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10 Things I Hate About the Earl
BLURB:
Between love and hate there is a pencil-thin line to walk…
Miss Katherine Locke is irked to start her third Season dancing with the disagreeable Lord Haversham, her brother’s friend and her own arch enemy. After a particularly odious run-in with the earl, Kate declares she hates everything about the man. When her brother challenges her to come up with even ten things she doesn’t like about Haversham, a gleeful Kate is itching to put quill to paper to point out everything she finds wrong with the man. Unexpectedly, she finds the task harder than she thought because she keeps remembering things she secretly likes about the gentleman instead. Frustrated, Kate shoves the list in a drawer, determined to stop thinking about Haversham. But can she?
Marcus, Lord Haversham, is in a tight pinch. His estates are failing and, worse, he’s just lost three thousand pounds to his best friend, Lord Ainsley. Ainsley’s solution: have Marcus marry his shrewish sister, and he’ll cancel his gambling debt plus give him ten thousand pounds for her dowry. With nowhere else to turn, Marcus agrees, praying he can keep word of the wager from Miss Locke long enough to charm her into marrying him.
When Marcus discovers Kate’s list however, he can’t keep himself from trying to show her how wrong she is about him. But in the process, will he be able to avoid falling in love with the stubborn woman?
I’m very excited to see what you think of my newest book in The Matchmaker’s Ball series. Meet Miss Katherine Locke–a young lady going into her third Season with few options for matrimony because of her shrewish nature. Her brother has a notion that she should marry his best friend. I’ve skipped ahead again.
EXCERPT:
“I have no desire to become affianced to either Bertie or Lord Haversham. Bertie would bore me to tears before the banns could be read, and there are no words to describe what I feel about Lord Haversham.”
“Then find some, my dear,” her brother put his cup into its saucer, “tell me why you are so set against Marcus.”
Well, she would put a stop to her brother’s nonsense this moment. “Because I hate everything about the man, Nathan. I know he’s your best friend and has been for years, but I have disliked him ever since you brought him home–I’ve made no bones about it before, and I make none now.”
A smile played around Nathan’s lips, and he leaned back in his chair. “Oh, surely that cannot be true, Kate–you hate everything about Haversham?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Prove it.”
And a little bit more…
Bewildered, she frowned at him. “What do you mean, prove it?”
“Make a list for me.”
“I beg your pardon?” Her brother must’ve woken up with addled brains this morning.
“Make a list… I’ll make it easy for you. Make a list of just ten things you hate about Marcus.”
“Why would I do that?” Suddenly nervous, Kate pushed her breakfast around her plate, her appetite vanished.
“As a wager.” Nathan’s eyes flashed the challenge at her. “You list ten things you hate about my friend—with an explanation of each—and I will cease to suggest you should consider marrying him.”
Now that was a wager she could get behind. Kate opened her mouth to accept then stopped, the memory of losing the wager over Calabree—and its penalty—still fresh in her mind. “And if I cannot come up with ten things I hate about him?” Fat chance of that, but best to make all the terms clear.
“Then you must accompany Lord Haversham on an outing of my choice one afternoon.”
On the verge of saying, “Absolutely not,” she paused to reconsider. What did she have to lose? She could recite all the things she hated about Lord Haversham like a litany. On the other hand, she had much to gain when she won, for she would not have to put up with her brother’s incessant nagging about her marrying the earl. If half an hour’s scribbling would put an end to that torture, she’d gladly take that wager. “Done.” She picked up her fork and stabbed the sausage once more. “When would you like me to give you the list?”
“By this afternoon should be sufficient.” Her brother’s face was inscrutable.
Did he truly think she couldn’t come up with a mere ten things she loathed about Lord Haversham? He obviously hadn’t been listening to her conversation for the past seven years. His loss now. Kate drained her tea, set the cup back in its saucer, and rose. “I’ll bring it to you before teatime, if that’s agreeable?”
“Absolutely.” Nathan stood, a pucker to his lips. “Good luck.”
With a laugh, Kate strode out of the room. She wasn’t going to need luck, just a good quill, a sharp knife, and a full inkpot.
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Jenna Jaxon Romance--because passion is timeless. 