Davenport's Christmas and The Perfect Gentleman.

    His mission: Rescue a spinster from certain scandal as the object of a tasteless wager. But much to Tristan's surprise, Calista Ashton is more sharp-tongued free spirited than a raw country girl --- and more attractive than he ever imagined. Twenty-four and determinedly unwed, she's nobody's fool, and perfectly capable of taking care of herself, thank you very much. It's soon abundantly clear to Tristan that although rescuing a damsel in distress might actually have been an easier plan to carry out, sharing kisses --- and more --- with a strong, sensual woman is far more satisfying. Now all he has to do is convince Calista that she's fallen as hard as he has ...

    A love against all odds…Elizabeth Gladstone has always been- and always will be- a wild lady. People would expect the daughter of the Earl of Waymouth to be a well-mannered lady, but she keeps finding new ways to shock the ton.James Graham, the widowed Duke of Darrington, has the exact same reaction at first. Later he will come to realize that she may be the one to end his loneliness.But there is someone that will not tolerate their union, someone dangerous that will do anything to further their nefarious goals…James will have to beat the enemy in their own game if he wishes to save the fierce lady that now holds his heart…

    But when she discovers the sweet side of her childhood friend, Anthony, she finds herself trapped in a dilemma. Anthony has found pleasure in teasing his best friend’s little sister. But, when one day he takes it too far and she walks off leaving him standing in front of the crowd, embarrassed and furious as he is, Anthony starts plotting his revenge, until the moment he realizes his heart beats only for her. Will he manage to make up for the chaos he has created? Will they follow their instincts and find their path to true love?Bride for the Sake of DutyEleanor has wished for true love ever since she was a little girl, but she has no other choice but to marry a man she knows nothing about, due to her father’s definite will. To make matters worse, her new husband leaves right after their nuptials for a trip overseas. When he returns after two years, he’s even more handsome than she remembers, but he still remains a complete stranger to her. Now that he is finally back home, Eleanor’s husband, Miles will find himself longing for something more than the sea. Will he finally find a place to call home in Eleanor’s eyes? Could Eleanor and Miles make up for the lost time and eventually fall in love?A Beauty for the Scarred DukeWhen the Earl of Upperton sells off his daughter Isabella as a bride for the disfigured Elliot Covington, Isabella feels terrified. Due to marry a man she has never met and whom she has believed to be a monster, she truly believes her life is over. What she has yet to discover, though, is that beneath the scars, there is a caring and kind gentleman. Isabella starts seeing Elliot’s inner beauty, but the moment they both realise they are meant to be together, outside powers will try to tear them apart. Will the Duke be able to let go of the pain and guilt that has swallowed him whole? Will two heartbroken souls find love when least expected?Her Duke in the MakingAnne believes to have found her other half until she finds herself obliged to prepare the new Duke of Somerset for his first Season. The handsome Duke, who has recently returned from America, has to adjust to a new lifestyle and be taught proper British manners. Luckily for him, Anne agrees to be his mentor, but with a condition; he will need to help Anne convince her family that Lord Rawley is the perfect match for her. Their plans will take an unexpected turn, though, when the Duke falls hopelessly in love with the enchanting woman and realises that it might be destiny that brought them together. Could Anne’s unusual agreement with the dashing Duke lead to more than she ever dreamt of?Kind Ella and the Charming DukeAfter her father’s death, Ella is devastated when her mother marries the Earl of Dandridge.The Earl is the cold hearted father of two spoiled young ladies in search of a suitor. When Rufus, Duke of Hillington, is reported to be searching for a suitable bride, the Earl will plot the most appalling schemes to hide Ella away. Ella’s rebellious heart makes her defy the orders to abstain from the Duke’s masquerade ball. After encountering the mysterious lady, Rufus cannot take his mind off of her. Will Ella and Rufus escape the Earl’s evil plans? Will they eventually have the happily-ever-after they both deserve?If you love clean Regency romances that feature dynamic and inspiring women of the era and determined, yet charming, male protagonists, then you are going to love this collection!

    These passionate tales feature young women who learn that there’s nothing textbook about love…NEVER SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL The ballrooms of Mayfair have become much more appealing to Lady Amelia Plume since the arrival of Major Lucas Winter, an American with a dark past and a dangerous air. Lucas is brash, arrogant--and scandalously tempting. Yet Amelia suspects that Lucas has a hidden motive in wooing her. And she intends to discover it, by any means necessary. ONLY A DUKE WILL DO Louisa North likes her independence very much. So when Simon Tremaine, the dashing Duke of Foxwood, whom she once loved, returns bent on marrying her, she's skeptical. The fire between them burns as hot as ever, but when Simon's ulterior motive for marriage is exposed, along with the deeply buried secrets of her past, Louisa vows to make him pay...and the price will be his heart. BEWARE A SCOT'S REVENGE When Lady Venetia Campbell is kidnapped at pistol point by her father's sworn enemy, Sir Lachlan Ross, she discovers the wickedly sexy Scot is even more intoxicating than she remembers...and much more dangerous. Lachlan plans to use her as a weapon against her father, but Venetia is determined that his lust for revenge will be trumped by an even more powerful desire.

    Ensconced at his estate against her wishes, Mariah finds herself drawn to the handsome devil, but wonders if she can truly trust him with her heart.

    Yet when she gains renown for a daring rescue, she finds herself thrust into high society. Innocent and adrift in a world of beautiful banquets, bejeweled gowns, and snobbish standards, Cora is quickly compromised into a marriage—to a frivolous lord whose interests seem to lie elsewhere. But could piercingly blue-eyed and well-mannered Francis Kneller turn out to be the most unexpected love of her life? THE PLUMED BONNET Alistair Munro, the Duke of Bridgwater, is looking for love outside the bounds of polite society. And that’s what he expects to receive when he rescues a seemingly disreputable girl in a colorful bonnet off the side of the road. Yet Stephanie Gray, a former governess, has recently come into money and is eager for a proper match with a well-born man. Sure that he’s sullied her name, Alistair offers marriage to make amends. And in this unlikely union, Stephanie and Alistair make a welcome discovery—that sometimes it’s possible to marry first, then fall in love.

    When Lady Leslie Endale realizes that her guardian March Wendell is the one responsible for her young brother's awful accidents, she arranges for her siblings to flee to London to be in the protection of Great-Aunt Endale. This seems to be the ideal solution for Lady Leslie until fate brings the Duke of Kenelm to her and he offers a more attractive option for the Endale progeny. He takes a liking to the children while Lady Leslie is enchanted by his charming ways, but can the two find each other's hearts while running from the corrupt March Wendell?

    Four complete novels. Each filled with intrigue, danger, and true love. “Confronting A Rake”A straight laced governess and a handsome rake. Opposites most definitely attract.Devlin Beaumont’s liked being a rake. Whiskey, women, and fun, what more could a man want? All that ends with an unexpected title, three young wards, and a beautiful governess. If that wasn't enough, there is the minor detail that someone is trying to kill him. Rebecca Jones has to be ever mindful of society’s expectations. As the governess to three young girls, she must set an example. A requirement that is sorely tested with the arrival of the new Duke.“Charming A Rake”Rich, powerful, and a rake, Nathanial Caldwell is every woman’s dream.Beautiful, disdained, and impoverished, Lady Alice Weston is desperate. When offered an opportunity to guide the sister of Nathanial Caldwell through her first season, Lady Alice feels as if her prayers have been answered. All she’s ever wanted was a chance for redemption.Of course, working so closely with a rich, handsome man can create a whole new set of problems. Can Lady Alice obtain her dream. And if so, at what price.“Catching A Rake”Olivia Caldwell always believed the man to be insufferable. Unfortunately, he was her brother’s best friend, therefore unavoidable. And while Lord Bradford might be opinionated, domineering, and a notorious rake. He was also the only man in England who was able to rescue her from kidnappers. A fact that was going to lead to her worse nightmare. A marriage of convenience to the one man who she could not control. Lord Bradford knew the woman was demanding, opinionated, and a thorn in his side since she was a little girl. Now, beautiful, charming, and with a tongue sharper than a Sheffield blade, she was a man’s worse nightmare. A woman who could capture his heart. But, society's rules demanded he wed this hellion. His only hope, have her surrender to him. If he failed, he would surely surrender his heart to her, and that way lay madness.“Challenging A Rake”Miss Amanda Waters knew full well that a rake should not be trusted. But when a severely wounded Lord Warwick crashed through her front door, bleeding, and asking her to keep his secret. What choice did she have?Heaven help her if anyone learned she was nursing a British Lord back to health in her upstairs bedroom. Her friends would disown her and most of the ton would think her a fool. But when she discovers Lord Warwick’s true mission, she has no choice but to help. Lord Warwick never expected to need the help of someone like Miss Waters. But his mission was too important. England’s very survival rested in the balanceThe fact that it might cost him his heart was immaterial. Somethings cannot be denied.

    His brother’s murder has forced Steven into a new and completely unwanted role, and worse, he has no idea how to salvage his family’s depleted estate. A rumor that his brother had a son by a woman who may be a) the murderer, and b) his brother’s secret wife, sets Steven on a mission to find her, the boy, and—Steven ardently hopes—the proof of a marriage that will set him free. Confirmed spinster Annabelle Harris is a country heiress with a penchant for taking in orphans and helping the downtrodden. Her philanthropy hides her desperate search for her disgraced sister, the mistress to the Earl of Hackwell. When the Earl is murdered, her sister thrusts her child into Annabelle’s care and disappears. Now, with suspicion pointing at the sister, Annabelle has begun a new quest, to find the woman, and clear her name. When their paths converge, the reluctant Earl and the independent spinster find themselves rethinking their goals, and battling the real murderer together.

    This specially priced volume of four titles is both a celebration of the Jubilee and your introduction to the Eternal Collection which will be published four titles per month until all five hundred are available. 01 Elizabethan Lover Having sailed with Sir Francis Drake, swashbuckling privateer Rodney Hawkhurst yearns for a galleon of his own with which to plunder the Spanish Main in the name of Queen Elizabeth. Seeking investment from Sir Harry Gillingham, he has a fleeting encounter with an elfin, tomboyish golden-red-haired beauty – Sir Harry’s youngest daughter Lizbeth – and is bewitched by her limpid green eyes. Yet it is fair and golden-haired elder sister Phillida with whom he first falls in love... Granted his finances on the condition that Sir Harry’s weak, possibly even traitorous son sails with him in the hope that the mission will make him a man, Rodney embarks on a voyage of blood, honour and glory in which he gains great riches but loses his heart, not once, but twice. The risks are great but so are the rewards: wealth beyond compare and, as Rodney finally discovers, a greater, deeper, more passionate love than he ever imagined possible. 02 The Little Pretender In 1750 Scotland, just four years after Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Rising of the Clans, it’s hard to know who’s loyal to the English and who is faithful to the Stuarts. And it’s beautiful seventeen-year-old Iona’s perilous mission to ascertain whether the Duke of Arkrae, head of Scotland’s most powerful clan, is a traitor – or is he in cahoots with the English. The plan is for Iona to gain the trust of the Duke and his clan by claiming to be the sister he thought to have died as a child. As all around her doubt her claim and call her a ‘pretender’, Iona struggles to hold her nerve. Her native wit and steel nerves do not fail her – but almost instantly, on meeting the imperious Duke, it’s her heart that lets her down. She’s fallen deeply, hopelessly in love! Traitor or not, surely the Duke could never love the Little Pretender who was sent only to ensnare him? 03 A Ghost in Monte Carlo Eighteen-year-old Mistral is an innocent abroad in the sophisticated Côte D’Azur, where princes and millionaires mingle in the casinos and sumptuous hotels while others plot to relieve them of their riches. Accompanied only by her embittered and domineering Aunt Emilie and kindly servant Jeanne, Mistral appears dressed all in grey like a ghost in the salons and ballrooms of Monte Carlo and sets Society’s tongues wagging. It’s not long before her waif-like beauty has men falling at the feet of Madamoiselle Fântóme – gentlemen such as Sir Robert Stanford. But on her sister’s bewildering but strict instructions, she must not converse with any but the Russian Prince Nikolai, who’s also keen to woo her, as is an opulent Indian Rajah… Something about Mistral touches Sir Robert’s heart – and he cannot understand why Mistral appears afraid to be with him. Yet both of them crave love. Only if Mistral’s innocent eyes are finally opened to the truth – that Aunt Emilie’s motives are borne not of concern for her niece but of pure evil and greed – will she find her heart’s desire… 04 A Duel of Hearts Just seventeen, Lady Caroline Faye is already the toast of the Season and accustomed to the ways of genteel Society.

    Darcy. While helping him recover an item that is of great value to him, she loses her heart to him. Once he recovers that item, will he offer her his heart?

    He is stunned to discover than his old friend Peter Mandeville left his only child in his care in the hope that he will teach her something about her heritage, an aspect of life that his strong willed daughter has yet to experience. Felix has spent his entire life avoiding the convoluted world that constitutes Society and is appalled by the burden that has been thrust upon him, especially when his new ward refuses to play by the rules. For Dominica Mandeville there are no rules. Beautiful and independent, she has spent her life following in the wake of battle in the company of her soldier father and her Portuguese mother. After a life of adventure, the knowledge that she has been given into the care of a perfect stranger chaffs unbearably. The loss of her beloved parents hurts but the loss of her freedom is the cruelest cut of all. Will she ever learn to be a demure debutante? Or will her impetuosity lead to scandals that even the capable Felix is unable to save her from?

    Length: about 65,000 words. Sensuality: kisses, one sex scene.Lady Catherine Harcourt, the daughter of the Duke of Whitgrave, tries to escape her cold, repressive family by eloping with a rake. Foiled in her bid for independence, she is exiled to her aunts’ cottage in a secluded but picturesque corner of the Lake District. There she meets Philip Woodmere, a gentleman farmer as kind as he is ruggedly attractive. She warms to his lively family, so different from her own, and is drawn to his quiet strength. At the same time, she fears that if her father caught wind of a romance, he would do anything to prevent such an unequal match, without caring whom he hurt. Philip has been looking for a bride for practical reasons: to care for his numerous younger brothers and sisters. But he is moved by the mysterious lady who is living with his elderly neighbors under what he suspects is an assumed name. He senses passion beneath Catherine’s elusive manner and sets out to earn her trust and love. But their chance for happiness is soon threatened by a secret from her past.