It’s release week for A Necessary Wife. Have you read it yet? Did you enjoy it? Milo and Amelia have been one of my favorite couples to write and I missed them as soon as the story was complete. If you haven’t started it yet, here’s your chance to start reading…
Amelia Reynolds glanced up from the garden bed she was contemplating, sensing a presence directly behind her. She twisted around and almost fell onto her bottom at discovering Lord Milo Westfall or rather the newly elevated Lord Chatham, her brother Anthony’s best friend, standing there.
Slightly embarrassed at being taken by surprise, she adopted a haughty expression as she struggled to her feet. “Can I help you, my lord?”
Chatham, an earl she was long acquainted with, winced. “I hope so.”
Then he looked her over from head to toe—and smiled.
Amelia glanced down at her attire and blanched at the state of her gown. She had been in the garden since first light, though even this state of grubbiness was unusual. The faded blue muslin usually hid spoiling, but she had two highly visible dirty spots where her knees had rested on the ground as she added new plants to the garden bed.
It had rained last night but usually no one was awake this early to see her, and she was surprised that Chatham was. Her brother and his guests usually kept very late hours.
When she glanced across at Chatham, her cheeks grew warmer from embarrassment as she hadn’t paid much attention to her appearance that morning. Chatham was resplendent, as always. Dark green velvet coat, buff breaches that hugged his thighs, and glossy high-top riding boots. He only lacked a riding crop and a horse to complete the image of Corinthian splendor. He was every inch an earl today.
By unspoken agreement they usually avoided each other, because she remained unmarried and he was a widower with no need for a second wife. They were of similar ages though, him slightly older. He spoke only to her in her brother’s presence and that suited Amelia perfectly. She much preferred to remain in the background of her brother’s busy life and go about her usual solitary routine. Something must be wrong if Chatham sought her out.
“Are you in need of my brother?” She gestured toward a distant manor house. “He’s likely still asleep, I’m afraid.”
“He is indeed which is why I concluded this was the perfect time to speak with you,” he said, glancing around the garden.
Amelia studied the man with disappointment. A widower of some four years, she wisely took a step back in case he was feeling lonely. He was handsome but troubled, and she knew exactly why that was, not that she would dare attempt to offer sympathy—or her companionship.
Amelia was no mouse, frightened of men, but she was wise. She harbored an abundance of distrust for men in general. She made an effort not to show it while she discreetly dusted off her fingers a little more, hoping he would leave with no encouragement.
Still Chatham lingered, and she glanced around, looking for rescue from any direction.
He cleared his throat. “Are you done here?”
She faced him. “Done, my lord?”
He sighed. “With your brother’s estate. You’ve been tending the Upper Folly garden for all the years I’ve known you, and it has never looked more perfect.”
She blinked in surprise for the unexpected compliment. “You’ve been watching me?”
I’ll post more next week. If you need a copy of my new regency, you can find download links here and I’d love it if you could post a review on Goodreads or Bookbub.
I haven’t blogged for a while. The world has gone mad and the news from abroad has kept me offline. It’s felt pointless to add to the chaos too. Being offline has provided space for other adventures: a long holiday, sewing projects and helping with some long overdue house maintenance. I’m tired in a way that writing doesn’t make me. Muscle sore, and that’s good for me. I sit around far too much for writing and then the weight creeps up.
But I must get on with my next story soon. I’m returning to the Entangled series to complete the trilogy. I have the beginning in mind and some of the middle but the ending is eluding me right now. Never fear, though. I just need to daydream a bit more over a cup of coffee and it’ll come to me eventually.
Until next time,
Heather B.