Distinguished Rogues, book 15
Accept no substitute when it comes to love!
After the loss of her husband—and her left foot—Ophelia Shaw threw herself into running his distinguished cousin’s country estate, to great success. But managing the Duke of Montrose himself was never a task she’d anticipated…until he returns from London without a bride, determined never to search for another. Well aware of the gruff duke’s appeal, Ophelia is equally determined to change his mind and school him in the art of courtship—only to be swept off her one remaining foot!
Harry has returned home to the Widow Shaw in a very bad mood indeed, though not because he was jilted. In truth, the one woman he wants is not the lady who received his proposal. Now, Ophelia is resolute he should try again, insisting love doesn’t always happen at first sight. If she only knew… To placate her, Harry agrees, keen to have his “lessons” over and done with. They’ll either prove Ophelia wrong—or deliver his perfect bride right into his waiting arms.
His Perfect Bride is a steamy regency historical romance novel in the Distinguished Rogues series but can be read as a stand-alone.
- Beauty and the Beast
- Unrequited Love
- Lady with a Limp
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“Mrs. Shaw,” Drayton murmured with an apologetic smile, as if realizing he’d gone too far in his critique of her cousin by marriage. “Might I have the honor of assisting you into the duke’s carriage.”
“I am capable of the feat alone now, thank you,” she assured him.
Most of the time.
She hobbled away from Drayton before he could detain her with further conversation.
The Duke of Montrose’s grooms loitered by the second-best carriage not far away, partaking of the sunshine instead of the sermons inside the stuffy church house. She did not blame them. She had avoided church most of her life once, too.
But soon after her arrival, Ophelia became aware that people of the district viewed her with a certain degree of hostility and suspicion, and gossiped about the arrangement she had managing the Sherringford great house. She had come to church as soon as she was fit enough, though Montrose disagreed that she ever needed to bother. He didn’t seem to realize or care that her presence in a bachelor’s household might be considered scandalous. Ophelia had done all she could to project an image of dignity and decorum while in society.
At the door to the open carriage, she faced the interior with weary resignation. This was the tricky part. Climbing up two steps into a carriage was not always simple, but she refused to be lifted in anymore. No matter how well-intentioned that help might seem, Ophelia was tired of always feeling embarrassed afterward.
A pair of grooms rushed to stand at each side of her, ready to catch her should she become unbalanced and start to topple.
She handed one her cane and took hold of the newly added rails at each side of the carriage doorway and hopped up. On the first step, she wobbled. On the second, she grinned, but the harder step was still to come. She had to stretch farther forward without anything substantial to hold onto and hop inside to finally reach the carriage seat.
As she made an attempt, she wobbled—and then someone grasped her firmly around the waist from behind and steadied her.
“I have you.”
Ophelia fairly flew across the carriage then and landed horribly awry across one seat. Her skirts became wrapped around her legs, making it hard to straighten up with any sort of ladylike precision. She was embarrassed, her cheeks flaming.
The hands around her waist, the voice, had belonged to the Duke of Montrose.
The duke was back.
Book Info
Publish Date: January 5, 2021
Digital ISBN: 978-1-925239-676
Genre: Regency Historical Romance
Related Books
Distinguished Rogues Series
1. Chills – Jack and Constance
2. Broken – Giles and Lillian
3. Charity – Oscar and Agatha
4. An Accidental Affair – Merrick and Arabella
5. Keepsake – Kit and Miranda
6. An Improper Proposal – Martin and Iris
7. Reason to Wed – Richard and Esme
8. The Trouble with Love – Everett and Whitney
9. Married by Moonlight – Gilbert and Anna
10. Lord of Sin – Julian and Portia
11. The Duke’s Heart – Sinclair and Kitty
12. Romancing the Earl – Price and Lenore
13. One Enchanted Christmas – Otis and Margaret
14. Desire by Design – Alexander and Sylvia
15. His Perfect Bride – Harry and Ophelia
16. Pleasures of the Night – Teddy and Eugenia
17: Silver Bells – Hector and Ruby
18. Seduced in Secret – Winston and Charlotte
19. Yours Until Dawn – Drew and Aurora
20. No Ordinary Lady