Lords of Midnight
1 primary work • 3 total works
Book 2
The Marquess of Haddan, Gryffin Owain Dwight (Gryff to his friends) has grown tired of his life as a rakehell rogue and he's ready to turn over a more serious leaf but fearing that any serious endeavors from a man reputed to be a devil-may-care soldier would be laughed at, he keeps his essays on landscape design a secret. When invited to a country house party by a group of indolent young rakes who look up to him, he accepts only because the estate is famous for its magnificent grounds. Never does he suspect that a chance encounter in the garden will change his life forever.
A widow at just 24, Eliza, Lady Lampson, has already rescued her impoverished noble family by marrying for money once. Now that she's free, she has no interest in remarrying and wants only to pursue her passion for gardening and botanical paintings on her family's ancestral estate. She is wary of her brother's rakish friends and goes out of her way to avoid any contact when they are visiting from London but when she meets the infamous marquess in the gardens, she instantly senses their powerful mutual attraction and though she tries to fight it, she and Gryff embark on an illicit affair.
Unfortunately for Eliza, her irresponsible brother is incurring staggering new debts and begging her to rescue him financially by wedding a rich friend - a debauched nobleman who has plans to force Eliza into using her art to help him with his criminal activities. Meanwhile she and Gryff continue to meet and find that their physical passion is matched by a joining of their creative talents - a publisher is producing a fancy book of Gryff's essays and he's chosen Eliza to do the botanical illustrations. Eliza hopes that the money she earns will free her from her family's selfish demandsbut an ultimatum from her brother and his friend makes her future seem increasingly grim ... until Gryff decides to fight unscrupulous rivals and his own inner demons, hoping for the seed of a new life to take root between him and Eliza.
Can a Flame from the Past be Re-kindled?
Long ago, Sophie Lawrance chose prudence over passion, rejecting a rebellious young firebrand for the sake of her family-no matter the ache it left in her heart. But now, when an old mistake by her father threatens to destroy all she holds dear, there is only one man whose shadowy skills might save her.
Cameron Daggett is a man of many secrets, a man of many sins. A jaded cynic, he's learned to survive by being unafraid to take dangerous risks. But when a chance encounter with a desperate young lady brings him face to face with his youthful past, he must decide just how much he's willing to gamble . . .
Or Is It Too Dangerous To Play With Fire?
Helping Sophie will settle a past grudge of his own, so Cameron offers his aid, and together they embark on a perilous masquerade-which leads them to uncover a shocking truth. Their journey takes them to a remote Scottish castle, where they must battle not only a cunning adversary, but also their own burning desires. Will they be consumed by the flames? Or can they prove that true love conquers all.
Outspoken and independent, Lady Alexa Bingham enjoys the heady freedom of making all her own decisions, even though the challenges of overseeing her family's country estate are daunting. But when a chance encounter with London's most notorious rake awakens a secret longing for adventure, she accepts her aunt's invitation for a Season in Town . . . only to find that breaking the rules of the ton has serious consequences.
The Earl of Killingworth uses his rakehell reputation to hide the fact that poverty has forced him to work for a living. As the owner of a gambling den and brothel, Connor has no time for glittering ballrooms or innocent young ladies. But after a reckless wager leaves him with a new business partner, he is forced to take a risky gamble . . . Will the cards fall in their favor? Alexa and Connor begin to play a dangerous game of intrigue and deception as they seek to outwit a cunning adversary who wants to put them permanently out of business. But if they are not careful, it is the flames of their own fiery attraction that may destroy them.