The Viscount’s Convenient Bride by Josie Bonham
Luke has found it hard to sort out his late father’s affairs. A dishonest secretary and ailing land agent have left the family estates in disorder. With new people in place, he sets off to one of his smaller properties to discover the extent of an obligation that seems out of keeping with the cold-hearted father he remembers. Who is the young woman living at Shepley Hall and what was her connection to his father?
Miss Kitty Davenport has waited for a long time to find out if the new Viscount Enstone will continue the support his father gave to her family and her patience is wearing thin. Will he carry on paying for her young brother’s education and even assist him in finding a career? For herself, all she needs is help to find a suitable position as a companion and to escape from the unwanted attentions of a persistent suitor.
Luke, Viscount Enstone, feels it’s his duty to carry on the support his father gave to the impoverished Davenports. Luke lost his mother when he was young and had a problematical relationship with his father. He is determined to steer clear of emotional relationships and has been supressing his feelings towards Kitty Davenport ever since he escorted her to London to live with his aunt. When an unwanted suitor, Sir Walter Greenough, follows Kitty to London Luke’s instinctive reaction to the man’s insults to her reveal a lot about his true state of mind. He has a long journey to follow before he embraces his feelings.
Sir Walter Greenough jumped to his feet and strode towards her with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “My dear, I have missed you so much.”
How dare he talk to her in that honeysweet tone as if he owned her? She backed away from him but he was too quick for her. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her towards him. The familiar smell of snuff and stale wine assailed her before his lips fastened on hers with a sickening thud. Kitty drew back her right hand and thumped him so hard on the side of his face that he staggered. Kitty stepped out of his reach before he could right himself.
“How dare you follow me here? I made it plain I wanted nothing to do with you.”
Greenough leered at her. “You will soon be begging me to marry you, my fine lady. The tales I can tell will have you thrown out of this house immediately. Why don’t you explain to your society friends here what you have been doing since your aunt died?”
Kitty had herself well in hand but a cold fury gripped her. “How dare you. I have spent the last few months avoiding you to the point of having my servant throw you out. I see you still bear the bruises where he hit you.”
“Don’t think I have forgotten that. A lover’s disagreement, nothing more.” His nostrils flared and his hands balled into fists. “Spencer will suffer for it when I get back.”
Kitty felt a dark-clad shape brushing past her. Greenough was lifted off his feet and carried by his lapels to the wall adjacent to the door. Lord Enstone held him against the wall, his feet still dangling.
“You are the one who will suffer for that. He was protecting his employer’s betrothed. Now get your snivelling hide out of my sight before I forget there are ladies present.”
He let go so that a trembling Greenough slid down the wall. Greenough got to his feet and threw a look of such venom at Lord Enstone that Kitty gasped.
“You will regret this, my lord. I will make sure that every gossip in Town knows that she was alone at Shepley Hall for months and worked her way through the local men.”
“Why would anyone take your word against that of Viscountess Enstone? Harvey, throw him out before I kill him.”
Sir Walter Greenough was ushered out, breathing heavily. He glared at Kitty as he passed her. “You haven’t heard the last of me.”
Kitty’s legs started trembling again. It had nothing to do with Sir Walter. Lord Enstone had said she was his betrothed and referred to her as Viscountess Enstone.
Josie Bonham November 2020
Josie has always dabbled in stories but it took the combined efforts of her sister and eldest niece to set her on the path to writing novels. Her Regency romances, with a dash of adventure and intrigue, are the result.
There is more information on her website at www.josiebonhamauthor.com
Twitter @BonhamJosie
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