Bound By A Scandalous Secret

Bound By A Scandalous Secret
Diane Gaston

A most shocking betrothal!The pleasure-seeking Marquess of Rossdale has little interest in his birthright and even less in finding a bride. So he comes up with the perfect plan to survive the Season unscathed – a fake engagement to a most unsuitable girl!Outspoken Genna, the youngest of the scandalous Summerfields, has no wish to marry either. So agreeing to be Ross’s temporary fiancée will grant her freedom for a little longer. But with every kiss, both Ross and Genna must face up to what they really desire…a true match!The Scandalous SummerfieldsDisgrace is their middle name!

A most shocking betrothal!

The pleasure-seeking Marquess of Rossdale has little interest in his birthright and even less in finding a bride. So he comes up with the perfect plan to survive the Season unscathed—a fake engagement to a most unsuitable girl!

Outspoken Genna, the youngest of the scandalous Summerfields, has no wish to marry, either. So agreeing to be Ross’s temporary fiancée will grant her freedom for a little longer. But with every kiss, both Ross and Genna must face up to what they really desire...a true match!

The Scandalous Summerfields

Disgrace is their middle name!

Left destitute by their philandering parents, the three Summerfield sisters—Tess, Lorene and Genna—and their half brother, Edmund, are the talk of the ton...for all the wrong reasons!

They are at the mercy of the marriage mart to transport their family from the fringes of society to the dizzy heights of respectability.

But with no dowries, and a damaged reputation, only some very special matches can survive the scandalous Summerfields!

Read where it all started with

tempestuous Tess’s story

Bound by Duty

Read Edmund’s story in

Bound by One Scandalous Night

Read Genna’s story in

Bound by a Scandalous Secret

All available now!

And look for Lorene’s story,

coming soon!

Author Note (#u4effa6c4-5cae-55ce-a353-1c7099a2e2a9)

In my Author Notes for Bound by Duty and Bound by One Scandalous Night, I explain that The Scandalous Summerfields series was inspired by my mother, her two sisters and their brother. Their actual life stories are nothing like those in my books, but, without intending it, I realize there are similarities.

Like Genna, my aunt Gerry was the youngest in the family. Their parents died when Gerry was still a teenager and my aunt Loraine became her legal guardian. The three sisters lived together and took care of each other. Their sisterly bond continued all their lives. Although we never lived near Aunt Gerry, we visited her and her family every year. My mother and Aunt Loraine talked to her on the phone at least once a week even when long-distance phone calls could be expensive.

Also like Genna, Aunt Gerry was strong, resourceful and creative. Gerry’s creativity showed itself in her sewing and needlework. Several of her handmade Christmas ornaments still decorate our Christmas trees. Aunt Gerry had her share of adversity in her life, but she met adversity with strength. She could sew anything, grow any kind of flower and she knew the name of every one of them.

Like the Summerfield family, Aunt Gerry had three daughters and a son (who died tragically in his thirties). I can see parts of her in my cousins Gail, Marge and Marty, so it is a little like not losing her at all.

Bound by a Scandalous Secret

Diane Gaston

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

DIANE GASTON always said that if she were not a mental-health social worker, she’d want to be a romance novelist, writing the historical romances she loved to read. When this dream came true, she discovered a whole new world of friends and happy endings. Diane lives in Virginia near Washington, DC, with her husband and three very ordinary house cats. She loves to hear from readers! Contact her at dianegaston.com (http://www.dianegaston.com) or on Facebook or Twitter.

To the memory of my aunt Gerry, who was endlessly energetic, efficient and, it seemed to me, could do just about anything.

Contents

Cover (#u156b6838-e69a-5ed6-9b5f-03bf57d62ff5)

Back Cover Text (#u24067584-8747-5fad-91da-0e3f2e64f112)

Introduction (#u2dd2e0bf-aad1-57fa-b23d-7c85deee9fa0)

Author Note (#u8b2db563-acb1-5570-bc5d-c76fb64d266e)

Title Page (#udff378ee-4da4-5e3f-bee5-6db14394f62b)

About the Author (#u36f888a3-a739-515b-8860-7a93990dde26)

Dedication (#ue196f36e-7f73-5ca6-97a3-bd1232fd4bd3)

Chapter One (#u62c25a6e-f773-540b-867f-b9593ac7d7ef)

Chapter Two (#u4e0e6cc6-ffa5-57e9-be01-68bf8c113e26)

Chapter Three (#uf2ad6194-4e4b-5809-b18c-9923b6fe7e0a)

Chapter Four (#ufe715647-ecde-5b10-82f9-30e186af2034)

Chapter Five (#u55ad741d-8442-57f3-9fbd-bb5743531e41)

Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)