Series: The Lords of Scandal Row #1
Publication date: November 10th, 2020
Synopsis:
Forced to leave friends, family, and a life of privilege and fun, Rebecca Fortescue's world changed overnight nearly ten years ago. Now, with the tightening of a noose, it's changed again, but she needs to make amends for what her father did.
Which means returning, secretly, to the place where he did the most damage.
And to the residence of one Lord Leonard Moncrieff--the only man she's ever loved.
She's certain she won't see him again, though. Nicknamed a Lord of Scandal Row, it's clear to her, he's no longer the boy she knew, and never returns home. The last thing she needs it to be distracted by a man deemed one of the most attractive men in London.
Unfortunately for Rebecca, Leo ha been practically banished from London under the orders of his mother thanks to a scandal that, for once, had nothing to do with him. Now he has to spend his days playing the country gent and trying to avoid the female of the species.
It will be harder than he expected, given a sudden influx of young ladies to the area. He might be a rogue, but he has no desire to upset his delicate mother and will, albeit begrudgingly, play the dutiful son. He can avoid a few pretty faces, surely?
At least until he discovers the beautiful Rebecca hiding in the stables. She's in need of help, and he cannot resist, despite the fact she once shattered his young heart. The pull between them is as strong as ever but anything between them is impossible.
Or is it?
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Excerpt
WHY WAS LEO here? Rebecca had followed his pursuits in the newspapers. He never came to Langmere. Ever.
She pushed her back against the wall of the stables. A little brick dust rained down upon her. She wrinkled her nose and held her breath. The lamplight only offered her a hint of his features as he ducked into the building that was shrouded in darkness by the late hour.
He still made her heart skip. Even after all these years. It shouldn't have surprised her that it did. He always did that to her, and the years had been kind to him, hardening his jaw and filling out his shoulders.
He wore a shirt, slightly untucked and rolled up at the sleeves, revealing muscular forearms dusted with hair. He murmured something to the horse, and her stomach did a tumble. If she closed her eyes, she would be six and ten again, listening to him speak to his horses whilst perched on a milking stool and watching him with such admiration. Their love of animals had brought them together but that had swiftly turned into something else.
Sometimes, she suspected Leonard Moncrieff would be the only man she ever loved.
However, just because he was still kind to animals did not mean he was the same man. It pained her to read every column devoted to him and his dalliances, yet she could not help herself. They had no spoken in nearly ten years and she could not help but want to know every element to his life, even while it stabbed at her heart to read of the rake he had become.
He stilled and turned, the golden light dappling over his face. She sucked in a breath. No wonder women swarmed to him. The attractive young man she had known had grown into the most handsome man she had ever seen.
She clapped a hand over her mouth when his brow furrowed. He lifted the lamp and peered at the shadows. She waited, her heart pounding against her chest so loudly that she feared he would hear it.
Then he shook his head, returned the lamp to the plinth and turned back to the horse, smoothing strong hands down the animal's flanks.
Rebecca inhaled a shaky breath through her nostrils. And regretted it. Instantly. The brick dust and hay combined made her nose tickle and her eyes water. She pressed a finger under her nose but to no avail. A sneeze burst from her, cracking through the stillness.
She jolted away from the wall with the intention of escaping but too late. Leo descended upon her and grabbed her arm. "Who are you?" he demanded.
She tried to wriggle free of his strong grip, but he grabbed her other arm. When she went to push past him, he shoved back, and she lost her footing and tumbled onto a pile of hay. He fell with her, the sudden tumble dragging him down. The breath left her lungs at the impact of his body atop hers, his strength and height utterly apparent.
"Get off me," she grunted, struggling against his hold.
"What are you doing here, boy?"
She stilled at the word. He hadn't recognized her. She supposed the shadows were too dark. And that meant her disguise had worked. With any luck, she could make her excuses, leave, and he would be none the wiser of her presence here.
"Just seeking shelter," she murmured, keeping her voice low.
He kept her pinned, fingers curled around both wrists. The awareness of his hard body atop hers sizzled through her despite herself. She squirmed once more and he cocked his head, releasing her arms suddenly. "You're no boy."
USA Today Bestselling author Samantha Holt lives in a small village in England with her twin girls and a dachshund called Duke. If you're not sure where to start why not try...
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