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    Charmed by the Rake
    Charmed by the Rake
    Charmed by the Rake
    Ebook156 pages1 hour

    Charmed by the Rake

    By Roxie Brandon

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Amazing value Regency three-story collection.

    Charming dukes with attitudes and kind hearts. Lovely ladies who want to find love. You'll find all of this and much more in this collection.
    This Regency romance collection is a sweet read with a guaranteed happily ever after.

    The full collection includes:
    1.THE DUKE’S VIOLET
    2.A BRIDE FOR THE CHARMING DUKE
    3.THE DUKE’S IRIS

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRoxie Brandon
    Release dateMay 7, 2018
    ISBN9780463878859
    Charmed by the Rake
    Author

    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.

    Read more from Roxie Brandon

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      Book preview

      Charmed by the Rake - Roxie Brandon

      CHARMED BY THE RAKE

      ♥♥♥

      By

      Roxie Brandon

      Copyright © 2018 Roxie Brandon All Rights Reserved

      This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

      THE DUKE’S VIOLET

      A REGENCY ROMANCE

      ♥♥♥

      Chapter One

      ♥♥♥

      Violet Baker imagined a world where she would marry for love and not for convenience. Just that morning, her father had informed her that she would be married to a Duke. She would become the Duchess.

      A husband, Violet said dully. She was an obedient daughter and always had been so, but it seemed as though, if her marriage were being planned, that she should have been, if not consulted, at least informed.

      Her family’s smiles proved that they expected her to rejoice at the news. Violet tried to force her lips to curve upward in a semblance of a smile. A Duke she said faintly. How…how very unexpected. Who… who is the duke to whom I am to marry?

      "You shall be the future Duchess of Pembroke, her mother said.

      Robert Montgomery, the Duke of Pembroke, was the master of Camden Hall and was now visiting his friend, Edmund Wellington, the Duke of Essex. If Violet would marry the Duke of Pembroke, she would go away from her home and she would never see her family again.

      Violet attempted to conceal her opinions and join in the family enjoyment. Her face felt stiff as she listened to her family congratulating themselves on the wonderful work they had done in getting her a husband from the aristocracy. It seemed to have happened to no one that a young woman, even one of merely nineteen, might like to have at least a bit amount of understanding of such an important decision.

      She had noticed the Duke of Pembroke with his friend on several occasions watching her as she walked through the streets of the small village she had grown up in. He was an attractive man, but Violet heard he was immoral, and even though many women would have loved to be his wife, Violet found him to be distasteful.

      She knew of his reputation. He was not the type of man that Violet had grown up dreaming that she would marry. She had spent her life dreaming of a man that worked for a living, one that came from her same social class, one that had morals.

      It was this day that Violet would go to meet her betrothed at Mansfield Manor, Edmund Wellington's house, and even though her mother told her that she needed to prepare herself, Violet refused. She had seen the duchesses, the way they dressed and the way they behaved; it was not something that Violet was interested in. She did not believe that she would fit in with the nobles.

      Violet was of pale complexion, long wisps of umber streaked with highlights of ginger that always seemed to gleam when they captured the light just right.

      Her hair was a lovely whisky, the color of fallen leaves browned and sleek with the first rain of autumn. How such a tint could play with the light, like peering at the sun through a jar of pine honey.

      She had the kindest pair of coffee brown eyes trimmed by long gorgeous lashes. Eyes the colour of rich soil flecked with black, eyes the colour of dark chocolate with flecks of hazel nut, sable eyes, the colour of hot chocolate, the deep brown of the winter trees at twilight, the lightened brown of parched summer soil, glossy chestnut brown, the colour of unvarnished oak with deep mahogany flecks, the colour of apple pips, mottled like varnished cork, the colour of a dessert palm tree with flecks of acorn shell. Lovely eyes, yet somehow gentle, that always held a tiny warmth within them.

      Florid cheeks and flawlessly sculpted lips, as if crafted by angels themselves. All these features set together on a delicate almost, angelic face.

      Violet was unlike the other women. She wanted to be independent. She had thoughts and ideas of her own and she wanted to make them heard. Violet had argued with her father when he told her about the Duke, telling him that she was not interested in marrying, that she was going to choose her own husband one day.

      Her mother had told her that she was to be on her best behavior when she went to meet the Duke, that she should smile and agree with what he said. But she did not care what he thought of her; the marriage was arranged, the payment had been made, and this was simply a formality so that her parents felt better about the entire arrangement.

      Violet knew she did not have many other choices, but this is not what she had been expecting. She had thought it would be harder, that someone else would buy her. Not this. Not a Duke. Why would a Duke need to buy a bride?

      Hold still. Her mother scolded her. Violet took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. She did not want to go. She did not want to leave her family. But what choice did she have? She had already been bought, by a man she did not know. All she knew was that she must be looking her best. Even using every cent they could afford they had not been able to buy anything that wasn’t at least four seasons old. And second hand.

      Violet looked at herself in the shabby, old, mirror. Will this work? She wondered. She reached up to her chest lightly pressing the strand of beads around her neck. A necklace her mother had given her as a farewell token, despite the fact she would soon be able to wear rubies and diamands. And I will send some back. She promised herself. She was to be a Duke’s wife, but she would not allow her family to suffer in poverty while she lived in silks.

      When Violet realized that she held the power within her own hands to free her family from the burden that they had carried for far too long, her shy and quiet personality began to shine. To give her parents an easier life, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness, was the greater gift she could think of.

      Chapter Two

      ♥♥♥

      Robert Montgomery awaited the arrival of the woman he was going to marry. She was unlike any other woman he had ever seen and her shy conduct had turned him on as soon as he had noticed her for the first time. She, unlike the other women he had encountered, lowered her head when she saw him, a bit of shyness showing through, when the other women threw themselves at him hoping to get the title of nobility.

      Robert looked around him. There was a part of that knew Violet was not good enough to be his duchess. She was not of noble birth and he knew that would cause an issue with his family, but he needed a wife. As soon as possible. Now he sat waiting for the carriage to bring to him this one woman.

      It was a lovely day, the first of all the days of spring, with crocuses and wall-flowers in the cottage gardens, and white cocks crowing in the quiet hamlet.

      The blossom arrived like cake frosting on the trees in delicious creams and pinks. The petals burst out from lower down the branches leaving the tips still in tight bud. After the denuded trees of winter their new and splendid clothes were a joy to see.

      The carriage rolled to a gentle stop just outside of Violet’s home, and as she stood looking at it she started to think. She had never spoken to a noble before and was always taught to show them respect. She hoped more than anything that Robert Montgomery was a man that deserved respect, but knew from what she had heard about him that he in fact was not.

      Violet stepped into the carriage and after she had sat down it began moving. She knew that she would only have mere moments to calm herself before she was face to face with the Duke. It was not long and Violet felt the carriage stopping again.

      Violet looked at the house she had been brought to. Suddenly feeling like a little girl again, she was unsure of how she should behave. The Duke stepped out of the door and began walking toward Violet. She felt her entire body begin to tremble and her hands began to sweat. There was something about him that scared Violet to the core.

      He had tousled dark brown hair, which was thick and lustrous. His eyes were a mesmerising deep ocean blue, flecks of silvery light performed ballets throughout. Not the ordinary sky blue, or the colour of the paint flaking off of the old shed in the back of the field, or even the little flowers that spring up by the side of the road. His eyes were blue like the sea, crystal clear blue- shimmering and crashing and churning. Looking into his eyes you could hear the waves falling against the shore, see the foam flying into the air. His eyes were blue like the sky right before the sun disappears- dark rich indigo, with specks of wild colours here and there.

      His face was strong and defined, his features molded from granite. He had dark eye brows, which sloped downwards in a serious expression.

      Your Grace, Violet managed to say.

      Miss Baker, the Duke said, with a smile, offering her his arm. What say we take a little walk?

      My name is Robert Montgomery, Duke of Pembroke, he said.

      Violet hold her breath.

      I see my reputation precedes me, Montgomery commented dryly. He extended his hand, and Violet put hers in his, feeling the brief warmth of his lips against the back of it before he withdrew.

      I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Your Grace, she said formally.

      Will you trust me to take care of you, Miss Baker?

      She nodded, and he was not surprised. Her eyes were wide, her dark eyelashes framing her gaze exquisitely. His heart turned in his chest. Unsettled, he looked away.

      How old are you, Miss Baker? he asked, instead of addressing her confusion.

      I shall be nineteen in three months, she finally whispered.

      I am in need of a wife, Miss Baker. If you will agree to be my wife until you are twenty-one, I will guarantee your safety. Upon our divorce, if it is your wish at that time, I will release you of your obligations.

      Release me of my obligations? Violet seemed un-capable of stringing together a proper sentence.

      "If you agree to this arrangement, should you choose a divorce upon turning twenty-one, I will take care of your family. Then you may choose to live

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