The Duke's Desire

By Roxie Brandon

Amazing value Regency two-story collection. Jam-packed with romance, love, and adventure.

Charming dukes with attitudes and kind hearts. Lovely ladies who want to find love. You'll find all of this and much more in this collection.

The collection includes:
1.The Duke’s Desire
2.Enchanting the Lord

• Language: English
• Publisher: Roxie Brandon
• Release date: Jan 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005105471

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

THE DUKE’S

DESIRE

Copyright © 2021 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

The Duke’s Desire

Enchanting the Lord

THE DUKE’S

DESIRE

I am sorry, Valentina, Father said. I am sorry for everything. How have I done this to you? I cannot speak for your prospects. I—I have ruined us, I am afraid. Yes, that is the truth of it. Drawing rooms all across England will, right now, be alive with talk of it. I have ruined us.

Father often spoke like this, even though he had ruined them two years ago, when Valentina was one-and-twenty. Overnight, she had gone from a good prospect to a wallflower. Her brothers had left long before the ruin and now subsisted on their own incomes. Her sister was married and shunted her maiden name. It was just Valentina, the unmarried burden, to whom Father apologized, profusely and daily. Valentina hated to see him like this. It was like seeing a lion cry. Father had always been strong. This was no who he was meant to be.

Don’t think of it, Father, she said, touching his arm. Things happen. Yes, they do. I understand. I cannot blame you.

A bad investment, Father muttered, gripping his pipe hard. I should’ve listened to Mr. Jones. He knew what it was about. He told me. Don’t make that investment, he said. And what did I do? I threw your dowry at it! Ha! What a smart thing for a man to do! What a tactical genius!

He was in one of his dark moods. It was almost impossible to bring him out of these. Valentina sat by the window and looked out upon the lawn. The August sun burnt down fiercely and made the lawn looked magical. It was overgrowing. They could no longer afford a gardener.

But it still looked magical. It was the place Valentina had played when she was a child, where she had learnt to run and laugh and be happy. And now it epitomized the downfall of the James family. Fool, Father hissed, fingering his pipe. Blasted fool. What folly I have given myself to. Your mother despises me.

She does not, Valentina said. Don’t say untrue things, Father, just because you are in a rage.

She does, Father said. She married a rich man of a solid name. The only thing that remains is my name. Oh, three-hundred years ago that would have been enough. But these days, with these merchants climbing up, growing richer than lords and ladies? I’m afraid a name isn’t worth what it once was.

We will survive, Father, Valentina said.

She wished he would spring up and do something. That was what was needed: action. Not these petty tears and this self-reproach. But he wouldn’t. This knock had paralyzed him. Valentina had no choice but to try and soothe him, and accept life as an impending spinster.

I am sure our ancestors survived worse.

Oh, yes, they survived the plague, famine, war. Father paused, and then breathed heavily. But what is a plague to a lack of footmen? What is famine compared with losing one’s gardener? What is a war when one can no longer afford to employ a satisfactory cook?

Valentina sighed. This was no use. She stayed silent and gazed out of the window. She had begun to wish she had the courage to do something herself, but a lady could do little, apart from offer consolation.

As an extension of this wish, she had begun to wish she was born a man. Perhaps then she could do something. Perhaps then she would make some kind of difference. But she was Lady Valentina James, nothing more.

Now, when she attended parties, she sat with the wallflowers. Nobody was interested. She was about to turn from the window when she saw a lad running up the driveway. He knocked on the door, and their last remaining servant – Bessie – answered.

About ten minutes passed, and then Mother ran into the room. Her face was bright red, and her hands were trembling, making the letter she was holding flutter.

Mother, what is it? Valentina said. Is it bad news?

No, Mother croaked. It is fantastic news. Oh, fantastic news! I thought we were outcasts, pariahs, lost souls!

We are, Father muttered.

"No, Charles, we are not. I have here a letter from His Grace, Alexander Langley, Duke of Wiltshire. He cordially invites us – that’s what it says