How to Capture an Earl

By Roxie Brandon

Isadora Carrington, is the young daughter of a country gentleman’s family. Her family are ambitious to make connections with the aristocracy, and have a long time ago arranged her marriage to the young heir to an earldom, Lord Roger Blackmore, through a gentleman’s agreement.

But Isadora Carrington is determined to marry for love. She cannot abide what a cold, haples Blackmore is and wants nothing to do with him. How can a man be so dispassionate and lack all sensibility?

However her assumptions could not be further from the truth, because in reality the Earl is enchanted. Indeed, for him it seems like love at first sight. But somehow he needs to surmount his own reserved nature if he is to win the enchanting Isadora. Because truth be told, he only wants the arrangement if she is willing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Roxie Brandon
• Release date: Nov 9, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005063146

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.

Book preview

HOW TO CAPTURE

AN EARL

Copyright © 2020 Roxie Brandon All Rights Reserved

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.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Epilogue

CHAPTER ONE

Roger Blackmore, the Earl of Dangby, cleared his throat nervously, wishing he were anywhere but here, in the assembly rooms of the Bookman Arms. He had come to visit Henry Radcliff, Viscount of Langley, his dearest friend since boyhood. Both had served in the same regiment under the Duke of Staffordshire. Lord Langley had invited him to attend the annual Mariners’ Ball.

Whilst their views on the fairer sex differed wildly, since the Earl had particularly strong, disapproving views on Lord Langley’s recent string of heartbroken mistresses, a night in the Viscount’s company always proved anything but boring. The irony was that the Earl was known to have left an equal trail of heartbroken beauties behind him. The only difference being, he had never touched them.

The Viscount was one of the few people who knew Dangby found the challenge of conversing with the fairer sex, insurmountable. He had yet to finish a sensible conversation with any eligible young woman he had actual designs on. Half the broken hearts he left behind him were due to disinterest, and the rest due to an inability to approach the lady in question. One woman in particular made this infirmity even more pronounced, because he did more than find her eye-catching. The Earl was completely enamoured with her.

As he had watched her blossom into an accomplished young woman, he found himself incapable of either declaring his intentions or commencing a courtship. Yes, Isadora Carrington had stolen his heart even before her very first debutant ball.

Ever since her outing, he had been dreading that her affections would soon belong to another. He sighed deeply and sipped on his drink. No doubt, he should be looking for Langley, whom he now suspected had brought him here because he knew of Dangby’s affections for Miss Carrington and was playing Cupid.

It had been four years since he had first become smitten by the lovely Isadora, and a year since he had been informed by his father, on his deathbed, of the agreement which he had reached with Isadora’s father, Mr Charles Carrington. It was a gentlemen’s agreement, betrothing him to Isadora. And if his father were to be believed, this arrangement had been made when several years ago. Both parents had hoped that their children would naturally gravitate towards each other, eventually.

He sidestepped a tipsy gentleman who was arguing rather loudly with a friend as they walked by. The man stumbled, jostling the Earl’s hand and spilling the drink he held in it. Shaking his head in annoyance, he went to put down the now almost empty glass and wipe himself off with his kerchief. He did not want to reek like a drunkard.

In a few minutes, the dancing would begin, and he would hold the woman he loved in his arms for the first time. His skin grew warm as he thought of all that he would like to say to her, because he knew none of it would be said. The very thought of holding her, even at the distance demanded by good manners, and with as little actual touching as there would be, tied him up in knots.

He hated that he was so weak in this one respect, the one where he most wished to be strong. He did not wish to drive her away, but long experience had taught him that unless he could find a way to utter more than a few monosyllables, he was doomed to lose her.

She was his betrothed…but he needed to win her affections. What sort of marriage would he otherwise have? The thought of being tied to a woman who despised him made his head hurt.

The musicians began to tune their instruments, and he turned to search the room for Isadora. He spied her standing with her parents on the other side of the room, looking as uncomfortable and unsure as he felt. Their eyes met, and she offered a polite smile. He did not return it. He could not make his lips spread, or his cheeks crease, and he saw with a sinking heart that a frown replaced her smile. He looked away for a moment, to gather himself, and then he walked over to where she was standing and extended his hand.

Miss Carrington, I would be honoured if you were to grace me with your consent to this first dance. "

It’s very kind of you, Lord Dangby,—" she began, but was interrupted by her mother, who spoke effusively.

It is certainly an honour for our dear Isadora, my lord, she said.

She put her hand