Taming Lord Truist: Book 2 of the Strong Regency Women Duo
“The very first moment I beheld him, my heart was irrecoverably gone.” – Jane Austen
Miss Eleanor Wilder has admired Lord Augustus Truist since she was a young girl. He had once protected her from an older boy who had meant to strike her. Now, she requires his protection again: This time, it is from her guardian, a cousin who means to marry Eleanor off to a man more that twice Ella’s age in order to keep Eleanor’s fortune in the family. As she will soon be one and twenty, Eleanor must convince Lord Truist to marry her himself, rather than see all her fortune go to a ne’er-do-well.
Lord Truist must save his family from disgrace and the very honest touch of poverty by marrying an heiress of whom his mother approves, but he finds repugnant. However, when Miss Wilder offers him her fortune with no strings attached—a marriage of convenience—how can he refuse? As his countess, the lady would have the protection she required, and he would have the freedom to enjoy his long-time mistress, Miss Sarah Darling, without complaints.
How was he to know that the new Lady Truist, not only loved him, but was quite perfect in ways he did not realize he required?
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Available to Read on Kindle Unlimited
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Short Excerpt from Eleanor’s proposal to August. . . Enjoy!
Eleanor had specifically chosen the fourth set to pair with Lord Truist for she knew it was to include a minuet and a l’allemande series of Baroque dances. Slower. More opportunities to hold a conversation.
“Miss Wilder, I believe this is our dance.” Lord Truist extended his gloved hand to her, and she placed her fingertips in his hand, and he brought her palm to rest on his arm. He closed his hand over hers and gave her the slightest of tugs to bring her to his side. She noticed that he looked at her in an odd manner, but she was relatively confident he had felt the same warmth as she did through their gloved hands.
He was so devastatingly handsome, Eleanor thought she could spend a lifetime just watching him age, and, if her plan went off as she hoped, such would be her fate. Though he did not sport a smile at this moment, she knew he was more often than not seen with a crooked, almost taunting, smile on his lips. Those lips were said to spill a boatload of nonsense or a heavy shovel full of truth, depending on the situation. Earlier, the Honorable Mr. Octavius Banks claimed his elder brother was the best man he knew.
His lordship’s hair was a tad darker than hers, with his being a nice mix of dark brown with golden and auburn strands mixed in. His eyes were brown, where hers were blue. They assumed their position on the floor, and the music began. They circled back to back, and for an elongated moment, she simply enjoyed the warmth of his body surrounding her.
The moment disappeared when he said, “Lindmore says there is some foolishness about Lady Hugo marrying you off to her brother Arthur Westlake.”
They made the required turns and came close again. “She wants to keep my father’s money within her side of the family.”
“I thought the Hugos were well placed,” he said.
“Not so much after they present you Miss Hugo’s dowry.”
They separated then to bow to another couple and weave through a line of dancers. Whey they came together again, he stated, “I do not comprehend how your potential marriage to a distant cousin concerns me.”
The dance pulled them apart once more; therefore, she had a few extra seconds to repeat in her head what she had been rehearsing for several days. “I had considered if you held no true affection . . .”
Separation. A bow. A turn with another gentleman and then face-to-face with the most handsome man of her acquaintance. “no true affection for Daphne, you might . . .” The first part of the dance was to end soon with them at opposite corners of the formation and watching others within the rectangle complete the same steps he and she had already executed.
She watched the myriad of emotions which crossed his features. He studied her, attempting to anticipate what she meant to say, though he surely knew. From all she had learned of him, he was considered quite intelligent, as well as more than a bit cynical.
At last, the music had them weaving their way back to each other. He did not wait for her to speak first. He demanded, “I might what?”
She kept her eyes diverted from his, but she said the words she had rehearsed. “Might marry me instead.”
He appeared puzzled by her declaration, but there was no instant rejection. In fact, as they wove their way through the early steps of a l’allemande, he studied her carefully, as if he were memorizing how she looked, which was drab and a bit like she had just left a clod of country soil on the Lord Hugo’s entrance steps.
Finally, they were close enough to speak, though they were again back to back. “My father was from the Irish gentry, but we came to England when I was very young. He owned an estate in Hertfordshire and two smaller ones, which are not entailed. He left them to me, along with fifty thousand pounds.”
His lordship stumbled briefly, but quickly recovered as the music came to an end. “You are serious?”
“I cannot live in this house much longer,” she said as they slowly walked to the side of the room. “Mr. Westlake is to arrive at this house in a matter of a sennight. She looked to where Lady Hugo stood frowning in her direction. Eleanor touched his arm so he might pause. “I know you have a mistress who you hold dearly. I do not care. All I want is a family that does not find me appalling. I shall be a good mistress for your house, and you shall have my fortune.”
If you have not previously read, Book 1 of the Strong Regency Women Duo, Loving Lord Lindmore, now is the time to have a look, for I dropped the price to $0.99 on Amazon until Taming Lord Truist arrives on August 12. (Get it!!! His name is “Augustus” so the book comes out in August.) You may also read both on Kindle Unlimited.
LADY CORA TAKES SOCIETY BY STORM . . .
Lady Cora Midland, a highly-spirited country beauty, offers no pretensions, which wins many admirers, despite her lack of knowledge on how to manage the beau monde. However, Matthew Harrington believes she is taking advantage of his elderly grandmother, and he means to put a stop to the girl.
LORD MATTHEW LINDMORE IS IN DENIAL . . .
Lindmore reluctantly assists his grandmother in bringing Lady Cora out in Society. Yet, what appeared to be a daunting task becomes a transformation the earl does not expect. He finds the woman as delightful, as do others in the haut ton. Yet…
When Lady Cora is on the the verge of marrying another, Lindmore fears time will expire before he can speak his own proposal.
Kindle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTFSRB7R?ref_=pe_93986420_775043100
Available to Read on Kindle Unlimited
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTLY847C?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520
Audible (Virtual Voice Narration) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CW4WLKGZ
GIVEAWAY: I have 5 eBook copies to give away to those who comment on any or all the promotional posts for TAMING LORD TRUIST‘s release. The eBooks will be presented on August 12, the release date.
Every Woman Dreams... 
I really enjoyed the excerpt! You have to wonder, how many serious conversations actually took place while dancing like this.
Yes, as the number of dances were limited, conversation was important. I know some do not like the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, but the conversation during the dance scene was an excellent example of how this might progress.
Congrats on the new book
I am always writing, Glory.
Love the excerpt. She got his attention! Congratulations on book 2!!
Yes, Eleanor is a force with which to be reckoned.