The Rake's Bargain

The Rake's Bargain
Lucy Ashford

THE STAGE IS SETDeborah O’Hara loves leading her troupe of actors. But when she becomes entangled in a web of secrets spun by the rakishly handsome Damian Beaumaris, Duke of Cirencester, she is forced to play the hardest role of her life. That of the stunning but disloyal Paulette, the Duke’s widowed sister-in-law.To regain the honour of his family Beau needs Deb’s help. But, despite his intention to let nothing distract him from his plan, he doesn’t bargain on the forbidden sparks that fly with his beautiful leading lady…

‘I want justice for my brother,’ Beau replied.

‘No, you don’t,’ Deb answered him coolly. ‘It’s your pride making you do this. It’s my belief that you just cannot bear anyone getting the better of you.’

Beau’s eyes were narrow slits. ‘My motives, Miss O’Hara, aren’t yours to question.’

‘But your strategy is, since I’m to play a major part in it! How can I seriously pretend to be Paulette?’

Her composure appeared to be cracking at last. She got to her feet and walked to and fro.

He too rose and came slowly towards her, and she was utterly shaken by the lithe movement of his lean body, by the sense of his power and strength. She’d never met anyone like him, and she knew she was in deep, deep trouble.

‘You will be Paulette,’ he said. ‘We shall make you Paulette in every way.’

AUTHOR NOTE (#ulink_4f9be17b-7287-576d-8d85-d17c0109809f)

In Regency times troupes of actors roamed the English countryside from spring to autumn, presenting a variety of entertainments to the usually appreciative crowds who gathered to see them. Deb O’Hara, heroine of THE RAKE’S BARGAIN, leads one of these travelling troupes, and it’s her dream to find a permanent theatre for them some day, in London. But first she has to face a rather formidable opponent—Damian Beaumaris, known as Beau, who isn’t impressed in the slightest by her theatrical skills!

As ever, I’ve found writing about the Regency era an absolute delight, and I really hope you enjoy Deb and Beau’s story.

LUCY ASHFORD, an English Studies lecturer, has always loved literature and history, and from childhood one of her favourite occupations has been to immerse herself in historical romances. She studied English with history at Nottingham University, and the Regency is her favourite period.

Lucy lives with her husband in an old stone cottage in the Peak District, near to beautiful Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall, both of which give her a taste of the magic of life in a bygone age. Her garden enjoys spectacular views over the Derbyshire hills, where she loves to roam and let her imagination go to work on her latest story.

You can contact Lucy via her website:

www.lucyashford.com (http://www.lucyashford.com)

The Rake’s

Bargain

Lucy Ashford

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

Contents

Cover (#ufdc9b5e1-20f2-5bd9-a415-9a98e426cd0e)

Introduction (#ub6f329cc-c591-557a-95b9-4ff759082240)

AUTHOR NOTE (#ud82f646e-5792-546b-8d7e-10e9a4363893)

About the Author (#uf799a63f-aeff-566c-ad98-92d22c7a1a68)

Title Page (#u35ecd8ad-9fee-5c0a-b0f0-fda7deaef741)

Chapter One (#u63c99a72-dda1-5a6d-8f18-16027097337c)

Chapter Two (#uc52a3dc2-3768-5685-9d5b-0554dea69fc5)

Chapter Three (#u2296cb14-e6b9-535f-a685-4bd1e5237e35)

Chapter Four (#u44059117-c09a-58f0-a656-69b8b9090f29)

Chapter Five (#u7352d7fb-0a96-5f95-8e74-670fd0db7f58)

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)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-One (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One (#ulink_d6a7f436-7d96-5258-8ec1-6bb3c00fc002)