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    The Duke's Flowers
    The Duke's Flowers
    The Duke's Flowers
    Ebook130 pages1 hour

    The Duke's Flowers

    By Roxie Brandon

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Amazing value Regency three story collection. Jam-packed with romance, love and adventure.

    Charming dukes with attitudes and kind hearts. Lovely ladies who want to find love. You'll find all of this, and much more in this collection.

    This Regency romance collection is a sweet read with a guaranteed happily ever after.

    The full collection includes:

    1.The Duke’s Rose

    The lovely Miss Hale is the governess to Eliza and Edmund, the children of the Duke of Cromwell. She is ready to love them as her own, but her biggest challenge will be their father. Since his wife died, he wants nothing to do with his children.

    Lady Isabella Ingram wants the Duke for selfish reasons and will do everything to manipulate him. Will the innocent Miss Hale win the Duke's heart?

    2.The Duke’s Violet

    Violet Baker grew up in a poor family, but she was happy with her life. Robert Ridgeway, Duke of Cumberland, known as a rake, contacts Violet’s father expressing his interest in marrying her. A marriage of convenience for the sake of her family.

    But the Duke of Cumberland has his own motives for his proposal. Will the emerging feelings the couple have for each other survive the secret he carries?

    3.The Duke’s Margaret

    Anthony Randall, the Duke of Daventry, is in desperate need of a governess for his orphaned niece. The Duke’s niece, the spoiled, seven-year-old Isabella has been through three governesses. The Duke is highly doubtful the young, inexperienced Miss Margaret Hopkins could possibly manage his irascible niece but since he is desperate, he agrees to give her a chance.

    Much to the astonishment of the entire household Margaret succeeds beautifully, bringing the little lady under control and brightening the lives of everyone she comes in contact with, including the Duke.

    Unfortunately, the Duke has a reputation as a faithless rake and a heartbreaker. No woman of good character is willing to live under the same roof as him. Apart from the beautiful Margaret Hopkins.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRoxie Brandon
    Release dateJan 10, 2018
    ISBN9781370542222
    The Duke's Flowers
    Author

    Roxie Brandon

    Roxie Brandon is an author of historical and contemporary romance, beauty and fashion books.Her romances range in setting from Medieval times to the Twentieth Century.She loves walks in the countryside and having afternoon tea with family and friends.

    Read more from Roxie Brandon

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      Book preview

      The Duke's Flowers - Roxie Brandon

      THE DUKE’S FLOWERS

      by Roxie Brandon

      Copyright © 2018 Roxie Brandon All Rights Reserved

      This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are products of the author’s imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

      THE DUKE’S ROSE

      England, 1815

      Chapter One

      Edward Sterling, Duke of Cromwell, ran the ducal estates ever since his father died. His wife, Elizabeth, died three years ago. As much as he would have liked to escape the ugly truth there was no getting away from the cold, hard fact. She had fought the disease, a sickness that seemed to eat her from inside.

      He knew, even in the midst of his own pain, that she was better off now. Yet for some reason, his heart remained rooted in despair. Even as he reminded himself that she finally rested peacefully, he wondered if there would be something peaceful in his life again.

      Sterling retreated to the library of the old Estate. He was standing behind thick curtains of purple velvet, which protected him from view, and was reading a letter:

      My precious Edward,

      How can I show what is in my heart within a short letter? I want you to know that from the moment I met you, you became the most important thing in my life. I hope you will forgive me. I beg you not to grieve over my death. You must be strong for our children. I am happy because God has answered my prayer to give you a guardian angel. He has chosen me. I shall love you forever.

      Elizabeth

      Edward remembers... Wind whipping through his hair, he leaned forward, pushing his horse to more speed. Elizabeth's golden hair sparkled in the sun's light.

      Edward! Her voice travelled over the distance. Her wonderful laughter reached his ears.

      He pushed his horse on and soon pulled up next to hers. She leaned forward as the wind whipped through her hair. He smiled and once again pushed his horse on. The road soon levelled out, opening up to green fields.

      Laughing, she looked at him. Her blue eyes sparkled as she turned to look at him. For a long moment, they flew forward, side by side, eyes fixed on the other. A perfect moment, so perfect that it hurt to think of it. A moment he would see in his dreams.

      ***

      Death, a sad word. Death was the reason why Rose Hale was traveling to a governess posting. How Rose missed her parents! But she dismissed the disquieting emotions and chose instead to be hopeful; hopeful of a happy life in the years to come. She blew out an eager breath.

      Marriage. That was a subject that occupied her thoughts! Rose longed to marry, to have a house and husband of her own, and to someday raise her children. Rose knew she woud be a wonderful wife. With her manners and kindness, any man would be proud if she was the mistress of his house.

      Reflecting upon her life, Rose realized how grateful she was that her parents had gifted to her a means of supporting herself by teaching her the importance of hard work and a strong sense of independence.

      Although Rose had been raised a vicar’s daughter, she had been taught to be an accomplished woman. But Rose would never have supposed she would one day end up a governess to someone else’s children.

      After her mother had joined his father in death, Rose had come to live with her uncle’s family, but from the beginning she had felt unwelcome. She knew they had only taken her in because they considered it their duty. She was, after all, family. However, both her aunt and uncle never missed an opportunity to remind her of her status. Rose never declined a request, never argued and never questioned her uncle’s authority. And yet, to this day he had never looked at her with affection, nor had her aunt.

      So, if she became a governess, would her uncle be relieved to be rid of a responsibility he did not ask for in the first place?

      Chapter Two

      Rose traveled the long distance and stayed at a stuffy inn on her journey. She reminded herself that she was on a big adventure and that she would have to endure a little discomfort. She had never traveled so far or alone before and it was all new to her. There was a rough beauty about the land, and she wanted to explore more if its villages and pastoral wonders.

      Rose was awake when the carriage arrived at a stop. They had travelled for hours to get to Caddington House. She gathered herself before the coachman came to open the door for her to descend. Mr Jarvis extended a hand to help her down.

      She smiled at him, and said, Thank you, Mr Jarvis.

      He pulled her valise from the coach and walked with her to the entryway of an immense house.

      Rose beheld for the first time the splendor of what was to become her new home. She looked at the beauty of Caddington House, an aged stone house. Rose saw water flickering nearby; it appeared to be a lake.

      A profound feeling tranquility overcame her as she stared at the expanse of blue that lay before her. Rays of light moved gently over the water, birthed from the afternoon sun that made the view all the more beautiful.

      The windows of the house were oversized, mullioned and almost cathedral-like. The chimneys worked busily puffing smoke from the cozy interior to the cool evening. Its large oak door was double wide and was sheltered under a wide porch supported by stone pillars.

      The driveway was grandiose, sweeping into a wide circle in front of the dwelling with an ornate fountain in the center. Caddington House was more grand than Rose had imagined.

      It’s beautiful, she whispered. She prayed she would be happy here.

      ***

      A man stepped forward, bowing. You must be the new governess, the man said. We have been expecting you. I am Mr Thomson, His Grace’s butler. Please follow me.

      The butler turned on his heels and walked away, and Rose followed. She was bewitched by the incredible beauty of Caddington House. The marble floor shimmered in the shine of the light spilling in through windows. Two stairways led opposite each other from her right and left to the upper floor. The house was ornamented with antique joinery, Venetian chandeliers and stone columns. The corridors were decorated with antique furniture, impressive paintings and tapestries.

      Knocking on the door, the butler and Rose heard, Come in. The door was opened, and the butler nodded for her to enter.

      The master of the house looked up from his large desk. The library was a room filled with shelf after shelf of leather-bound books. The shelves reached the ceiling of the magnificent room.

      Rose looked at the man staying at the desk. The Duke was wearing a tight, scarlet waistcoat, fastened by tags, and very close-fitting breeches. He was a tall man and he cut a fine figure of a gentleman.

      His face was strong and defined, his features molded from granite. He had dark eyebrows, which sloped downwards in a serious expression. His black hair was tousled, and he scowled when he saw them waiting in the doorway. He was so severe!

      Edward Sterling looked at Rose. When Thomson had mentioned that the last applicant was young, he certainly did not expect her to be this young. Her eyes were bright blue and her auburn hair framed her lovely face as a smile ran across her full, rosy lips. Her face was young without one blemish to mar its perfectly pale complexion. She was not tall nor short, but somewhere in between. Her shoulders were broad and she held her noble head high with the air of confidence. She was a beauty.

      You will teach the children every day. Reading, writing and arithmetic, Mr Sterling said. You intend to add something to this list?

      I do, Your Grace. I would like to have music lessons.

      Sighing, she added, Children need fresh air. I would really like to be permitted time outdoors with them.

      Sterling nodded his head in agreement. Anything else?

      Not at the moment, Your Grace.

      Mrs Johnson will introduce you to your pupils.

      Very well, Sir.

      You may go.

      She had never met anyone so abrupt. In the future, she would take care to avoid speaking with him or seeing him. In a house the size of Caddington House, that should be an easy task, she thought to herself.

      ***

      I am Mrs Johnson, His Grace’s housekeeper. Please follow me.

      They walked along the hall in silence, Rose still anxious from receiving Mr Sterling's strict instructions.

      Don’t let the Master upset you, Mrs Johnson said.

      He says you will introduce me to the children.

      And that I will do, Mrs Johnson told her. "They are

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