No matter how much
their mothers wanted Sarah and Arthur to wed, Sarah had loathed him. However,
circumstance and her late husband’s father conspire
against her, and she is forced to turn to Arthur for help. Perhaps she needs his legal
expertise, but she refuses to acknowledge how handsome her oldest foe has
become…or her reaction to him.
His childhood nemesis is the last person Arthur Davenport expected
to require his services. When a spurious claim against her late husband’s
estate brings Sarah Wetherall to his door, he can’t refuse the pretty widow, no
matter how much he wants to.
Thrown together by fate, will they discover there is a fine line
between scorn and passion?
Early Victorian Sweet Romance
Coming 19 February 2014
Excerpt
15
February, 1847. Mrs. Wetherall.
He
stared down at the name. There was something familiar about it, but he could
not recall what it might be. He shrugged. She was soon to appear, and any
familiarity would be quickly established.
At that,
the door opened and a woman who could only be Mrs. Wetherall swept in, an
obscenely large hat obscuring most of her face. A gown of uncommon simplicity
clothed her person, but for all the garment was simple, it was obviously well
made, which suggested wealth.
Ah,
well, no matter if he knew her name or not. A wealthy client was always
welcome.
Dunn
trailed behind her, his expression as eager as ever. “Mrs. Wetherall, sir.”
Arthur
inclined his head. “Thank you. That will be all.”
“Right
you are, sir.” The clerk bobbed his head and left, closing the door behind him
with a quiet click.
Arthur
turned his regard to the woman. Currently she studied his qualifications, hung
on the wall along with the framed pictures his mother had given him for his
birthday every year since he’d become a solicitor. “Mrs. Wetherall, good
afternoon. Please, seat yourself.”
Her
shoulders straightened infinitesimally but she didn’t respond, instead
continuing to regard the wall.
Irritation
tugged, but he suppressed it. Emotion would get him nowhere. “Mrs. Wetherall?”
With a
sweep of her skirts, the lady and her hat settled into the chair before his
desk.
Frowning,
he sank to his own seat. That enormous hat was absurd, still disguising her
face. Why did women think such things were attractive? In addition to being
ludicrous, it no doubt put undue pressure upon her neck.
Lacing
her hands in her lap, the lady finally spoke. “I find I require the services of
a solicitor in regards to my late husband’s will.”
The hair
at the back of his neck stood up. No. Oh, Christ, no.
The hat
tilted, exposing her face. Every muscle in Arthur’s body seized.
Mrs. Wetherall, formerly Miss Sarah
Stanhope and the bane of his childhood, glared at him from beneath her
ridiculous hat.
======================================
About Cassandra
Cassandra grew up daydreaming, inventing fantastical
worlds and marvelous adventures. Once she learned to read (First phrase – To
the Beach. True story), she was never without a book, reading of other people’s
fantastical worlds and marvelous adventures.
Fairy tales, Famous Fives, fantasies and fancies; horror stories,
gumshoe detectives, science fiction; Cassandra read it all. Then she discovered
Romance and a true passion was born.
So, once upon a time, after making a slight detour into the world of
finance, Cassandra tried her hand at writing. After a brief foray into horror,
she couldn’t discount her true passion. She started to write Romance and fell
head over heels.
The love affair exists to this very day.
Cassandra lives in
Adelaide, South Australia.
You can find
Cassandra at:
CassandraDean.com ~ Cassandra and
Lucy ~ Facebook
~ Twitter
Goodreads ~ Tumblr ~ Pintrest ~ Amazon.com
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