The Duke's Margaret

By Roxie Brandon

Anthony Randall, the Duke of Daventry, is in desperate need of a governess for his orphaned niece. The Duke’s niece, the spoiled, seven-year-old Isabella has been through three governesses. The Duke is highly doubtful the young, inexperienced Miss Margaret Hopkins could possibly manage his irascible niece but since he is desperate, he agrees to give her a chance.

Much to the astonishment of the entire household Margaret succeeds beautifully, bringing the little lady under control and brightening the lives of everyone she comes in contact with, including the Duke.

Unfortunately, the Duke has a reputation as a faithless rake and a heartbreaker. No woman of good character is willing to live under the same roof as him. Apart from the beautiful Margaret Hopkins.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Roxie Brandon
• Release date: Dec 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370838103

Roxie Brandon

Roxie Brandon is an author of historical and contemporary romance, beauty and fashion books.Her romances range in setting from Medieval times to the Twentieth Century.She loves walks in the countryside and having afternoon tea with family and friends.

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THE DUKE’S MARGARET

By Roxie Brandon

Copyright © 2017 Roxie Brandon All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems - except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews - without permission in writing from the author, Roxie Brandon.

This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are products of the author’s imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Chapter One

Countryside bathed in brilliant summer sunlight. Margaret Hopkins smelled the fresh air around her. The flowers were radiant and beautiful swaying with the wind. The wind, that nice breeze against her face with the wonderful perfume of roses met her nose. She heard the faint sound of chirping above and saw birds soar across the sky. The warm gentle sun shone on her, filling her body with warmth.

The lake mirrored the sky above. Margaret closed her eyes. The breeze that ran unchecked over the rippled surface blew her long bangs from her eyes and brought colour to her usually pale cheeks.

Without the distraction of the view she could detect the scent. The moist air was fragranced with the pine trees that circled the lake, growing so close that some had toppled in and others dangles cobra-thick roots into the water.

The sunset threatening to dip behind the horizon, firstly cascading a prim bombardment of colours that were flung over the sky with terrible alacrity. The receding blue and oranges battled the blackness pushing it away with arms.

It shone on the lake below shining its deep depths. The radiant glow scintillated and beamed. A deep sense of serenity overcame her as she stared in rapture at the expanse of blue that lay before her.

I still wish we didn’t have to send her away, Charles. 

Margaret heard her mother’s worry clearly in her words. Her parents were discussing her upcoming departure for the county seat of the Duke of Daventry to be governess to his orphaned niece.

My love, her father said, I would do anything to make it not be so, as you well know, but we have little choice, but to send Margaret, she is the eldest. Our parish living grows smaller, the parishioners are of meagre means. We must keep body and soul together.

Margaret’s heart was torn. She was now getting ready to take herself off for an employment in a stranger’s house. With her in someone else’s home, being housed and fed, her family would be able to maintain an easier living.

Her parents rued the day that things had come to such a pass, but Margaret was excited by all the possibilities inherent in such a situation as hers. At the very least, she would avoid a too-early marriage to someone she did not care for as a means of securing her future against poverty.

Instead, she would be able to see something of the world beyond the walls of her home, to meet interesting people, to breathe the air of her betters and learn from them how to advance herself.

She walked past her parents’ bedchamber and slipped into the drawing room, searching until she found the book she had been reading before dinner. Tomorrow would be her last day among