The Baron’s Halo is LIVE!

Book 2 of The Welwyn Marriage Wager series, The Baron’s Halo, is up for pre-order on Amazon!

BLURB:

If love’s a game, he’s playing to win.

For reasons of her own, Isabelle Devereaux isn’t looking for a husband. Yet thanks to her mother here she is, in the middle of the social whirl of the Little Season. Thinking to refuse any gentleman who offers for her, Isabelle endures the lavish entertainments, saddened that she’ll remain a spinster.

Enter Baron MacKay, Sandy to his friends, in search of a wife to win a family wager. Dazzled by Isabelle’s beauty, he’s drawn to the vulnerable young lady. From the moment they meet, he charms her with his kind and generous nature until, against her will, Isabelle falls in love with him. Even though she knows marriage to him may end in disaster, she can’t resist his kisses…or where they lead.

Desperate to marry Sandy, Isabelle puts her misgivings aside, but circumstances spiral out of control as their wedding approaches. Isabelle must confront the demons that haunt her and make an agonizing decision: can she marry Sandy without telling him the one impediment that may shatter their happiness forever?

And here’s an excerpt from Chapter 1:

EXCERPT:

Sandy had just started across the dance floor, searching frantically for Lady Winslow who must, of course, know the young lady, when Miss Devereaux jerked back from Barclay, as if he had suddenly caught fire. She snatched her hand from his and stumbled backward abruptly, her wide-eyed gaze scanning the room, telegraphing a plea for help. Barclay too seemed startled by her action, for he stood unmoving, his hand still suspended in the air after her abrupt withdrawal.

In the seconds it took Sandy to comprehend what was happening, he’d already shoved past a group of gentlemen at the edge of the floor, dodged this way and that through the couples who were quitting the dance floor, all of whom seemed to be coming straight at him, and finally broke into an outright run. He fetched up at Miss Devereaux’s side in less time than it took to breathe deeply, although it seemed as though he’d been trudging through quicksand for an hour.

Startled, the lady let out a slight “Awp,” and jumped back further, as though being beset from another front.

Barclay’s brows shot up, then slowly dipped into a dark frown. The scowl did nothing to improve the man’s appearance. He opened his mouth, but Sandy leaped into the fray, turning to the lady, who still looked wary.

“Miss Devereaux, I believe this next set belongs to me.” Sandy stared at the frightened lady, hoping to convey his good intentions through his steadfast gaze and eager smile. He couldn’t have been mistaken about her dislike of something Lord Barclay had done. She’d been backing away from the man when he arrived. But she might be willing to forgive a transgression in a man she knew instead of acknowledging one she didn’t know. As they had not been introduced, she’d be within her rights to wave him off. If she denied him, however, he’d be at a loss as to how to proceed.

“I was about to take Miss Devereaux back to her mother, MacKay,” Barclay declared, impatience in his gravelly voice. “If you will excuse—”

“Were you indeed?” Sandy managed to put as much doubt into his tone as he dared. He glanced pointedly at the verandah door, where he suspected Barclay had been attempting to abscond with her. Well, he’d take care of that little scheme forthwith. He grinned widely into Barclay’s pinched face. “Then I’ve saved you the effort, haven’t I?”