The Secret of Mermaid Cove

By Megan Derr

After she is caught behaving obscenely with another woman, Sophia is left abandoned. Her friends pretend not to know her, her family is trying to decide the best place to banish her, and Sophia wishes that running away was as easy in fact as it was in theory.

She is saved from scandal, if not her suffocating life, by way of an unexpected marriage proposal from Lord Everett Dobson, the most coveted bachelor in the city. Not in a position to refuse, Sophia accepts his offer and agrees to visit his home at Mermaid Cove for three weeks.

Mermaid Cove proves to be as beautiful as promised, complete with endless beaches, glittering waters, a castle that looks like it was made of sand... family curses and local legends... and two beautiful, mysterious women who cannot talk, but seem to have secrets they want to share...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Megan Derr
• Release date: Aug 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781005351854

Megan Derr

Megan is a long-time resident of queer romance and keeps herself busy reading and writing it. She is often accused of fluff and nonsense. When she’s not involved in writing, she likes to cook, harass her wife and cats, or watch movies. She loves to hear from readers and can be found all over the internet.meganderr.compatreon.com/meganderrmeganderr.blogspot.comfacebook.com/[e-mail]@meganaderr

Book preview

The Secret of Mermaid Cove

Megan Derr

After she is caught behaving obscenely with another woman, Sophia is left abandoned. Her friends pretend not to know her, her family is trying to decide the best place to banish her, and Sophia wishes that running away was as easy in fact as it was in theory.

She is saved from scandal, if not her suffocating life, by way of an unexpected marriage proposal from Lord Everett Dobson, the most coveted bachelor in the city. Not in a position to refuse, Sophia accepts his offer and agrees to visit his home at Mermaid Cove for three weeks.

Mermaid Cove proves to be as beautiful as promised, complete with endless beaches, glittering waters, a castle that looks like it was made of sand... family curses and local legends... and two beautiful, mysterious women who cannot talk, but seem to have secrets they want to share...

The Secret of Mermaid Cove

By Megan Derr

Published by Megan Derr

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publisher, except for the purpose of reviews.

Edited by Samantha M. Derr

Cover designed by Stefanie Fontecha of Beetiful Designs

This book is a work of fiction and all names, characters, places, and incidents are fictional or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.

Third Edition June 2022

Copyright © 2022 by Megan Derr

Printed in the United States of America

Sophia had the distinct feeling she was missing something. Life was never so convenient that it tossed her a fiancé when she most needed one. Life certainly did not toss her Lord Everett Dobson, Earl of Mermaid Cove. They'd spoken once or twice at various affairs, but he was in want of a wife and she was most desirous not to be one, which left them very little to talk about.

He had appeared just two weeks after her disgrace, however, and began a courtship that had led, with unprecedented swiftness, to engagement. Sophia had gone from reviled by her family to adored by them with a swiftness equal parts alarming and infuriating. She'd gone from being the lowest of the low in the eyes of society to being the triumphant belle who had caught the elusive Lord Dobson.

She shouldn't complain. They had caught her, quite literally, with her hands and mouth on the bosom of another, partially undressed, woman. Worse, it had been at the betrothal ball of that toad-faced, milksop chit of the Duchess of Mayfair. Despite everything, Sophia had not been at all sorry to ruin the ball with scandal, not after what the brat had done at Sophia's coming of age party. She hadn't set out to ruin the ball, but she would take her meager, petty victories where she found them.

Still, she had always told herself that she could handle the consequences of her actions when she was eventually caught; she was not foolish enough to think she would keep her secret forever. But it always hurt more than anticipated when the consequences finally struck. Family would not look at her, friends pretended not to know her. When Lord Dobson unexpectedly showed up, her parents had been dithering for a full week over whether to send her to a convent or the new 'restorative home for young ladies of quality'. She had been contemplating the problems of running away.

Before any of them could act, however, Lord Dobson had come calling. He was the most coveted bachelor in the city, and very nearly the kingdom. He was handsome in that dark, dashing way that was so popular, with a smile that held just the right amount of charm. He was irritatingly perfect in that way that made it impossible to hate him, and would no doubt be a wonderful husband and father.

Given her disgrace, that she'd already been something of an embarrassment, it was the greatest of coups to come out of the whole mess as the future Lady Dobson, Countess of Mermaid Cove. Though her family had never wanted for money, the annual stipend she'd receive as Dobson's wife left her family in the dust.

Stifling a sigh, Sophia looked out the window at the landscape that had belonged to her family for more generations that she had ever been bothered to count (much to the annoyance of her tutors). She had loved it all dearly as a child and a young girl, going where she might whenever she wanted. Playing in the creek, climbing trees, playing games with the other young girls and boys on the estate. They had only ever kept her inside by way of her harp, which she loved more than anything else in the world. Nothing compared to music, especially when she got to make the music and the rest of the world receded for