The quote “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” is from William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. It means that the name of something is not as important as the thing itself. The quote suggests that a rose would still be a rose, regardless of what it was called. I beg to differ with Shakespeare in the naming of characters. I am often known to search out the meaning of a name to liken the character’s strength and his/her weaknesses.

On 17 December 2025, Dragonblade Publishing will release Book 3 of my mystery/romantic series. It is called Lyon in Disguise.

The hero of this tale is named Lord Navan Beaufort. Lord Beaufort is Irish, but he also holds an English barony, where he is Baron Shaw. He has dark hair and brown eyes. He is the tallest of Lord Duncan’s sons, as well as the most handsome of them, his features considered to be “perfection.” His name means “beautiful fort,”and he proves himself over and over again as a protector.

The Beaufort family descended from John of Gaunt, the first Duke of Lancaster. Navan Beaufort possesses a Norman French air of sophistication. He is often called upon to explain his relationship to John of Gaunt and the man’s liasion with Catherine Swynford, which Navan finds tiresome. Even Mrs. Dove Lyon mentions that her family tree also has some Beauforts in it. The children of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford were legitimized after their parents’ marriage but were excluded from the royal succession. The Beaufort family played a significant role in English history, particularly during the Wars of the Roses. Margaret Beaufort, a descendant, became the mother of King Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch. 

Navan loves to tease others, but does not enjoy being teased. He is an expert with a variety of weapons, and, like his brothers, an agent for the Home Office, which he finds problematic at times, for he is often called upon to take a number of Irishmen into custody. The United Irishmen Rebellion of 1798 occured three years after Navan is brought to live with Lord Macdonald Duncan when he is not quite ten, and Navan is constantly questioning where his loyalties should lie, even after the 1800 Act of Union created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Though his accent has mellowed and he has performed brilliantly in assisting the English government, he is often snubbed.

One version says he was presented the name “Navan” by his father, who spent time with British forces in India, where the name means “new” or “brilliant” and comes from Sanskrit. Despite this possibility, the name “Navan” originates from the Irish name “An Uaimh,” which means “the cave.” This name is associated with the town of Navan in County Meath, Ireland, and is believed to be linked to a cave located on the east bank of the River Boyne. The name may also be connected to the prehistoric burial mound, An Odhbha, which was later misunderstood and associated with the word for “cave”. Some other theories suggest the name is derived from the prehistoric burial mound An Odhbha, named after a figure in Irish mythology, and later confused with “uaimh” (cave). Some sources suggest the name might be related to the surname Nevin or Mac Cnáimhín, with possible meanings of “Little saint” or a reference to a “bony man”. Well, my Navan is assuredly not a “saint” nor would one call him “bony.”

Navan’s love interest in the tale is named “Annalise,” which is also my eldest granddaughter’s name, and the Annalise in my book has many of my granddaughter’s qualities. She is sweet natured, but she still has a backbone and a bit of stubbornness. She also has a mind for learning and exploring, while being athletic. Annalise in the book is the missing sister of one of Navan’s brothers, Lord Alexander Marksman, which should make her off limits to Navan, but in any good romance, when the hero knows the girl is the one, she is.

The name Annalise is of German origin and is a combination of the names Anna and Liese, a diminutive of Elisabeth. Anna is derived from the Hebrew name Hannah, meaning “grace” or “favor”. In our family, our Annalise is Annalise Joy, for the child always has a smile on her face.

Elisabeth, in turn, comes from the Hebrew Elisheba, meaning “God is my oath” or “God is abundance”. Therefore, Annalise can be interpreted to mean “graced with God’s oath” or “favored by God’s promise”. She is well versed in a variety of weapons, especially a sword.

The Annalise in my story is red-headed, my granddaughter is not. Navan often comments that she looks more Irish than he does. Her stubbornness and desire to survive are always on display, as is her loyalty. If you have read book 2 of this series, you already know something of her and how she came to be a part of the Lord Macdonald Duncan family.

Lyon in Disguise: Lyon’s Den Connected World 

A handsome rake meets his match in a red-headed enchantress who is his enemy!

They may be on different sides of the law, but Lord Navan Beaufort is not going to permit that to stop him from protecting Miss Audrey Moreau. Navan has never thought truly to love anyone, but when he laid eyes on the red-headed beauty, his world shifted. Unfortunately, the lady appears to prefer Lord Alexander Dutton to him, though Navan has rarely had the opportunity to speak to her privately. That is, until he saves her from a fire one miraculous night. From there forward, she is his hope. His future.

Miss Audrey Moreau depends exclusively on her Uncle Jacobi for a home and protection. The man rescued her from a bayman’s plantation in the West Indies when she was five; yet, she well knows the “Marquis of Honfleur’s” schemes. She thought once Jacobi was caught, all would be well, but even from his jail, the man means to rain down harm upon her.

Can two lost souls find happiness together, when everyone in whom they had previously placed their trust have left them alone in the world?

Tropes You’ll Love:

• Enemies to lovers
• Self-declared bachelor
• Friends to lovers
• Adversaries
• Damsel in distress
• Best friend’s sister
• Different worlds/experiences
• Soul mates
• Emotional scars
• Fish out of water

Read in Kindle Unlimited!

Enjoy book one in a new series within The Lyon’s Den Connected world by Regina Jeffers.

Book 1 – Lyon in the Way

Book 2 – Lyon’s Obsession

Book 3 – Lyon in Disguise

Book 4 – Lost in the Lyon’s Garden

Book 5 – Lyon on the Inside

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G1V963YZ

Please Note: The price of this book will increase to $3.99 on 11/26/2025.