I’m staying with my Handful of Hearts novella Heart of Delight, again this week for WWW.
I thought today I’d skip ahead a little after they meet–and kiss–to Hal’s thoughts after their encounter. (Creative punctuation utilized to conform to WWW rules.)
A Lady and Her Maid
And the moment he’d seen Miss d’Aventure, he’d decided he must meet the lovely creature, have one conversation without the ton dictating his behavior—have her meet the man, rather than the blasted title so many women sought. He hadn’t imagined he’d want to continue the acquaintance, yet now he could not countenance the idea of not seeing her again. Unfortunately, neither could he reveal himself without making her angry about his deception. She’d find out eventually, of course. No one who knew him would ever mistake him for his valet, the real Horace Carpenter, still he wanted to give them time to know each other as equals.
He liked Mademoiselle d’Aventure on a level much deeper than he’d have thought possible in the fifteen minutes they’d been together. Smart, funny, beautiful, stubborn—that he liked most of all. He’d wager his inheritance she could hold her own in any drawing room in London; that she could be his marchioness had crossed his mind more than once. Their kiss and her lovely figure pressed close to him had incited a riot in every part of his body.
If only she were not a lady’s maid.
BLURB:
He’ll do anything to be her heart’s delight—except tell the truth.
Gabriella d’Adventure is on a mission. She has come to England as a lady’s maid in pursuit of the Duke of Rother. When she meets Horace Carpenter, valet to a marquess, she is delighted to enlist his aid in gaining her heart’s desire: a meeting with the duke. But will her growing feelings for the handsome valet interfere with her plans for the duke?
The eccentric Marquess of Halford, Hal to his friends, is tired of the demands of Society, especially his father’s decree that he marry this Season. When a breathtaking young woman intrudes on his solitude, he is captivated and introduces himself as his valet in hopes of learning more about her. Despite his fear about the true motive behind Gabriella’s quest to meet the Duke of Rother, Hal agrees to help her gain an audience with him, all the while praying his deception won’t ruin his chances of winning her love.
Heart of Delight is available in the Her Perfect Gentleman boxed set for just .99!
Amazon and B & N.
Books in the Handful of Hearts series:
And don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.
Jenna Jaxon Romance--because passion is timeless. 
Hooked me! I just bought it. 🙂
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Wonderful, Teresa! I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know!
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Great scene! 😀
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I love the look inside his mind, and the conflict being set up. I predict a lot of complications coming down the pike for them.
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And you would be right, Carrie-Anne! 🙂
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I always love stories about mixed up identities and disguises and this one really sounds like a lot of fun!
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I really liked the idea of masked identities–I originally wanted it to begin at a masquerade, but that didn’t work out for the story. This was the next best thing I could come up with. 🙂
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A reminder of a time when class and social standing were everything, and you crossed these boundaries at your peril. Add in the extra dimension of deception and you have a great basis for a novel.
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Thank you, Rachel! So many considerations in the Regency, but class was a major one.
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“O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!” Walter Scott’s quote came to mind as I read your blurb. Those two had better get things straightened out soon. Good snippet.
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That quote does sum it up splendidly, Diane. 🙂 I didn’t realize it was Sir Walter Scott!
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Wonderful premise.
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Thanks, Andrea!
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You’re a bundle of mischief, Jenna. So much fun and intrigue.
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I aim to please, Charmaine. 🙂
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Beautifully written as always. Somehow I’m sure there will be surprises ahead for him too! Loved the excerpt…
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Thank you, Veronica! And yes, quite a few surprises in store for them both! 🙂
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Oh, I wonder if this is a double cross. Is she posing as well?
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Well, yes, in a way. She’s not exactly what she seems either. 🙂
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The wonderful deceits that make such great romances.
Tweeted.
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Don’t they though? LOL
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Oh, I do hope he tells the truth sooner than later. I fear a whole lot more trouble will happen the longer he waits. Great snippet! 🙂
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And oh, the troubles just multiply the further he gets into the lie, Jessica. 🙂
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I agree with Ed, Jenna. This is a delightful idea. I can’t wait to see what you make of it
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Thank you, Kim. 🙂 This is my take on the Cinderella story, but with a few more twists and turns.
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You do such a great job of setting up intriguing conflicts. This one sounds delightful.
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Thank you so much, Ed! I do love creating conflict–torturing characters is another way to put it I think. 🙂
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