Scarlet Letters

By Genella DeGrey

Lord Charles Alfred Kendrick, a highly respected barrister, has his secret desires. A virtual innocent, Susanna Courtland, is one of these. Teaching her will take unprecedented cunning.

Susanna Courtland was born to privilege and has requested that her brother, now head of the family, find her a husband from the cream of the crop. However, her plans to remain a fixture in London society could very easily be derailed if her peers find out she enjoys spending Saturdays hiding out in a back room at the library with bluestockings reading books. Life is going quite swimmingly for Susanna, until one day she finds a note from a mysterious man, a note that sends her headlong into a secret, sensual world behind closed doors. She is determined to find and expose the author—like a heroine from one of her Halfpenny Marvels—if it takes the rest of her life.

Lord Charles Alfred Kendrick has been friends with Maxwell Courtland since they were at Eton. He had no idea Max's younger sister was such a rosebud, and it pleases him to no end that she is a bit of a rebel, as well. To his surprise and great pleasure, Maxwell strikes a contract with Charles to make Susanna his wife. Now to get this darling girl to fall in love with him and enjoy the same bedroom games he does.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
• Release date: May 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781786510303

Genella DeGrey

Born and reared in Southern California, Genella DeGrey longed to be your typical blonde, tanned, surfer girl but failed miserably. Unable to sit idle without falling asleep, she embarked upon several artistic endeavours. Make-up and set dressing for the entertainment industry, Resort Enhancement for The Walt Disney Company and writing sexy historical romance top the list of her favourite activities. A consummate closet goth and amateur music and (red) wine enthusiast, she is also a hopeless romantic awaiting the arrival of her very own Mr Romance/Soul Mate with whom to share the rest of her life.

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Scarlet Letters

ISBN # 978-1-78651-030-3

©Copyright Genella DeGrey 2016

Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright April 2016

Edited by Sue Meadows

Totally Bound Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorized or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2016 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN

Totally Bound Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

Warning:

This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Sizzling and a Sexometer of 2.

SCARLET LETTERS

Genella DeGrey

Lord Charles Alfred Kendrick, a highly respected barrister, has his secret desires. A virtual innocent, Susanna Courtland, is one of these. Teaching her will take unprecedented cunning.

Susanna Courtland was born to privilege and has requested that her brother, now head of the family, find her a husband from the cream of the crop. However, her plans to remain a fixture in London society could very easily be derailed if her peers find out she enjoys spending Saturdays hiding out in a back room at the library with bluestockings reading books. Life is going quite swimmingly for Susanna, until one day she finds a note from a mysterious man, a note that sends her headlong into a secret, sensual world behind closed doors. She is determined to find and expose the author—like a heroine from one of her Halfpenny Marvels—if it takes the rest of her life.

Lord Charles Alfred Kendrick has been friends with Maxwell Courtland since they were at Eton. He had no idea Max’s younger sister was such a rosebud, and it pleases him to no end that she is a bit of a rebel, as well. To his surprise and great pleasure, Maxwell strikes a contract with Charles to make Susanna his wife. Now to get this darling girl to fall in love with him and enjoy the same bedroom games he does.

Dedication

To Bryan, for inspiring this story.

And a warm thanks to my dearest Alfie, for suggesting the Peacock.

Trademarks Acknowledgment

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmark mentioned in this work of fiction:

Halfpenny Marvel: Amalgamated Press

Chapter One

London

Autumn 1896

So, do we have a contract, you’ll marry my sister?

Charles couldn’t help but grin. He’d heard Maxwell speak of his sister on occasion, but was under the impression that she was much younger than they. Then, not weeks ago, he’d seen Susanna Courtland for the first time, during the fashionable hour in Hyde Park, chatting with a gaggle of modish young maidens from well-to-do London Society. It was her smile that had first turned his head, for the sparkle of her eyes revealed nary a whit of hypocrisy. Another more memorable moment had come when he’d witnessed the casual flick of an errant, almond cream-colored curl away from the valley of her décolletage, and it had nearly drained every logical thought from his head. His late afternoons had been spent prowling Rotten Row, hoping to get a glimpse of his delicious Susanna. After a fortnight of memorizing her laughter, her gestures, even the way she’d glance over her shoulder to see who was in attendance, he realized that there were things he wanted to teach his new obsession—bedroom games she likely hadn’t, in her girlish fantasies, dared dream of.

Lord Charles?

His gaze snapped to connect with Maxwell’s once again. He hadn’t meant for his imagination to run amok. At least, not in public. Yes. Yes. Of course. I shall marry Miss Susanna. I’m quite happy with the arrangement, Maxwell. And you can exclude the ‘lord’. Haven’t we been friends long enough? Charles Kendrick and Maxwell Courtland had been at Eton together in their more formative years, Maxwell being only two years behind Charles. The times they had palled around campus were some of Charles’s fondest memories. As adults, they’d teamed up, on more occasions than he could count, and raised such hell… When no one was looking, of course.

The grin Maxwell gave him nearly caused Charles to let loose a hearty guffaw. I concede. I was merely thinking that this was a more formal occasion than the time we disguised you in such a way that your own father didn’t recognize you.

Charles did laugh then. Or one of the many times we sneaked away from dinner affairs with the elite of London to Madam Dubois’ in order to sample her wares?

With much amusement, he watched Maxwell’s gaze flicker about the immediate area in order to ascertain if anyone had heard their jests. Luckily no one was within conversation range. Careful, or you’ll ruin both our reputations.

Oh, I think becoming a pair of respectable blokes will do that all by itself.

Both of them chuckled this time. Who would have thought that Charles would be invited to be part of Maxwell’s family? The scenario couldn’t be more desirable. One of his very best friends and the girl he’d been panting after were now going to be a close part of his world for the rest of his