The Earl I Love

By Roxie Brandon

Lady Regina James has had the misfortune of marrying out of necessity and not for love. Turns out her husband , Baron James is less a gentleman and more of a selfish brute. His main preoccupation is siring an heir, the one thing his wife has been unable to produce.

Through a string of unfortunate circumstances, Regina finds herself widowed and penniless. Rescued by the Duchess of Daventry she is thrust into the role of nurse for the Earl of Westbroke’s orphan niece. He is a man not known for his sentimentality.

But as opposites attract, Lord Westbroke and Lady James are drawn together like moths to a flame. However, can the emotional luggage they carry ever be put aside long enough for them to find true happiness?

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

• Language: English
• Publisher: Roxie Brandon
• Release date: Mar 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9780463465592

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 EARL

I LOVE

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

Epilogue

CHAPTER ONE

Why can’t you give me children?

Lady Regina James, the unfortunate second wife of Baron Charles James, cringed as her husband thrust her hard against the wall.

I need a son! he roared in her face.

She shook her head, barely able to form a reply with her mouth. She was deathly afraid of her husband whenever he became like this.

I – I am sorry, Charles, she whispered. I do not know….

She trailed off when his eyes narrowed. Her husband had been demanding that she give some explanation as to why she had yet to become pregnant five months after they had wed. She could find nothing to say. It was not as though she knew why, for, despite her husband’s continual attempts, no babe was in her belly. At the thought of what those attempts had recently cost her physically, her mind skidded away.

Steeling herself she focused on her enraged husband. He had recently started demanding to know the moment her courses started. She was growing more fearful with each passing month. The Baron was unpredictable – Only the God Lord knew how he would react to finding out that his last attempt was unsuccessful yet again.

Staring into his enraged face Regina finally admitted to herself, what she had been denying for months, she terrified of her husband. There’s was not a love match. She had not wanted to wed him. But given that her debut had produced no suitable match and that she was no incomparable beauty, she was left with limited choices.

Three years on and she was becoming a burden to her brother and his family. Truth be told she had longed for a family of her own. She had believed that once she‘d had children with the Baron, then her lack of affection for him would be of no consequence. What she had not expected was for her husband to become so ugly in his frustration and anger. Did he not realise that she too ached with the agony of it all? That she too questioned why they had not, as yet, managed to conceive?

As she looked into her husband’s furious face, seeing it almost purple with rage, she realised that he cared for nothing but himself, for his own future and his own happiness. It was not as though he would love any child that came from her, not as though he would look upon it with affection and joy, but rather that he would see it as simply a continuation of his family line. One child would not be good enough, either, but she would need to produce the ‘spare’ also, and heaven forbid she produced daughters instead of sons!

She felt herself quail as her husband continued to rail at her, spittle landing on her face as he raged on in anger and frustration. This was not the life she had planned, not the life she had ever thought she would be living. Whilst she had never expected affection, she had thought this would be a marriage of respect and understanding. Apparently, the Baron was not the gentleman her brother had believed him to be. He did not care whether or not she longed for children herself, did not once consider whether or not she was finding her continued bareness to be a source of sadness.

I am sorry, Charles, she whispered, soothingly, in an attempt to calm him. I do not understand.

His hand thumped the wall just beside her head, making her jump and squeeze her eyes tight shut, just waiting for the blow to fall. This is all your fault, he hissed, his words shaking her to her very core. I expected a young, fruitful wife. Now I am saddled with a barren, good for nothing woman who will not do her duty and give me the children I require!

It is not intentional, she whispered, struggling to keep her composure. Truly, my lord, I –

Again, he slammed the wall with his fist, right next to her ear, and Regina felt herself shake.

Next month, he grated, darkly. Next month, you will be with child, or it will be all the worse for you.

He waited for one more moment, increasing her torment, before he stalked from the room, leaving her alone. Regina slumped to the floor, her skirts pooling on the floor around her. Her breathing was ragged, her eyes filling with tears. Shaking, she brought one hand to her mouth to stifle her cries, knowing that if her husband was to hear it, he might then come back to her again. She did not want that. Her whole body ached with agony. She longed for children of her own but now that longing was tinged with desperation. Her life would become more than she could bear if she did not conceive – but what could she do? They were doing all that was required, and yet nothing came of it.

Tears ran down her cheeks, and Regina made no attempt to wipe them away. She did not know whom to turn to. There was no-one she could ask for assistance. Her brother did not want her in his house, not with his new wife, new title and new responsibilities. Without her husband, she had nothing. No money of her own, nowhere she might go, no-one she might turn to. She was entirely alone and the reality of her situation terrified her to her very core.

What am I to do? she whispered to the empty room, as though it might have an answer for her. Tell me, what am I to do?

Two months later

Miss Baker?

Regina looked up blindly, hearing someone refer to her by her maiden name. She had been walking through the streets of London without the slightest idea of where she was going or what she was to do, her mind scrambling for a way out of her misery. How could things have gotten so much worse, so quickly?

Miss Baker? the voice said again. It is you, Regina, is it not?

A face came into view, bright and smiling in the midday sun. Regina’s heart lurched in her chest.

Lady Helen, she exclaimed, astonished that the lady should recall her from almost three years ago when they had first met. How good to see you.

Lady Helen, her face always so kind, smiled warmly at her. I am very glad to see you again also. I was a little concerned when you had to leave London so swiftly when we first met.

Regina managed a tight smile. My father passed away.

Lady Helen’s face fell. Oh, I see. My condolences.

Thank you. There did not seem to be much more to say and Regina felt her throat constrict. It was almost shameful to have to admit what had occurred these last few months and yet she found herself