Smitten with My Christmas Minx: A Historical Holiday Romance: Linked Across Time, #15

By Dawn Brower

Her Christmastide wish didn't turn out how she'd hoped…

Lady Adeline Carwyn has one wish for Christmastide: to experience love. Her yearning is answered in the form of Devon Hayes, the Earl of Winchester. He's handsome as sin, and as roguish as they come. Their encounter is magical and she's happy to spend Christmas Eve in his arms. She has doubts that come morning he will still profess to love her, and considers his words of endearment nothing but empty promises, even when she wants to believe him. When her father, the Duke of Whitewood, finds them in a compromising situation everything changes. Lady Adeline is in an untenable situation she should have prevented. While she doesn't regret her night with Devon, she does wish in the morning light his love could be real. 

Devon never expected to discover an enchanting lady at the Christmas house party he'd been invited to, but at first glance he's completely smitten. He pursues her ruthlessly, without any idea what he intends if he should catch her. When she falls willingly into his arms, he thanks providence for bringing her to him, but things change when his freedom is at stake. He is forced to question everything about himself, and has to make a decision that should not be difficult for a man in love.

Will Devon propose marriage, or more importantly, love Adeline at all if they are forced to wed?
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Monarchal Glenn Press
• Release date: Nov 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393325864

Book preview

Smitten with My Christmas Minx

Smitten with My Christmas Minx

Linked Across Time Book 15

Dawn Brower

Monarchal Glenn Press

For everyone who makes a wish for love, and especially, for those that wish for someone to share the holidays with. May this story warm your heart.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Epilogue

Afterword

About The Author

Also by Dawn Brower

Acknowledgments

Excerpt: Searching for My Rogue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Excerpt: The Vixen in Red

Dawn Brower

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Smitten with My Christmas Minx Copyright © 2020 Dawn Brower

Cover art by Victoria Miller

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

Prologue

December 1865

Lady Adeline Carwyn stared out the window of the library at Whitewood Abbey. Snow fell from the sky in big fluffy flakes and landed on the ground in soft piles. Flurries filled the night sky making the stars almost indistinguishable against the blinding white snowflakes. Still she stared, hoping a wishing star might make an appearance.

Because…she needed one.

She was tired of being unloved. All right, that was a slight over-dramatization. Her family adored her. Her parents were the best a girl could have, and her grandparents were doting. Her little brother, as annoying as he was, loved her too. But that wasn’t the same as being in love. She was one and twenty and had yet to feel anything resembling romantic love for a man. Adeline wanted what her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Whitewood, had. Perhaps that was too much to ask.

What is so interesting outside? her little brother, Jamie asked. He was named after their grandfather, James Kendall, the Duke of Weston. He was eight years her junior, and from what she understood, a complete surprise to both her parents. They thought they wouldn’t have any more children.

Nothing, she answered lightly. He was three and ten and had the curiosity of any young boy. The storm seems to be going strong. I hope it doesn’t prevent anyone from visiting for Christmas. They were having a house party that would last until the new year. Two weeks with family and friends they hadn’t seen in a while. She was looking forward to seeing her younger cousin, Francesca Kendall. Jamie would be excited to see their other cousins, Spencer Kendall and Oliver Rossington. Both boys were younger than Adeline, but older than James, and like her little brother, the heirs to the title their fathers’ held. Francesca was three years younger than Adeline.

It better not, he said mulishly. Mother promised we’d have a grand time with everyone and even promised I could come to the Christmas ball.

Really? she said as she lifted a brow. The entire night?

No, he said and sighed. I can only stay until we decorate the tree and after the first dance is completed.

They usually decorated the tree as a family, but this year her mother, Elizabeth, had decided to break with tradition. They would have a day of creating decorations for the tree, and then the night of the ball everyone would put their creations on it before the festivities began. That sounds more like what mother would agree to.

He wrinkled his nose. I don’t care to stay for dancing anyway. That’s something girls like.

Oh, she began. I don’t know about that. You might feel differently when you’re older. Some gentlemen enjoy dancing very much. And some avoided it altogether…

Not me, he replied stubbornly. I’ll never like it.

Adeline leaned down and ruffled his hair with her hands. They both had the same golden blond locks and blue eyes like their parents. Jamie was starting to look a lot like a younger version of their father, and Adeline favored her mother. No one would look at either of them and doubt who their parents were. I believe you. Their father didn’t care for dancing much either. He only gave in when their mother wished it. The duke would do anything for his duchess. Their love shined from them both, and it made Adeline envious. She glanced back out the window, but no star dared to shoot across the sky. Perhaps she should make a wish anyway. It might still come true.

Have fun staring out the window, Jamie said. I’m going to do something productive.

Such as? she asked with curiosity.

I’m whittling a few pieces of wood for gifts. I have to finish the horse I’m making for grandpa. That was a brilliant idea. Adeline wished she had a similar skill so she could make something creative as a gift. Jamie was very talented, and it was part of his special abilities. He was tactile and got impressions from items after people touched them. Adeline, unfortunately, in her estimation was an empath. She felt too much and sometimes when she was around individuals their emotions became hers. It made socializing difficult and also falling in love. It made her mistrust her own feelings.

I can’t wait to see them. She lifted her lips into an affable smile. Go finish your gifts. I’m going to sit here a little while longer.

I’ll show you when I’m done, he promised, then skipped out of the room.

Adeline turned back to the window. The snow had lightened and wasn’t blowing around as much. The sky was more visible, and the stars seemed to blink at her. She sighed. What did that mean? She decided not to question it any longer. There was no reason to keep waiting for a shooting star. It was an impossible expectation, and it didn’t mean her wish would come true.

Instead of hoping for the impossible, she closed her eyes and sent her hopes and dreams out into the world. She wanted love, even if it only existed for one night alone, it would be enough, she promised.

It wasn’t too much to ask, at least she prayed it wouldn’t be. A handsome man who saw her, and not her father’s title and fortune. Someone that would kiss her until she lost the ability to breathe, touch her as if she were irresistible, and speak sweet words to her until her heart pounded inside her chest. A moment of love and a lifetime of memories. It would be enough. God, she hoped it would be…

Adeline opened her eyes and stared up at the sky. Nothing had changed outside, and she didn’t feel any different inside. Maybe her wish had been for nothing, but she didn’t think so. Guests should start arriving tomorrow, and perhaps, if her wish had been heard, it would include someone for her to love.

And maybe his love would be real, and not generated by a wish from a fanciful lady desperate for something tangible.

Chapter 1

Two days later…

Devon Hayes, the Earl of Winchester, stared out the carriage window and sighed. He couldn’t believe his best friend, Zachariah Barton, the Marquess of Merrifield, had convinced him that attending this Christmas ball was a good idea. He hated house parties, and Christmas had never been much of a joyous occasion to him. The only time he ever enjoyed the holiday season was when he had been fortunate enough to spend it with Zachariah’s family when they were still attending Eton.

I promise it will not be that bad, Merrifield said for the hundredth time in the past several hours. Try to at least pretend you’re willing to enjoy yourself. There will be other individuals there that you’re acquainted with.

Devon turned to him and lifted a brow. And who pray tell might that be?

Goodland and Lindsey for sure, Merrifield replied. Maybe Hampstead. He never decides until the last second, but his sister is supposed to attend and she’ll need a chaperone. I’m willing to wager his mother will make him attend.

Jonah Adams, the Viscount of Goodland; Matthew Grant, the Duke of Lindsey; and Daniel Andrews, the Earl of Hampstead were their close friends, but that still didn’t mean Devon was remotely excited to be attending this fortnight of frippery cheerful nonsense. It was enough to make his stomach turn. You’re telling me what you think I want to hear. He glared at his friend. None of them are going to attend, are they?

They might, Merrifield insisted.

All three of their other friends would most likely be returning home to celebrate with their families. They still had parents that doted on them. It was just Devon and Merrifield that were orphans. Merrifield at least still had his mother, but he avoided her at all costs. His friend didn’t mix well with the frosty