How to Win a Lady's Hand

By Roxie Brandon

When Beatrice Ross loses her parents in a devastating accident, her world collapses. When her aunt encourages her to attend a ball, she meets a handsome earl who falls quickly for her. As their courtship begins, her heart is torn in two, for she is secretly in love with the estate's gardener, Anthony.

When her aunt forbids further contact with Anthony, Beatrice tells him goodbye, preparing herself for a life with the Earl of Camden, a man she knows she will never love - and a man who holds a betraying secret of his own.

Enjoy this clean and wholesome Regency romance with a sweet happily ever after!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Roxie Brandon
• Release date: Feb 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005077747

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 WIN

A LADY’S HAND

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

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

CHAPTER ONE

Margaret Hopkins was never her favorite Aunt. She was demanding beyond reasonable limits and persistent to get her own way, always siding in the favor of her own two daughters whether for the betterment of others or not. Generally, this did not bother Beatrice Ross much at all, she made sure to keep her distance and on family visits she kept her conversations with her Aunt concise and precise.

This, however, could no longer be the way to deal with her Aunt not since they were coming to stay with her. The whole situation was unavoidable and she dreaded their arrival from the moment she knew of their plans to visit. Beatrice had tried convincing her Aunt through letters back and forth for two months that she was well on her own and that she did not need any help with matters at home, but her Aunt had insisted and deep down Beatrice was craving company.

The silence at home that once haunted her was now comforting and she worried for herself, knowing some things you may never really heal from and that maybe she was beginning to like this darkness that surrounded her. What else could have been expected from a single child whose parents had passed away, both of them together?

The news had been a great shock too big to handle and upon hearing it Beatrice had fainted, falling to the floor. Luckily, she had not been hurt as the thick carpet in the drawing room cushioned her fall. Christopher James and a footman helped her up and laid her to rest on the nearby settee; the one her Mother, Caterine would habitually do all her reading on.

It had taken a few minutes for Beatrice to regain consciousness. Opening her eyes, she saw the worried face of her Aunt hovering above her. Beatrice sat up and straightened her dress, trying to recover from what had just happened, acting as though everything was all right.

Maybe you should not get back up yet, my dear? her Aunt said, watching her struggle to simply sit up straight and slightly sobbing.

No, I am all right, Beatrice said casually sitting up.

Christopher and her Aunt exchanged confused looks, troubled by Beatrice’s reaction to the devastating news.

She is not reacting at all, maybe we should have told her in some other way? Christopher, the family solicitor, said in a hushed voice to Aunt Margaret.

Clearly, she has shut down her thinking and is not allowing the truth to come in, it will her take her some time, Christopher. What other way could we possibly have told her? We already tried to be as cautious as possible, Aunt Margaret said back, worried herself that Beatrice seemed unresponsive.

Beatrice, I cannot imagine how difficult this must all be for you but - Aunt Margaret said before Beatrice cut in.

No, please, please do not make it real. This cannot be happening! They will be home any minute now; I can feel it in my heart! This cannot possibly be real! Beatrice said frantically, clearly not in the right state of mind before she got up and ran past them to her room, loudly closing the door shut before locking it. Wailing sounds then followed.

Maybe we should try to console her again? I do not want to make her believe that she is alone in all of this. She was my elder sister after all, Aunt Margaret managed to say fighting back her own tears.

She had promised herself to be strong for Beatrice, knowing that her late older sister Caterine would have wanted someone to take care of her daughter and knowing that no one else could do as great