The Woman of His Dreams

By Susan Payne

Returning home from another trip abroad, Collin Crawford, met the enchanting governess of his two precocious nieces. He felt drawn to her immediately and thought she had as well. Now he must right a terrible wrong - and do so without damaging their fragile relationship.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Jan 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9781509234851

Susan Payne

Susan Payne is an associate professor emeritus at Texas A&M University. Her primary research interests were molecular aspects of viral replication, pathogenesis and evolution. For many years her research focused on equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), an equine retrovirus. She published extensively on genetic and antigenic variation and the molecular basis of EIAV pathogenesis. She also studied avian bornaviruses, negative strand RNA viruses that are the etiological agents of proventricular dilatation disease of parrots. Her long teaching career included courses for undergraduate and graduate students as well as participation in courses for medical and veterinary students. She was a member of the Bornavirus Study Group of the International Committee for Taxonomy of Viruses from 2014-2019.

Book preview

Inc.

She attempted to rise. The girls are expecting me and I must see cook about their tea…

No, you don’t. You seem to need to hide yourself away from me. Whenever I try to have a quiet word with you, you find another place to be. This time I must insist you remain where you are. This time we have no other option other than to talk before it’s too late.

Those last words stopped her on the spot and she sank back onto the sofa. What do you mean before it is too late? What could you and I possibly have to speak about? I am the girls’ governess and you are their uncle. There is nothing else between us.

There is and I think you know it. Somewhere deep in your consciousness you know there is more. He watched her closely to see if she would at least admit it to herself.

I don’t understand what you are referring to, my lord.

Forget the ‘my lord’, Annie, or I swear this will go much worse.

Is that a threat, m-m. Then in a whisper, Is that a threat?

Slapping his leg in frustration, he got control of his voice before saying, No that isn’t a threat, but you know there is more between us as man and woman. Basic things between us.

The Woman of His Dreams

by

Susan Payne

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

The Woman of His Dreams

COPYRIGHT © 2021 by Susan Payne

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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Cover Art by The Wild Rose Press

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Publishing History

First Tea Rosette Edition, 2021

Digital ISBN

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

To my editor who has been so much help with this and all my other works through The Wild Rose Press. Thank you, RJ.

London 1820

CHAPTER ONE

Uncle Collin! Uncle Collin! The two bright lights in his life ran toward him leaving a lovely young woman sitting open mouthed at the abandonment of her charges.

Brats! How have you been since I’ve been gone? It seems an age and you’ve both grown into young ladies I would barely recognize if it weren’t for your hoydenish ways.

His heart soared with the sight they made. His two beautiful nieces so alike in appearance and so unalike in temperament – well, most of the time. Right now, they were both jumping up and down excitedly greeting him home after his long absence.

But we missed you so much and so much has happened we have to tell you about while you’ve been gone. Lynn, the usually quiet niece, shouted while still bouncing on the balls of her feet in her excitement.

And we’ve learned ever so much since you’ve been gone. Now I understand why you feel so compelled to go abroad and study all that you study. I simply wish to do the same thing as soon as I am grown. Papa will skin me alive but it will be worth it, I’m sure. Lara bubbled with enthusiasm while tugging his arm, pulling him towards the lady sitting on a low foot stool so she was closer to the girls who had been sitting on the floor.

Come meet our new governess, Miss Wilder, Uncle Collin. She’s ever so clever and almost as much fun as you are, chimed in Lynn grabbing his other hand leading him to the interesting lady peering up at him from her perch.

She rose gracefully from her position and made a slight curtsy. I am glad to meet you, my lord. The girls have heralded your virtues for the past several months so it is nice to put a face with the tales. Did you actually wrestle a tiger in India?

Her smile was real and her interest as much so as he realized all three were holding their breath for his answer. Yes, but it was only a cub at the time. When his words seemed to have