Her Gilded Prison (Daughters of Sin Book 1) (24 page)
Read Her Gilded Prison (Daughters of Sin Book 1) Online
Authors: Beverley Oakley
Tags: #Nineteenth century country estate, #duty versus honor, #succession fears, #passionate taboo relationship, #older woman younger man, #nineteenth century taboo, #Regency romantic intrigue
“I believed it would be a matter you’d factor into the equation, my lord,” Stephen muttered, “and fortunately it appears I was right.”
Humphry allowed himself a wry smile. “Perhaps you are a better judge of character than I thought.” He seemed to deflate. “Go to London, my boy, and make a man of yourself. You can see Sybil when she takes the girls to town to launch Hetty in two months—not before.”
He held up his hand for silence as Stephen gasped, apparently about to object. “Let us see what notions of fidelity a green boy can uphold when surrounded by the temptations of the city.” He hesitated. “You may yet thank me for my goodwill in agreeing to your terms on the proviso of this cooling-off period.”
Sybil felt her mouth drop open. She glanced at Stephen and intercepted his expression. Where she might have seen hesitation she saw only unalloyed joy before Stephen moved forward to shake Humphry’s hand. “Two months is nothing to wait if I know I retain Sybil’s heart while I impatiently bide my time until I can see her again.”
Sybil had never seem him smile so broadly.
“Sybil is my angel. She will make me the best I can be. I know it.” He spoke with such fervency Sybil’s heart swelled and the tears prickled behind her eyelids.
“Thank you, Humphry,” she said simply.
“But discretion will be paramount,” her husband said, frowning, as he broke the handshake.
“Yes, Humphry,” Sybil whispered, seeing her delight reflected in Stephen’s smile.
“And now I have the matter of my nephew’s body to attend to,” Humphry went on. “In case you’d forgotten, Dr. Marsh will soon be back and there’ll be an inquest. You’ll have to come back from London for that.”
Stephen looked sober a moment before he answered with a secret look at Sybil, “With alacrity, my lord.”
Humphry merely harrumphed as he turned his back on them and headed toward the door to look out across the moonlit lawns, no doubt awaiting the sight of Edgar’s body being borne on a litter back from the lake. Then his voice, soft but distinct, punctuated the almost disbelieving silence as Sybil and Stephen held each other’s hands and gazed at one another.
“May you have joy of her, Stephen,” he said. His words floated across the few yards that separated them and as Sybil turned to look at her husband’s green-silk-clad back she nevertheless felt a stab of remorse for failing in her impossible duty. Lord Partington shook his head, his tone considering as he continued to stare out across the lawns. “It’s not her fault she’s brought me little enough of it...” He sighed once more, heavily, adding, “But perhaps she deserves what happiness you can give her.”
Sybil was too used to backhanded compliments to be troubled. Being enfolded in Stephen’s strong, fervent embrace before his mouth came down, hard and passionate upon hers, was compensation enough.
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The End
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Did you love
Her Gilded Prison
? Then you should read
Dangerous Gentlemen
by Beverley Oakley!
London, 1818
Shy, plain Hetty was the wallflower beneath his notice…until a terrible mistake has one dangerous, delicious rake believing she's the prostitute he ordered.
Shy, self-effacing Henrietta knows her place—in her dazzling older sister’s shadow. She’s a little brown peahen to Araminta’s bird of paradise. But when Hetty mistakenly becomes embroiled in the Regency underworld, the innocent debutante finds herself shockingly compromised by the dashing, dangerous Sir Aubrey, the very gentleman her heart desires. And the man Araminta has in her cold, calculating sights.
Branded an enemy of the Crown, bitter over the loss of his wife, Sir Aubrey wants only to lose himself in the warm, willing body of the young “prostitute” Hetty. As he tutors her in the art of lovemaking, Aubrey is pleased to find Hetty not only an ardent student, but a bright, witty and charming companion.
Despite a spoiled Araminta plotting for a marriage offer and a powerful political enemy damaging his reputation, Aubrey may suffer the greatest betrayal at the hands of the little “concubine” who’s managed to breach the stony exterior of his heart.
A steamy Regency Romance originally published by Ellora's Cave.
Read more at
Beverley Oakley’s site
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Also by Beverley Oakley
Daughters of Sin
Her Gilded Prison
Dangerous Gentlemen
Watch for more at
Beverley Oakley’s site
.
Beverley Oakley was seventeen when she bundled up her first her 500+ page romance and sent it to a publisher. Unfortunately drowning her heroine on the last page was apparently not in line with the expectations of romance readers so Beverley became a journalist.
Twenty-six years later Beverley was delighted to receive her first publishing contract from Robert Hale (UK) for a romance in which she ensured her heroine was
saved
from drowning in the icy North Sea.
Since 2009 Beverley has written more than thirteen historical romances, mostly set in England during the early nineteenth century. Mystery, intrigue and adventure spill from their pages and if she can pull off a thrilling race to save someone’s honour – or a worthy damsel from the noose – it’s time to celebrate with a good single malt Scotch.
Beverley lives with her husband, two daughters and a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy the size of a pony opposite a picturesque nineteenth century lunatic asylum. She also writes Africa-set adventure-filled romances tarring handsome bush pilot heroes, and historical romances with less steam and more sexual tension, as Beverley Eikli.
Read more at
Beverley Oakley’s site
.