The Duke's Mistake

By Linda Kaye

Jared Ashton Cavanaugh, Jack to his close friends and the Duke of Brighton to the rest of society, has always lived as he wants. He loves women, gambling, drink, and raising hell and sees no reason to give up his wild life. But in the process of trying to thwart the only man who comes close the duke’s rakish ways, he makes a mistake.
Jack playfully absconds a lady right from his rival’s clutches and spends three days and nights with his prize at his country estate. But it soon becomes clear that this is an actual Lady, not to be trifled with in society’s eyes or in the morals Jack’s mother instilled in her son. However, she won’t accept her fate, and Jack finds himself having to win a lady’s heart for the first time in his life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Linda Kaye
• Release date: Sep 30, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463703922

Linda Kaye

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Linda Kaye , a writer of historical romance novels and novellas.I want my characters to be realistic. We all have flaws, and characters in a novel should as well. I want characters that come alive on my pages and stand out in your memory, even if they are not the type of person you would want to have as a friend!Aside from writing I work full time and I am a mother of a son and a miniature dachshund. My heritage is a twist of midwest farm girl with deep south ties. I enjoy reading (obviously!), genealogy, counted cross stitch, and watching football and baseball.Some of my favorite authors and books are Harper Lee's;To Kill a Mockingbird, Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House Series, Johanna Lindsey, Kat Martin, and Eugenia Price.

Book preview

The Duke’s Mistake

The Trouble With Brothers Series: Book Two

Linda Kaye

This book can only be dedicated to my own brother, Bob.

Dear Readers,

The trouble with brothers is that they are singlehandedly the most stubborn, annoying, protective, and yet loving creatures that the Good Lord ever saw fit to create. They insist that there are a separate set of rules for their behavior than for their sisters – especially their younger sisters. And while they mean well, they truly do try our patience at every turn.

Perhaps they were created to prepare us for our roles in later life – a colicky baby, an annoying in-law, a stubborn husband. The endless arguments defending what we feel are our basic rights are often met with a blank look that attempts to insult our intelligence.

Despite the trials and tribulations, a sister must endure with a brother, one thing is certain, after the dust settles, we wouldn’t have them any other way.

Linda Kaye

The Duke’s Mistake Copyright © 2018 by Linda Kaye. All Rights Reserved.

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, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review. 

Cover designed by Dmitry_Tsvetkov 

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. 

Linda Kaye

Visit my website at www.AuthorName.com 

Printed in the United States of America 

First Printing: Oct 2018

ISBN-9781724199898

Chapter One

Jared Ashton Cavanaugh, or Jack as he was known to his friends and family, or the Duke of Brighton to everybody else, was riding hell-bent for leather away from London trying to outrun his anger and his emotions. First, he was trying to forget that his nemesis the Earl of Lowdes had just neatly stolen his mistress of four months from right under his nose. Tessa Polk had previously dismissed Lowdes offer of protection and accepted Jack’s. Little did Jack know at the time that she was a greedy bitch, and Lowdes had finally found her price.

Jack snorted as he recalled just three hours earlier when he escorted her to the front door of the little house he had set her up in. He had allowed her to take nothing, even pulling the diamond earbobs off her ears as he shoved her outside and slammed the door. The woman’s screams and squeals could be heard throughout the neighborhood, but in this part of town, nobody would find it odd.

Lowdes had purposefully approached him earlier that week in his club to inform Jack of Tessa’s greed, whispering proof of his intimate contact with the woman. Jack had shrugged as if it were no consequence, telling Lowdes he had just saved him from coming up with a reason to rid himself of her. And if truth be told, he rarely kept a mistress for longer than a few months. Experience had taught Jack that a mistress kept longer than a few months would start to grow demanding and a few would even imagine their future as his duchess. But that would never happen.

Jack had graciously told Lowdes that he could have Tessa. But Lowdes had laughed at him and bragged that he had scored a new actress to be his mistress. A breathtakingly beautiful young girl, with hair the color of midnight, and oh so desperate for his protection. Jack had laughed at him and asked if this so-called beauty had ever laid eyes on Lowdes. Lowdes had just smiled and walked away.

So after ceremoniously throwing Tessa from the house, he had decided to get the hell out of town and relax at his ancestral home in the country. And the farther he rode from London, the harder he pushed his mount.

The second reason for his speed was the approaching storm. He was almost home when the first drops began to fall. Just outside the turnoff to his property, he saw a stopped coach leaning precariously to one side. He pulled up his mount and observed the coachman studying a broken axle. Jack glanced at the emblem painted on the side and sucked in a sharp breath when he noticed it was the Lowdes family crest. He was just about to leave again when she stepped around the backside of the carriage and pushed back her hood.

Jack froze. Before him stood an absolute beauty. Her blue eyes were piercing even in the dark stormy atmosphere. But what drew his attention was the strands of midnight black hair curling softly around her face. He smiled to himself. Lowdes actress.

In less than two minutes, he had the lady sitting across his lap with a promise to send help back to the coachman to fix the axle. He could feel her curves under her traveling cloak, and he could already imagine her lying naked in his bed underneath him. The stakes had just been raised between him and the earl of Lowdes.

Jack opened the front door himself and ushered his prize inside. A footman rushed from the kitchen area and skidded to a halt in surprise at seeing Jack. Jack waved him away and turned toward his visitor. You must be cold, he said warmly with a hint that he would be more than happy to warm her himself.

She nodded, and he noticed that she was actually shivering. He took her by the hand and led her upstairs to his rooms. As he climbed the steps he had a twinge of guilt that he had once sworn never to bring a female here except his future wife. At the time he made that vow, it had seemed noble. But now, seeing as how fate had just handed him on a silver platter his revenge on Lowdes, perhaps one exception wouldn’t destroy him.

He opened the door and discovered that a fire had been quickly lit. He took her cloak and pulled a chair close to the fire. He helped her sit down and found a blanket to cover her with. I’ll see about a tray, and I’ll send somebody to help with the carriage, he informed her. He reached the door and looked back at her. She was pulling the blanket tighter around her and gazing into the fire. He smiled. Even in her rain-soaked condition, she was stunning.

The door clicked shut, and Lady Saphronia Harrow glanced toward it. Her heart was racing. This day had been one disaster after another, and now she found herself in Jack Cavanaugh’s own bedroom! The man she had fallen in love with on first sight years ago. The man who at first had messed her hair when he greeted her and who later completely ignored her whenever she and her brother had been home at the same time. Her favorite memory of the duke was when her father had died, Jack had given her a very brotherly kiss on the forehead, muttered his sympathies, and then walked away. But a kiss was a kiss to a smitten girl.

She had been six that day. And she had vowed to make him notice her one day as somebody other than his friend’s little sister. Now she was eighteen, and even though she had noticed the glances Jack had been giving her, he didn’t have a clue who she really was. Perhaps if he could spend some time with her, he would learn that she wasn’t a little girl and maybe he would finally see her for the woman she had become.

The door opened again, and Jack reappeared. He had shed his cloak and removed his long ebony hair from its queue allowing it to flow around his shoulders. Saphronia ached to reach out and run her fingers through that hair, but she stayed her hands. He placed a tray on the table next to her and smiled at her.

This is all that I could find for now, but I thought you might enjoy the hot tea, he said. He poured for her and pointed at the cream and sugar with an eyebrow cocked towards her.

That eyebrow had melted her heart for so long that she was unable to speak, so she just nodded her head. She watched as he spooned sugar and cream into her tea and handed her the cup. She smiled her thanks at him. He stared intently at her as she took a sip of the hot liquid. Closing her eyes, she savored the heat filling her throat and without thinking she licked her lips.

Jack swallowed at the sight of her tongue on her plump pink lips. He felt his manhood awaken at her innocent move. Drink up, he said hoarsely. He poured himself a cup and added a bit of brandy to it. He lifted the bottle in offering to her and smiled when she held her cup towards him. He laughed. Good choice. This will warm us up more than just the tea.

Saphronia finished her tea and brandy and found herself quite warm, although she wasn’t sure if it was from the drink or from Jack’s mere presence. She set her cup down on the table just as a knock sounded on the door. She watched Jack walk over and answer the door. She couldn’t hear what was being said, but when Jack returned he looked delighted.

Looks like it is going to take a couple days to fix that axle, he said with a satisfied expression.

Saphronia inhaled and stood up, letting the blanket fall away. No! I cannot stay here that long, she cried out.

Jack was taken aback and realized those were the first words she had spoken since he had found her. Hell, even her voice was intoxicating. He walked towards her and put his arms around her. Relax, I’ll see if they can move it along faster. The earl will understand the delay. But until the storm passes, I’m afraid you’ll just have to stay here. He smiled as she seemed to melt into his embrace.

Saphronia thought about his reference to the earl. Did he recognize her as the earl of Chelmsworth’s sister? Indeed, his behavior was not that of one who found himself alone with one of his best friend’s little sister. And then she recalled the borrowed carriage. He thought she was going to see the earl of Lowdes!

Jack held her against him for a few minutes enjoying her soft feminine curves pressed against his hard body. Slowly he moved one hand around to her angelic face. With practiced skill, he lifted her chin upwards as his own mouth lowered to hers. He pressed his lips