The Disappearing Duchess: The Disappearing Duchess / The Mysterious Lord Marlowe

The Disappearing Duchess: The Disappearing Duchess / The Mysterious Lord Marlowe
Anne Herries

As new wife to the Duke of Avonlea, shy and beautiful Lucinda has gained acceptance and protection–surely her harrowing past is finally behind her? Then Lucinda receives word from her enemy, and she must flee to save her husband from scandal…Justin is devastated by the disappearance of his young duchess–a woman, it seems, he doesn't know at all! How dares Lucinda think she can play him for a fool? He will not rest until he has brought his unwilling bride back to their matrimonial home…Secrets and ScandalsNothing stays secret for long in Regency Society

‘No, I shall not have the marriage annulled,’ Justin said, his tone suddenly harsh and cold.

The sound of it sent shivers down her spine and she looked at him, startled by his change of mood.

‘I’ve had enough of gossip and of being laughed at behind my back, Lucinda. You are my wife, and you will accept your duties as a wife.’

‘Justin…’ She faltered, her throat tight with emotion. Tears gathered in her eyes but she held them back. ‘I know how angry you must feel…’

‘If you cared for me you might have trusted me, Lucinda. I would have given you a fair hearing. Do you not think it was your duty to tell me before you accepted my proposal?’

‘Yes. I think now that I should have told you. I—I was afraid you would not wish to marry me if you knew that I had such a terrible secret.’

SECRETS AND SCANDALS

Nothing stays secret for long in Regency Society!

The truth threatens to reveal a scandal

for all three couples in this

exciting new trilogy from

Anne Herries

THE DISAPPEARING DUCHESS—

February 2012

THE MYSTERIOUS LORD MARLOWE—

March 2012

THE SCANDALOUS LORD LANCHESTER—

April 2012

About the Author

ANNE HERRIES lives in Cambridgeshire, where she is fond of watching wildlife, and spoils the birds and squirrels that are frequent visitors to her garden. Anne loves to write about the beauty of nature, and sometimes puts a little into her books, although they are mostly about love and romance. She writes for her own enjoyment, and to give pleasure to her readers. She is a winner of the Romantic Novelists’ Association Romance Prize. She invites readers to contact her on her website: www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.lindasole.co.uk)

Previous novels by the same author:

MARRYING CAPTAIN JACK

THE UNKNOWN HEIR

THE HOMELESS HEIRESS

THE RAKE’S REBELLIOUS LADY

A COUNTRY MISS IN HANOVER SQUARE*

AN INNOCENT DEBUTANTE IN HANOVER SQUARE*

THE MISTRESS OF HANOVER SQUARE*

FORBIDDEN LADY†

THE LORD’S FORCED BRIDE†

THE PIRATE’S WILLING CAPTIVE†

HER DARK AND DANGEROUS LORD†

BOUGHT FOR THE HAREM

HOSTAGE BRIDE

*A Season in Town trilogy

†The Melford Dynasty

And in the Regency seriesThe Steepwood Scandal:

LORD RAVENSDEN’S MARRIAGE

COUNTERFEIT EARL

And in The Hellfire Mysteries:

AN IMPROPER COMPANION

A WEALTHY WIDOW

A WORTHY GENTLEMAN

The Disappearing Duchess

Anne Herries

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Prologue

Justin, Duke of Avonlea, looked round at the sea of faces. They were all staring at him expectantly, believing that he was about to make a speech of welcome and cut the cake with his bride. His mouth was dry, his chest tight with a kind of suspended agony, as he struggled to come to terms with what was seemingly going on.