Maddy and the Gambler

By Aubrey McKnight

In Victorian London, a horribly scarred seamstress finds herself gambling on the healing love of a viscount's gadabout son.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
• Release date: Jul 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781941260296

Book preview

MADDY AND THE GAMBLER

A Ladies of the Abberly Theater Romance

Aubrey McKnight

Copyright 2014 Kimberly Cannon

Smashwords Edition

MADDY AND THE GAMBLER

In Victorian London, a horribly scarred seamstress finds herself gambling on the healing love of a viscount's gadabout son.

MADDY AND THE GAMBLER

A Ladies of the Abberly Theater Romance

Aubrey McKnight

www.BOROUGHSPUBLISHINGGROUP.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, business establishments or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Boroughs Publishing Group does not have any control over and does not assume responsibility for author or third-party websites, blogs or critiques or their content.

MADDY AND THE GAMBLER

Copyright © 2014 Kimberly Cannon

All rights reserved. Unless specifically noted, no part of this publication may be reproduced, scanned, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Boroughs Publishing Group. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or by any other means without the permission of Boroughs Publishing Group is illegal and punishable by law. Participation in the piracy of copyrighted materials violates the author’s rights.

Digital edition created by Maureen Cutajar

www.gopublished.com

ISBN 978-1-941260-29-6

For Aaron

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Once again, I need to thank my critique partner, Lark Eccles, for helping me tell Maddy’s story. To my daughter, Kaitlin, who takes it so well when I say, I can’t play right now, Mommy’s busy. And lastly, the staff at Boroughs Publishing Group, particularly Jill and Chris. Always a pleasure working with you.

CONTENTS

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Author Bio

MADDY AND THE GAMBLER

Chapter One

Abberly Theater, London

November 6, 1892

Madelyn LeCavalier pushed the open box across the table. I cannot accept this. It is too extravagant and far too personal a gift.

Will Renshaw scooted the small cube back toward her and smiled. Maddy, it wouldn’t be too personal if you would accept me as your suitor. I’m not one to beg, but you are making it exceedingly difficult to avoid doing so. He picked up the box and set it down in front of her once again. Please, I want you to have it. If for no other reason than I appreciate all the assistance you’ve given me in the past few weeks. I’d no idea the amount of work necessary to keep Matthias’s theater going, and I couldn’t have done it without you. Who knew the difficulty of maintaining such a variety of acts—singers, dancers, acrobats—on the London circuit? He paused. And they won’t take it back, you know. It’s been monogrammed.

Madelyn picked up the box and touched the delicate gold locket nestled inside. In the shape of a teardrop, it bore the letter M engraved in the center surrounded by tiny vines and daisies. A minute ruby was situated in the center of each flower. She had to admit it was beautiful. And she had helped Will manage the theater when he first arrived. Having been a performer in the past, and now the theater’s costumer, she possessed some understanding of how things ran.

Alright, then, I will consent to it as a bonus for helping you figure out Matthias’s accounting system. But Madelyn held up a finger when Will jumped to his feet, upsetting his chair, a wide grin stretched across his handsome face. Only that, nothing more.

His smile faded and he shook his head. I wish you would realize your scars truly mean nothing to me. I don’t even see them, I only see you. What is inside you.

Madelyn reached up to touch one jagged indentation that ran the length of her face from her eye to her chin. Will instantly looked contrite. He bent to one knee next to her chair, took her hand from her face and murmured, "I’m so sorry. I did not mean to…